Grange Lane Infant Academy

Grange Lane Infant Academy Grange Lane, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN11 0QY

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected as an academy This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Early years provision Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Grange Lane Infant Academy is an improving school. School leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to be improved. Their ambitious plans reflect their ability to improve further.  The children in the early years make a good start. They develop a love of learning through interesting activities that help them to learn effectively, both in the classroom and outdoors.  Teachers use high quality questioning to reinforce pupils’ learning and to develop language and vocabulary.  Standards are rising because leaders ensure that learning activities cater for the needs of all pupils in school, including those who find learning difficult and those who are disadvantaged. This ensures good progress by all pupils from their various starting points.  Parents express very positive views of the school. They spoke warmly to an inspector of the good care and support pupils receive.  Pupils are kind to each other and behaviour is good.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

They are keen to get on with their work in lessons and play well together at break and lunchtime.  The curriculum engages pupils and equips them with the skills and knowledge for life in modern Britain.  The whole-school environment is calm and very well maintained. There are high quality displays of pupils’ work throughout the school. Everyone takes a pride in their surroundings.  Safeguarding arrangements are very thorough. Pupils feel safe and secure in school. Parents are confident that their children are well looked after.  The governors provide a good level of support and challenge to school leaders. They are effective in questioning senior leaders about the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teaching ensures that all pupils’ progress is rapid in every class.  Planned activities are not always suitably demanding for all groups of pupils.  Standards of handwriting and presentation in pupils’ books are not consistently high enough. .  Pupils’ achievement in writing is not as high as in reading and mathematics.  Not all opportunities are taken for the best practice to be fully shared, as a means of improving teaching further.  Attendance is below average.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors visited every class and observed 18 part lessons, four of these jointly with the headteacher. An inspector attended a whole-school assembly. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, in the dining hall and on the playground was observed.  Meetings were held with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, middle leaders and groups of pupils. The lead inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body and the governor for special educational needs and also had a discussion with the academy improvement advisor.  Inspectors met with a group of pupils from Year 2 and talked informally with other pupils during lessons, at lunchtimes and during break times.  Inspectors looked at the work pupils were doing in their lessons and reviewed the written work in pupils’ books. An inspector listened to a sample of Year 2 pupils read and talked to them about their enjoyment and experience of reading.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors looked at a range of evidence including: the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans; the school’s checks on its own performance and the school’s data relating to pupils’ progress; the school’s use of the primary sport and pupil premium funding; the school website and evidence of the school’s wider achievements and awards; work in pupils’ books and displays of pupils’ work around school. They also scrutinised records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  An inspector talked informally with parents, gathering their views about the school as they delivered their children in the morning. The inspection team also analysed the 26 questionnaires completed by school staff.  There were insufficient responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) for the lead inspector to access any information.

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Inspection team

Lindsay Hall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Grange Lane Infant Academy converted to become an academy on September 1st 2011. When its predecessor school, Grange Lane Infant School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall.  Grange Lane Infant Academy is an average-sized infant school.  Provision for the children in the early years is part-time in the Nursery class and full-time in the two Reception classes. There are two single-age classes in both Year 1 and Year 2.  Most pupils are White British.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by the pupil premium, is double the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.  There have been changes in leadership roles within the academy. New appointments mean that there is a

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Information about this school

relatively new senior leadership team. The headteacher was appointed to the post in January 2015 following her previous role as deputy headteacher. The new deputy headteacher, who is also the English coordinator, took up post in April 2015 and the early years leader was appointed in September 2014. Leadership and teaching are supported through links with the School Partnership Trust Academies and the academy improvement adviser.  The school runs a free breakfast club on site and a wide range of after-school clubs.  The school has a range of additional educational awards including the recently achieved Parents Partnership Award and gold Artsmark Award.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, so that it increasingly matches the best in the school and achievement moves from good to outstanding for all groups of pupils, by:  ensuring pupils’ achievement in writing matches that in reading and mathematics  extending the strategies for supporting middle- and high-attaining pupils by providing consistently challenging work so that an increasing proportion reach the higher levels in national tests  improving standards of presentation in books, particularly accurate letter formation  providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length across a wide range of subjects  increasing the opportunities for teachers to receive coaching and support, especially from outstanding practitioners.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve attendance further so it meets or exceeds the national average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is clearly focused on improving the school’s effectiveness and has raised expectations across the school. This has led to a marked rise in the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement. However, opportunities to share the best practice of outstanding teaching have been missed.  Checks on teachers’ performance are well structured, with good links to school priorities. Staff’s work is regularly evaluated and they welcome feedback on their practice. Leaders’ analysis of the school’s performance is accurate and comprehensive.  Aspects of senior and subject leadership have been affected by the number of staff changes. The headteacher is supporting new staff exceptionally well in developing their roles.  Middle leaders carry out their monitoring roles effectively in supporting improvements in teaching. Together with senior leaders, they analyse pupils’ assessment information and have contributed to the

