The Grange Community Primary School

Inspection of a good school: The Grange Community Primary School Avocet Way, Banbury, Oxfordshire OX16 9YA

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Inspection dates: 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Outcome

The Grange Community Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this welcoming and inclusive school. One parent summed up the views of many, saying, ‘My child simply bounces into school each morning.’ Pupils talk with confidence and enthusiasm about their school values, ‘The Grange Way’, which helps them to make good choices in all that they do. They know that there is always someone to talk to and that staff will resolve any worries quickly, including any concerns about bullying. This strong culture of care helps them to feel very safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take learning seriously. They are ambitious. Pupils talk confidently about how they will use their developing knowledge and skills in the future. Right from the start of Reception, pupils know that staff will support them to be successful. They recognise the high expectations that staff have for both their academic and pastoral development, which are met.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s inclusive ethos means that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), do well. All achievements are celebrated meaningfully, and all pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities. Pupils are proud of the responsibilities they take on, such as their work as reading and mental health ambassadors.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils. Their determination for all pupils to achieve starts right from the children’s first day in Reception. Here, leaders focus on making sure that children learn new vocabulary and the skills to get on well with others. This is particularly effective for pupils with SEND, who settle quickly to activities. Throughout the school, staff identify pupils’ needs well. Typically, they successfully adapt activities so that all pupils can access the curriculum. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Leaders have created a culture where reading is highly valued. They make sure that pupils read widely and often. There is lively and enthusiastic discussion about books throughout the school. Pupils quickly learn to read fluently. This is because staff are well trained and skilled in teaching phonics. As soon as children start Reception, they learn the sounds that letters make. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds they know. Teachers make good use of information from ongoing assessments. Pupils at risk of falling behind in their reading are quickly identified and given the help they need. As a result, pupils consistently achieve well.

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The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Leaders have set out the content that pupils need to learn. In most subjects, they have identified the essential knowledge that pupils must retain to build their learning securely over time. Generally, teachers present new information clearly and carefully check what pupils know. In mathematics, for example, staff use their ‘hotch-potch’ sessions to revisit important mathematical content. This helps pupils to confidently recall their learning over time and to make links with other subjects. However, in a few subjects, where the key content is not identified as precisely as it needs to be, teachers are not always clear what they should prioritise. Consequently, this has led to some gaps in pupils’ knowledge, and they do not always learn as much as they could.

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The school’s values and high aspirations are reflected in pupils’ behaviour, attitudes to learning and personal development. Pupils like knowing what is expected of them, and they take pride in meeting staff’s expectations. They work hard in lessons and are keen to learn. Staff address rare instances of off-task behaviour quickly and effectively.

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Leaders have planned carefully for pupils’ personal development. Alongside a wide range of clubs and extra-curricular activities, they ensure that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They do this through the taught curriculum and through living the values expressed in ‘The Grange Way’. Through personal, social, health and economic education, pupils regularly reflect on their views and their place in the world. This helps them to build their understanding of the world and to develop their social skills. There is a strong sense of inclusivity reflected through this work. Leaders monitor participation in different activities to ensure that pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils are fully included.

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School governors are knowledgeable and committed to making sure that pupils succeed in every aspect of school life. Staff are supported effectively by leaders and feel proud to work at The Grange. Everyone shares a strong sense of pride in watching pupils achieve as they progress throughout the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide high-quality training to staff so that they understand their roles and responsibilities. They know the risks to pupils in the local community. Staff report concerns promptly. Leaders take swift action to ensure that pupils and families get the help they need. Record-keeping for safeguarding is comprehensive. Pupils learn to keep themselves safe, including when online. This includes learning about road and fire safety. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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Older pupils learn basic first aid and how to report an emergency. They are confident to talk to adults in school if they have a concern and know that they will be listened to and supported.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, leaders have not identified precisely enough the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn over time. As a result, pupils are not building their knowledge as well as they could be in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that staff have sufficient guidance about what pupils need to learn and remember, including how component knowledge builds over time in all subjects.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually, this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2013.

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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. 28 February and 1 March 2023

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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 February and 1 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10256471 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has before- and after-school provision for pupils. This is led and managed by school staff.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders and members of staff. The inspector talked with members of the governing body and held a telephone conversation with the local authority school improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with 28 February and 1 March 2023

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subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including behaviour logs, attendance records, minutes of governing body meetings, school improvement plans, school policies and information on the school’s website.  The inspector listened to pupils read and spoke with pupils during break and lunchtimes.  The inspector met with the leader with responsibility for SEND to discuss the school’s provision.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record, and discussed appointment procedures. The inspector spoke with staff about their safeguarding training and spoke with pupils about the support they receive in understanding how to keep safe.  The inspector considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including

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Inspection team

Clare Morgan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 28 February and 1 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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