Hunts Grove Primary Academy

Inspection of Hunts Grove Primary Academy Harrier Way, Hunts Grove, Hardwicke, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL2 4EP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Glenn Philcox. This school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), William Smith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anne Spackman. 19 to 20 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to belong at Hunts Grove Primary. They describe with enthusiasm how everyone works hard to ‘be the best we can be’. Expectations are high. Pupils learn how to become responsible young people. They take on extra roles within school, such being a ‘restorative star’ or becoming an associate board member. Pupils appreciate how caring and considerate staff are in helping them to learn how to behave appropriately. They describe a respectful atmosphere, which widely celebrates when pupils get things right and quietly supports when they get something wrong. A real strength is how the school helps pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, to become avid, successful young readers. Reading really is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the authors and books they enjoy. Class reading time is a highlight of the day. Pupils are excited about the unseen stories they will read throughout the year. As a result of this strong reading culture, pupils

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What is it like to attend this school?

achieve well and are ready for their next steps.

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better?

The quality of leadership and management across the school are exceptional. The trust provides expertise, which helps to maintain the high expectations evident. Trust leaders and school governors have a clear vision. They play an active and effective role in securing a good quality of education for all pupils. Staff’s roles and responsibilities are clearly delegated and understood.

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better?

Staff are proud to be part of the school and report high levels of satisfaction in completing their roles. They receive high-quality professional development. This equips them to teach the curriculum effectively. Teachers who are new to the profession have strong support. Subject leaders are knowledgeable and passionate about the subjects they lead. Their support ensures that staff who teach the curriculum develop their subject knowledge over time.

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better?

The school takes care to ensure that all pupils learn and remember the curriculum. From the very start, in pre-school and Reception, there is a relentless pursuit to make sure that every child learns to read. Children have a happy secure start to their time at school and quickly settle into routines and expectations. The curriculum supports children at the very earliest stages to become independent young learners. Many parents and carers express how well their children settle into school life.

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better?

There is a well-sequenced curriculum in reading, writing and mathematics. The teaching of phonics is effective. Most other subjects are also organised well. These curriculums give staff clarity about what pupils need to know to achieve well. As a result, pupils learn and remember important factual content in all subjects. However, in some subjects, such as geography, the full curriculum is not yet embedded. For example, the curriculum does not consistently support pupils to understand how 19 to 20 March 2024

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subject-specific ideas develop or how they can be used to gain a deeper understanding.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from precise strategies and support. This helps them to reach ambitious goals. Pupils who need extra time to understand vocabulary or concepts have the support they need to do so. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils, including pupils with SEND, achieve well.

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Pupils enjoy school and most attend well. There are a few pupils who have persistently low attendance. Partnerships with families are generally strong and this helps staff to understand the reasons for low attendance. However, the school does not have an overview of the difference their actions make to improve the attendance of pupils who do not attend well. This means that the school cannot be sure that everything possible is done to improve attendance for this small group.

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A strong sense of values permeates the school. This supports pupils to become successful members of society. Pupils confidently explain about the importance of respect for those with protected characteristics.

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Pupils are enthusiastic about the clubs and activities on offer. Some would like a wider variety of clubs, and to continue to develop interests over longer periods of time.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, aspects of the curriculum are not embedded. Where this is the case, pupils do not gain a deep understanding of key disciplinary knowledge. The school and trust need to continue with the development of the curriculum across foundation subjects.  The school does not have a clear oversight of the impact of their work to improve pupils’ attendance. As a result, the school cannot assure itself that the most effective actions are in place to improve attendance for some pupils. The school and trust need to ensure that there is a strong understanding of the impact of their strategy to improve attendance.

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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. 19 to 20 March 2024

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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 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). 19 to 20 March 2024

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CEO of trust

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 June 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hunts Grove Primary Academy opened in 2015 and moved into a new purpose- built accommodation in 2019. It is still growing in numbers year by year and is not yet at full capacity.  The school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust. The school joined the trust in November 2023, having previously been part of Phoenix Learning Alliance.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school has an on-site pre-school provision.

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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. 19 to 20 March 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers and staff.  The lead inspector met the CEO, the chair of the governing body and the chair of the trust.  The lead inspector had a telephone conversation with the school’s improvement partner.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, science, geography and design and technology. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with 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 lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to an adult. The lead inspector visited story time in several classes across the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 considered key documentation, including school development plans and minutes of governors’ and trustees’ meetings.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. The inspectors met with school leaders to discuss and scrutinise how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys and to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the day.

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Inspection team

Tonwen Empson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jack Lacey Ofsted Inspector 19 to 20 March 2024

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