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The leadership and management are good

detailed and ambitious school improvement plans. Plans are well advanced in securing new systems to assess pupils’ progress.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, and incorporates all the requirements of the new national curriculum. It provides a range of good quality activities that promote enjoyment and a love of learning. A wide variety of activities, including school visits and visits from the Doncaster Arts group, have had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement in writing, an aspect recognised by leaders as requiring some improvement.  Many clubs, school trips and artistic and cultural events enhance pupils’ learning opportunities. The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain through teaching pupils about a range of different religions and cultures and by celebrating special festivals, such as Chinese New Year.  The school develops pupils’ sense of responsibility towards others well and has a very inclusive ethos.

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The leadership and management are good

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. It nurtures an understanding of democracy through the active school council and engages pupils with ideas about other British values, including respect, tolerance and individual liberty, through the curriculum and daily assemblies.  All pupils have equal access to the opportunities on offer, regardless of ability or background. Leaders have a clear strategy for spending the additional pupil premium funding to improve the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. Additional staffing is provided to support these pupils’ academic achievement and personal development. Their progress and personal development are carefully monitored to ensure they continue to achieve in line with their peers. The school does not tolerate discrimination of any kind.  Additional primary school sports funding is used effectively to provide expert teaching. A specialist coach

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The leadership and management are good

works alongside teachers to help develop their skills in teaching physical education and promote the importance of pupils’ exercise and well-being. Pupils’ enjoyment and participation have risen significantly as a result, as has teaching quality. Pupils now participate in a wide range of physical activities after school. Funding has also been used to provide additional sports equipment and dedicated activity areas for each year group.  The school works effectively to foster good relations with parents, one positive outcome being and improvement in attendance. Staff run workshops for parents and their children who share practical art activities and other sessions to help parents to support their children at home, for example, with reading. The school readily shares information with parents through regular newsletters, termly consultation evenings and a very well maintained, informative website.  The academy improvement adviser and links with other academies within the Schools Partnership Trust

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The leadership and management are good

have provided effective support and guidance since it converted to academy status. This has been useful and constructive in supporting the improvements made.  Safeguarding fully meets requirements. In this aspect, the headteacher and parent support worker are exceptionally well trained. Consequently, child protection procedures, for example, are very thorough.  The governance of the school:  Members of the governing body have a range of experience and expertise, which enables them to be effective partners with senior leaders in determining the school’s strategic direction. They can identify specifically what has improved and where there is still more work to be done. They regularly visit the school to gain first-hand views of its work. Reports from the headteacher provide a clear overall picture of the school and on how well each year group is doing. Governors understand information about pupils’

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The leadership and management are good

achievement and use it well to challenge school leaders. They are familiar with the way that national assessment data are presented and compare the school’s performance accurately with that of schools nationally.  Governors understand the secure link between the management of teachers’ performance with pupil progress information. Staff have appropriate individual targets. Consequently, governors ensure that pay increases are linked to the outcomes of this process and any underperformance is tackled firmly. Financial management is efficient, including the management of the pupil premium and primary school sport funding. The governing body ensures that all statutory duties are met, including safeguarding requirements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils have a positive attitude to their work and enjoy coming to school in this warm, welcoming and friendly environment. They enjoy working together and sharing ideas, as well as working on their own.  Pupils form very positive relationships with adults and each other. Behaviour in lessons is good and incidences of low-level disruption are rare. The school’s records show that there are only a few reported incidents of poor behaviour and these are managed effectively.  Behaviour around the school and in the playground is very good. Pupils are sensible and very aware that the way in which they behave can affect the feelings of others. They are polite and will go out of their way to help others. During the inspection, pupils’ behaviour and manners in the dining hall and movement around the school was exemplary. Pupils and parents appreciate that the school and grounds are

