Hollingwood Primary School

Hollingwood Primary School Hollingwood Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 4BE

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher is well supported by a highly regarded deputy headteacher and some strong subject leaders. The school has largely addressed the areas for improvement since its previous inspection but monitoring and evaluation is not always sharp enough.  Governors actively challenge leaders, holding the school to account. They have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning.  Well-targeted professional development has improved the quality of teaching, particularly of the oldest pupils. Collaborative working with other schools and sharing of good practice has developed the leadership capacity.  Pupils achieve well at the end of key stage 2, particularly in writing and mathematics. Improvements to the teaching of reading are beginning to pay off, particularly for the younger pupils. Pupils of all ages enjoy reading.  The youngest children, many with limited English, get a good start in the school’s

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

Nursery; they are confident and enjoy school. Good provision in the Reception classes ensures that pupils continue to acquire the necessary language skills to communicate effectively and prepare them for Year 1.  The pupil premium funding is used effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve well. Good-quality teaching supported by additional group work means they make good progress.  Provision to support the pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is effective. These pupils make good progress and are fully included within the school.  Pupils behave well and show good attitudes to learning. Their improved rates of attendance reflect pupils’ positive commitment to their education.  The school puts a high priority on pupils’ welfare. Procedures for safeguarding pupils are effective. As a result, pupils say they feel safe and parents agree.  The curriculum provides a broad range of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

interesting topics. Lessons are well planned so pupils apply their literacy skills in other subjects. Pupils are not always developing their skills or deepening their knowledge in some of the foundation subjects.  Expectations of what the most able pupils can do are too low. Sometimes work they are given lacks challenge.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better to raise pupils’ attainment, by: – accelerating the progress of pupils in key stage 1 – raising expectations and providing challenging work for the most able pupils – planning and teaching lessons which deepen pupils’ understanding in the foundation subjects – developing pupils’ reading skills in key stage 2.  Strengthen leadership and management, by: – developing skills and expertise of subject leaders so they have an accurate overview of how well different groups of pupils are progressing across the school – evaluating the impact on the achievement of groups of pupils when monitoring new initiatives, the quality of teaching and pupils’ work – sharpening school improvement planning so the measures of success are clearly linked to pupils’ achievement.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Since the previous inspection, leaders have mostly addressed the areas that required improvement and have raised standards in phonics at the end of Year 1 and in English and mathematics at the end of key stage 2.  The school has formed a partnership with two other schools. The headteacher’s vision for the future is to formalise this arrangement as a multi-academy trust. Collaborative work with other schools is at the heart of Hollingwood and this has helped to improve the quality of teaching and learning.  The school development plan accurately identifies the broad areas for improvement and the importance of accelerating pupils’ progress. The plan lacks precision in identifying exactly what the impact of initiatives will be on improving the achievement of different groups of pupils, particularly the most able.  Leaders across the group of schools work with their partner colleagues to develop good

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

practice. This has been beneficial in helping most leaders understand their leadership roles and accountability for their subjects. Where this has been most effective, changes made in classroom practice are well thought through and based on careful analysis.  Leaders frequently monitor the quality of teaching and pupils’ books, particularly in English and mathematics. This monitoring is not sufficiently focused so leaders have a clear view of how well different groups of pupils are achieving This means that some leaders are unable to evaluate the impact of changes they have made in improving outcomes, particularly for the most able pupils.  The school has developed an effective assessment system so individual teachers and leaders can track the ‘flight path’ of pupils’ achievement. Leaders can identify which pupils are starting to fall behind and respond quickly to provide intervention; this has been beneficial in supporting the most disadvantaged pupils so they achieve well.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The school has a system for assessing the performance of teachers. Performance management targets are linked to developing good-quality teaching and meeting of the teachers’ standards. For some staff, these targets are not specific enough to set challenging and ambitious end goals clearly linked to the achievement of pupils in their classes.  Most of the parents spoken to during the inspection and who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were positive about the school. Some parents felt that issues they raised were not followed up and they were unclear about the outcome of concerns they raised.  Leaders use the pupil premium funding effectively. It provides extra teaching and welfare support for disadvantaged pupils. The use of better-focused support has accelerated their progress, improved their attendance and is helping these pupils to achieve well.  The funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is used effectively to ensure

