Hollydale Primary School

Hollydale Primary School Hollydale Road, London, SE15 2AR

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Requires improvement 3 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Pupils’ achievement requires improvement because there is variability in the quality of teaching and pupils do not make consistently good progress through the school.  Pupils do not progress well when they spend too long listening to teachers talking or when teachers involve only a very few pupils during whole-class sessions. Not all teachers pitch the work at the right level for pupils’ individual abilities.  Additional adults who support learning are not always fully involved in helping pupils progress as fast as possible.  While most pupils behave well, they do not always have positive attitudes to learning to help them get on quickly with their work.  Senior leaders and governors have not made sure that good standards of teaching, pupils’ achievement and behaviour have been maintained since the previous inspection.  The school does not have an effective way of checking the progress pupils make. As a result,

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

senior leaders and leaders of subjects and year groups do not know how well pupils are doing and, therefore, have an over-positive view of the school’s performance.  The quality of teaching does not improve rapidly because school leaders and managers do not follow up the points for improvement given to teachers swiftly enough.  Development planning does not always identify what the school needs to do to secure fast improvements and does not have precise targets.  The governing body does not challenge the school sufficiently to make sure it improves rapidly.

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The school has the following strengths

 Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 has improved. Additional sessions and targeted extra support in English and mathematics for older pupils successfully help them to make better progress. Increasing proportions of the most able pupils reach above average attainment at the end of Year 6.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe.  Better progress in reading and phonics through teaching pupils in groups according to their attainment has increased the proportion of pupils who reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.  The new headteacher has already begun to identify actions necessary to improve the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in all year groups. They observed 26 teaching sessions, including nine joint observations with the headteacher.  Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils, staff, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors listened to groups of pupils reading. They looked at work in pupils’ books and the school’s information showing pupils’ progress.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents provided by the school, including assessment data, minutes of meetings of the governing body, the school action plan, the self-evaluation report, action plans for subjects, records of the monitoring of lessons and information relating to teachers’ performance management and professional development. The school website and records relating to safeguarding were also checked.  The inspection took account of 33 responses to the Ofsted online survey (Parent View), and

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Information about this inspection

spoke to parents informally. Inspectors also took account of 28 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Madeleine Gerard, Lead inspector Additional Inspector George Logan Additional Inspector Una Stevens Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average. A larger proportion to the national average speaks English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action is broadly average. An above average proportion is supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  The proportion of pupils for whom the school receives the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked after children, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and the children of service families) is above average. There are currently no looked after children or children of service families at the school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are taught in two Reception classes.

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Information about this school

 More pupils join and leave the school partway through their primary education than nationally.  The school organises and manages breakfast and after-school clubs.  The headteacher joined the school in September 2013.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching through the school, so that all pupils do equally well and have positive attitudes to learning, by making sure that:  teachers plan activities that are at the right level of difficulty for pupils’ abilities to make sure that all pupils are stimulated to do as well as they can and maintain high levels of motivation and concentration  teachers do not talk for too long and that pupils are given plenty of opportunity to get on with their work, and are not allowed to do less than their best  making sure that additional adults are always deployed effectively and given all the guidance they need to help pupils of all abilities.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, including governance, by:  increasing the rigour with which pupils’ progress is checked to make sure that all pupils throughout the school fulfil their potential and reach the highest standards

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 strengthening the contribution of leaders of subjects and phases to improving teaching and enabling them to check that the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement improve rapidly in their areas of responsibility  making sure that development priorities identified through checks on teaching are followed up in later observations so that rapid improvements are secured  ensuring that improvement plans sharply identify the most important steps to secure improvement, have precise targets for measuring success and are regularly checked to make sure that the desired outcomes are being achieved  making sure the governing body develops its skills to support and hold the school’s leaders fully to account for the impact of their work. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because teaching over time has not ensured that pupils make consistently strong gains in their learning. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 6 is only broadly average because their progress through the school is not rapid enough.  Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with levels of skills and capabilities that are generally those expected for their age. Their attainment is average by the time they enter Year 1 because the progress children make is not sufficiently brisk to raise their attainment above nationally expected levels.  Faster progress in some classes, where teaching is better, is helping to raise attainment at the end of Year 6. Mathematics-themed weeks and hands-on activities to practise problem solving have been effective. Regular reading has been introduced to drive up reading skills and increase pupils’ enjoyment of books. The most recent provisional test results show raised attainment and,

