Grove Lea Primary School

Grove Lea Primary School is performing exceptionally well, with Ofsted judging it outstanding in every key area: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision. The school was previously graded outstanding and remains part of the Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust. Pupils are described as very happy, safe and highly successful, with exemplary behaviour and high ambitions realised through a vibrant and welcoming culture. The report highlights particular strengths in phonics and early reading, where a rigorous and precisely implemented approach helps pupils become confident, fluent readers. Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is a strength, and the early years provision is described as remarkable, with expertly designed learning opportunities that prepare children extremely well for Year 1. The personal development offer is exceptional, helping pupils develop a mature understanding of British values, diversity and social responsibility. Leadership is highly effective at all levels, including governors and the trust, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. Attendance is very positive and improving, and staff consistently apply the school’s behaviour principles. No areas for improvement or concerns are identified in the report; the school is presented as outstanding across all judged areas.

Strengths

• Phonics is a strength, with rigorous implementation and well-trained staff
• Pupils quickly develop secure phonics skills and become confident, fluent readers
• Subject experts lead each curriculum area with clarity and purpose
• Ongoing professional development supports exceptional curriculum delivery
• Technology is carefully used to help pupils share their knowledge without barriers
• Staff check pupils’ understanding responsively and address gaps effectively
• Support for pupils with SEND is a strength, with early recognition and careful adjustments
• The early years provision is remarkable, with precise and engaging learning opportunities
• Adults’ interactions in early years reflect high knowledge and support individual development
• Children in early years are extremely well prepared for Year 1
• The personal development offer is exceptional, including British values and protected characteristics
• Pupils develop a strong sense of social responsibility through community contributions
• Attendance procedures are robust, effective and improving attendance
• Behaviour is exemplary, with consistent high expectations and positive culture
• Pupils take on leadership roles such as eco-ambassadors, school ambassadors and mentors
• Leaders, governors and the trust have a clear, ambitious vision and act with integrity
• Governance is highly skilled and provides effective strategic support
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Grove Lea Primary School attended 96.1% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 5.9% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.4% of pupils at Grove Lea Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Grove Lea Primary School had 21.9 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 20.7% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 10.2% of pupils at Grove Lea Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 3.7% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Grove Lea Primary School received £6,363 and spent £6,480 for each of its 231 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £30,000 (£129 per pupil).

Across all 9 schools of Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust, income was £6,468 and spending £6,416 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Pontefract · Wakefield local authority: places and applications

Grove Lea Primary School is part of Inspire Partnership Multi Academy Trust, which runs 9 schools. The nearest others:

• South Hiendley Primary School Barnsley
• Fitzwilliam Primary School Pontefract
• Ash Grove Primary Academy Pontefract
• Featherstone Girnhill Infant School Pontefract
• Ackton Pastures Primary Academy Castleford
• Half Acres Primary Academy Castleford
• Towngate Primary Academy Ossett
• Gawthorpe Community Academy Ossett

What is Grove Lea Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Grove Lea Primary School is Outstanding, from an inspection in September 2025.

When was Grove Lea Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Grove Lea Primary School was last inspected in September 2025.

How many pupils does Grove Lea Primary School have?

Grove Lea Primary School has 244 pupils on roll.

What age range does Grove Lea Primary School cover?

Grove Lea Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Grove Lea Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 77% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Grove Lea Primary School?

Grove Lea Primary School is at Hemsworth Grove Lea Primary, Grove Terrace, Hemsworth, Pontefract, West Yorkshire, WF9 4BQ.