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

they receive good support for their welfare needs and academic learning. Leaders with responsibility for managing their provision track the progress these pupils make. Individual support plans ensure that these pupils make good progress and their needs are well met.  The curriculum is well thought through and designed to meet the needs and culture of the majority of pupils. High-quality, well-presented artwork reflects the school’s multicultural mix. The emphasis of spiritual, social, moral and cultural aspects through the curriculum is particularly strong. Pupils have a good understanding of British values and respect for people from different backgrounds and faiths.  Pupils learn a broad range of subjects; these are enhanced by visits and an emphasis on providing urban-bound pupils with positive experiences of the great outdoors. The forest school and trips to a local outward-bound centre help pupils observe the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

changing natural world and develop their scientific understanding.  The use of the sport funding is thoroughly analysed and reviewed. It is accurately targeted to meet the needs of the school’s pupils. The Change4Life programme, encouraging healthier lifestyles, has had a positive impact on pupils’ understanding of the importance of exercise and diet. The extensive provision of extra-curricular activities and clubs both within school time and after school enrich the lives of pupils in school and particularly benefit the most disadvantaged pupils.

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Governance of the school

 Governance is effective.  Governors have been proactive in seeking support to develop their roles and expertise through national leaders of governance. They are currently carrying out a skills audit to ensure that their strengths are well matched to the needs of the school and its future as part of a multi-academy trust.  Governors are very enthusiastic about their roles and have a strong commitment to the school, ensuring that it continues its road to further improvement. They are lively in their challenge of the headteacher and holding senior leaders to account.  Governors have a good understanding about the quality of teaching across the school and monitor the school’s work through regular visits. They have restructured the way they work, linking governors to specific areas of the school’s work. Their roles in evaluating the school improvement priorities are not clearly defined in the school

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Governance of the school

development plan.  Governors scrutinise the use of the pupil premium funding effectively to ensure that disadvantaged pupils achieve well.  Governors understand that pupils’ achievement should be the focus when awarding pay increases for teachers and the headteacher. They ensure that the process for reviewing the headteacher’s performance is adhered to.  Governors are fully conversant with their statutory duties for safeguarding and ensuring that staff are recruited with careful consideration.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The school has created a safe culture to take care of its pupils and is vigilant in checking up that procedures are implemented to protect them. All staff understand their obligations for safeguarding and this is emphasised throughout the school’s work as well as in lessons.  Pupils say they feel safe and talk about what the school has in place to look after them. Most parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, agree that their children are safe in school. The school conducts a range of risk assessments to keep both pupils and staff safe.  All members of staff are checked for their suitability to work with children. Accurate and up-to-date records of these checks are maintained.  Leaders, teachers and other staff are aware of the school’s procedures for safeguarding. They take appropriate action when necessary. They liaise with outside

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Safeguarding

agencies when they have a concern and they work hard to support families in need.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The quality of teaching, learning and assessment particularly in Year 6 is good. As a result, pupils achieve well at the end of key stage 2 and standards in writing and mathematics are now broadly in line with the national average.  Teachers do not always expect enough of the most able pupils and the work they set sometimes does not challenge pupils’ thinking; pupils are not always clear what they need to do to achieve a higher standard.  The teaching of reading has been reviewed and this has had a positive impact in raising standards at the end of Year 1, where pupils are now achieving in line with the national average for the phonics screening check. Pupils’ enjoyment of reading has been improved by involving parents and promoting reading at home. This is having the greatest impact with the younger pupils where teachers have high expectations of how pupils read and use books.  The teaching of writing is effective. Teachers’ style and techniques are well suited to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

