Grange CofE Primary School

Grange CofE Primary School Fell Drive, Grange-Over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 7JF

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Achievement is good. From starting points on entry to the Nursery class that are typical for children of their age, pupils reach standards by the end of Year 6 that are above average in English and mathematics.  Teaching is typically good and there is some that is outstanding.  Behaviour is outstanding. Pupils behave exceptionally well in and out of lessons. They show real enthusiasm for their learning and always try their hardest.  This is a very safe school. Pupil say that they feel extremely secure and they know how to keep themselves safe.  The headteacher’s leadership is very effective and she is ably supported by leaders at other levels. Together they have worked hard to raise pupils’ achievement and improve the quality of teaching.  Members of the governing body are effective and use their skills and expertise very well to provide strategic direction for this improving school.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children get off to a good start and make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage as a result of the caring environment and effective teaching.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching across the school is not outstanding.  Achievement in reading is not as good as it is in writing and mathematics.  Pupils do not read widely enough out of school.  The school does not work closely enough with parents to help them to understand how they can help their children to become better readers.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in nine lessons, one of which was observed jointly with the headteacher. Inspectors also listened to pupils read in Years 2 and 6.  Inspectors took account of 27 responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and 12 questionnaires completed by the staff.  Inspectors held meetings with pupils from the school council and pupils from Years 5 and 6. They talked informally with pupils at break and lunchtimes. Inspectors also talked to members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. In addition, they held discussions with leaders who have other responsibilities including the special educational needs coordinator, the leader of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the leaders of literacy and numeracy.  Inspectors observed the school at work and looked at a range of documentation, including internal and external data relating to pupils’ progress, pupils’ workbooks, school improvement

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Information about this inspection

planning and the school’s views of how well it is doing. They also considered reports written by the local authority, documents relating to teachers’ performance, minutes of governing body meetings and safeguarding and child protection information.

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Inspection team

Peter Evea, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Juliet Ward Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a smaller than average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  There have been significant changes in staffing in recent years across the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which are the minimum expectations 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 teaching by sharing the best practice that already exists more consistently across the school.  Work closely with parents and so raise attainment further in reading by:  helping parents encourage their children to read more widely and more often  making sure that parents understand what their children need to do to make further progress in reading and how they can help them.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children start school in the Nursery class with skills and abilities that are typical for children of their age. They make good progress in their knowledge and skills so that, by the end of Key Stage 2 they reach above average standards in writing and mathematics. Standards in reading, while also above average, are not as impressive as they are in writing and mathematics.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage do well. The good teaching, caring staff and the detailed knowledge that all adults have of each child’s needs mean that children get off to a very good start.  Pupils write well and often at length in a range of subjects, particularly when the subject captures their interest and imagination. They can adapt their writing styles to suit a range of audiences and purposes.  Pupils’ mathematical skills and understanding are good. They develop a sound understanding of basic numeracy skills early in their school life and these are systematically built on through their

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The achievement of pupils is good

time in school.  Pupils respond well to the programmes to develop their reading skills. Pupils in Year 2 decode new and difficult words with increasing confidence and accuracy. However, although achievement in reading is good, it is not as good as it is in writing and mathematics. While pupils read increasingly widely and often in school, they do not read as often as they could out of school and so do not reinforce their developing reading skills.  The school’s own data and other inspection evidence show that pupils throughout the school are making consistently good progress. Pupils in Years 2 and Year 6 are on track to reach above average standards in English and mathematics, although standards in reading in Year 6 are likely to be slightly lower. This represents good progress from their typical starting points.  The most able pupils make good progress to reach well above average standards in English and

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The achievement of pupils is good

mathematics because their teachers have very high expectations, support them well and give them work which challenges them. A significant number in Year 6 have been entered for the higher Level 6 tests.  Pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and supported by the pupil premium reach standards which are increasingly similar to other pupils in the school. The school’s data on pupils’ progress and attainment in English and mathematics show that there are now small and narrowing gaps between the achievement and progress of these pupils and others. Pupils receive additional support both in class and individually and in small groups out of class.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make the same good progress as others. This is because they are correctly identified and their progress is checked and reviewed regularly in order to make sure that carefully planned support closely matches individual pupils’

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The achievement of pupils is good

particular needs.  Equality of opportunity is central to the work of the school and successfully removes any barriers to learning and ensures that there are no significant differences in the achievement of different groups of pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good and has improved as a result of the determined efforts of the school’s leaders.  The school’s own records and other evidence gathered during the inspection show that good or better teaching is now the norm and this has had a positive effect on pupils’ learning and achievement, enabling them to make good progress.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are provided with interesting indoor and outdoor activities which cover all the required areas of learning. Good attention is paid to developing children’s speaking and listening skills and this prepares them very well for future learning.  Pupils make the most rapid progress, over time, when the range of activities they are given to do are skilfully planned to be hard enough for everyone. In a Year 5 class, for example, pupils enthusiastically used their developing mathematical skills to explore lines of symmetry.  There are very good relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils co-operate well together in

