The Grange School, Daventry Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by ensuring that:
  • leaders and governors monitor and evaluate closely the impact of additional funding received by the school for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities
  • senior leaders continue to develop the skills of middle leaders so that they can improve the quality of teaching and raise standards in their areas of responsibility.
• Improve the quality of teaching to accelerate pupils’ progress by ensuring that:
  • all teachers have consistently high expectations of what all pupils can achieve
  • teachers plan learning that challenges pupils, particularly pupils in key stage 2, and supports pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities
  • teachers identify pupils’ misconceptions in mathematics and check pupils’ understanding
  • teachers develop their questioning skills, so that they consistently check and deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding
  • teachers’ expectations for pupils’ grammar, spelling and punctuation are consistently high in all subjects.
• Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by:
  • improving pupils’ attendance, particularly of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities
  • reducing the incidents of temporary exclusions, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Since taking up her role in September 2017, the headteacher has acted swiftly to reverse a previous decline in standards and improve all aspects of the school. As one parent stated, ‘The new headteacher is making a really positive impact.’
• Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Their detailed plans for improvement are appropriately informed and focused. Recent improvements in pupils’ outcomes suggest that their work is beginning to have an impact on many areas of the school.
• Leaders ensure that pupils who are not making enough progress receive further support. Current pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is beginning to improve across most year groups.
• Leaders’ keen focus on pupils’ pastoral care is a strength of the school. They plan individualised support for pupils where necessary, including with their emotional health and well-being, to remove any barriers to their learning.
• Leaders promote a culture of aspiration. Staff and pupils take pride in celebrating success. The environment is bright, vibrant and welcoming, with a wide range of pupils’ high-quality work displayed on the walls.
• Teachers who are new to the profession appreciate leaders’ support. They value having a mentor to reflect with. They receive appropriate training and say that leaders are responsive to their requests for additional support.
• Leaders use the sport premium funding to good effect. Pupils’ involvement in activities is closely tracked, and leaders modify strategies to allow pupils to experience a range of different sports.
• The curriculum is well planned and allows pupils to access a range of difference experiences. For example, all pupils in Years 1 and 3 learn to play a musical instrument. Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular activities available.
• Leaders encourage a strong sense of inclusivity and tolerance throughout the school. For example, the school celebrates festivals from different religions and promotes Black History Month. Pupils understand fundamental British values well.
• Senior leaders have a secure understanding of the quality of teaching, through regular checks on classroom practice. Middle leaders, including those recently appointed, are playing an increasing role in leading improvements in their areas of responsibility. However, to date they have only had limited impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning.
• Leaders provide all teachers with a wide range of different training opportunities to improve the quality of their teaching. Teachers work with colleagues in nearby schools, helping them to improve their practice.
• Leaders’ use of additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils is beginning to have an impact on the progress made by these pupils. Their social and emotional needs are well met. However, these pupils do not achieve as well as their peers.
• Leaders have recently improved systems to record and analyse pupils’ behaviour and attendance. With increased rigour and insight, leaders rightly prioritise those pupils who require additional support to bring about improvements. The attendance of these pupils remains too low.
• Leaders have recently reviewed the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Leaders have detailed plans to support these pupils. It is too soon to judge the impact of the plans on pupils’ outcomes.
• All staff who responded to the Ofsted survey are proud to be a member of the school. They feel valued, respected and motivated in their roles. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school, its leadership and the support received by their children.

