Grove House Academy

Inspection of Grove House Primary School Myers Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD2 4ED

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 October 2023

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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 Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Alexandré Summerscales . This school is part of Pennine Academies Yorkshire multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Michael Thorp, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nick Briggs. 17 and 18 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Grove House Primary is a welcoming school. Leaders have created an inclusive environment where pupils thrive together. Since becoming an academy, the school community has worked together to transform this school. Leaders’ high expectations for pupils’ achievement are beginning to be realised.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The new relationships policy has had a positive impact on managing pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are clear about the school’s rewards and look forward to getting a card for the ‘wall of fame’. In the early years, children show high levels of self- control. Play leaders promote positive play through outdoor play and learning strategies. This leads to a calm environment where pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bullying rarely happens. When it does, pupils know who to talk to and adults sort it out effectively. Some pupils need extra support to manage their behaviour. Pupils speak with understanding about when this support is needed. They believe that the systems in school are fair.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The mental health and well-being of pupils in school is a high priority. Where needed, the school organises additional wraparound care and support from external agencies. The school gives pupils the best chance to be successful. They are happy and well prepared for their next stage of learning and for life in modern Britain.

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better?

The ambitious curriculum begins in the early years. It is designed to close gaps in children’s knowledge quickly. Adults plan the learning environment carefully to introduce children to a range of new experiences. Children explore and take managed risks. Adults develop children’s speaking and listening skills through well- timed interactions. Children practise what they have learned. They work together on problem-solving activities. Children enjoy looking at books and read alone, or with a friend, in a cosy, quiet space. They show high levels of determination and concentration. Routines for learning are well established. Children have a positive attitude to learning. For example, during mathematics, they calmly turn to talk with a partner or move to sit in a semicircle when asked. Children achieve well in the early years.

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better?

The school has identified the key knowledge that pupils need to learn in foundation subjects, such as music and languages. Pupils are beginning to know and remember more of this key knowledge. However, there is some variation in the school’s use of assessment. Teachers do not use assessment consistently well to identify and address pupils’ misconceptions in learning.

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better?

The curriculum has the same ambitions for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Adaptations made by teachers enable pupils with SEND to work alongside their peers well. The Maslow Suite is a place for therapeutic provision at key points during the day. Adults support pupils with their 17 and 18 October 2023

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mental health and well-being needs. Pupils check in and are supported to learn in a quiet space and/or rejoin their class.

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The school has created a culture that celebrates books and prioritises reading. Pupils learn to read using books that contain the sounds they know. They use their phonic knowledge to accurately read words in these books. Pupils with visual impairments access electronic copies of the books successfully. Children at risk of falling behind are identified as soon as they start school. They have extra daily practice and catch- up sessions. ‘Novel study’, a time when pupils read aloud, helps them to become fluent readers. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about the books they choose to read. They enjoy choosing books from classroom reading corners, including graphic novels. Older pupils sit in ‘book nooks’ around school sharing stories with younger pupils. Reading events, such as ‘a book and a bagel’ are well attended by parents and carers. The half-termly newsletter promotes reading for pleasure.

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Pupils experience a wide range of after-school clubs and educational visits throughout the year. The school gathers and acts on pupils’ views about which clubs they would like. Junior leaders gather the views of pupils and share these views with leaders to help improve school life. For example, they raised a request to put in measures that improve behaviour at lunchtimes. Pupils learn about key celebrations in the faiths represented by different pupils in the school. Pupils can recount their learning about rights and equality. One pupil said, ‘Strength lies in differences, not similarities.’

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Trustees work with leaders to identify the school’s strengths and priorities for further development. They visit the school regularly. They are passionate about the community and improving pupils’ opportunities through education. Staff, including those new to teaching, agree that leaders support them with their workload, well- being and professional development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The use of assessment is inconsistent in the foundation subjects. This means that subject leaders and teachers do not fully understand if all pupils have learned the intended curriculum knowledge. The school needs to develop a consistent approach to assessment that identifies what each pupil knows and any gaps or misconceptions in their learning. 17 and 18 October 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 17 and 18 October 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Grove House Primary School converted to become an academy in November 2020. When its predecessor school, Grove House Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be requires improvement overall. The school is part of Pennine Academies Yorkshire multi-academy trust.  The school is well above the average-sized primary school.  The number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The school has an additionally resourced provision for up to 12 visually impaired pupils from the ages of 3 to 11.  The school has a therapeutic provision for pupils’ mental health and well-being needs, called the Maslow Suite.  The school has a higher-than-average number of pupils with an education, health and care plan.  The school does not use any alternative provision. 17 and 18 October 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a wide range of staff, including the headteacher, the designated safeguarding lead, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and subject leaders. Inspectors also met with the chief executive officer, the chair of trustees, the trustees and the director of school improvement.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history, geography, and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of

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Information about this inspection

pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke to pupils both formally and informally, including some single-sex groups of pupils.  Inspectors considered a variety of school documents, including the trust’s minutes and the school’s evaluation plan.  Inspectors took account of the views of staff and parents through surveys, including Ofsted Parent View, and spoke to some parents as they collected their children from school.  Inspectors spoke with staff from the on-site resourced provision that some pupils attend.

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Inspection team

Lesley Sullivan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Frances Turner Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 October 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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