Grasmere CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Grasmere CofE Primary School Stock Lane, Grasmere, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 9SJ

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Outcome

Grasmere CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This welcoming school sits at the heart of its community. Pupils’ best interests are at the centre of the school’s work. Staff forge strong relationships with pupils and get to know their families well. As a result, pupils are happy and safe. Pupils live out the values of the ‘school learning wheel’ every day. They are eager to attend school regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils rise to meet the school’s high expectations for their behaviour and learning. They are polite and courteous to each other and visitors. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are proud of their school. They try their best during lessons, by listening carefully and working hard. Typically, pupils behave and learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide pupils, including children in early years, with a wealth of experiences that deepen their learning. Classrooms across the school are filled with a purposeful buzz. Academic, musical and sports talents are all valued and celebrated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that pupils know about life beyond their village. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities they are given to visit places far and wide. Older pupils particularly enjoy trips to London, including to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday. Pupils benefit from adventures on the beach, lake or mountains.

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

The school has designed a broad, ambitious and interesting curriculum. In all subjects the school has clearly identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils should learn from the early years to Year 6. Learning builds in a logical way. This ensures that pupils have strong foundations for future learning. 4 March 2025

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Teachers select activities that spark pupils’ interest. This helps pupils remember important information. For example, children in the early years learned about Pancake Day and then took part in a race with their friends. Staff check what pupils know and remember. They use this information to identify any misconceptions and to provide pupils with useful feedback. As a result, pupils achieve well.

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The school prioritises reading. Staff introduce children to a wide range of stories, songs and rhymes in the Nursery class. This supports children to develop strong listening, language and communication skills in preparation for the phonics programme, which begins quickly in the Reception Year. Staff are experts in the teaching of early reading. Pupils make the most of the opportunities that are provided to practise reading. They become competent and independent readers. However, pupils do not achieve equally well in writing. Pupils are not given effective opportunities to develop their writing skills across a range of subjects. As a result, some pupils are not confident writers by the end of Year 6.

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The school has high expectations for pupils with SEND. Staff identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. They adapt the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with SEND can thrive and achieve alongside their peers. Consequently, these pupils progress well through the curriculum and participate fully in school life.

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Pupils behave extremely well. They are well mannered towards each other, staff and visitors. Pupils in the mixed-age classes, including in the Nursery class, learn well together. Pupils can learn without distraction. The school works in partnership with families to ensure that pupils’ attendance is consistently high.

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The school has thought carefully about how to provide for pupils’ personal development. Pupils enjoy access to a wide range of experiences, including a trip to see the King and the Houses of Parliament. The curriculum enables pupils to learn about relationships, healthy living and the wider world. Pupils contribute to their community. For example, they raise money for local charities and take part in the ‘400 years of spring’ event with other members of the community.

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Governors have an effective oversight of the school’s work. They provide appropriate support and challenge. The school ensures that staff are well supported to manage their workload and well-being. There is a culture of high expectation, trust and support in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 March 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not identified effective opportunities for pupils to practise their skills in writing. As a result, pupils do not achieve as well as they should in this area of learning. The school should ensure that staff provide quality opportunities for pupils to develop their writing so that they write with confidence and increased independence.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2020.

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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. 4 March 2025

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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). 4 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Church of England School. The last section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character took place in June 2024. The next scheduled inspection should take place in the 2030 to 2031 academic year.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  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. 4 March 2025

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 Inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders and teachers.  An inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff. There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Emma Jackson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Edmondson Ofsted Inspector 4 March 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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