Grappenhall Heys Community Primary School

Inspection of Grappenhall Heys Community Primary School Stansfield Drive, Grappenhall Heys, Warrington, Cheshire WA4 3EA

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding 11 and 12 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this happy, vibrant school. From the moment they start in the Nursery Year, they embark on an exciting journey of learning and discovery. They flourish under the care and guidance of staff. They are confident in the support of their friends.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Ambition is high for all pupils. The school aims to provide a world class education by inspiring pupils to learn. Pupils benefit from a beautiful, stimulating environment. The school gives them many unique experiences, in and out of the classroom. This means that all pupils thrive and excel in their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour in school is exemplary. The school involves pupils in deciding what behaviour should be like in school. This means that they follow rules and do not need reminders about conduct. They show high levels of respect and are unfailingly courteous to everyone. Pupils quickly learn to manage their own behaviour from the earliest age.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop into young people who are keen to take on numerous positions of responsibility. For example, looking after the chickens in the Nursery class, or being junior safety officers. Pupils develop their talents and interests through a wide range of clubs, such as football and photography.

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

The school has put much consideration into crafting an exceptional curriculum. It is broad, exciting and underpinned by many interwoven enrichment experiences. The school has carefully plotted the learning journey for every subject. This means that pupils build a strong body of knowledge as they move through school. This journey starts straight away in the early years. Here, children delight in carefully devised learning activities.

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

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) at the earliest possible opportunity. These pupils have clear support plans, which are put into practice in class. This means that pupils with SEND make strong progress through the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

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

Staff are skilled in teaching early reading. Children start their reading journey in the Nursery class, where they learn to identify sounds through games, songs and rhymes. They continue from this strong foundation in the Reception Year and are soon blending sounds to read with increasing fluency and accuracy. The school swiftly identifies pupils who are in danger of falling behind with the phonics programme. These pupils receive the help that they need to keep up. Older pupils are avid readers, who talk enthusiastically about their choice of books and favourite authors.

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

Pupils’ progress in lessons and at the end of each topic is checked carefully. This allows teachers to address misconceptions, deepen thinking and design future learning.

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

Pupils have superb attitudes to their education. They are focused and engaged in every lesson. They participate with enthusiasm and relish each new challenge. They show 11 and 12 February 2025

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independence and work productively with other pupils. Pupils speak articulately and with great confidence about their current and past learning across all subjects. Pupils’ work is of an exceptional standard. They achieve highly in all subjects.

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Attendance is high. The school monitors attendance on a very frequent basis. It has clear and consistent procedures to improve the attendance of individuals, when necessary.

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Pupils learn about different cultures and religions through a rich and diverse religious education curriculum, from visitors into school and from each other. They understand that people can be different in a variety of ways but firmly believe that everyone should be treated equally. Pupils have a secure understanding of fundamental British values, such as democracy. They embody tolerance by showing respect for different viewpoints. The strong provision for their wider personal development means that pupils leave school as well-rounded young people. They are well prepared for the next stage of their education and ready to take their place in society.

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Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support for their well-being. They feel that everything the school asks them to do is important and necessary. Parents and carers are extremely complimentary about the school, its staff and its leaders. They particularly value the unique experiences offered to every child. Governors know the school very well. They have a strong oversight of what is happening in school. They both support and challenge the school to help its pupils ‘aim, believe and achieve’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 11 and 12 February 2025

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Laura O’Callaghan

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 May 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school provides a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 During this inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and a wide range of other staff.  The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority and a school improvement partner.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and art and design. 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 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.

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 The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and while in lessons.  The inspectors considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.  The inspectors also spoke to pupils and viewed examples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector observed pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.  The inspectors reviewed key documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, school action plans and monitoring records.

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Inspection team

Liz Davidson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Ridsdale Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

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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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