Grove House Primary School

Grove House Primary School Myers Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD2 4ED

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Over the past three years, there are inconsistencies in the pattern of achievement. Some groups of pupils, such as those with special educational needs supported by school action and White British pupils are not doing as well as similar pupils across the country. The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Not all teachers are using what they know about their pupils to plan lessons that will meet the needs of all learners to ensure good progress. Not all teachers mark pupils’ work in a way that helps them to do better next time. Leadership requires improvement because some leaders have focused too much on what teachers do, rather than how well pupils are learning and progressing in their lessons.  Senior leaders are not using what they know about how well pupils are doing to set precise targets that will raise teachers’ expectations and ensure that some groups of pupils make better than the expected progress.

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Governors are not holding leaders to account well enough by challenging underperformance. They are not making the necessary checks to ensure that the information they receive is accurate.

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The school has the following strengths

 The teaching of letters and sounds in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 ensures that almost all children have the confidence and skills to read independently.  Recent actions to secure good teaching by some teachers have been very effective.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. This is a harmonious school where all feel safe, valued and respected. Consequently, pupils’ behaviour is good.  The specialist unit and school provide exceptionally well for those pupils who have a visual impairment. These pupils feel included. They have the skills and resources to access learning, develop independence and make good progress, especially in mathematics.  The school provides a wide variety of activities to enrich and extend the curriculum which promote healthy lifestyles and broaden pupils’ experiences.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons and saw every teacher teach at least once. They also observed the work of teaching assistants and visited the unit for visually impaired children.  Discussions were held with groups of pupils, the headteacher and other senior leaders, staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor, and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors listened to pupils in Years 1, 2, 3 and 6 read.  In addition, inspectors looked at the school’s self-evaluation documentation, action plans, safeguarding information, policies, minutes of governing body meetings and performance management information.  Eleven parents responded to the online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors spoke to parents during the day and took account of the school’s latest survey of parents’ views.  The views of 18 members of staff who completed the inspection questionnaire were considered.

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Inspection team

Anne Bowyer Her Majesty’s Inspector Lead Inspector Carol Machell Additional Inspector Sheila Kaye Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Grove House Primary School is a larger than averaged-sized primary school.  The school has a specialist unit for pupils with a visual impairment.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported by school action is below average; the proportion supported by school action plus and those with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives additional funding, known as the pupil premium, is below average. The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and children from service families.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds, and who speak English as an additional language, is well above the national average. More than half of the pupils on roll are from Asian backgrounds, the largest single group being of Pakistani heritage.

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Information about this school

 In 2013, the school did not meet the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectation for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of all teaching to consistently good or better by:  providing teachers with an accurate view of their teaching and using the effective systems introduced this term to improve the teaching that requires improvement  using the information about what pupils already know to plan work that matches the needs of each pupil, so that gaps in learning are addressed and all pupils make progress in each lesson  planning lessons that make the best use of time and resources, including teaching assistants, to ensure all pupils make progress  improving the consistency and quality of marking so that pupils understand how to improve their work and have opportunities to respond and correct errors.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise achievement in reading, writing and mathematics so that all pupils make at least good progress by:  setting ambitious and more precise targets in teachers’ performance management in order to raise teachers’ expectations and close the gap for those groups of pupils who are not doing as well as they should be  setting more ambitious targets in Key Stage 1  regularly holding teachers to account for pupils’ progress and ensuring that any underachievement is tackled promptly  systematically developing pupils’ reading comprehension and number skills  providing pupils with more opportunities to use their reading, writing and mathematical skills across the curriculum.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of leaders at all levels by:  accurately checking and assessing the quality of teaching and learning so that it takes account of the progress pupils make in lessons and over time  linking precisely the rigorous analysis of how well pupils are doing to action planning and the performance management of teachers, to provide precise and measurable success criteria that can be easily checked and challenged  making sure all governors have the skills and knowledge to hold leaders to account for the progress the school is making  making sure the minutes of governing body meetings make clear the checks and challenges governors are making on how well the school is doing.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In lessons seen during the inspection, pupils made at least expected rates of progress and in around half the lessons, they made good progress. Outstanding progress was observed in one lesson. The improving rates of progress seen during the inspection hold promise for the future, but achievement requires improvement because of the variation in standards over time which means they are not consistently good.  Children start school with skills that are below those typically expected for their age. They settle well into the Early Years Foundation Stage because of the strong relationships formed and the focus on children’s personal, social and emotional development. Nevertheless, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development is below the national average. Children make expected progress because some teachers’ expectations are not always high enough to enable them to achieve more. Consequently, by the time children enter Year 1 most are still below the

