Glasshouses Community Primary School, located in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, has been recognized as a good school following its inspection on March 30, 2022. The school is characterized by its small size and ambitious goals for its students. A strong ethos of care and respect permeates the school environment, with leaders committed to equipping pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary for their happiness, confidence, and success. As an accredited Rights Respecting school, Glasshouses encourages students to express their opinions while valuing the perspectives of their peers.
A notable strength of the school is its support for personal development. Leaders prioritize fostering an understanding and appreciation of diversity among pupils and parents. The curriculum for personal, social, and health education is well-structured, helping students learn about healthy relationships, risk management, and safety. Pupils feel empowered to seek help and are confident that their concerns will be addressed. The school promotes its ‘CHAMPS’ values—choices, honesty, achievements, manners, perseverance, and safety—which students embody throughout their daily activities. Positive behavior is evident both in and out of lessons, and strong relationships between older and younger pupils contribute to a familial atmosphere.
The school has established a well-sequenced curriculum across all subjects, taking into account the local context and the challenges of mixed-age classes. In mathematics, teachers facilitate discussions that help pupils address misconceptions and deepen their understanding through various resources. Individual learning logs in subjects like geography and history assist in assessing knowledge and identifying learning gaps. However, the use of knowledge mats to introduce key concepts and vocabulary is inconsistent across classes.
Some subjects, particularly geography, have learning tasks that do not effectively focus on essential vocabulary development. Teachers sometimes miss opportunities to encourage pupils to explore and deepen their understanding, which limits their ability to connect different areas of knowledge. Leaders have implemented a new early reading scheme, ensuring consistency and focus in lessons. Pupils respond positively to the structured approach, successfully reading books that align with their knowledge of sounds. Regular assessments and interventions support pupils who may be falling behind, ensuring they receive the necessary assistance to catch up.
The provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is a strong aspect of the school. The special education needs coordinator has established clear systems for identifying and addressing individual needs, and parents express high satisfaction with the support their children receive. However, the support for pupils who struggle without individual learning plans is less robust, as teachers do not consistently provide the focused assistance needed to close knowledge gaps.
Staff members appreciate the support from school leaders, who balance improvement initiatives with the demands of teachers' workloads. The governing body has quickly gained a strong understanding of school priorities and effectively holds leaders accountable while planning for ongoing development.
The safeguarding arrangements at Glasshouses are effective, with a strong culture of safeguarding prioritized by all staff. Regular training and monitoring ensure that staff can swiftly identify and address concerns. Teachers are well-informed about local safeguarding issues and teach pupils how to recognize risks and stay safe.
To improve, the school should ensure that lesson designs in some subjects align more closely with curriculum intentions, providing ambitious tasks that deepen subject knowledge. Additionally, targeted support for pupils just below age-related expectations needs to be strengthened to help them catch up effectively. Overall, Glasshouses Community Primary School continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing a nurturing and effective educational environment for its pupils.