the way pupils learn skills in writing. The lessons are highly structured to provide good building blocks for pupils to write well and apply these skills across other subjects in the curriculum.  The quality of the teaching of mathematics is well planned. The use of carefully considered resources supports pupils’ learning by helping them to understand abstract concepts. Towards the end of key stage 2, the most able pupils are better challenged than lower down the school; consequently, pupils apply a high level of mathematical thinking to solve problems and demonstrate their mastery of the subject.  Teachers’ subject knowledge in English, mathematics and science is good. However, insufficient focus on the teaching of the foundation subjects means teachers are not always well equipped to teach pupils the skills they need to understand a subject in depth. As a result, pupils’ achievement in subjects such as geography and history is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

inconsistent across the school.  The teaching of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is strong. Support is well focused and carefully costed. Those pupils who receive support in the school’s nurture unit, which has received national accreditation, are taught the skills to be effective learners and as a result they make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct are mostly consistent. Teachers establish a productive working atmosphere and there are good relationships between staff and pupils and with each other. This means that time in lessons is well focused on learning and this is reflected in pupils’ good attitudes to learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school knows and understands the needs of its families; consequently, support is well matched and provided where necessary.  Pupils know how to keep themselves safe in a variety of situations. Pupils understand how to manage risk. They understand the risks of using the internet and social media.  Pupils have a good understanding of bullying, including bullying related to race and gender. They say the school takes a strong line on bullying and misbehaviour. Pupils respect the school’s ‘Golden Rules’ and know there are consequences to bad behaviour. A new pupil explained that behaviour at Hollingwood was a lot better than at his previous school.  Assemblies are used well to celebrate achievement. There is a strong community emphasis where all staff are involved in acknowledging good attitudes and behaviour both in the classrooms and at lunch and playtimes.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school reflects a diverse local community, and has a clear ethos of promoting effective consideration of faith, culture and personal choices. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of British values, which prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  All parents and pupils who responded to the inspection surveys agree pupils’ behaviour is good. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning, work independently and are keen to do well. The school’s provision in supporting pupils to manage their own behaviour is effective.  Pupils are proud of their school. They are courteous, well mannered and confident to engage in conversation. They listen well to adults and their peers, and show respect for the views of others. They play cooperatively in the playground and move around the school in an orderly way.  Pupils arrive in school promptly and their attendance is in line with the national average. The school’s support for those pupils who had previously been persistently absent has improved their attendance so it is in line with the rest of the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Throughout the school, the rate of pupils’ progress in English and mathematics is rapidly increasing. Although pupils’ attainment at the end of key stage 1 has been variable, the majority of pupils make good progress from the end of the foundation stage in reading, writing and mathematics.  By the end of key stage 2, pupils make good progress in writing and mathematics. Progress in reading for those pupils with low starting points at the end of key stage 1 is also good. Standards in mathematics and writing are broadly in line with the national average, including attainment at a higher level. Attainment in reading is below the national average.  The teaching of phonics in the early years and Year 1 is good. Most pupils reach the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check in line with the national average. Once pupils have secured early reading skills so they can decode unfamiliar words, progress slows. Pupils say they enjoy reading but their understanding of

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Outcomes for pupils Good

unfamiliar vocabulary hampers their ability to understand more complex texts.  The older pupils, many who do not speak English at home, have yet to develop a broad interest in reading books written by a variety of authors or of different genres. Their choices of books tend to be ones they are most familiar with. This is limiting the most able pupils acquiring a broader vocabulary, their appreciation of English literature and opportunities to develop as higher-level readers.  Pupils’ writing in English shows they are confident writers and can apply the use of adventurous vocabulary and write appropriately for an audience as well as apply their writing skills across other subjects in the curriculum.  In mathematics, pupils are proficient in using and applying the basic mathematical skills. The most able pupils are able to quickly move from using concrete apparatus to applying their knowledge and understanding to abstract concepts. Pupils at all levels

