Grainthorpe Junior School

Inspection of Grainthorpe Junior School Fen Lane, Grainthorpe, Louth, Lincolnshire LN11 7JY

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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

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21 and 22 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Grainthorpe Junior School is a welcoming and inclusive school. This small school sits at the heart of the local community. The school values of being ‘A.C.E.’ are central to the life of the school. Pupils try their best to be ‘aspirational, creative and excellent’. One pupil, typical of many said, ‘This is a small school with big friendships.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Most pupils meet these expectations consistently. During lessons, pupils are focused on their learning, and they do their best to work hard. Pupils achieve well. Recent changes to the school’s behaviour approach have ensured that all pupils know what is expected of them. They strive to earn ‘terrific tickets’ for their good behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school. They learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, including being a school councillor or a behaviour ambassador. They relish opportunities to learn beyond the classroom. Particular favourites include learning to play the guitar and undertaking enterprise weeks, where pupils raise money for a treat. Pupils consolidate their learning with visits to Hull Museum and Jorvik Viking Centre, to name but a few.

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better?

The school has brought about significant improvements to the curriculum since the last inspection. Pupils benefit from a broad and interesting curriculum. It incorporates the knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils should learn over time. Careful thought has been given to what pupils must learn and the order in which they should build their knowledge. In most subjects, pupils can discuss their learning with confidence.

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better?

The school has established clear systems for checking pupils’ learning at the end of each lesson. However, in some subjects in the wider curriculum, it is not consistently clear how this information is used to adapt the curriculum in future lessons. Teaching does not always build on what pupils know and remember.

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better?

Reading is a priority across the school. The school has a rigorous and effective approach to the teaching of reading. Pupils read accurately and with increasing fluency because books are well matched to the sounds that they know. Staff are well trained to teach reading. Pupils who need it receive support to help them catch up. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well in reading. They love to earn wrist bands for reading often and enjoy choosing books from the local mobile library.

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better?

The school is quick to identify when pupils need extra support. Staff use up-to-date information about the learning needs of individual pupils to successfully adapt their delivery of the curriculum. This helps pupils with SEND to access the same learning opportunities as their peers and to take part in all the school has to offer. They achieve well. 21 and 22 May 2024

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The school has a clear behaviour policy that staff follow consistently well. At social times, pupils enjoy the range of activities on offer to them on the playground. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. The school has clear systems for monitoring pupils’ attendance. However, too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are regularly absent from school. These pupils are missing out on crucial learning and social opportunities.

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The school is committed to ensuring that pupils experience the world beyond their local community. It makes sure that the personal development curriculum is adapted in response to local issues. Pupils value the opportunities to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the world. These include residential and theatre visits, learning the Djembe drums and taking part in workshops to learn about a range of religions. However, while pupils speak with respect about difference and diversity, their knowledge of a range of religions is not secure.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that they are well supported to manage their workload. Governors share the same determination as the school staff to provide the very best for all of the pupils at Grainthorpe Junior School.

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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, the school has not ensured that assessment is used effectively to adapt the curriculum and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not addressed consistently well. The school should ensure that the curriculum is adapted to address any gaps in pupils’ learning and that pupils are building and retaining their knowledge over time.  Too many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are persistently absent from school. As a result, these pupils miss out on important continuity of learning and many personal and social development opportunities. The school should ensure that its ongoing work with parents and carers reduces the number of persistently absent pupils so that they achieve as well as they could.  While pupils are respectful of difference and diversity, some pupils do not have a firm understanding of a range of faiths and cultures. This means that they are not

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

as prepared as they could be for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that pupils have a clear understanding of a range of faiths and cultures, so that they are fully prepared for life beyond the local community. 21 and 22 May 2024

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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). 21 and 22 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There is a breakfast and after-school club run by the school on site.  The school uses one registered alternative 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.  This was the second routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior teacher and a range of staff. They held meetings with the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, staff and governors, including the chair of the governing body. The lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority. 21 and 22 May 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and religious education (RE). For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector discussed the geography and history curriculum with leaders, looked at samples of pupils’ work and spoke with pupils about their learning.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the view 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 the responses to the Ofsted Parent View online survey. They considered the responses to the staff survey.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.

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Inspection team

Kirsty Norbury, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Martyn Skinner Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 May 2024

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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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