Greystoke Primary School

Greystoke Primary School

Address: Icold Road, Greystoke, Greystoke School, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0TP Unique reference number (URN): 112111

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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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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils attend school regularly because leaders act swiftly when concerns arise. Daily checks help staff to spot patterns and understand barriers. Leaders work closely with families and involve external agencies when needed. This support has reduced persistent absence and helps all pupils attend well, including those with known barriers. Staff use attendance information carefully to plan the right actions. Leaders promote positive attendance. They ensure the school environment is welcoming so pupils enjoy their time and are keen to attend.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave positively across the school. They show self-discipline, respect and courtesy for one another in lessons, corridors and social times. Clear routines are embedded, and pupils rarely need reminders about expectations. Pupils wear their house badges with pride. They talk positively about how they want to earn house points through the behaviours they show. Older pupils set an excellent example by supporting younger pupils during transitions and recreation. Warm relationships between adults and pupils create a caring atmosphere. Pupils manage their emotions maturely and use strategies from the personal development programme to resolve conflict. Staff respond quickly to any unkind behaviour, and pupils say they feel safe because adults know them well.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils achieve well over time. Published outcomes, where available, show attainment above national averages. This indicates that pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. In all year groups, they build secure knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils rehearse vocabulary and explain their learning with growing confidence. This is supported by regular opportunities to talk with partners.

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Achievement Expected standard

Early reading provides a secure start to pupils' learning. They read with increasing fluency, which helps them to access learning across subjects. In mathematics, pupils use number facts with improving accuracy. However, some pupils with barriers to learning progress to new topics before gaps in knowledge are fully addressed. These pupils continue to make frequent errors in punctuation and spelling when writing. Most pupils make appropriate progress from their starting points. However, some pupils with barriers do not make the progress they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is engaging and builds logically. Clear end points of knowledge are identified and help staff understand what pupils should learn and when. Staff use strategies to recall previously taught content to help pupils connect new learning to what they already know. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and generally plan tasks matched to the needs of pupils in mixed-age classes. Additional resources to support pupils, including those with barriers to learning, are used well. Leaders have prioritised early reading and phonics. The phonics scheme is well established and helps pupils build knowledge of the sounds and corresponding letters. Staff adapt the programme to revisit earlier sounds so that pupils gain confidence and fluency. Reading interventions support pupils who need additional practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers deliver the curriculum well. Staff check pupils’ understanding and adapt teaching for pupils with barriers. Teachers identify errors in pupils’ work and provide prompts for improvement. This helps secure learning for most pupils so that they make good progress. For some pupils, gaps in their reading and writing skills persist, and these go unchecked by staff. Strategies to develop pupils' confidence, vocabulary and oracy are embedded across the curriculum. Staff plan creative opportunities to help pupils to use the knowledge and skills learned across many subjects. These activities help pupils make sense of their learning and give them the opportunity to show all that they know.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders ensure children get a good start to their education. They create a caring, language- rich environment where children feel safe and ready to learn. Warm relationships help children settle quickly and grow in confidence. Staff work with parents and carers from the start. They share regular updates and assessment information, so families know how their children are learning and how to help at home.

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Early years Expected standard

The curriculum sets out the key knowledge children need across all areas of learning. It shows a clear sequence and emphasises the importance of communication and language. Staff use stories, songs and talk to build children’s vocabulary. This helps children understand new ideas and explain their thinking. Early reading is taught well. Staff follow the phonics programme with consistency, and children use their phonics knowledge in classwork and play. In mathematics, children use manipulatives and talk partners to explore number. Adults model ideas clearly and ask helpful questions.

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Early years Expected standard

