Green Ridge Primary Academy

Green Ridge Primary Academy

Address: President Road, Berryfields, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP18 0YA Unique reference number (URN): 144747

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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. This is reflected in attendance figures that are above national averages. Few pupils are persistently absent. Expectations for pupil attendance are high. They are communicated clearly. Leaders track attendance patterns closely. They take swift and appropriate action to address concerns. Universal and tailored approaches help pupils to attend more regularly. For example, the attendance league promotes positive attendance for all pupils. Therapeutic interventions support individuals who require emotional support. Consequently, for individuals and groups where improvement is required, there is notable impact.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils behave well consistently. Leaders and staff have high expectations for behaviour. Rules and routines are embedded. Pupils understand what is expected of them. Pupils listen carefully in lessons. They focus intently on their learning. Staff anticipate where pupils may need support to behave well. They put in place reasonable adjustments and respond swiftly if incidents arise. Consequently, pupils who need support to behave well learn successfully alongside their peers. Purposeful play during social times contributes towards a calm and peaceful environment. Pupils are clear that discrimination is not welcome at Green Ridge. They say that bullying is rare. They have confidence that trusted adults will help them to resolve any problems. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

The curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious. It is carefully adapted in response to pupils’ needs. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities receive adjustments and adaptations that are carefully aligned to their learning plans.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Teaching is of a high quality. Staff model new learning precisely. Tasks and activities are sharply aligned to pupils’ learning needs. Staff use a range of strategies to check that pupils understand the learning. This enables them to identify gaps and misconceptions quickly. These are swiftly addressed.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics are prioritised. Reading is taught consistently well. Phonics is embedded. Books that pupils read develop their understanding of diverse cultures. Core writing skills are taught explicitly. Staff ensure that pupils are sitting correctly for writing. They check that pupils are holding a pencil comfortably. They address errors in spelling, punctuation and grammar consistently. As a result, pupils learn to write with accuracy and at increasing length.

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Curriculum and teaching Strong standard

Pupils develop fluency and problem-solving skills in mathematics as a result of precise teaching. The school’s learning superheroes help pupils to understand what type of learning they are engaged in. This enables pupils to identify the skills they need for tasks quickly. Spoken language is a strength. Subject-specific vocabulary is taught and modelled. There are regular opportunities for oral rehearsal. Consequently, pupils become confident communicators.

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Early years Strong standard

Children thrive in the early years. Leaders are tenacious. They have high aspirations for all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Early years Strong standard

The curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious. It enables children to develop knowledge and skills across the 7 areas of learning consistently well. The learning environment is meticulously planned. ‘Challenge time’ and ‘adventure time’ allow children to practise and apply their learning. Tasks and activities are sharply aligned to individual needs.

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Early years Strong standard

Foundational skills of reading, writing and mathematics are prioritised. For example, nursery children use name cards to help them form letters accurately. Reception children practise measuring using large weighing scales. Adult interactions with children are precisely matched to their needs. Language is modelled highly effectively. Consequently, children become confident young communicators.

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Early years Strong standard

Children are happy and safe. They are highly focused on their learning. Children play with their peers successfully. They behave well consistently. This is because staff build positive relationships with children, underpinned by high expectations and a deeply caring ethos.

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Early years Strong standard

Children, including those who are disadvantaged or have SEND, achieve well. This is reflected in above-average proportions of children achieving a good level of development. Leaders ensure that children are school ready. Transition processes are robust. This ensures that children are very well prepared for their next steps.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils. They have high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. Leaders identify and assess pupils’ barriers to learning swiftly. They are extremely thorough in their approach. Leaders use information from a range of sources to plan and establish strategies that enable pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to learn effectively.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff implement strategies to reduce barriers to learning consistently well. Pupils with the highest level of need receive personalised plans. Targets are closely aligned to their needs. Pupils’ progress against these is tracked closely. Strategies are systematically and skilfully adjusted to secure continued progress. Leaders ensure that staff receive high-quality training. It is carefully planned and responsive to emerging needs. This ensures that staff are well equipped to support all pupils, including those with SEND or who are disadvantaged.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders’ strategic plans for additional funding are sharply aligned to pupils’ needs. Strategies are informed by the best available evidence. The impact of support is closely monitored by leaders and used to inform future work. Leaders track the participation of disadvantaged pupils closely. They ensure that all pupils benefit from the wide range of opportunities on offer.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders are highly effective. They create a culture of high ambition for all pupils. As a result, all staff promote the school’s mission of 'limitless learning; infinite possibilities'. Leaders are extremely thorough in their analysis of the school's performance. They formulate detailed plans to act on and monitor identified priorities. Where continued improvement is required, such as in pupil achievement, leaders take robust action. Impact is demonstrable.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors and trust leaders provide support and robust challenge consistently. Clear systems are in place to monitor the quality of leaders’ work. The trust has a sharp oversight of the school. They are actively involved in ongoing development planning and improvement. Statutory duties are fulfilled. Safeguarding and support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are prioritised. Governors are well equipped to fulfil their responsibilities. Regular audits and ongoing training ensure that they develop the necessary expertise.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The professional learning programme is extensive. It is informed by high-quality research and the needs of pupils. For example, a trust-wide focus on adaptive teaching has an observable impact on the quality of classroom teaching for all pupils. Leaders ensure that all staff participate. The impact is monitored closely.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders build constructive relationships with parents, professionals and the wider community. The parent forum enables parents to share their views. Leaders continue to develop strategies to further enhance communication. Leaders take meaningful steps to support staff workload and wellbeing. A wellbeing working party contributes to this. Consequently, staff feel valued, listened to and supported. There is a shared commitment to school priorities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils are very well prepared for life beyond school. The personal development programme is extensive. It is embedded across the wider curriculum and culture of the school. This shapes how pupils grow, develop and experience school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils develop detailed knowledge through the personal development curriculum. Pupils understand what makes a healthy relationship. They recall age-appropriate learning about puberty and growing up. Nursery children confidently demonstrate how to keep safe in the sun. Older pupils explain strategies for staying safe online and how to keep mentally healthy. Pupils’ spiritual development is nurtured. They reflect on world events, faiths and moral issues. This helps pupils to become self-aware, empathetic and responsible young citizens.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Fundamental British values are embedded. Pupils confidently explain how they apply to life in school and beyond. For example, pupils have a strong sense of individual liberty and democracy. They relate this to how they allocate pupil leadership responsibilities. Pupils know that discrimination is unacceptable. Everyone is treated fairly and equitably. They understand that some pupils need different support to thrive.

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Expected standard

Pastoral support is highly effective. Leaders identify pupils who need support systematically. They put in place interventions appropriately, such as play-based therapy and emotional literacy programmes. Leaders monitor the impact of provision closely.

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Expected standard

The wider offer is extensive. Leaders ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, participate in extra-curricular activities. The trust’s '11 before 11' initiative focuses on providing pupils with memorable primary school experiences. For example, pupils learn to kayak, ride horses and participate in a flashmob. There is a strong culture of leadership. Older pupils embrace responsibilities in the eco-council and as house captains. They are positive role models for their peers. Leaders cultivate aspiration. They teach life skills. For example, pupils benefit from regular careers talks, enterprise activities and first- aid training. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils generally achieve well. This is reflected in statutory test outcomes that are broadly in line with national averages. A small proportion of pupils, including some who are disadvantaged, do not achieve as well as they could. However, high-quality teaching is having a demonstrable impact on pupils’ progress. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress from their starting points. For some pupils, this is rapid.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils develop foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics appropriately. Pupils learn to read well because of consistent and effective phonics teaching. A relentless focus on transcription ensures that key skills, such as pencil grip, spelling and basic punctuation, are established quickly. The school’s approach to teaching mathematics ensures that pupils develop problem-solving and reasoning skills alongside fluency.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils develop secure knowledge and understanding across the wider curriculum. They make connections within and between subjects. For example, Year 6 pupils link science and history when recalling how medicine has evolved over time.

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

Pupils thrive in this happy and inclusive school. Pupils are greeted warmly by adults they trust. Barney, the school dog, waits patiently at the gate for the day to begin. Pupils give him a gentle pat as they pass by. They feel welcome and that they belong in this school. Pupils attend regularly. Few pupils are persistently absent.

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

Pupils behave well. There are high expectations for pupil behaviour. These expectations are reinforced consistently. Pupils have positive relationships with adults. They know to go to someone they trust if they are worried or need help. Pupils say that bullying is rare and children behave well in the school. However, they are confident that adults will resolve any problems they may have. As a result, pupils feel safe. Pupils enjoy learning. The curriculum is ambitious, broad and balanced. Teaching is of a high quality. Pupils listen carefully during lessons. They contribute appropriately during tasks and activities. Adults make skilful adjustments to ensure that all pupils make progress in their learning. The youngest children thrive in the early years. Children learn and grow across the 7 areas of learning. Here, the learning environment is purposeful and staff engage children in high-quality interactions.

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

Pupils generally achieve well. This is reflected in statutory test results that are broadly in line with national outcomes. Consistently high-quality teaching contributes to improving outcomes for all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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

Pupils benefit from an extensive personal development programme. They develop detailed knowledge. Educational visits and extra-curricular opportunities enrich the curriculum. Pupils take on responsibilities such as house captain, head pupil and participating in the eco- council. This helps pupils to develop valuable leadership skills. Leaders ensure that all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, can participate. Pupils are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to embed the highest standards of teaching so that all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, achieve consistently well in core subjects of English and mathematics. Leaders should continue to implement their robust plans to ensure that notable improvements in attendance for disadvantaged pupils are sustained. Leaders should continue to embed the impactful approach to personal development and wellbeing in order to develop the very best practice and to contribute to system-wide improvement.

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About this inspection

This school is part of REAch2 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, Cathie Paine, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gavin Robert.

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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 and other senior leaders during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with representatives from the trust and local governing board, staff, parents and pupils.

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Team inspectors:

Alison Robb-Webb, Ofsted Inspector Kimberley Kemp, Ofsted Inspector Sara Tilbey, 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 school currently uses no alternative provision.

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What does this mean?

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. A new headteacher was appointed in January 2025. The school has increased its published admission number. The number of pupils on roll has increased significantly.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Jen Fraser 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 (final) 68% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 65% 61% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 65% 60% 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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average

2022/23 (final) 74% 73% 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 (final) 74% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 77% 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

2023/24 (final) 77% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 74% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 40% 47% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 40% 46% 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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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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average

2024/25 (final) 50% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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average

‘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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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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average

‘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

2023/24 (3 term) 4.8% 5.5% 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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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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