Spring Grove Junior Infant and Nursery School

Inspection of Spring Grove Junior Infant and Nursery School Bow Street, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD1 4BJ

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding for overall effectiveness at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2015. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 1 and 2 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff are proud of their school. It is a safe and happy place to learn. The school has an exceptional approach to helping pupils to understand their rights and responsibilities. Pupils develop a strong sense of community. They value one another and welcome visitors. Staff typically have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. In lessons, pupils rarely lose focus. Staff usually get them back on track quickly. At social times, pupils play well together. Some pupils are play leaders. They organise activities and help other pupils to join in. This helps to create a positive environment, where pupils thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for what pupils should learn. Pupils rise to meet them. The school is highly effective in supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). There is a rigorous approach to identifying the needs of pupils with SEND. The school’s keen focus on developing pupils’ talk supports all pupils, especially those with English as an additional language. Pupils learn well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The programme for pupils’ personal development is of exceptional quality and a strength of the school. The school ensures that all pupils are prepared extremely well for life in modern Britain. Pupils develop the knowledge and vocabulary that they need through a range of meaningful experiences. They build character, self-esteem and develop a sense of social responsibility.

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

The school’s curriculum is designed well. It makes clear what pupils should learn and when. Staff check that pupils are learning well. They identify pupils’ misconceptions and address them effectively. Pupils are keen to talk about what they know. Many pupils talk about their learning in depth. However, in some subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply and deepen their learning by producing high-quality work.

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

Pupils with SEND learn and achieve well. The school has an in-depth understanding of how to support pupils. When needed, staff skilfully adapt the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs. The school provides high-quality support for pupils with SEND who need a more bespoke programme. Staff are highly trained in a range of different interventions. The interventions are matched well to pupils’ next steps.

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

Pupils enjoy reading. Pupils in the early stages of learning to read learn well. They practise reading with books that are well matched to the sounds that they have learned. Pupils that need more support to learn to read get helpful support from well-trained staff. Pupils become confident and fluent readers.

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

In the early years, children get off to a strong start. The curriculum supports children to be ready for their next stage of learning. The school is keen to help all children to learn vocabulary and develop physical skills. Children have opportunities to explore the curriculum through play. However, some activities are not precisely designed to build on what children already know. When this happens, children do not learn as well as they could. 1 and 2 July 2025

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The personal development programme is of the highest quality. It reflects and celebrates the school’s diverse community. Pupils speak confidently about fundamental British values, mutual respect and tolerance and how to keep safe, including online. There is a wide range of leadership opportunities available, such as school councillors, eco-councillors, well-being buddies and librarians. Staff make sure that pupils get the most out of these roles so that pupils highly value them. Pupils also take part in projects, such as a road safety project that has helped to reduce local traffic. Through these opportunities, pupils understand the positive impact that they can have on the school and community.

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Pupils are taught how to have positive conversations with their peers. Pupils have regular meaningful discussions with classmates, which supports their language development. The school is highly effective in its work to support pupils who have challenges that make it harder to come to school every day. Pupils attend regularly, which enables them to benefit from the school’s curriculum and its rich personal development programme.

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Governors enjoy being part of the school community. They carry out their statutory duties. They also participate in events at the school. Staff have high morale. They are highly committed to pupils and to the whole community. The school develops strong relationships with parents and carers. The school informs parents about ways to support their child’s learning at home.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to apply and extend their learning by drawing on their knowledge and skills to produce high-quality work. This means that, sometimes, pupils do not practise and develop their skills. The school should ensure that pupils have regular opportunities, across subjects, to apply their learning and create work that reflects the ambition of the curriculum.  In the early years, some activities are not designed to match children’s learning needs closely enough or build on what they already know. When this happens, children do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that activities in the early years are consistently purposeful so that children learn what they need for their next stage. 1 and 2 July 2025

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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). 1 and 2 July 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 and 19 March 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of 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 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.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, including the headteacher and assistant headteachers. The lead inspector also met with the members of the governing body, including the chair.  Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. 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 1 and 2 July 2025

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samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors discussed and reviewed the curriculum in some other subjects.  An inspector observed some pupils reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their learning and their experiences at school. An inspector also spoke to parents at the start of the school day.  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.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including at social times. Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour at the school.  Inspectors reviewed the responses received through Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the responses

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received to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Zoe Helman, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Karen Smith Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 July 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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