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

in particular, more pupils reached above average standards in reading and mathematics.  Grouping pupils by their attainment in phonics (letters and the sounds they make) in Key Stage 1 has also secured raised attainment in reading at the end of Year 1. In the most recent phonics screening check, more pupils met the required standard than in the previous year’s check.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs requires improvement because the progress they make is not consistently strong. Additional sessions outside the classroom, for example to develop reading skills, help selected pupils to make quick progress. Additional support inside classrooms is not always as well planned to make sure they learn consistently well.  The achievement of pupils from minority ethnic groups, including pupils who speak English as an additional language, is similarly inconsistent and, therefore, also requires improvement.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The school uses the pupil premium funding for a wide variety of support to close the gaps between pupils known to be eligible and the others. In last year’s national assessments at the end of Year 6, previous gaps in attainment closed and eligible pupils did better than the others in English and mathematics, and particularly in reading. The achievement of pupils currently at the school known to be eligible for pupil premium funding requires improvement because their progress is not consistently fast through the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Inspection observations showed that the rate of learning was diminished when teachers set work that was not appropriately challenging for pupils’ individual abilities. Time in lessons was not used effectively when the most able finished work quickly because it was too easy for them and they were required to wait for others to finish before being set further tasks to do.  Lower attaining pupils in the school do not learn quickly when teachers and additional adults do not check carefully enough how well they do in lessons and tackle any misconceptions swiftly to make sure their understanding of new skills and methods is secure.  Currently, teachers’ planning does not always make clear what additional adults should do to support pupils’ progress. When they sit listening to teachers or focus more on behaviour than on pupils’ learning their impact on raising achievement is reduced.  In some lessons, pupils have limited time to get on with their work because they spend too long

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

listening to teachers introducing activities. Pupils’ learning is not brisk and their approach to learning is not always enthusiastic when only one pupil is asked to answer a question or contribute their ideas while the others sit and listen.  Activities for children to choose for themselves in the Reception classes are not all well planned to build quickly on what they know and can do already, because information from ongoing observations of their progress is not always used to inform the planning of these activities. Adult-led sessions in the Early Years Foundation Stage often help them to make better progress. For example, children working with an adult in a Reception class enjoyed reading a book together and practised their knowledge of phonics by sounding out simple words.  Pupils in Years 5 and 6 make better progress in English and mathematics because they are taught in groups according to their attainment levels and the work is closely matched to their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

learning needs and abilities. Additional small group and individual booster sessions tailored to the specific needs of pupils in Year 6 accelerate their progress and help to raise attainment by the end of Key Stage 2.  Pupils’ social skills are fostered well when teachers plan opportunities for pupils to work together in pairs and small groups. Children in Reception classes settle quickly and are happy because they have plenty of opportunities to work and play together in the indoor and outside areas.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils’ behaviour requires improvement overall. In particular, pupils lose interest and are not motivated to focus on their learning when teaching is less effective. They become restless when they are expected to listen when the teacher talks for too long, or when the work teachers set is not well planned to enable them to move on swiftly in their learning.  Around the school and at break time, most pupils behave well, although a few sometimes need to be reminded of the behaviour that is expected. The school’s leaders clearly emphasise the value of good manners and behaviour, and adults manage behaviour well.  Pupils say there is some bullying. There is some name calling or rude remarks, but they confirm that staff deal effectively with any problems that occur.  The school fosters respect, responsibility and positive relations between the pupils, and promotes equality. As a result, discrimination is tackled and pupils from a wide variety of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils requires improvement

