Orchard Grove Primary School

Orchard Grove Primary School

Address: Egremont Road, Taunton, TA3 7FD Unique reference number (URN): 149764

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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, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly across the curriculum. They benefit from the rigour, consistency and high standards of teaching in the school. This means that pupils acquire the knowledge and skills they need to be ready for their next stage of learning. Pupils learn to read securely. This is reflected in the very high outcomes in the 2025 phonics screening check. Pupils also learn to write well. They write with correctly formed and sized letters. This helps pupils to write fluently and accurately across different subjects. As a result, their work is of a consistently high quality.

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Achievement Strong standard

Pupils who join partway through their education progress well when they join the school, despite some having gaps in their knowledge. This is because teachers provide tailored, high-quality support to help them to catch up in both English and mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make strong progress from their starting points.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils' attendance is high. This is because leaders have established a culture where everyone expects pupils to attend well. Leaders promote pupils' positive attendance from the very start of their educational journey. They regularly discuss and celebrate the importance of attendance. Leaders act proactively if pupils' attendance drops. They have an extensive knowledge of their families and maintain positive relationships with them. This enables leaders to put in timely, precise support to help pupils get back on track with their attendance. Rates of persistent absence are very low. This helps to establish a strong sense of belonging.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

The school exudes an air of kindness and togetherness. Pupils are polite and courteous to one another. Adults model these behaviours to help pupils understand how to behave consistently well. As a result, pupils flourish at Orchard Grove. Pupils have a real zest for learning. They reflect this in the pride and care they take in their work. Incidents of unkindness or bullying are very rare. Nevertheless, leaders are not complacent. They diligently check pattern of behaviours to see where pupils may require additional support. This helps to ensure that high standards of behaviour are embedded securely and consistently across the school.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching throughout the school is of a high standard. Leaders have ensured that, as the school grows and new teachers are recruited, they receive the training they need to teach effectively. This approach supports consistent teaching quality across the school. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They know the most effective strategies that will help pupils to grasp new concepts well. Teachers promote ambitious vocabulary throughout lessons. They expect pupils to not only understand these new words, but use them accurately.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Adults' teaching of the basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics is rigorous. They relentlessly ensure that pupils apply these skills in their work. Adults quickly identify those who have gaps in their knowledge. They carefully consider the most effective methods to help pupils overcome these. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who consistently have their needs well met.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum underpins the successes in teaching. It is ambitious and carefully ordered. Leaders have also considered the curriculum pupils will learn when the school eventually opens key stage 2 classes. This ensures that pupils lower down the school learn content that will support them to build knowledge well as they move through the school.

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Early years Strong standard

The early years is pivotal to the school’s success. Leaders ensure that children get off to a strong start in their education. Children in both the Nursery Year and Reception Year flourish and learn consistently well. This includes children at the early stages of learning English, as well as those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff have high expectations of children and reflect this in their teaching. They rigorously and regularly check what children can do both on entry and over time in the provision. This enables staff to closely match activities to children's needs. Consequently, children of all ages show impressive focus and perseverance on tasks.

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Early years Strong standard

Leaders’ diligence and careful strategic planning have resulted in the opening of a thriving nursery environment. The curriculum has been crafted with children's development carefully considered. This includes the two-year-olds who settle and learn successfully alongside their older peers. Leaders adapt the curriculum as children's needs change. For example, leaders have enhanced the provision for children to develop their fine motor skills. This helps to prepare them for the early stages of writing.

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Early years Strong standard

Staff care for children well. They develop warm and positive relationships with children. This allows children to feel happy and confident in the environment. Staff follow intimate care policies robustly and sensitively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Inclusion is central to the school's ethos. Leaders successfully ensure that pupils thrive, regardless of any barriers to learning they may have. Staff have a sophisticated level of expertise in identifying and providing the precise support that pupils need. This includes pupils known, or previously known, to social care. Staff ensure that pupils receive a range of bespoke, appropriate adaptations in lessons so that they become confident and independent learners. Leaders continually check pupils' progress. They adjust the provision systematically, including any interventions that pupils receive.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff receive regular training which is responsive to the changing needs in the school. For example, they benefit from further support in ensuring that pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) learn well. Staff check pupils' proficiency in English when they join the school. This helps them to tailor pupils' learning experiences accurately. As a result, pupils with EAL thrive in the school.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school makes highly effective use of the government’s funding for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders rigorously evaluate the impact of pupils’ progress and make appropriate adjustments to their approach as necessary. As a result, disadvantaged pupils achieve and attend well.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have fully grasped the opportunity of opening a new school. They have cultivated a shared vision and ethos amongst all parties connected with Orchard Grove. Leaders effectively embed systems across all aspects of the school’s work. They ensure that as new staff join, they are fully trained in these systems. This results in a consistency in the quality of teaching and in the adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The trust's support for the school is highly effective. It helped the school navigate the challenges of delays in the building work in the early stages of its development. This allowed leaders to focus on establishing a strong quality educational experience for pupils. The governing body supports the school well. They make regular checks on aspects of the school’s work, such as the provision for pupils with SEND. Consequently, they have an accurate view of the school's performance. The relationship between the trust and governors is positive and they meet their statutory duties.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff feel incredibly proud to work at the school. They are well supported by leaders with their workload and wellbeing. Staff are rightly delighted at the success of the school. However, both they and leaders are modest about their own contributions to this. They are ambitious to strengthen the school as it continues to grow.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Parents and carers unanimously recommend the school. One parent summed up the view of many, stating, 'Staff care about my children as individuals with their own needs, personalities, and strengths.'

