The Grosvenor Park Church of England Academy

Inspection of The Grosvenor Park Church of England Academy Union Street, Chester, Cheshire CH1 1QP

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 17 and 18 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and polite. They feel safe and well cared for at school. Leaders have created a culture where pupils can talk to adults if they have any concerns or worries. Staff know their pupils and families well and tailor support to meet their needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils’ achievements and behaviour. This includes those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils live up to these high expectations. They have positive attitudes to learning. They work hard and behave well. If there is any unkindness or bullying, it is resolved quickly by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote pupils’ personal development well. Pupils enjoy a range of activities that develop their talents and interests in music and art. These opportunities are extremely popular with the pupils. They also attend a wide variety of clubs, including choir, dance and sports clubs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the many opportunities that leaders provide to extend their learning outside the classroom. Very good use is made of the local area. Pupils visit many cultural attractions, such as museums, galleries and theatres.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is matched to the breadth of the national curriculum. Leaders have carefully considered the characteristics of Chester, for example its association with the Romans, to tailor aspects of their curriculum. This ensures that the curriculum meets pupils’ interests and enables them to find out more about where they live.

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better?

In many subjects, leaders have created a curriculum which carefully builds up the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. This helps pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding over time. It supports their strong achievement. However, in a few subjects, the knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught is less clear. As a result, teachers find it difficult to design learning that builds on what pupils already know. Teachers are less able to check that pupils have learned all that they should in these subjects.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that reading has a high profile in the school. Children learn phonics right from their very first days in the Reception class. Leaders make sure that the phonics programme is taught consistently well. This helps pupils to become increasingly confident and fluent with their reading. Teachers identify pupils who are not keeping up. They provide extra help to make sure that these pupils quickly catch up with their peers. Children in the early years enjoy listening to the wide range of books that their teachers read. Older pupils enjoy the daily quiet reading times after lunchtime. 17 and 18 January 2023 Leaders have ensured that early checks identify pupils who may have additional needs. Leaders work well with external agencies to make sure that pupils with SEND get the right support. However, some teachers, especially those in the early years and key stage one, do not adapt their delivery of the curriculum well enough to

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better?

ensure that pupils with SEND learn all that they should.

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better?

Pupils behave well and make the most of their learning time. Pupils who are new to the school, including those who have recently arrived in the country and speak little English, are made to feel welcome and safe as soon as they arrive.

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better?

Pupils are respectful of the differences between themselves and others, including religions and faiths which vary from their own. They told inspectors that, at their school, everyone is equal and that being different makes everyone special.

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better?

Leaders, governors and members of the trust work together to ensure that pupils achieve well. Governors receive the necessary training, and support from the trust, to carry out their roles effectively. In turn, they provide appropriate support and challenge to leaders.

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better?

Staff value the help that leaders provide to help them manage their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff understand the important role that they play in keeping pupils safe. Staff receive regular training. They are alert to any signs or worries regarding the safety and well-being of pupils, however minor. Staff report safeguarding concerns promptly. Leaders work effectively with a range of agencies to help keep pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to stay safe. For example, they are taught about the risks of online cyber-bullying and the dangers that this can present.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, leaders’ expectations of what pupils should know and when this knowledge should be taught are not clear enough. This hampers teachers from designing learning that helps pupils to build their knowledge securely over time. Leaders should ensure that they define the knowledge that pupils should learn so that pupils know and remember more in these subjects.  Some staff in the early years, and key stage 1 do not make the necessary adaptations to their teaching to help pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as other pupils. This hinders the learning of pupils with SEND. Leaders 17 and 18 January 2023 should ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise to help pupils with SEND learn the same ambitious curriculum as other pupils in the school.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 17 and 18 January 2023

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Inspection number 10255938 Type of school Primary

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Grosvenor Park Church of England Academy converted to become an academy school in 2018. When the predecessor school, University Church Free School, was last inspected by Ofsted in June 2015, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the North West Academies Trust.  This school is part of the Church of England Diocese of Chester. As a new school, it has not had a section 48 inspection.  Leaders do not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other school leaders and members of staff. An inspector spoke with representatives of the local governing board, 17 and 18 January 2023 including the chair of the local governing board. An inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  An inspector spoke with the chief executive officer of the trust.  Inspectors checked the arrangements for keeping pupils safe. They looked at a range of documentation and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including leaders’ self-evaluation documentation, improvement plans and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and music. For

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Information about this inspection

each deep dive inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at samples of pupils’ work, held discussions with teachers and talked with pupils.  An inspector observed pupils reading to familiar staff. Inspectors also spoke with leaders and pupils about the curriculum in a small number of other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. Inspectors also considered the views of pupils shared through Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. Inspectors also considered the views of staff shared through Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors spoke with parents and carers as they dropped their children off at school. They considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Kelly Butler, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Timothy Gartside Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 January 2023 and inspects to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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