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Outcomes for pupils Good

are developing their reasoning skills and record plausible explanations for their answers.  Pupils achieve well in science. Work in books shows pupils have a good understanding of scientific topics and apply a range of scientific skills. Pupils record their science experiments using a range of data. Their work is presented with care and they utilise their writing skills to record scientific findings.  Achievement across the full range of subjects, other than the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, is variable. Pupils enjoy the topics they learn but they do not always develop the skills they need in subjects such as history and geography in any real depth. Achievement in these subjects is not assessed by the school.  The disadvantaged pupils make good progress overall. Leaders regularly assess how well these pupils are doing in English and mathematics and respond to address any gaps in learning with additional teaching time.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The achievement of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is good. Work is well planned to meet the needs of these pupils. Those with specific learning difficulties benefit from specialised support and this, alongside high-quality teaching, ensures they make good progress.

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Early years provision Good

 Children enter the early years with skills and knowledge which are below that which is typical for their age. A high proportion of pupils enter the school with little or no English and many have not developed basic skills in self-care.  The enthusiasm of the staff and their passion for learning is soon conveyed to the youngest children. Good relationships are quickly established. Children starting in the school’s Nursery get off to a good start, quickly adapting to the routines and expectations of the early years. They show a keen enjoyment in singing counting songs and listening to stories.  This good provision continues in both Reception classes. The setting is ‘language rich,’ the written word is evident on numerous notices and labels as well as books which are keenly promoted. Adults in the setting are highly effective in developing the pupils’ spoken language and communication skills by asking questions and modelling

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Early years provision Good

responses.  Teachers use engaging ways to teach early reading, writing and mathematical skills. A rich variety of activities are well planned both in the classroom and outside to develop these skills. Children are able to use basic tools and resources for creative tasks. The teaching of mathematics is focused on acquiring early number skills and children reliably count out articles as they present them to an adult.  The teaching of phonics is effective. Resources are well planned and this results in high levels of engagement and good progress. Children apply their phonics to the writing of simple, three-letter words using a correct pencil grip, concentrating hard to form their letters.  While the number of children achieving the expected outcomes at the end of the early years foundation stage is below the national average it represents good progress for most of the children, considering their starting points. The majority of children reach a

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Early years provision Good

good level of development but expectations of the most able children are too low. The move into key stage 1 is well managed and children prepared for their next stage.  Children’s behaviour is good, both in the classroom and the outside area, where activities are well supervised. They sustain interest and focus when participating in a task. Children take responsibility for their learning environment, they are quick to tidy up and put things back in the right place.  Relationships with parents are good; they speak positively about the school and say their children are happy. They appreciate the fact that the early years staff are approachable. Transition is effective and staff make home visits or visit the children’s previous settings before children start school.  Leaders ensure that the welfare and safety of children is given a high priority and that staff are well skilled and responsive to children’s individual needs. They ensure that

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Early years provision Good

good links are fostered with external agencies and specialists, to support children with specific needs. The unit is a safe place for children and all health and safety requirements are met.

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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

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13–14 June 2013

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average-sized primary school. The Nursery has separate morning and afternoon sessions.  The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups and speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is broadly average.  The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is average.  The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.  The school meets the requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons in all classrooms and some together with the headteacher and deputy headteacher. In addition, inspectors observed small groups of pupils being taught.  Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work, listened to some pupils read and spoke with some pupils about their enjoyment of school and their opinions of behaviour and safety.  Inspectors held discussions with parents, staff and governors.  Inspectors considered a wide range of school documents. These included the school’s self-evaluation, the school’s development plan, behaviour and attendance records, governing body documents and documents relating to safeguarding and the monitoring of teachers’ performance.  Inspectors considered parents’ comments during the inspection as well as taking into account the views of 20 parents who submitted responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Karen Heath, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Don Parker Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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