We demonstrate a solid phase reaction approach to synthesise transfer-free graphene on an insulating substrate by controlling the C diffusion process. Metal assisted crystallization by annealing of a C thin film was carried out to synthesise transfer-free graphene, in the presence of a top metal oxide and metal layer. Without the metal oxide layer, a large amount of C atoms diffused to the top of the metal surface and hence the formation of only small graphene domains was observed on the underneath of the metal layer. Introducing the metal oxide layer at the top surface, C diffusion was reduced and consequently the thin C film was crystallized to form large area graphene at the metal-insulating substrate interface. The metal oxide or metal catalyst layer was removed after graphene formation and transfer-free graphene was obtained directly on the base substrate. This finding shows that the thin metal oxide layer is critical to synthesise graphene with better quality and continuous domain structures.