Grasmere Primary School

Grasmere Primary School

Address: 92 Albion Road, London, N16 9PD Unique reference number (URN): 100252

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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 Strong standard

Pupils achieve highly across the school, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. They demonstrate fluency and confidence in the core foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics. This means they have the essential knowledge they need for later success across the curriculum. In the early years and key stage 1, children use phonics knowledge with confidence and accuracy when reading. Pupils' writing shows they are able to express their ideas fluently, including maintaining accurate use of spelling, grammar and sentence structure. This is the case both in English and other subjects across the curriculum. For example, Year 6 pupils produce high-quality, detailed writing linked to their learning about electricity in science.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils acquire detailed knowledge and skills in a broad range of subjects, enabling them to consistently produce high-quality outcomes. Pupils are able to recall prior learning in depth and explain what they have learned using subject-specific vocabulary. Pupils' high achievement is typically reflected in national tests in reading, writing and mathematics, including for those pupils who are disadvantaged. At each stage on their educational journey, pupils are well prepared for their next steps.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders and staff routinely promote the importance of high attendance. Established initiatives, such as celebration assemblies and class certificates, fulfil this aim well. Leaders’ insightful analysis of attendance helps them to consistently increase pupils’ positive rates of attendance. They provide effective support for pupils where needed. Leaders’ actions to tackle barriers to high attendance for some groups of pupils have led to significant improvements. The culture of high attendance is underpinned by positive relationships between leaders and families.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils are kind and friendly to each other and with staff, both in classrooms and in the playground. Older pupils set an excellent example for younger pupils and show genuine care for each other. One of the key reasons for this is pupils' respectful attitudes, particularly the way they understand difference and accept others' choices. Pupils are clear that on the rare occasions bullying happens, they are confident about who to talk to and that issues are dealt with swiftly. Staff deal with behaviour that falls below the school’s expectations quickly and effectively. In classrooms, pupils demonstrate focus and pay close attention to their learning. Routines to support learning, for example during class discussions, are firmly embedded across the school. Pupils enjoy talking about their learning. They show curiosity and interest in finding out more about what they study.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Leaders have implemented a curriculum that is rigorous and of high quality. They have made thoughtful decisions about how best to adapt the curriculum to reflect the school community. These decisions are underpinned by leaders' aim to ensure that all pupils are entitled to learn and know a rich body of knowledge. Leaders ensure that the curriculum is consistently taught well and that staff have the knowledge and skills needed to deliver it with expertise.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

High-quality teaching ensures that pupils secure important basic knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics early in their educational journey. They have lots of opportunities throughout the school to develop and extend their spoken language and write at length, using a range of vocabulary. For example, in order to develop and extend children's language, early years staff provide children with plentiful opportunities to talk about their learning and experiences.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

In each subject, teaching uses highly effective approaches to developing pupils' knowledge progressively. For example, in art, teaching introduces pupils step by step to different techniques they can use when drawing and painting. Well-chosen activities enable pupils to practise and apply what they know with increasing confidence and accuracy, and in turn produce artwork of high quality.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Staff skilfully adapt the curriculum to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access learning with clear success. Staff use assessment precisely to address misconceptions and make changes to teaching as a result.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders have successfully implemented a high-quality curriculum in the early years. This prioritises language and communication, as well as developing children’s independence as learners. Children play and learn in an enticing and well-considered environment. This supports them to focus and sustain concentration in a broad range of activities.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff find every opportunity to successfully build children’s language. They consistently model vocabulary clearly and ask thoughtful questions to extend children’s thinking. Teaching also supports children to make connections between new experiences and what they already know. This helps to ensure that children build their knowledge progressively. For example, children in Reception use their prior learning to discuss in detail how to make their paint a darker or lighter shade by adding different colours.

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Early years Strong standard

The curriculum for early reading is embedded from the start of the early years. Staff choose high-quality texts thoughtfully, with books and stories used to underpin children’s learning and language development. For example, children in Nursery delight in discovering new words about life cycles and changes in insects, animals and people. Children enjoy hearing stories and make links to their wider learning.

