Grove Road Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 February 2026

Pupils enjoy being part of the school's caring community. They feel that they belong and that they are safe. Pupils are known well as individuals. Any barriers to learning they may have are quickly identified. Relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens. They treat each other with consideration and compassion. This creates a supportive environment where everyone feels included. Diversity and difference are proudly celebrated at the school. The well-respected, specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), the Rainbow Centre, provides an inclusive and welcoming learning environment for pupils with autism. The curriculum is ambitious. However, some teaching is not sufficiently focused on securing the core knowledge and skills that pupils need to be able to progress on to more complex learning. Nevertheless, in recent years, pupils' attainment by the end of Year 6 is typically close to the national average. Overall, they leave with the knowledge and attitudes they need for secondary education. Pupils behave well and respect the rules and values in the school's behaviour policy. They trust adults with any worries. Pupils know why it is important to attend school regularly and typically do so. When pupils and families need additional help to overcome barriers to attendance, the school's pastoral team is ready to support them. Pupils enjoy the wide range of leadership roles on offer, and they serve the school community with pride. They have many opportunities to take on responsibilities. These include being house captains, librarians and supporting younger pupils in the school canteen. As a result, pupils are prepared well for being responsible citizens in modern Britain. A range of extra-curricular activities, such as theatre trips, sports and music, help pupils to discover their talents and interests. Pupils learn about respect and caring for others through a variety of community projects. These wider opportunities benefit all pupils, including those with SEND or pupils who have other needs.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding regularly and address misconceptions effectively so that any gaps in pupils' knowledge are rapidly closed.
• Leaders should ensure that teaching activities are appropriately adapted so that pupils' understanding of key knowledge is secure before they move on to more complex tasks.
• Leaders should reduce remaining inconsistencies in how well the phonics programme is taught, including ensuring that teaching is precisely matched to pupils' knowledge, so that they make appropriate progress in their early reading.
• Leaders should continue to strengthen the links between professional learning opportunities and their priorities, particularly in their work to improve the quality of education, so that this drives and sustains further improvements in standards of teaching and achievement.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)