Griffin Primary School

Griffin Primary School

Address: Barham Road, Hull, HU9 4JL Unique reference number (URN): 144605

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged, achieve well. Overall, this is reflected in their attainment in national curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils generally achieve close to national averages.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils secure the knowledge they need in each subject as they move through the school. They are ready for the next stage of their education. The school prioritises children getting off to a confident start in the early years. This includes ensuring that children secure the key knowledge that they need in reading, writing and mathematics to be successful as they move through the school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils progress well from their various starting points across most subjects. Work in pupils' books shows that the school supports them effectively. However, in a small number of subjects, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This is because they do not have regular opportunities to revisit and recall important knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear understanding of the curriculum and review it regularly to secure improvement. Important knowledge is sequenced so that pupils build on prior learning as they move through the school. This works well when pupils get the opportunity to revisit prior learning in their lessons.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders identified writing as a key area for further development. Recent work has strengthened teachers' skills to ensure that pupils learn to write effectively, starting in the early years.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school prioritises reading, right from the start of the early years. Phonics is taught well. Pupils share a wide range of engaging texts, including traditional tales and stories from different cultures. This helps pupils to build up their knowledge to access the wider curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers make checks on what pupils know and understand and have a deep knowledge of the curriculum. Teachers typically set appropriate and interesting work to move pupils' learning forward. However, there are times when this is not the case. On some occasions, activities are not well matched to pupils’ learning needs, and pupils lose focus and become frustrated.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff act swiftly to identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They provide targeted support to pupils, particularly benefiting those who are disadvantaged, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or pupils who are known to children’s social care.

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Early years Expected standard

The school has an effective early years curriculum. This maps out what children will learn from Nursery through to the end of the Reception Year. Staff design purposeful activities that develop children’s skills. For example, children develop fine motor skills, including by cutting with scissors and using pincers and hole punches.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened the school's approach to supporting children's accurate letter formation and correct pencil grip. Staff skilfully promote and support the development of children's language and vocabulary through discussion. Children enjoy opportunities to share books and listen to stories. By the end of Reception Year, children use their phonics knowledge to read with increasing accuracy and fluency.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff establish routines and expectations, which children quickly learn and follow. Children know the importance of tidying up and looking after equipment. Children demonstrate high levels of independence when learning in the school's indoor and outdoor areas. They enjoy learning through play with their peers. Children share toys, take turns and help each other solve problems.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff use their expertise to support children with additional needs well. This helps children to be included in all aspects of the setting.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders work closely with parents and carers from the time their children join the school. Parents value the opportunities they have to find out how to support their child's learning. Typically, children are well prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Griffin Primary is an inclusive school. Staff support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), those in receipt of pupil premium funding and those who face other barriers identified by the school well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school works with pupils, parents and carers, and external agencies where appropriate, to ensure that pupils’ needs are quickly and accurately identified. Staff receive regular training so that they know how best to support pupils with SEND in lessons. Leaders monitor pupils’ progress closely and make any changes needed to support pupils further.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Typically, pupils are supported well to overcome the barriers to their learning. For example, staff provide personalised support, including bespoke resources.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with complex needs thrive due to the skilled support they receive in the school's enhanced provision. Staff know the pupils well, carefully tailoring the support they provide, so pupils make progress across the curriculum from their different starting points.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Staff know which pupils are disadvantaged and ensure that they get the help they need. Disadvantaged pupils typically achieve as well as their disadvantaged peers nationally. The school’s pupil premium strategy is well considered. It accurately outlines the barriers that the school’s disadvantaged pupils face. The actions to address these barriers are appropriate and generally successful.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, trustees and governors know their school well. Leaders make decisions in the best interests of pupils. They focus on appropriate areas for development to ensure that pupils are safe, attend school and achieve. Leaders carry out regular checks on what is working well at the school and what needs to improve.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders focus on ensuring that disadvantaged pupils are supported to overcome any barriers that they face. They ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve well.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders provide staff with high-quality professional learning opportunities that equip them well to carry out their roles. They think carefully about staff workload and wellbeing in all their decision-making. Staff, including early career teachers, are positive about the personal and professional support they receive. Despite this, leaders know there is more work to do to support teachers to teach the curriculum to a high standard across all subjects.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees and governors work well together to carry out their duties effectively. They use their expertise and curiosity to provide appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. For example, they keep a close eye on the impact of the school’s work to improve attendance rates.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The majority of parents and carers are positive about the care and education their children receive. However, some would like more information about what is happening in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The personal development programme is at the heart of the school’s work. It is closely linked to the school’s values. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum makes clear the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn from Nursery through to Year 6. Pupils learn how to stay healthy through diet and exercise. They understand how to stay safe online and in the local community. Pupils know right from wrong and have a firm, age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships. The curriculum is designed to help prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. However, pupils’ knowledge about fundamental British values, protected characteristics and diversity is variable.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s pastoral provision is a strength of the school. It is integral to the personal development offer. At the start of the school day, staff check in with vulnerable pupils to help them settle. The pastoral team works closely with families and external professionals to ensure that pupils receive support to remove barriers to learning or wellbeing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a range of trips and visits that contribute to their learning and experiences of the world around them. These include a residential visit, a trip to London, visits to museums and events within the local community. The offer is enhanced by a range of extra-curricular activities. The school ensures that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access these.