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Early years Strong standard

Children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make positive progress in the important early stages of reading, writing and mathematics. Staff address misconceptions in letter and number formation and phonics knowledge quickly. Leaders and staff make sure children have many opportunities to achieve across the curriculum. As a result, children are fully prepared for Year 1.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders foster a culture of high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Staff know pupils well and use clear and efficient systems to identify pupils’ individual needs. Leaders systematically check the provision that pupils receive and make timely adaptations to the support available. Leaders also work in partnership with families and external agencies to ensure that the wide range of support and interventions is personalised to pupils' needs and makes a tangible difference to how well pupils learn and develop. Pupils make excellent progress from their starting points and achieve highly because of the school's personalised approaches. For example, in classrooms, staff provide thoughtful adaptations to help pupils to understand and discuss subject content, such as giving pupils additional time to think about and share their answers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders ensure that staff receive high-quality training so that inclusive practice is embedded across the school. Staff routinely adapt teaching so that pupils with SEND, or those who are disadvantaged, learn and master the curriculum alongside their peers. Leaders use additional funding on activities that make a sustained difference for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders’ precise focus on these pupils leads to them being fully included in the curriculum and the breadth of opportunities the school offers. Pupils are consistently well supported to feel a genuine sense of belonging at this school.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for the school and the community it serves. They have a clear and insightful understanding of the school's strengths and priorities. Leaders and governors work together effectively so that decisions prioritise pupils’ achievement and wellbeing. Leaders’ actions have led to strong standards across all areas of the school's work. Their decisions are consistently underpinned by an ethos centred on enabling each pupil to shine. Leaders and governors are rigorously focused on equity. They make sure that pupils have what they need to succeed highly in all areas of school life. Leaders work closely with other schools in the federation, and more widely, to strengthen their work.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Professional learning for staff is a key driver for improvement. Leaders ensure that staff benefit from access to evidence-informed training with expert colleagues. As a result, staff are equipped with the skills and expertise to teach with confidence and make appropriate adaptations to the curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The governing body has the skills and expertise to support leaders effectively. Governors have a well-developed understanding of the school. The challenge they provide ensures that leaders pay close attention to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff workload and wellbeing are managed thoughtfully. Staff feel well supported and included in decision-making. Parents and carers are positive about the school and the care and education it provides for their children. They value the culture of opportunities and high expectations for all.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The personal development offer is a priority for the school. The personal, social and health education curriculum forms a central part of the programme and is rooted in the school’s vision. Pupils learn to reflect on what is special about them and how they contribute to the Grasmere school community. Projects across the federation support pupils to develop their cultural awareness and celebrate the area in which they live. Pupils also learn about different faiths and deepen their understanding with visits to local places of worship. They learn about rights and responsibilities and experience democracy in practice, for instance through voting for school council members. Pupils have a detailed knowledge of equalities and are accepting of difference and respectful of each other.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils gain an age-appropriate understanding about healthy relationships through the relationship and sex education programme. They demonstrate a mature understanding of friendships and peer pressure and are confident to be assertive and ask for help if they need to. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, both online and offline.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides highly effective pastoral support for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Staff know pupils well and put support in place quickly when needed. For example, staff use regular and frequent 'check-ins' with pupils, which help them to feel listened to and cared for.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides many purposeful leadership opportunities for pupils, including as mental health and subject ambassadors. Being a lunchtime buddy gives older pupils a sense of responsibility. They delight in being able to help and play with younger children.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils enjoy an extensive range of opportunities to broaden their experiences and extend their learning. Leaders provide regular visits to local venues, such as galleries and museums. Pupils are enthusiastic to join the clubs on offer. Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged are supported to access these clubs and find it easy to participate.

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

Pupils feel part of the Grasmere school community. They get on very well with their peers of different ages and are friendly and supportive of each other. For example, at social times, older pupils enjoy playing together with their younger peers on the playground. Pupils appreciate the care and help that staff give them. They know that staff will listen and take notice of their views. This enables pupils to develop a sense of belonging at the school.

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

Pupils settle quickly to learning at the beginning of the day and after breaktimes. Clear routines, together with pupils' positive relationships with staff, mean that pupils know what is expected of them. In classrooms, they maintain focus on their learning. Pupils are curious and interested in lessons. They listen attentively to staff and when they speak to each other. Pupils demonstrate an increasingly mature attitude in discussions. They talk with confidence about what they have learned. Across subjects, pupils achieve consistently well and produce high-quality written and creative work. Children in the early years enjoy exploring indoors and outdoors. Staff are skilled in supporting children to develop their knowledge and show high levels of concentration.

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

Pupils know that staff in school keep them safe. Although unkind behaviour happens sometimes, pupils are clear that staff will deal with it quickly and effectively. Pupils behave consistently well and are polite and courteous.

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

Pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles, such as lunchtime buddies and art ambassadors. They thrive on the responsibility given to them by staff. Pupils also enjoy making a positive contribution to the school community and helping one another. Pupils appreciate the wide range of educational visits and activities available to them, such as story-telling workshops, drumming and dance. They also relish attending extra-curricular clubs, such as sports, music and chess. These help pupils to develop their talents and interests well.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue their insightful oversight of the school's work to sustain highly effective provision for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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About this inspection

The school is part of a federation called The LEAP Federation.

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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 the headteacher, senior leaders and leaders from the federation during the inspection. They also met with members of the federation governing body, as well as a representative from the local authority. Inspectors also spoke with several pupils, staff, parents and carers. They considered the responses to Ofsted's surveys.

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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 is led by an executive headteacher, Louise Nichols, and two co-headteachers, Jacqueline Thornton and Karen Pedro.

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About this inspection

The school joined The LEAP Federation in September 2025.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Co-Headteachers: Jacqueline Thornton and Karen Pedro

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Team inspectors:

David Atter, Ofsted Inspector Ian Scotchbrook, 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

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

2023/24 (final) 71% 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

2023/24 (final) 75% 72% 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

2023/24 (final) 71% 73% 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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

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

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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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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

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

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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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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.4% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.3% 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 (3 term) 10.0% 13.0% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 13.3% 14.6% 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

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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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