Holbeach Primary Academy

Inspection of a good school: Holbeach Primary Academy Boston Road South, Holbeach, Spalding, Lincolnshire PE12 7LZ

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Outcome

Holbeach Primary Academy continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school. They talk about feeling safe and happy. Staff know pupils well. They have high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They pay close attention to pupils’ well- being as well as their learning. Staff ensure that pupils are ready for next steps and secondary school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. They are mostly attentive and focused on their learning. Pupils can define bullying. They say bullying does not happen often and that they would tell a teacher when it does. Pupils feel confident that staff will address any concerns they have. Children in the early years have positive relationships with staff. Adults help children to develop their confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that there are opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils talk about gardening and cooking club. They take part in football club and animation club. Leaders have made sure that pupils visit places that are linked to what they study in their lessons. Pupils visit Burghley House, for example, and make connections to learning about poetry and fantasy literature about enchanted woodlands. Leaders have not yet checked whether all pupils who would benefit from taking part in clubs do so.

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

Leaders have created a curriculum that clearly sets out what pupils should learn and when. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Leaders have made sure that pupils have opportunities to revisit previous learning. Pupils develop their knowledge over time, as a result. They talk confidently about the commutative law in mathematics and states of matter in science. Leaders work together to help pupils see the links between the different subjects they study. 29 and 30 March 2023

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The early years curriculum prepares children well for key stage 1. Leaders use the outdoor space to develop children’s thinking about number. Children explain what they know about equal numbers and quantities.

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. They break learning down into manageable chunks that pupils can engage with. Teachers check pupils’ understanding effectively. Occasionally, in lessons, teachers do not address as effectively as they might pupils’ misconceptions or aspects of their learning in which pupils can improve. They do not always use every opportunity to deepen pupils’ understanding and challenge their thinking.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Staff have completed training about how to teach pupils to read. They use consistent and effective approaches to develop pupils’ knowledge of phonics. Leaders have organised events with a focus on reading for parents to attend. Pupils enjoy reading. They talk about their favourite genres. They read regularly and develop the speed and accuracy of their reading. Staff quickly identify children and pupils who need help to catch up. They provide this help, so that pupils can read and access the learning in all of their lessons.

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Leaders have ensured that staff promptly identify pupils with SEND. There are clear systems in place to ensure that these pupils receive the help they need. Staff know the pupils with SEND in their classes. They provide resources and use teaching strategies to make sure that these pupils can access the same curriculum as their peers.

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Pupils are mostly attentive in lessons. The work in pupils’ books suggests they take pride in their learning. On occasions, some pupils become less focused when the learning is not moved on quickly enough. Children in the early years learn about manners and expectations. Most children live up to these expectations.

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Leaders have ensured that pupils study a well-sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum. They learn about beliefs and cultures different from their own. Staff and pupils share their own experiences to educate others about religious practices. Pupils learn about British values and protected characteristics. Children in the early years learn about democracy by voting for the books they would like to read.

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Pupils take up opportunities to develop their social and leadership skills. Some pupils are playground leaders and organise games for their peers. Pupils take part in the academy council, and act as mini-police and ‘Junior Road Safety Officers’. Children in the early years perform in assemblies after learning about percussion instruments.

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Leaders have focused on developing the curriculum. They have ensured that staff complete appropriate training, especially in relation to subject leadership. Staff talk positively about working collaboratively with their colleagues. They enjoy working at the school. In some areas of the school’s provision, leaders have not yet evaluated the impact of their strategies to bring about further improvement, for example, in relation to behaviour and pupil uptake of wider opportunities. 29 and 30 March 2023

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have created a culture in which all staff recognise that they are responsible for safeguarding. Staff know how to report concerns. They talk confidently about the training they complete and its impact on their practice.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work effectively with wider agencies. They are tenacious in following up on concerns, when necessary, to secure pupils the help they need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe. They know about online safety, road safety and the risks of sharing information. They trust staff and would share any concerns or worries.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, teachers do not adapt their teaching well enough to ensure that learning moves on when it is right to do so. This includes when teachers identify misconceptions. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their understanding and some pupils are not helped to reflect on the most complex aspects of their learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the strategies they need to make the most of opportunities in lessons to effectively address misconceptions and help pupils engage in sophisticated thinking about the subjects they study.  In some areas of the school's provision, leaders have not yet precisely evaluated the impact of their strategies for improvement. This is the case, for example, in relation to their work to promote pupils’ wider development and to ensure that all pupils engage well in lessons. Consequently, leaders are not as clear as they should be on what is working well and what they need to do next. Leaders should ensure that they

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

understand the effectiveness of their work to bring about further improvement across all aspects of the provision, so that they know what next steps they should take to maintain the school’s development.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2023

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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.

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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. 29 and 30 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10227921 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.holbeachprimaryacademy.co.uk/

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School details

Date of previous inspection 3 and 4 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and science. As part of each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult.  The lead inspector met with subject leaders in history and geography and scrutinised samples of pupils’ work in these subjects.  The lead inspector met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development and the provision for pupils with SEND. 29 and 30 March 2023

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 The lead inspector met with the person responsible for early years and visited the early years provision.  To evaluate the school’s safeguarding arrangements, the lead inspector met with safeguarding leaders and reviewed the actions they take to keep pupils safe. He also viewed a range of documents in relation to safeguarding, including the school’s single central record.  The lead inspector met with members of the local governing body as well as a the chair of the board of trustees and the chief executive officer of the trust.  The lead inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted questionnaire for school staff.

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Inspection team

Matthew Fearns-Davies, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 29 and 30 March 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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