E-ACT The Grange School Review 2026: A growing academy primary with strong early years and a calm culture

What can be said with confidence is how the school was judged externally on educational quality at the most recent published inspection point for the predecessor school: overall effectiveness was Requires Improvement, and the quality of education was also Requires Improvement. Behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision were judged Good.

For families, the practical implication is a school where daily routines, behaviour standards, and the early years experience were seen as strengths, while subject-to-subject consistency and the sequencing of knowledge was the area to probe carefully at open events and through conversations with staff.

Reading is framed as a priority area in the most recent published inspection evidence. The report describes phonics beginning as soon as children start Reception, with organised and effective delivery, and swift identification of pupils who fall behind, followed by support to catch up.

That is meaningful because phonics is one of the highest leverage levers in a primary, particularly for pupils who need structured repetition. If your child is an early reader, the benefit is obvious. If your child struggles, the inspection evidence suggests systems exist to spot and intervene rather than letting gaps grow.

The same report provides the key developmental note for parents to understand: in some subjects, leaders had not sufficiently broken down what pupils need to learn, and the order of knowledge had not been considered carefully enough. It also described variability in checking pupil understanding, meaning some pupils could develop gaps and not achieve as highly as they could.

The academy conversion in 2024 matters here because curriculum and training work often accelerates post-conversion, but parents should still ask very direct questions about what has changed since the July 2022 inspection, especially around subject sequencing, assessment checks, and how leaders verify consistency across classes.

As a primary school through Year 6, the next-step question is transition to local secondary schools, which is typically shaped by West Northamptonshire admissions and individual family preference rather than a single destination.

What is most useful to know is the school’s approach to readiness. The inspection evidence emphasised personal development and structured responsibility, including leadership roles for pupils. For many children, that kind of responsibility, combined with an orderly day, can support confidence when moving to Year 7.

For families who want to plan ahead, it is sensible to review local secondary options early, and to consider travel time from Staverton and Daventry South, because secondary transition experience can be shaped as much by commute and friendship patterns as by academic preparedness.

For Reception entry, applications are handled through West Northamptonshire’s coordinated admissions process. For September 2026 entry, the application window opened from 10 September 2025 onwards, and the published deadline was 15 January 2026. Offers for on-time applications were scheduled for 16 April 2026. Late applications are processed in later allocation rounds, with published guidance indicating they are handled from May onwards.

Demand is currently stronger than supply at the main entry point: 54 applications for 38 offers in the supplied admissions snapshot, and the demand level is Oversubscribed. This is not a school where families should assume a place is guaranteed.

A practical tip for shortlisting: use FindMySchool’s Map Search to check your home-to-school distance accurately, then compare it to any published local authority allocation notes for the relevant year, because small differences can matter in oversubscribed primaries.

The most recent published inspection evidence for the predecessor school describes pupils feeling safe, staff knowing pupils well, and a strong safeguarding culture, with safeguarding judged effective. The report also describes bullying as not tolerated, with staff quick to deal with concerns, which is an important indicator for parents trying to judge whether issues are handled promptly rather than downplayed.

For children who need predictable boundaries, the combination of calm behaviour, orderly atmosphere, and consistent adult relationships is often what makes school feel manageable. For parents, the right question to ask is how the school maintains that culture across lunch, break, and the busiest times of day, particularly with a large capacity.

Even with limited reliably accessible website detail in this research pass, there are two distinctive, evidence-backed enrichment signals worth noting.

First, the leadership model for pupils includes eight “change maker” groups, which suggests regular opportunities for responsibility and representation. This can suit children who thrive when given a role, especially those who benefit from structured confidence-building.

Second, wraparound and club provision appears to exist on site at the same postcode, with “Kidz Zone Club - The Grange” listed alongside the school. For many working families, on-site continuity matters as much as the club menu itself, because it reduces transitions and travel at the ends of the day.

If you are choosing between local primaries, ask specifically how clubs are allocated when oversubscribed, whether nursery children can access wraparound, and how the school supports pupils who do not attend clubs so that social life is not split into “club” and “non-club” groups.

Term date information is published on the school’s website, including the 2025 to 2026 academic year structure and training days. The school day schedule is also described online, including gate opening time and the broad shape of break and lunch.

Wraparound care is often the deciding factor for families of younger pupils. While on-site club provision is indicated at the same postcode, parents should confirm current start and finish times, booking rules, and whether nursery children are eligible, as these operational details can change year to year.

For transport, this is a Daventry location on Staverton Road, so most families will think for local driving routes, walking, or short-cycle options rather than rail. The practical question is parking pressure at drop-off and pick-up, and whether the school uses staggered times, as these can materially change the daily experience.

• Inspection context and consistency. The most recent published inspection for the predecessor school judged overall effectiveness Requires Improvement, with quality of education also Requires Improvement, and it highlighted inconsistency in curriculum planning and checking understanding in some subjects. This is the area to probe carefully, especially what has changed since the academy conversion.

• Oversubscription is real. With 54 applications for 38 offers in the supplied admissions snapshot, competition is meaningful. If you are planning a move, build in a Plan B rather than assuming a place.

• Large-school feel. A capacity close to 500 can be a benefit, more friendship options and wider activities, but it also raises the bar for consistency and communication. Parents who prefer a very small setting may find it busier than expected.

• Nursery logistics. Nursery provision is a plus for continuity, but families should confirm progression assumptions, session patterns, and eligibility for any wraparound, as these are often the details that shape daily practicality more than the headline offer.

This is a sizeable Daventry primary with nursery provision, an emphasis on calm culture, and clear strengths in early years and behaviour at the last published inspection point. The main question for parents is consistency of curriculum delivery across subjects and classes, and what has demonstrably improved since July 2022 and the 2024 academy conversion.

Who it suits: families who value orderly routines, structured leadership opportunities for pupils, and early years that prioritise phonics and communication. It may be less ideal for parents who want a long-established track record of consistently strong academic outcomes across every subject area, without needing to ask detailed follow-up questions.