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have crafted a very well-considered and comprehensive personal development programme. The 'Orchard Grove 50' means pupils enjoy a breadth of experiences to broaden their horizons. Leaders ensure that this offer reflects, and is adapted to, the changing context of the school as it continues to grow. For example, the number of pupils who arrive from other countries and/or speak English as an additional language has grown significantly. Leaders have embraced this. They regularly celebrate the different faiths and backgrounds of pupils. Leaders invite family members in to share their different experiences and cultures. This helps to develop pupils' understanding of tolerance to support their preparation for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils learn an ambitious personal, social and health education curriculum. Teachers implement this consistently well. As a result, pupils acquire a secure knowledge of important concepts. They understand how to keep physically and mentally healthy. Pupils know how to stay safe online as well as in their own locality. For example, pupils recognise that there are many construction sites where they live and the potential dangers of these. Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of relationships. They know how people can be different and the importance of equality. Pupils enjoy residentials from key stage 1 onwards. Leaders have meticulously planned these to ensure that subsequent overnight events build upon their previous experiences. This helps to develop pupils' confidence and resilience. Pupils are inspired to think about future careers through talks from different professions and employers. They develop a

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

secure understanding of fundamental British values. This is because leaders provide real- life opportunities for pupils to encounter these, such as voting on important topics.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school's pastoral support for pupils is of a high quality. This begins before pupils start the school. Staff take the time to meet families and understand their needs. This ensures they can put in the right support for pupils to feel happy and comfortable from the outset.

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

At Orchard Grove, pupils experience the excitement of a new school that sits at the heart of an emerging community. Pupils play an active role in shaping the values and culture of both the school and the wider area. Many local events take place at the school. Participants include not only pupils and their families, but community groups too. This inspires pupils to take pride in their locality and recognise the difference they can make within it. Initiatives such as the 'walking bus' further foster a culture of togetherness.

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

The school's values of every pupil belonging, participating and achieving are fully lived out. Pupils have wonderful attitudes to their education and behave to a very high standard. They learn securely across all year groups. This starts from the moment they start in the early years. Staff expect pupils to work hard. Pupils rise to these high expectations and progress very well through the curriculum. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) who receive precise, timely support to be successful. As a result, pupils are very well prepared for their next stage of learning.

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

Pupils attend well because they do not want to miss out on their exciting learning. They feel safe in school and bullying is rare. Many pupils join the school partway through their education. Their peers give them a warm welcome and help the new arrivals to settle quickly. This reflects the nurturing culture that pervades the school.

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

Pupils participate in an extensive range of clubs in which to develop their talents and interests. The take up of these is very high. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND reflecting that Orchard Grove is a school where pupils, regardless of their background, flourish.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that as the school grows, systems are consistently applied across all areas to the same high standard so that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve well, feel a sense of belonging and flourish.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Blackdown Education Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lorraine Heath, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Veronica Lloyd-Richards.

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

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders, the CEO, the chair of the trust, three members of the local governing body, staff, pupils and parents and carers during the inspection.

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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 currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The recorded number of pupils on roll does not fully reflect the number of pupils who attend the school. This is because there are significant numbers of pupils joining the school mid- year due to a large-scale housing development taking place in the locality. The data shown in the section, ‘facts and figures used on inspection’ is the latest published data that was available at the time of the inspection. It is taken from a number of sources at different points in time throughout the academic year. Since the time the facts and figures were published, there have been some changes, as follows: the number on roll at the school during the inspection was 141; the percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals was 13.75%; the percentage of children with education, health and care plans was 2.5%; and the percentage of pupils receiving SEND support was 22.5%.

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About this inspection

The school opened in September 2023. For its first year, it was based at a neighbouring school's site due to delays in the building work. The school moved to its permanent site in September 2024. It also opened a nursery provision at this time. This provision admits children between the ages of two-and-four-years-old.

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About this inspection

In addition to the nursery, there are three, single-age classes from Reception to Year 2. From September 2026, the school will admit two classes per year group starting in Reception.

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About this inspection

There is a before- and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.

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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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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. 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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