Grassmoor Primary School

Inspection of Grassmoor Primary School North Wingfield Road, Grassmoor, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S42 5EP

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

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Previous inspection grade Good 23 and 24 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Grassmoor Primary School are friendly and welcoming. Most enjoy being at school and appreciate the way their teachers help them to learn. Many pupils show kindness and care towards others. Most pupils live up to the school’s expectations of their behaviour and attendance. A small number of pupils who need extra help are steadily improving their attitudes towards their learning and conduct.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have a strong understanding of the needs of the pupils and the community in which they live. They encourage pupils to aspire and work hard. This begins with the school’s curriculum that prioritises language and vocabulary development. It promotes safety and fosters positive mindsets towards learning. In most subjects, pupils learn the intended knowledge, but this is not consistent across the whole curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take on important roles, such as well-being ambassadors and representatives of the school’s parliament. These roles help pupils understand how they can make positive changes in school. Pupils are proud of the wider activities they participate in, such as fundraising, leading school assemblies and achieving awards in sports competitions. These experiences help most pupils to become confident, thoughtful and well-rounded young people.

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

Since the school was previously inspected, it has strengthened the curriculum by carefully organising it from Nursery through to Year 6. Current published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 fell below national averages. This was partly due to gaps in pupils’ knowledge caused by weaknesses in the previous curriculum and the COVID-19 pandemic. The school’s actions to resolve these issues mean that current pupils achieve better than these outcomes suggest, particularly in reading.

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

The current curriculum is ambitious and relevant for all pupils. However, in a few subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is implemented. Occasionally, activities that pupils complete do not help them to recall key subject content well enough. There are also some variations in how well pupils apply their basic writing skills across the curriculum. This means that, in some instances, pupils do not have a deep understanding of the subjects they learn.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs met quickly. Skilled staff provide tailored support to help these pupils achieve well both academically and in wider school life. Parents and carers of children with SEND appreciate this support. A typical comment from parents was, ‘The school genuinely does its best for the children.’

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

Staff support pupils to develop positive attitudes to reading and help them appreciate a diverse range of books. This journey starts in the early years, where many children can be seen happily sharing a book with adults and peers. Children learn to hear, sound out words and join them back together. Those who need additional help to keep up receive 23 and 24 April 2025

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prompt support. The school ensures that pupils who complete the early reading programme enhance their reading knowledge by developing their fluency and comprehension skills systematically.

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The early years provision is nurturing and supportive. Children develop independence, explore confidently and engage purposefully with learning activities. For instance, they learn to care for minibeasts and their environment, while enhancing their understanding of positional language. Nursery children particularly enjoy incorporating story language and songs into their play, helping them understand the world around them.

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Most pupils adhere to the school’s behaviour expectations. A few receive specific support to help them regulate their conduct. Staff have received effective training to help them understand and manage more challenging behaviours. Pupils trust that adults in the ‘Woodland Room’ will help them with any worries or concerns they may have. However, pupils say that occasional name-calling still occurs. Recently, there has been a significant rise in pupil suspensions. The school is working closely with the local authority to ensure these pupils receive the right support.

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Although rates of persistent absenteeism are falling, they remain high. The school helps and supports families in understanding their specific barriers to attendance. In most cases, this support is having a steady but positive impact, so pupils attend school more often.

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The school is committed to supporting pupils’ broader development. Pupils learn about local risks they may face. They recognise the actions they can take to keep themselves safe when online. Pupils clearly understand fundamental British values and why these are important in society. Although pupils learn about different protected groups in modern Britain, their understanding of disabilities, equality and fairness is less secure.

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The school has considered staff workload and well-being carefully by ensuring that staff have enough time to manage additional responsibilities. Governors use their expertise well to support and challenge the school. They have an accurate and shared understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, in a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum is not implemented consistently well. In these instances, pupils do not complete activities that help them to recall more of the curriculum. They sometimes struggle to apply their basic writing skills routinely. These inconsistencies hinder how well pupils secure and deepen their understanding of some subjects over time. The school should ensure 23 and 24 April 2025

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teachers deliver all subjects consistently well so pupils have a secure understanding of the curriculum.  Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. A few others do not meet the school’s high behaviour expectations. These factors negatively impact some pupils’ learning and their ability to foster positive attitudes towards education and their peers. The school should persist in collaborating with families to overcome barriers to attendance and behaviour, encouraging pupils to be aspirational and build confidence in their capacity to learn.  Some pupils lack an age-appropriate understanding of disabilities, equity and equality. This impacts their perception of fairness and tolerance. The school should support pupils in fostering respect and understanding for all protected groups, so they are well prepared for life in modern society.

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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). 23 and 24 April 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school operates a breakfast club and an after-school provision.  The number of pupils with SEND has increased significantly since the previous inspection.

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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 23 and 24 April 2025

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing, 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.  Inspectors also sampled aspects of the school’s curriculums for English, geography, history and modern foreign languages, as well as for the early years provision.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, and with leaders who have oversight of the early years, the provision for pupils with SEND, behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, around the school and at social times.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors spoke with parents, staff and pupils on site. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s survey for staff and the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Kelly Royle Ofsted Inspector 23 and 24 April 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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