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Needs attention

Pupils develop their confidence and understanding of how to contribute to society. They take on roles and responsibilities such as parking wardens and sports ambassadors. They develop their character by taking part in charity events and try to make a difference through activities such as visiting a local care home.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Attendance rates have been below national averages for some time. This includes pupils who face additional barriers to learning, such as those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, too many pupils miss important learning and opportunities.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have developed a well-considered strategy to improve attendance. However, this work is very recent. While there have been encouraging signs of improvement in recent months, the sustained impact over time is not currently evident.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders expect pupils to behave well. They support pupils to be successful and create a culture of positive behaviour. Expectations are clear and simple. Staff have received appropriate training to support a consistent approach to behaviour management. They make appropriate adjustments to support pupils with SEND. Pupils generally demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning and a pride in their work.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have established a calm, orderly and respectful environment. Pupils typically learn without disruption. They are taught about different types of bullying, but, despite this, some use the term incorrectly when talking about disagreements. Pupils say that actual bullying is rare, and, when it does happen, teachers help them.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to Griffin Primary School. They speak with pride about their school. Pupils enter classrooms calmly and settle to learning with purpose. Staff greet pupils warmly. This creates a welcoming and supportive atmosphere where pupils feel known and valued. Leaders have recently started to improve their strategies related to pupils' attendance and punctuality. This work has had some impact, but there are still too many pupils who miss important learning.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy a broad and creative curriculum. They talk with enthusiasm about the new things they learn. Pupils, including those who face barriers to their learning, progress well through the curriculum from their starting points. They take part in activities that broaden their experiences. These include learning a musical instrument, sports competitions and art clubs. These activities help pupils develop new interests and skills.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school promotes its core values well. Pupils use them to guide how they work and play each day. They show respect and kindness towards one another. Pupils enjoy positive relationships with staff and with their classmates. They feel safe and know that adults will listen and help them if they have a concern.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Classrooms are calm, and routines are clear. Pupils typically behave well and try hard. Staff encourage pupils to become confident, caring and resilient learners. Pupils respond well to this support.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils learn about their local area and the city where they live. They enjoy learning that connects them to their community. They develop life skills that help them take sensible risks and face new challenges. This prepares them well for the wider world.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue their approach to tackling pupil absence to ensure that it has the intended impact on pupils' attendance rates, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to ensure that the recent improvements are sustained over time. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is consistently taught well so that pupils build detailed knowledge and skills and produce high-quality work across the curriculum.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Venn 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, Simon Whitham, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Terry Johnson.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school and trust leaders, members of the board of the trustees and local governing body during the inspection. They spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, to school staff and with parents at the start of the day.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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Team inspectors:

Shan Brough Jones, Ofsted Inspector Nick Styles, Ofsted Inspector Simon McCarthy, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 60% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 67% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 77% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 74% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 75% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 72% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 75% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 75% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 54% 47% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 64% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 63% 62% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 68% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 66% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 68% 61% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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