The Grange Community Infant School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 9 December 2025

This is a happy school where everyone is welcome. The inclusive culture means that pupils truly live out the school's mantra of 'I play, I learn, I belong'. Pupils are nurtured and cared for. This helps them to feel safe. They know what to do if something is worrying them and are positive that there is always an individual in school who will help them. Pupils are kind and considerate. On the playground, they play together and make sure everyone is included in their games. Pupils live out the school values. They are enthusiastic about the characters of the resilient rhino, teamwork tiger, respectful rabbit, excellent elephant and community cat, which represent these attributes and this helps pupils to demonstrate them. Behaviour throughout the school is calm and productive. This helps to create an environment where pupils can learn. When pupils need extra help to manage their own behaviour, staff swiftly provide this. The relationships that adults build with pupils are warm and supportive. This begins from the early years where children form meaningful bonds with key adults. It is here that children learn the school's high expectations for behaviour. Although the majority of pupils attend school regularly, over several years, some disadvantaged pupils have been absent from school too often. Pupils are proud to be noticed for doing the right thing. The celebration assembly is a highlight for them and they are keen to share the success of their friends. Pupils are keen learners and are eager to participate in class. However, leaders have not ensured that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 learn as well as they should. A number of pupils have gaps in their learning that have not been addressed. This includes important knowledge and skills linked to spelling and writing.

What the school should improve

• Governors should ensure that they have a secure oversight of the school's strategic direction in order to provide appropriate support and challenge.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils acquire the foundational knowledge they need in grammar, spelling and writing in readiness for key stage 2.
• Leaders should ensure that highly effective teaching, including using assessment information and formative assessment securely to address gaps in pupils' knowledge, is embedded across the school so that all groups of pupils make sufficient progress across the curriculum.
• Leaders should improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils who persistently miss out on periods of their education.
• Leaders should ensure that disadvantaged pupils participate and fully benefit from the extra-curricular activities that the school makes available.

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