different backgrounds get on well together. Older pupils demonstrate caring attitudes towards the younger ones. Year 6 pupils have recently taken on responsibilities to support the smooth running of break times.  Pupils have a good knowledge of how to avoid risks. Advice and guidance on safe practices when using computers, how to cross the road and keep safe when travelling outside school, together with workshops on cycling proficiency and swimming lessons, all help pupils develop a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe.  Pupils attending the breakfast clubs benefit from a healthy choice of food at the start of the day. They enjoy the varied activities that staff organise in the after-school club to help them enjoy the end of the day.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leaders and governors are over positive in their evaluations of the school’s performance. The information gathered from checks on pupils’ progress is not examined thoroughly enough to give the school a clear view of how well groups of pupils currently at the school make progress.  Leaders have not consistently checked that key areas for improvement identified during the monitoring of teaching are followed up quickly so that rapid and lasting improvements are secured. Also, senior leaders have not made sure that leaders of subjects and phases are fully involved in regularly checking the quality of teaching and how well pupils make progress within their areas of responsibility. As a consequence, the quality of teaching is variable and pupils do not achieve well.  Key priorities for improvement in whole-school improvement planning are appropriately selected to bring about improvements. However, strategies to secure lasting improvement are not all

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The leadership and management requires improvement

identified specifically enough and their success is not always clearly measured against improved progress and attainment.  The school demonstrates capacity to improve further. The organisation of pupils into attainment groups for phonics in Key Stage 1, and in Years 5 and 6 for English and mathematics, has been successful in securing better achievement for pupils. Provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage has improved since the previous inspection. Attendance has risen because the school works closely with parents and makes clear the importance of attending school regularly.  The new headteacher has quickly set about checking the school’s effectiveness and identified where improvements to teaching and leadership are needed in order to raise pupils’ achievement and improve behaviour.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively, for example through discussions in assembly and cultural celebrations. Pupils have opportunities to play

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The leadership and management requires improvement

musical instruments and perform in local cultural venues, as well as the chance to participate in dance and opera projects. Taking responsibility in the school council and as playground buddies promotes teamwork and a sense of pride in the role pupils play in improving the school.  The school is using the school sport funding to involve a specialist sports coach in delivering physical education lessons and to train teachers so that good sports teaching can be sustained. The additional funding will also be used to expand the range of, and pupils’ participation in, physical activities at lunchtime, and to increase the variety of equipment available for pupils to use at break time to promote better physical well-being.  The local authority provides valuable support and is working closely with the new headteacher to help the school to improve quickly.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is supportive of the school. Governors have recently reviewed the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

committee arrangements to focus on key areas of the school’s work. However, they rely considerably on the school’s leaders for information about some aspects of the school’s performance, including the quality of teaching and effectiveness. They have not requested detailed information from the school about how well different groups of pupils make progress to inform their knowledge of the quality of teaching. They have not always made sure they have undertaken relevant professional training to keep them up to date with developments in education, and support them in their roles. Governors have an over-positive view of the school’s performance because they are not making sufficient use of information about pupils’ achievement to contribute to the school’s self-evaluation and challenge it to do better. Governors understand the uses to which the pupil premium is put and check that by the time pupils leave at the end of Year 6 the gaps in performance between eligible pupils and the

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The leadership and management requires improvement

others are closing. Governors are aware of their role in performance management, although they have not made sure that teachers’ salaries are linked to teaching quality or that targets for improvement are closely linked to improved teaching and raised achievement. Governors ensure safeguarding arrangements meet requirements.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 100794 Local authority Southwark Inspection number 4299883

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 269 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Bennett Headteacher Reema-Gee Reid Date of previous school inspection 8–9 February 2011 Telephone number 020 76392562 Fax number 020 76350481 Email address info@hollydaleprimary.southwark.co.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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