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

levels expected for their age group.  The effective teaching of letters and the sounds they make (phonics) in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 provides pupils with a firm start to their reading. They apply their phonic skills confidently when tackling unfamiliar words and the proportion of pupils in Year 1 meeting the level expected for their age is higher than the national average and is improving. Despite this, standards in reading by the end of Year 2 were below the national average in 2013 and in Year 6, significantly below. Leaders attribute this to pupils’ poor comprehension skills, which are not being developed through classroom teaching. They have taken prompt action to address this which is beginning to pay dividends.  Over time, pupils’ achievement is showing an upward trend but this is not yet sufficient to close the gap to national averages in reading and mathematics. However, writing is showing year-on-

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

year improvements because of the effective actions taken and the gap between the school’s achievement and national averages is closing.  In Key Stages 1 and 2, pupils’ progress varies because the quality of teaching over time has been inconsistent. Interventions have successfully raised achievement for some groups of pupils such as those for whom the school receives the pupil premium, those pupils with a visual impairment and those pupils with special educational needs supported at school action plus. However, progress has not been as good for others, such as White British boys, pupils with special educational needs supported by school action and, in some cases the most able, because of the inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning. This has resulted in peaks and troughs in pupils’ achievement across the school.  Pupils for whom the school is allocated pupil premium funding make better progress than their

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

classmates. Overall, this group is working a term ahead of their classmates.  Those pupils with a statement of special educational needs, most of whom have a visual impairment, and who are identified for additional support at school action plus, make good progress from their starting points.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching varies between requiring improvement and good in roughly similar proportions. Inspectors saw one outstanding lesson. During the inspection, teachers demonstrated an ability to accept constructive feedback and reflect on their practice, so that on the second day of the inspection, most had made improvements in their teaching. This indicates that teaching could be improved rapidly, if leaders were more accurate in their assessment of it.  Lessons that require improvement are characterised by a focus on what the school calls ‘core expectations’. This means that too much teaching and learning are aimed at pupils of middle ability. Teachers are not organising their teaching and lessons well enough to ensure that the needs of different groups of learners are being met. Some teachers are not using effectively the assessment information available, or what they know about the level of pupils’ progress, to plan

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

the next steps in pupils’ learning accurately. Pupils say that sometimes their work is too easy and this was seen by inspectors in pupils’ books.  Likewise, these teachers had lower expectations of the progress pupils should make in lessons. They did not always check on pupils’ learning as lessons progressed and in some cases misconceptions were not addressed.  Where teaching was good, work was better matched to pupils’ needs. Teachers checked and intervened to support or speed up learning during the lesson and used their time effectively to target groups of pupils. Pupils worked independently because classroom displays and resources provided them with useful prompts.  In the one outstanding mathematics lesson seen, work was finely matched to pupils’ needs. All adults knew what they needed to do in order to challenge and support pupils. There was a real sense of ‘I can do’ and no fear of getting it wrong. ‘Next challenges’ were available for those

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

ready to progress and this motivated pupils. As a consequence, they made rapid progress within the lesson.  Marking and feedback are inconsistent. Teachers are not always giving sufficient guidance to pupils on how to improve their work. For instance, there are too few opportunities for pupils to review, extend and practise their writing or revisit inaccuracies in their mathematics work. Some teachers’ handwriting is difficult to read and does not model high standards of handwriting and presentation. Consequently, pupils’ handwriting and presentation are inconsistent and not as good as they need to be.  Teaching assistants provide good support when teachers plan well for them and make clear their expectations but this is not consistent throughout school.  There is excellent support for those pupils with a visual impairment, both in the unit and in school. This ensures these pupils have the skills, tools and resources to be as independent as

