Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant School New Street, Rubery, Rednal, Birmingham, West Midlands B45 0EU

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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Outcome

Holly Hill Methodist CofE Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The motto ‘We work as one, no child is left behind’ embodies leaders’ high expectations for every child at this delightful school. Care, nurture and love are at the heart of everything that happens. Adults routinely go above and beyond for every pupil. Pupils repay this with excellent behaviour, hard work and meaningful relationships, which are a hallmark here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high ambitions for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Most pupils join the school with many barriers to learning. All staff work hard to ensure pupils overcome these barriers. As a result, pupils learn very well and flourish.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are a joy to observe. They are polite, friendly and welcoming. Routines and behaviour expectations are well established and understood, and pupils readily adhere to them. Leaders provide a calm and orderly environment. Pupils are safe and happy. Leaders deal swiftly and effectively with any issues that may arise, including bullying. Pupils say that kindness is the key to their school. The school’s Christian ethos and values excellently support pupils’ personal development. As one pupil said, ‘Just be kind.’

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have created a curriculum that is ambitious and broad for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. This curriculum ensures that pupils achieve strong outcomes. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. For example, in mathematics, the mastery curriculum is ambitious and very well sequenced. Pupils, over time, can articulate their reasoning, problem-solving and number skills across all year groups.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed the curriculum for foundation subjects around inspirational people, like the Dalai Lama and David Attenborough. They have thought carefully about the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn in each subject over time. In a very small 24 and 25 January 2023

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number of foundation subjects, the precise learning and skills that pupils need to acquire are less clearly identified. When this happens, learning can lack depth.

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Teachers use assessment very well to check on what pupils have learned. They spot if a pupil has fallen behind or needs extra support. Teachers quickly adapt their teaching to address any gaps. Pupils in all year groups receive work that is well matched to their needs. Consequently, pupils learn well.

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Teachers have sound subject knowledge. Leaders quickly support any who need additional training or coaching. Teachers plan learning tasks and activities to engage pupils. Positive working relationships are evident in every classroom. Pupils enjoy learning, and routinely display resilience in their learning.

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Pupils with SEND are exceptionally well supported. They receive targeted support at every level. This includes in their lessons and in the bespoke ‘Blossom Room’. Leaders swiftly identify children who may have SEND. Staff are well trained to understand pupils’ educational needs. Therefore, pupils receive swift individualised intervention when needed. As a result, pupils with SEND overcome many of their learning barriers, flourish and do well.

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Reading is a priority. Highly effective teaching of phonics ensures that pupils become fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading, and do so daily. Staff have developed a reading language that is shared and commonly understood. Pupils who fall behind receive targeted support. As a result, they become better readers. Pupils relish daily story time and being read to by adults.

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Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Everyone understands leaders’ high expectations of conduct. Pupils are polite and well-mannered to one another and to staff. Lessons are free from disruptions. Pupils play well together, and interactions are positive throughout the day.

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Children settle quickly into the early years. Strong care and nurture ensure that children swiftly learn the routines and structures of daily school life. Adults work well with children to help them improve their communication skills and enhance their personal development. Children start learning about phonics as soon as they arrive. Teachers have adapted the phonics programme effectively to ensure that all get a solid reading foundation.

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Leaders’ work to promote pupils’ personal development is strong. The school’s Christian ethos permeates the school at every level. Pupils keenly talk about values such as kindness and forgiveness. Leaders offer a great variety of trips, excursions, visits and guest speakers as well as after-school clubs. Pupils value these opportunities and frequently attend clubs and other activities.

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Senior leaders and governors are unwavering in their drive for excellence. They know their school very well. They swiftly identify any issues that fall short of their high expectations and address them. All staff are proud to work at the school. They refer to the school as ‘the Holly Hill family’. Staff say that leaders are always considerate of their workload and well-being. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that all staff are highly trained to spot, report and support pupils who may be at risk of harm. Relationships with families are strong, and used to support not only the child but the whole family effectively.

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Safeguarding

Staff act as soon as they spot that a pupil may need support, and refer any concerns they have to the well-trained safeguarding team. Leaders take appropriate actions and consult well with external agencies. This ensures that children receive the help and support they need. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. They can readily name an adult they would go to if they are worried about something.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a very small number of foundation subjects, the precise learning and skills that pupils need to acquire are less clearly identified than they are in the core subjects. When this happens, pupils’ learning in these subjects can lack depth. Leaders should ensure that staff are clear about the precise knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn in these subjects so that pupils can accumulatively build up their learning over time.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 24 and 25 January 2023

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a smaller than average-sized infant school.  The school’s nursery provision is now part time. It is open Wednesdays to Fridays.  The school does not use any alternative providers for its pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, including the executive headteacher, the headteacher and the assistant headteachers. The inspector held a meeting with governors, including the chair of governors. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils 24 and 25 January 2023

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about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector visited the early years for each of the deep dives.  The inspector also listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour and interactions during lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes, and spoke to many pupils during the inspection.  The inspector spoke to staff, including support staff, about safeguarding arrangements. The inspector scrutinised school documents relating to safeguarding.  The inspector took account of parents’ free-text comments and the responses on Ofsted Parent View. The inspector also considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023

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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.

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