Adults interact with children in positive and purposeful ways. These interactions support language and confidence. However, some planned questions and activities are not matched to individual needs closely enough. When this happens, children do not progress as well as they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff know pupils and their families well. They provide a warm and welcoming environment that helps all pupils to feel they can flourish. Staff identify pupils’ needs quickly and hold high expectations for those who face barriers to learning. Leaders provide training to strengthen staff expertise. Staff use this training to provide high-quality teaching as the main way to reduce any barrier. Further, they use their knowledge of pupils to plan adjustments to the tasks set. This includes identifying when pupils may benefit from additional staff support or smaller groups. Classrooms include helpful prompts, which pupils use effectively to help their understanding.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with barriers access the full curriculum. Staff use adjustments, equipment and targeted questions when pupils need extra help. Leaders check pupils’ progress often and have a secure understanding of individual needs. They work with external agencies when specialist advice is needed. Staff share concerns promptly, and leaders adjust support or interventions when required. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive extra help, although leaders recognise that plans to support them require greater precision.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a sound understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas that need to improve. They have defined a clear rationale for the quality of teaching, based on research evidence. Training has helped staff build expertise and consistent understanding of what effective teaching looks like. Leaders maintain oversight of the curriculum and the quality of education. Leaders check teaching through visiting lessons, speaking with pupils and looking at pupils’ work. Leaders model high expectations and professionalism in their daily work. Parents and carers who spoke with inspectors were overwhelmingly positive about the school’s care and the progress their children make.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders make decisions that put pupils first. They focus on improving key areas of the curriculum, including strengthening subjects such as design and technology and science. Staff say they feel supported and that leaders think carefully about workload and wellbeing. Leaders seek best practice from research and use this to refine their approach to school improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors meet their statutory duties and understand the school’s context. Governors monitor the effectiveness of policies regularly. This allows pupils to be safe and learn well. Governors receive reports that help them check progress against priorities and take part in training to strengthen their oversight. Link governor visits help them to understand the school’s work. Governors offer appropriate challenge and support to leaders.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a clear and well-thought-out personal development programme. Displays and curriculum work show a wide range of experiences that help pupils understand themselves and the wider world. Pupils talk positively about art workshops, dance events, Lego engineering projects and sporting competitions. These activities help them try new things and build their talents. Leaders make sure opportunities build upon personal interests, as well as seeking opportunities for pupils to explore wider interests.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn to think about their own qualities and recognise strengths in others. In personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons, older pupils talk about friendships, fairness and conflict resolution. Pupils say behaviour is good and that disagreements are rare. When issues do happen, they often use ideas from PSHE to sort things out. Pupils show respect for others’ views and enjoy learning about different cultures and religions.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum helps pupils understand global issues. They speak confidently about renewable energy, fossil fuels and children’s rights. Work linked to UNICEF and the Global Goals strengthens this understanding. Pupils know that democracy and tolerance matter. This helps prepare them for life in modern Britain. Relationship, sex and health education is taught in an age-appropriate way. Pupils remember learning about physical and emotional changes during puberty and how to build healthy relationships. They know how to stay safe online and offline, including through lessons on stranger danger and cycle safety. Pupils also learn how to stay healthy in body and mind. They talk about healthy food choices, exercise and using mindfulness to manage worries.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders plan opportunities that make a real impact on pupils’ lives. Connections with local artists and local faith groups help develop their sense of community. Trips and residentials make learning memorable and deepen pupils' understanding of the world.

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

Pupils enjoy coming to this warm and welcoming school. Each morning begins with a friendly greeting at the gate, helping pupils feel known and ready for the day. Staff work closely with pupils throughout lessons and at social times, which strengthens relationships. Older pupils take pride in supporting younger ones, including when moving to the hall for lunch or helping them settle into routines. Pupils describe the school as a family where everyone looks out for one another. Pupils follow school expectations and show courtesy towards others. Classrooms are calm and purposeful, and pupils move around school sensibly. Bullying is rare, and pupils are confident that adults will act quickly if concerns arise. This sense of safety ensures that pupils trust staff to help them with any worries.

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

Pupils enjoy learning and speak positively about their lessons. They appreciate the opportunities they have to build their skills, including working with local artists. They speak proudly of their artwork that adorns corridors and classrooms. Pupils value wider experiences, such as weekly brass lessons, ‘Welly Wednesday’ outdoor learning and sporting events with other schools. Residential visits, such as the recent trip to London to visit Parliament, help pupils to grow in confidence, build teamwork and learn about democracy.

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

Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities. ‘Shed Leaders’ help to look after play equipment, and the active school council has a say in decisions that shape school life. House points encourage pupils to do their best, and the termly prize for the winning house adds excitement and friendly competition. Pupils achieve well and are proud of their work. Outcomes above national averages show they are ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils feel included and valued. They are inspired to do their best in this caring and ambitious school, where they are encouraged to flourish and excel.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that pupils who face barriers secure the foundational knowledge in writing, particularly grammar, punctuation, sentence construction and spelling, so that identified gaps are addressed consistently before pupils move on to new learning.

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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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55

Well below average Leaders should improve the precision with which activities, interactions and questioning in the early years are matched to children’s individual needs, so that all children make the strongest possible progress from their starting points.

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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 (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and several other leaders during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Inspectors met with representatives of the governing body and local authority.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with several pupils, staff, parents and carers.

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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 does not currently use any alternative provision.

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2022/23 (final) S 73% S ‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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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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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 5.2% 5.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 13.2% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 20.0% 16.2% Close to average

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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

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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