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 This is strength of the school. There are rigorous procedures in place to assess risks and safeguard pupils. Leaders have created a safe and accessible environment for all pupils. They ensure that those with a disability can move freely and safely around school.  Pupils are respectful of each other. The school’s diversity is celebrated and valued and there is a real sense of harmony. Pupils demonstrate good levels of social and emotional development as they respond to the needs of others.  Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying and say that, because they value their differences, bullying is rare in their school. Inspectors found no evidence of bullying and records indicate that it is very rare. Behaviour incidents are dealt with in line with school policy and procedures. Pupils say that adults deal promptly with any incidents of poor behaviour. The majority of parents agree.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils understand risks and how to keep themselves safe. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe when using the internet and social media.  Pupils show good attitudes to learning even when lessons are not as good as they should be. They are respectful at all times and have positive relationships with adults.  Attendance is improving year on year and in 2013 was just below the national average for 2012. In 2013, successful actions have significantly reduced the percentage of persistent absences to below the national average for 2012.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 There is an established staffing and leadership structure. However, changes to staffing, and the inexperience of some senior and middle leaders mean that improvements have been slow to happen. The leadership of the school has entered a more stable phase and is in a stronger position to drive forward the improvements needed, as seen in the recent effective work with some teachers to improve their teaching so that it is at least good.  Systems and procedures are well established but a lack of ‘joined up’ thinking, planning and direction by the headteacher means that actions have not been as effective as they need to be. For instance, there is rigorous analysis of data, but this is not used precisely enough, or linked closely enough, to the overall evaluation of teaching and learning to ensure that standards and expectations are raised. Nor is it used sharply enough in action planning and performance

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The leadership and management requires improvement

management, so that checks can be made on progress and accurate judgements made about how well the school is doing.  Recently, leaders have demonstrated their capacity to improve teaching but, over time, some of their evaluations have been inaccurate. Some leaders have focused too much on what teachers are doing and less on evaluating the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning and progress in lessons. Observations have not been focused enough and action points from previous observations and monitoring activities have not been followed up or checked rigorously enough to help teachers understand exactly what they need to do to improve their teaching.  Systems and procedures for the performance management of teachers are well established and ensure that there is a clear focus on the Teacher Standards. However, performance targets are not specific enough and do not reflect the school’s priorities sharply enough to ensure that

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The leadership and management requires improvement

teachers know precisely what is expected of them.  The curriculum has been developed to provide pupils with a wide variety of opportunities and experiences, but it does not fully promote the use and application of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. It enables pupils to acquire other skills such as social skills and clearly promotes their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Leaders place high value on this and, as a result, they have created a harmonious school community where everyone gets on very well with each other regardless of their differing backgrounds. Pupils say they would like Martin Luther King to visit their school because, ‘It’s like his “I have a dream” speech − we’re all different and we all get on well together’.  The school provides exceptionally well for those pupils with a disability and those with special educational needs at school action plus, but it is not meeting the needs of those at school action

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The leadership and management requires improvement

fully. This is because teachers are not planning well enough to meet the needs of these learners in class.  Leaders have used the primary school sports funding to provide a well-thought-out programme of sport aimed at meeting the interests of the widest range of pupils. This is helping pupils to improve skills in a variety of sports while allowing them to make choices about how they like to stay fit and healthy. The school actively targets pupils to attend after-school clubs to increase participation in sport.  The local authority has provided light touch support and monitoring of the school due to the rise in achievement in 2012. This support and monitoring have been increased because the rise in attainment has not been sustained. A local headteacher has been commissioned to work with the school and undertakes regular checks on the school’s progress. The school is part of a local partnership and is making use of this to improve leadership and teaching.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Parents are very positive about the school and value the work it does with them, particularly when pupils start school.  The governance of the school:  The Chair of the Governing Body is knowledgeable about the school’s performance. However, there is no indication in the minutes of meetings that all governors are making the checks needed and challenging leaders. Where information has been provided about attendance, governors have raised questions.  Governors’ ability to check on the school’s progress is hampered by action plans which lack clear, measurable success criteria.  All safeguarding requirements are met.  Financial management is appropriately provided. Pupil premium funds are carefully utilised and the impact of this analysed and published on the school’s website.  Governors have used the school sports funding appropriately to ensure pupils have more choices about the kind of sport they would like to participate in, so that all can be fit and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

healthy.  Performance management arrangements are in place including for the headteacher. Salary increases are dependent upon successful performance management outcomes.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 107242 Local authority Bradford Inspection number 427297

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 458 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Christine Kelly Headteacher Mick Hayes Date of previous school inspection 25 November 2010 Telephone number 01274 636921 Fax number 01274 637160 Email address office@grove-house.com guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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