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Behaviour

maintained to a very high standard. Pupils respond by making sure that they do not drop litter and by taking good care of equipment.  Pupils’ behaviour is not yet outstanding because there are times when work is not challenging enough and they do not have enough work to do. When this occurs, they start to chat among themselves.  Activities to increase pupils’ understanding of different cultures and religions foster a strong respect for others. Pupils recognise the ideals and values of Britain today and are well prepared for their future life in the modern world.

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Safety

 The academy’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good.  Arrangements to protect pupils are robust. All staff have had recent child protection training and know what to do should a concern be raised. School leaders work closely with other professionals to ensure that pupils are safe.  There are clear systems and procedures in place to monitor both punctuality and attendance. Over the last year, attendance has improved and it continues to do so. However, it is still below the national average. The amount of persistent absence has decreased significantly. The free breakfast club offers pupils a healthy breakfast to start the day and has supported the rise in attendance.  Pupils are well aware of important ways in which to keep safe both in school and out of school. They say they feel safe in school and have an age-appropriate understanding of different forms of bullying. They are especially well informed about how to keep safe when using the internet.

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Safety

 Staff, parents, carers and members of the educational advisory board who gave their views agree that pupils are safe, very well cared for and behave well in school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The good progress in reading, writing and mathematics made by the majority of pupils and work in pupils’ books provide clear evidence that teaching is typically good over time. Some teaching is outstanding. Teachers use their generally good subject knowledge to motivate and challenge pupils.  Staff have established a calm and orderly learning environment, which helps pupils to make good progress. Good relationships are evident across the school and staff know the pupils well. They treat pupils with respect and are interested in what they have to say.  Teachers ask probing questions to make pupils think carefully, promoting language, extending vocabulary and deepening understanding. Pupils were eager to answer questions and contribute to their learning and this supported their good progress.  Learning is greatest when teaching is stimulating and quickly engages pupils’ interests. Teachers explain

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The quality of teaching is good

to pupils at the start of the lesson what is expected of them and what they need to include in order to be successful. Consequently, pupils feel confident in understanding what to do and are able to get on independently.  While most teachers challenge middle- and higher-attaining pupils well in lessons, occasionally the work that these pupils are given is too easy and they do not move on quickly enough to more difficult work. Sometimes the challenges are not structured in such a way as to provide pupils with considering different options.  The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is good. This is the result of the school’s work in ensuring that pupils are well supported in lessons and all staff who work with them have a good understanding of their needs. A wide range of well-targeted intervention programmes are also used daily to support their learning in reading, writing and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Disadvantaged pupils are taught well and make good progress. This is because the school’s focus on ensuring the pupil premium is used effectively and there are high expectations of all pupils.  The quality of teachers’ marking is developing and gives pupils help with what they need to do to improve their learning. However, this is not yet consistent across all classes and all teachers.  The teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) and reading is well organised and based effectively on well-thought-out approaches, which are applied across the school. This ensures pupils make good progress in their reading from year to year.  Writing skills, including grammar, spelling and punctuation are taught well, but there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write at length in English and other subjects.  Although pupils practise letter formation and handwriting, not all teachers expect or ensure that pupils’

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The quality of teaching is good

handwriting in their workbooks is neat and with letters formed accurately. When this is the case, some pupils take less care in presenting their written work; it is messy and untidy.  The teaching of mathematics is secure across the school, with a strong focus on practical activities. There are many opportunities to apply learnt mathematical facts and calculation methods to solve problems, reinforcing learning.  Teaching assistants are deployed well and make a positive contribution to the learning of pupils of all abilities in lessons and at other times of the school day. They receive training in a range of support programmes, which enable the pupils they work with to make good progress.  Homework is age appropriate and set regularly across all classes. Pupils told the inspector they enjoy the termly ’challenge homework’, linked to the topic such as making bottle rockets for a science topic. Attractive displays of pupils’ work are on view throughout all public areas and celebrate pupils’

