Grange Primary School

Inspection of Grange Primary School Elder Avenue, Wickford, Essex SS12 0LR

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 28 and 29 March 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, pupils and staff embody the school’s values of determination, cooperation and imagination. These values give pupils a foundation on which to understand the world around them. Pupils are proud of their school. They feel safe. They enjoy coming to school because of the engaging lessons their teachers plan for them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils respond well to these and always try their best. Pupils understand the importance of a good education, especially in reading. They know this will help them as they move through their education and into adulthood.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are respectful to each other and look after the school environment. Bullying rarely happens, but when it does, pupils know the adults will deal with it.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders encourage pupils to develop their interests and talents. They provide after- school clubs that pupils look forward to. These encourage pupils to learn new skills, such as boxercise or playing a musical instrument.

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What is it like to attend this school?

When the pupils leave at the end of Year 6, they are active citizens. This is due to the many roles of responsibility they have taken on, including subject ambassadors, school councillors, prefects and house captains.

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better?

The new leadership team has made significant improvements since the last inspection. The team has developed an ambitious curriculum and has high expectations for all pupils. In the majority of subjects, leaders have ensured that the curriculum is broad and is designed to build on previous learning at each stage. In most subject plans, leaders have precisely set out the knowledge that pupils need to learn, from early years to Year 6. Where this is the case, pupils remember what they have learned well. However, in a very small number of subjects, leaders have not been clear enough in detailing what they want pupils to learn. As a result, teachers do not focus enough on teaching some of the content that pupils will need for their future learning.

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better?

Teachers have secure subject expertise and generally teach the curriculum well. They systematically check what pupils have learned. Teachers use this knowledge to plan the next steps for pupils. This supports pupils to make good progress across the curriculum.

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better?

Leaders have made reading a high priority in the revised curriculum. They are determined that all pupils will learn to read well, beginning with a secure knowledge of phonics. Staff are well trained to teach early reading. As a result, all pupils have high-quality practice in applying their reading knowledge. The reading curriculum is 28 and 29 March 2023

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clear and progressive. Leaders have ensured that reading books are well matched to pupils’ current phonic knowledge. Consequently, pupils read with increasing confidence and fluency.

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Pupils love to read. The older pupils talk passionately about the school’s value of ‘imagination’ and how reading takes them to a different place. They discuss their favourite authors, demonstrating knowledge of a wide range of high-quality texts they have read.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. Teachers plan for all pupils to participate in the same learning as their peers. Some pupils with SEND often work with an adult for support. As a result, they are overly dependent on an adult to complete their learning. Teachers do not adapt and scaffold work as well as they could to encourage pupils to take responsibility for their learning.

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Staff are valued and supported. They appreciate the high-quality training they have received. They know that it helps improve the impact of their teaching on pupils’ progress. Staff know that leaders care about their work-life balance and their well- being. This helps staff to focus on meeting the needs of pupils effectively.

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Pupils behave well and are active learners. They share their thoughts about learning enthusiastically because they are proud of it. Pupils like coming to school and engaging with the exciting and relevant lessons provided for them. As a result, their attendance is good.

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Leaders promote pupils’ personal development and welfare effectively. Pupils respond extremely well to the wide range of responsibilities that they are given. They understand that everyone is different and should be treated equally. Through the curriculum and assemblies, pupils learn about important values, such as democracy and tolerance. This helps pupils to appreciate how to reflect these values when in school and at home.

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The governing body is highly effective. Governors bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the school’s leadership team. This ensures that they are well placed to challenge and support the leaders in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff understand that pupils’ safety is everyone’s responsibility. Leaders have trained staff so they are alert to signs that a pupil might be at risk. Concerns are passed on to leaders with urgency. Leaders deal swiftly with any concerns raised and work collaboratively with other agencies. This ensures that support is in place for pupils and families who need it. Leaders complete all statutory vetting checks on adults who work in the school. 28 and 29 March 2023

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Pupils know how to keep safe. They can identify trusted adults and know to report any worries they may have.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few areas of the curriculum, leaders have not precisely specified the knowledge pupils need to learn. Consequently, in some lessons, teachers do not always prioritise the content that pupils will need for future learning. Leaders should continue to develop these areas of the curriculum, precisely identifying the knowledge and skills that pupils are expected to learn at each stage.  Some pupils with SEND rely too heavily on adult support. This leads to pupils not developing their independence in managing their own learning. Leaders should ensure that learning activities are adapted and scaffolded to allow all pupils to fully access the whole curriculum with increasing independence.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 28 and 29 March 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 A new headteacher has been appointed since the previous inspection.  School leaders use one alternative provision.  Leaders and governors oversee the before-school care on site, which is known as Breakfast Club.

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Information about this inspection

The 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 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, design and technology, and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at 28 and 29 March 2023

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samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and pupils about several other subjects.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also held a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with leaders from the alternative provision.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record and reviewed safeguarding documentation and systems. Inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers, support staff, members of the governing body and pupils to evaluate the culture of safeguarding in school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and pupils.  Inspectors took account of the 61 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the

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Inspection team

Julie Winwood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Wade Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 March 2023

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regulates 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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