The Grove School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 April 2023

The Grove School is welcoming, inclusive and friendly. Staff strive to ensure all pupils develop 'a mindset to succeed', in line with their school motto. Leaders in the school are making many changes, particularly with regard to the curriculum and behaviour. The vast majority of pupils are polite, courteous and work hard. However, a significant minority of pupils' behaviour is not good enough. Some pupils talk about some lessons being disrupted. Some teachers do not challenge this behaviour consistently. Leaders are aware of this. Leaders have recently introduced a new behaviour policy. Leaders have high expectations for what they want pupils to achieve. They have reviewed the curriculum and have ambitious plans in place for what they want pupils to know, do and understand. They know about the areas that need further development and are taking steps to do so. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, enjoy a good quality of education. Students value the personalised support and opportunities that a small sixth form presents. Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum and a wide choice of options in key stage 4. The personal, social and health education programme encourages their personal development. The careers programme raises pupils' aspirations and highlights the benefits of further and higher education.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum is not implemented consistently in a minority of lessons. Teachers sometimes move on too quickly, without ensuring that the important knowledge has been secured. This means that some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all staff systematically check pupils' understanding so that pupils are secure in their subsequent learning.
• Some staff do not consistently use the information they have about pupils with SEND to adapt their lessons. This means that sometimes pupils with SEND do not receive the appropriate support to keep up with their peers and their progress slows. Leaders should ensure that teachers make appropriate changes to their teaching to support pupils with SEND.
• Some teachers are not consistently applying the school's behaviour policy by addressing poor behaviour in lessons. As a result, low-level disruption in some classrooms has a negative impact on pupils' learning. Leaders should ensure that the behaviour policy is implemented consistently so that pupils demonstrate good behaviour in all lessons.

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