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The quality of teaching is good

pairs and small groups when given opportunities to learn together. The well-established routines mean that lessons proceed without any interruptions.  Detailed knowledge of how well pupils have learned in English and mathematics is used to plan activities that are at just the right level. Pupils are keen to write, and often do so at length in a range of subjects, for different audiences and purposes.  Pupils have planned opportunities to read during the school day. However, pupils say that they do not read often enough out of school. In addition, although parents are keen to support their children, not enough parents know what their children need to do to become better readers and what they can do to help.  In mathematics, pupils develop and apply the skills they need to make good progress. They also use these skills to good effect in other subjects, for example, when they analysed the data they

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The quality of teaching is good

had gathered in a survey about the local town.  The marking of pupils’ work and the feedback given to them about how to improve their work are of a high order and pupils routinely respond to suggestions for improvement.  Pupils, including the most able, respond to the high expectations and typically try their hardest to meet the challenges set for them. In a Year 6 class, for example, pupils enthusiastically discussed the language that authors use with passion and increasing sophistication.  Teaching assistants are deployed effectively and carefully guide pupils’ learning. They have a very clear picture of the needs of individual pupils, especially disabled pupils and those with special educational needs because they know pupils, and their needs, very well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  Pupils behave exceptionally well in and out of lessons. Pupils come to school very eager to learn and use every moment in school very productively. They are confident, well rounded and very capable young people who leave the school extremely well prepared for the next step in their education.  Although the school has an effective system for encouraging pupils to behave well, it is not used extensively because behaviour is of a very high order. Pupils say that they know how to behave both in and out of lessons and that they expect others to behave equally well.  Pupils say that there is no bullying and that if any occurred it would be very quickly dealt with. They have a very good understanding of the different types of bullying including cyber-bullying.  Pupils are very active and really appreciate the wide range of activities and clubs available to them, especially the sports activities. They are rightly proud of their sporting successes in the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

local area and further afield.  Pupils contribute fully to all aspects of school life. They willingly take on roles of responsibility such as play leaders and house captains. They take these responsibilities very seriously and are extremely conscientious in carrying out their duties. Year 6 pupils in particular play an important part in the smooth day to day running of the school.  Attendance is above average and the school works hard to encourage pupils to attend school regularly and on time.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  Procedures for keeping pupils safe are managed exceptionally well. Pupils say that they feel very safe and parents agree that their children feel very secure in school. Pupils have an extremely good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a wide range of situations, including when using the internet and in the local tidal Morecambe Bay area.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is very well led by a highly effective headteacher, ably supported by a determined and effective senior leadership team and by an equally effective governing body.  Leaders at middle level are relatively new to their roles and are becoming increasingly effective as they gain in experience.  There have been improvements in both the achievement of pupils and the quality of teaching as a result of the concerted actions of all the staff. However, leaders are yet to ensure that pupils’ achievement in reading is as good as it is in writing and mathematics and that teaching is outstanding.  The school has a very accurate picture of its strengths and areas for development and produces increasingly ambitious plans with actions to address these.  School leaders carry out regular checks on the quality of teaching which provide an accurate view of its quality. Where improvements are needed, teachers are able to improve their skills

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The leadership and management are good

through effective professional development. However, although there is outstanding teaching evident in the school, it is not yet shared effectively among all staff.  The links between the management of the performance of teachers and their professional development are effective and arrangements for pay and promotion of staff are closely linked to pupils’ progress.  There are very thorough systems in place to check on pupils’ progress throughout the school. Where there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills, the school quickly takes action to boost pupils’ learning by providing them with extra support in or out of lessons.  The school knows and cares for its pupils as individuals and successfully makes sure that all pupils are able to learn. As a result, all pupils have an equal opportunity to do well and there are no significant gaps in the performance of different groups of pupils.  The curriculum is very successful in capturing pupils’ imagination and in promoting pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

involvement in their learning. It ensures that their reading, writing and mathematical skills are well developed across other subjects.  The new primary school sport funding is very effective in motivating pupils to be more active and to take part more frequently in a range of activities such as cycling and gymnastics. In addition, the funding is being well used to improve the teaching of physical education through further staff training.  Safeguarding and child protection procedures are extremely effective and meet all current statutory requirements.  The local authority has provided valued support.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is very effective and governors are determined to help the school to improve further. They have a detailed knowledge of the school and keep themselves well informed about all aspects of school life, in particular about the achievement of pupils and the

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The leadership and management are good

quality of teaching. They monitor the school’s performance and ask challenging questions to promote further development.  Governors bring an impressive range of skills which they use to good effect in carrying out their roles. Where there are gaps in their knowledge and skills they make sure that they receive appropriate training. Governors are familiar with the Teachers’ Standards and use them to help manage teachers’ performance and award pay increases for good or better teaching. They oversee the spending of pupil premium funding and are aware of the positive effect this is having on pupils’ achievement. They are also involved in planning the spending of the primary school sport funding and are involved in considering how its impact on the physical well-being of pupils will be measured.

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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 112280 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 443989

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 155 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Robin Webster Headteacher Phillipa Summers Date of previous school inspection 12 May 2010 Telephone number 01539 532392 Fax number 01539 536039 Email address head@grange.cumbria.sch.uk 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 and 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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