The Grove Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: The Grove Primary Academy Chobham Road, Frimley, Camberley, Surrey GU16 8PG

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Outcome

The Grove Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Lynn Wicksey. This school is part of The Kite 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, Jeremy Meek, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Debbie Andrews. There is also an executive headteacher, Dee Hughes, who is responsible for this school and three others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are enthusiastic to attend this school. Their attitudes to learning are highly positive, and staff share this positivity and belief. The school is an inclusive and welcoming environment. This is evident through how pupils treat each other. One pupil, reflecting on the school’s value of diversity, said, ‘Difference doesn’t matter because we are all unique.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well. They relish learning across a broad range of subjects. The carefully curated approach to inclusive learning ensures that pupils are supported well. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), welcome thoughtful help from adults. They know they will be quickly and effectively supported with learning and wider development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are kind to others, and playtimes are respectful and joyful. The school has rigorous expectations for behaviour. Pupils value the care they receive and thrive in a nurturing environment. The school has overcome significant issues with its building this year. This has meant lots of change for pupils and staff. Pupils do not feel there has been any change to their daily experience. They have loved school just as much!

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

The curriculum design is ambitious. The trust and school have worked together to create a carefully sequenced curriculum that methodically builds pupils’ understanding over time. Pupils are provided with purposefully designed opportunities to practise and demonstrate their learning. For example, in Reception, children explore a variety of sculpture mediums such as clay and rope. In key stage 1, pupils study artists who use these in their art. This 25 and 26 June 2024

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prepares them for key stage 2, when they compare the works of Henry Moore and Judy Tadman, who specialise in these areas. This helps pupils to build knowledge well over time. From Reception onwards, pupils are taught and confidently use key vocabulary. They have well-developed listening and attention skills. This is particularly evident in Reception, where children get off to a strong start.

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The school’s recent adaptations to the curriculum are insightful and innovative. However, they are not yet fully implemented. In some subjects, staff do not check what pupils know and can do in sufficient detail and use this information to inform future teaching. As a result, pupils’ achievement is sometimes variable across different subjects. Support for pupils with SEND is of the highest standard. The school ensures that pupils in the specially resourced provision have strong access to the full curriculum and are supported to achieve well.

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Reading is a key strength. The school uses a well-developed approach to teach reading. Staff use well-structured lessons to teach pupils the key sounds and skills they need to read with confidence. Pupils who need extra help with reading are swiftly identified and expertly supported. Consequently, pupils get off to a good start in developing into fluent and accurate readers. This is reflected in the 2023 published outcomes for the phonics screening check. Pupils are avid readers as they are exposed to a broad range of stories they may not otherwise access. As a result, pupils develop into passionate readers.

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Staff have consistently high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Pupils feel safe and reassured by the predictable routines. Staff create a respectful environment. Pupils feel secure knowing that adults listen to them and swiftly address any worries. As a result, the school environment is inclusive and calm. The school has significantly improved pupils’ attendance, which now matches the national average. Leaders are rigorous in their work with families to reduce absences further.

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Pupils’ personal development is strongly promoted through a carefully considered curriculum. The school has designed opportunities for important experiences such as curriculum-linked trips to Roman forts and residentials to build character and independence. Diversity is a core school value embodied within the school’s inclusive culture. As a result, pupils are respectful, kind and open-minded.

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The school is committed to providing a high-quality, inclusive education. It has overcome a challenging year, including significant issues with its building. Leaders at all levels have remained steadfast in their commitment to a ‘no excuses’ culture of improvement. Governors and trustees provide effective oversight. They meet their statutory duties and support school leaders to work with a wide range of different stakeholders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 25 and 26 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment of pupils’ learning needs further refinement. This means pupils are not yet able to achieve as well as they could. The school must support staff to accurately check pupils’ understanding and use this information to inform their future teaching across the curriculum.

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Background

When we have judged 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 predecessor school, The Grove Primary School, to be good in March 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.

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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). 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Grove Primary Academy is part of The Kite Academy Trust. It joined the trust in October 2015.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school has a 14-place speech language and communication unit attached to the school that pupils attend on a part-time basis.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 25 and 26 June 2024

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 During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, trustees, the chief executive officer and the governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector 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 pupils’ work.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The views of parents and carers were considered through their responses to Ofsted Parent View and on-site activity. Further views of pupils and staff were gathered

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through Ofsted’s online surveys, interviews and discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  The inspector reviewed a range of the school’s documents, including self-evaluation reports, governing body and trustee meeting minutes, attendance records and behaviour incident logs.

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Inspection team

Toby Martlew, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 June 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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