Governance of the school

• Governors are fully supportive of the senior leadership of the school.
• Governors provide leaders with appropriate levels of support and challenge to ensure that the necessary school improvements are taking place.
• Governors regularly check the quality of the school’s provision, for example by meeting with leaders to discuss the aspect of the school’s improvement plan for which they are responsible.
• Governors do not hold leaders to account rigorously for the additional funding received by the school to support disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. They do not know if the additional funding is having a positive impact.
• Governors understand their responsibilities and duties for safeguarding. They have received recent training, including in relation to the ‘Prevent’ duty.
• Leaders have forged strong and valuable links with the local authority. The local authority has provided the school with a school-to-school support plan, including support for the new headteacher and the school’s involvement in a reading project.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Pupils, staff and parents agree that the school is a safe place to learn.
• Pupils are taught how to stay safe. For instance, children in the early years learn about ‘kind hands’, while regular visits from the community police and the local fire service help pupils to stay safe on the road and when around fireworks.
• All staff receive regular training, including on the ‘Prevent’ duty and awareness of child sexual exploitation. They understand their responsibilities to keep pupils safe. Staff make timely referrals if they have any concerns about a pupil. They are confident that leaders will take appropriate action in response to their concerns.
• Leaders responsible for safeguarding know pupils well and understand the individual risks they may face.
• Pupils’ records are detailed, accurate and timely. Leaders seek external support for pupils quickly and escalate their concerns to a higher level if required.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning is not consistent across all year groups. Some teachers’ expectations of pupils are not high enough. They do not challenge all pupils consistently to do well, particularly in key stage 2. As a result, pupils do not make the progress they are capable of by the end of Year 6.
• Too often, teachers do not identify pupils’ misconceptions, particularly in mathematics. As a result, pupils do not receive the necessary support and so do not make good progress.
• Teachers do not consistently use what they know about pupils’ earlier learning to inform their planning. This results in lost learning time and pupils losing focus.
• Some teachers do not use questioning well enough to develop pupils’ ideas thoroughly and explore their understanding in detail.
• Teachers do not consistently promote accurate grammar, punctuation and spelling in pupils’ written work. Pupils’ books show that some make the same mistakes repeatedly.
• Most pupils take pride in their work. Leaders’ focus on improving pupils’ handwriting has had a positive impact. However, a small number of pupils do not present their work neatly, including pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, particularly in mathematics.
• Some teachers have strong subject knowledge and use this to structure the activities skilfully to support pupils’ progress. They challenge the pupils through probing questions that require pupils to explain their ideas thoroughly, and then modify their teaching to allow the pupils to consolidate their learning.
• Pupils are enthusiastic and cooperate well with each other and with adults. Most pupils respond quickly to adults’ requests and engage readily with their learning.
• Teachers provide pupils with frequent opportunities to practise their writing skills, for instance through the ‘Friday fun-write’ sessions. Pupils’ outcomes in writing are improving.
• Pupils have positive attitudes to learning phonics and engage well. Adults model examples effectively and allow pupils to practise their letters and sounds successfully. Adults challenge more-able pupils by providing more difficult tasks that test their understanding and develop their language.
• Teachers encourage pupils consistently to improve their communication, speech and language skills, including using a wider range of vocabulary in their work.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils have positive relationships with their peers and with adults. They all have a trusted adult, indicated by a blue butterfly, to whom they can talk if they have any concerns.
• Pupils are confident, articulate and enjoy talking about their work. They are proud to be a member of the school.
• Pupils understand different types of bullying, including bullying that takes place online. Most pupils say that bullying does not take place in school. If it does, pupils are confident that adults will resolve any issues swiftly.
• Pupils enjoy taking on leadership responsibilities, for instance as sports leaders. They understand the importance of helping others.
• Opportunities for pupils in key stage 2 to learn about careers, from local business representatives and parents, help them to develop an understanding of the world of work.
• The school uses an alternative provider for a very small number of pupils who require additional support. Pupils attend this provision well and make good progress.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• Pupils’ attendance is below that seen nationally. The proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school is rising. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as well as other pupils.
• The proportion of pupils who are excluded for poor behaviour has risen and is above the national average. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils are excluded more frequently than their peers. Leaders are providing these pupils with much closer support to meet their emotional and behavioural needs. There are early signs that these strategies are beginning to have a positive effect.
• Pupils conduct themselves well around the school. They are courteous towards each other and adults. Pupils are happy to share their views with visitors.
• Leaders have put in place rigorous procedures to track pupils who arrive at school late each morning. An increasing proportion of pupils arrive at school on time.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Pupils do not attain as well as they should in mathematics at the end of key stage 2. In 2018, Year 6 pupils’ progress was below the national average.
• Current Year 6 pupils are not achieving well enough, particularly in mathematics. Pupils say that they do not always feel challenged in their learning.
• In 2018, Year 6 pupils’ progress in reading declined and was below the national average. In particular, most-able pupils and disadvantaged pupils did not achieve well enough.
• The proportions of pupils who attained the expected and higher standards in grammar, punctuation and spelling have been lower than national averages for the past two years.
• Additional funding provided for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is not used effectively to ensure that they make good progress, particularly for these pupils in Years 5 and 6.
• In 2018, Year 2 pupils’ attainment at the expected standard improved in reading, compared with the national average. However, too few pupils attained at the higher standard.
• Outcomes in writing are beginning to improve. In 2018, key stage 2 pupils’ attainment and progress were in line with that seen nationally.
• In 2018, the proportion of Year 1 pupils who achieved the expected standard in the phonics screening check increased and was above the national average.
• Current pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics is good across most year groups.
• Disadvantaged pupils are beginning to make better progress due to teachers providing them with more focused support.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders of the early years share their expertise and understand exactly what needs to be done to bring about further improvements.
• In 2018, the proportion of children who achieved a good level of development increased to be in line with the national average. The majority of children are well prepared for Year 1.
• Leaders manage the provision effectively, providing children with a safe and welcoming environment.
• Teachers plan activities well to meet children’s needs and interests. Adults make effective use of journals to monitor children’s learning closely and plan their next steps. As a result, children make consistently good progress.
• Resources, both inside and outdoors, inspire children’s curiosity and encourage them to work independently and cooperate with others.
• Leaders’ actions to develop children’s communication skills are effective. Teachers promote the correct use of language, using a rich vocabulary that draws on children’s previous experiences. For example, children accurately recalled detailed events from a story, with the support of an adult.
• Additional adults work effectively with small groups of children. They use sound subject knowledge to question the children skilfully and encourage them to develop their literacy and numeracy skills.
• Leaders have nurtured links between home and school, so parents are fully involved with their children’s learning. New systems allow parents to share and contribute to their children’s learning journal more easily.
• Adults receive effective training. This enables them to meet the children’s needs effectively, including those who speak English as an additional language. Leaders in the early years have visited other providers to learn from best practice. As a consequence of this support, the quality of teaching and learning in the provision has improved.
• Teachers in the early years work closely with colleagues in Year 1, so children move smoothly to the next phase of their education.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective. Teachers follow well-established routines when children arrive and leave at the start and end of the day. Adults have received appropriate training and know that keeping children safe is their priority.
• Parents that inspectors met and those who replied to the Ofsted survey were very positive about their children’s experience in the early years, including the Nursery provision.

