Holly Grove Primary School

Inspection of Holly Grove Primary School Holly Grove Lane, Chase Terrace, Burntwood, Staffordshire WS7 1LU

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 15–16 January 2020

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Holly Grove Primary is a warm and friendly place to learn. Pupils are happy and look out for each other. The school organises them into family groups and this has helped develop positive relationships across year groups. This has also ensured that the school has a family atmosphere. Everyone gets along with each other very well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ attendance has improved since the last inspection. Leaders have put in place rewards and celebrations to encourage children to come to school daily. Pupils behave well. Pupils told inspectors that, although rare, bullying sometimes happens. However, if it does happen, they trust adults to listen to them. We agree that adults are quick to sort out any issues.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to take on responsibilities, such as being an enrichment captain, school councillor or reading gladiator. They enjoy taking part in the wide range of extracurricular activities provided for them. These range from craft and gardening to music and cookery.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

On Parent View almost all parents said that they would recommend the school to others. A typical comment states: ‘Holly Grove is a joyful school with staff going above and beyond to enable children to thrive.’

p.2

better?

The school has made improvements to the quality of education since it was last inspected. Leaders have thought carefully about the school’s curriculum. They are ambitious for all pupils to learn as well as they can. Plans are in place and work is already ongoing to ensure that planning is well sequenced. This isn’t yet the case in all subjects. Pupils’ learning in history, design and technology, geography and religious education (RE) needs further attention. Some subject leaders do not have sufficient opportunity to check regularly on the quality of education in their subjects.

p.2

better?

School leaders have prioritised reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, and planning in these subjects is well structured. This is having an impact on the school’s results. These show that pupils are making much stronger progress in reading, writing and mathematics than they did in the past.

p.2

better?

Reading is taught well. It has a high priority because staff understand that pupils need to be able to read fluently to succeed in other subjects. The school has been working with a local literacy hub to develop early reading. The teaching of phonics is now strong. Staff frequently check that pupils are making the progress they expect. Staff help them to catch up quickly when they are struggling. Pupils enjoy reading. They also look forward to adults reading to them. Pupils talk with great enthusiasm about their favourite books.

p.2

better?

Children get off to a good start in the early years. Relationships between adults and pupils are strong. Children are happy and content. Both the indoor and outdoor 15–16 January 2020

p.2

3

areas are well resourced and stimulating for children. They learn to play with their friends and share equipment. For example, we saw them working well as a team to build a tower out of blocks. Clear routines help children to be independent from an early age. Parents commented that they appreciate the regular electronic updates they receive, which help them support their children’s learning at home.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported very well and achieve well across the school. Teachers ensure that the curriculum is accessible to these pupils, with well-informed support plans.

p.3

3

Governors provide regular support and challenge to school leaders. They have a key role in helping the school improve its performance. In this respect, they check that their spending decisions are making a difference to pupils. This can clearly be seen in the bold changes made to senior leadership, that both saved money and impacted on learning.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. This is because leaders and governors take safeguarding seriously. All staff know what to do if they have any concerns. Regular training and staff briefings keep everyone up to date with routines and requirements.

p.3

Safeguarding

The designated safeguarding leader takes appropriate action to ensure that pupils who are vulnerable are well supported. Leaders make sure that the right checks are carried out on staff before they start work at the school. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about how to look after themselves when using the internet.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have ensured that curriculum plans in core subjects are well sequenced and planned. In some foundation subjects, such as history, design and technology, geography and RE, these plans are not so well developed. Leaders should ensure that plans for all subjects are sequenced effectively. Leaders have plans and are taking action to address this.  Senior leaders have supported curriculum leaders to develop their subjects. However, monitoring by some subject leaders is at an early stage of development. Senior leaders should increase opportunities for middle leaders to check the quality of education in their subjects. This would enable them to provide more support and improve their subjects more effectively. 15–16 January 2020

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

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. 15–16 January 2020

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 8–9 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school joined Burntwood Co-operative Learning Trust, with a group of three other schools.  The school has three new assistant headteachers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 We worked with several leaders during the course of the inspection. These included: the headteacher, the assistant headteacher and special educational needs coordinator. We also met with a number of curriculum leaders individually or as part of a group.  We met with three governors, including the chair of governors. We also spoke with school improvement leader of the local authority.  We scrutinised the school’s safeguarding records, including the single central record, and evaluated the effectiveness of the school’s safeguarding procedures. 15–16 January 2020

p.5

6

This involved talking to staff and pupils about their understanding of safeguarding, bullying and health and safety.  We did deep dives in reading, mathematics, history and PE. This involved visiting lessons, talking to pupils, looking at pupils’ work and talking to teachers and curriculum leaders. We also sampled planning in other subjects including design technology, geography, MFL, music and RE.  We checked Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, and met with some parents to consider their views. There were 82 responses to Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Max Vlahakis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Su Plant Ofsted Inspector 15–16 January 2020

p.6

7

regulates and inspects to 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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7