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Improved teaching ensures that pupils of all abilities make good progress and achieve well but attainment in writing continues to lag behind that of reading and mathematics. Attainment in national tests at the end of Year 2 was broadly average in reading, writing and mathematics in 2012 and 2013 but dipped in 2014. However, although the levels of attainment were low in 2014, this cohort of pupils made good progress from their starting points and exceeded expected targets.  The school’s results in the Year 1 national phonic check, although improved from 2013, were just below the national average in 2014. However, current Year 1 pupils demonstrate stronger phonic skills than those seen last year and the school predicts further increases in standards to be in line with the national average. This is because of improvements to phonics teaching.  Pupils throughout the school enjoy reading. The school gives them plenty of opportunity to read a good

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The achievement of pupils is good

range of quality books. Pupils have a weekly dedicated library session, read individually to an adult daily and participate in weekly guided reading sessions, all of which support their good progress in reading. Pupils make good use of their knowledge of phonics to read complex or unfamiliar words.  The most-able pupils make good, but not rapid, progress in all year groups. Teachers have high expectations but occasionally set work which is not challenging enough to ensure that these pupils achieve even higher, particularly in writing.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make the same good progress as other pupils in the school in reading and mathematics, although progress in writing is slower. A structured reading and phonics programme has recently been introduced to support reading and writing, and this is already having a positive impact on their progress. There is some variation in the levels they attain, owing

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The achievement of pupils is good

to their particular learning needs.  Disadvantaged pupils in receipt of the pupil premium make good progress in line with their peers. As a result, the gap between their attainment and that of other pupils has closed completely.  Overall, there is little difference in the progress made between groups of pupils currently in the school. This clearly demonstrates the school’s commitment to and success in tackling discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity for all pupils.  All the parents spoken to think that their children make good progress in the school and achieve well.  Pupils’ achievement is not yet outstanding because some pupils, including the most able, do not yet make consistently rapid progress.

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The early years provision is good

 Many children start in the Nursery class with personal and academic skills below those typical for their age. Many have particular difficulties with speech and language and sometimes these difficulties are severe. They achieve well relative to their different starting points and make a positive start in the Reception class.  Across the early years, children settle in quickly because of the positive environment and the well- established daily routines. Whether they are playing indoors or outdoors, they behave in ways that keep them safe. They display the highest standards of behaviour and become absorbed in well-planned, purposeful activities that motivate them to want to learn and support the development of basic skills very successfully.  During the inspection, some Reception class children were busy working together trying to build a den by pegging sheets of material over a frame. They were confident, cooperating and helping each other in

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The early years provision is good

carrying out the task. Other children were highly engaged in using small metal detectors to identify items made of metal then writing a list of the items, drawing on their phonic knowledge.  The daily teaching of phonics is clearly focused on children’s needs and this ensures that they make good progress in their early reading skills.  There is a strong emphasis on enriching vocabulary and developing speaking and listening skills. All adults use lots of questioning and explanations to support this. A delightful discussion was observed where children talked about how to be a really good friend. This promoted expressive language as well as helping children to consider the impact of their actions on others.  The children’s progress is carefully recorded and each child has a detailed ‘learning journey’ that helps staff understand their individual strengths and weaknesses. These are used to provide appropriate

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The early years provision is good

activities that allow each child to develop further and they also give parents a good overview of their child’s work and progress. Partnership with parents is effective in supporting early learning.  Children’s progress from varying starting points is good and sometimes outstanding. Substantial improvements in teaching mean that children are now making much faster progress during the early years than previously. An increasing proportion of children have a good level of development and current school data indicate a further rise this year, bringing the school in line with the national average. Children make particularly strong progress in speaking, listening and personal, social and emotional development, supporting their readiness to move to Year 1.  There are effective systems in place to safeguard children. Children feel safe in school because adults pay good attention to their welfare and safety

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The early years provision is good

 The early years is led well. The new leader receives invaluable support from the headteacher. She has quickly identified her priorities for development and is making improvements.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 137482 Local authority Doncaster Inspection number 461872

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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 Academy converter Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 202 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Warboys Principal Louise Chappell Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected as an academy Telephone number 01302 868378 Fax number 01302 864931 Email address info@gliacademy.org.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

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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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