School details

Unique reference number 121897 Local authority Northamptonshire Inspection number 10053135 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Maintained 2 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 464 Appropriate authority Local authority Chair of the governing body Kerry Rhodes Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Vicki Masters 01327 705785 www.thegrange.northants.sch.uk/ head@thegrange.northants-ecl.gov.uk Date of previous inspection 9 January 2018

Information about this school

• The headteacher was appointed in September 2017, having previously been the deputy headteacher. The school admitted two-year-old children into the Nursery for the first time in September 2018.
• The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. There are at least two classes in each year group.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is similar to the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is just above the national average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is below average.
• Most pupils are from White British backgrounds.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than average but rising.
• The school runs its own breakfast club.
• The school is a member of two teaching school alliances: Inspire and Fairfields. They are also part of the Northamptonshire Reading Project.
• The school uses Green Acres Rural Enterprise Centre as an alternative provider for a small number of pupils.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in 32 lessons. Some of these lessons were visited jointly with senior leaders.
• Inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work covering a range of subjects, abilities and year groups.
• Inspectors met with a group of pupils and spoke informally with pupils during lessons, lunchtimes and breaktimes. An inspector also heard some pupils read.
• Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils at playtime and lunchtime and as pupils moved around the school.
• Inspectors held a range of meetings, including with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, leaders responsible for safeguarding, behaviour and attendance, the leader responsible for the early years, the coordinator for the provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and newly qualified and recently qualified teachers.
• The lead inspector met with three representatives of the governing body, including the chair and the vice-chair. The lead inspector also met with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors met with parents at the start of the school day. They also considered the 203 responses from Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, including the 40 responses made through the free-text service.
• Inspectors considered the 36 responses from the staff online survey.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents relating to the school’s provision, including self-evaluation and improvement planning records; minutes of meetings of the governing body; safeguarding procedures and records; behaviour, attendance and exclusion records; information about the progress and attainment of all pupils; plans related to additional government funding; external reports on the work of the school and information on the school’s website. The lead inspector also checked the school’s single central record and the school’s system for recruiting staff.

Inspection team

Rachel Tordoff, lead inspector Clive Worrall Liz Moore

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector