Holgate Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of Holgate Primary and Nursery School High Leys Road, Hucknall, Nottinghamshire NG15 6EZ

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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 18 and 19 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders understand their community well. They provide pupils with the support and challenge required to be successful in modern Britain. Pupils learn to recognise and challenge stereotypes. Leaders’ ‘vehicle’ for achieving this is the curriculum. The key drivers for success, ‘diversity and career ambition’, are woven throughout the curriculum. All staff understand the significance of these drivers. Subject leaders provide opportunities for pupils to explore what careers could be possible with success at school. For example, healthcare professionals and firefighters talk to the pupils about their roles.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to take responsibility. The ‘Diversity Group’ work hard to explore ways to ensure that pupils feel welcome. ‘Eco- champions’ encourage pupils and staff to be more environmentally aware. They introduced bins to recycle waste. Learning champions explore how to make experiences in the classroom more engaging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders care about pupils’ well-being. Pupils use ‘worry monsters’ to help them share concerns. They are confident that staff will support them. Pupils feel safe. The ‘Well-Being Café’ run by the ‘Well-Being Champions’ enables pupils to talk about their feelings. One parent, whose view was typical of many, stated: ‘This school cares for its pupils and their development.’

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils to learn to read as soon as they start in the nursery. Skilled staff ensure that books match the needs of pupils. Staff identify when pupils fall behind. Pupils receive the support they need to catch up. Leaders have sought external support to further develop staff expertise. Leaders are keen to ensure that parents and carers can support their child at home. Workshops provide parents and carers with the information they need in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

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better?

Pupils enjoy reading. Pupils, including a small number of reluctant readers, benefit from listening to teachers read to them. Leaders have ensured that pupils read a wide range of books. These books support learning throughout the curriculum. Books introduce pupils to a range of social issues. Teachers use these skilfully to enable pupils to learn about mental well-being and how to develop resilience. Pupils relish the opportunity to visit the library regularly.

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better?

Leaders ensure that the curriculum supports pupils and the community. It prepares pupils for future life. Subject leaders have organised the curriculum in such a way as to help pupils build their knowledge over time. Teachers use ‘reactivate’ questions to help pupils recall prior knowledge and link it with current learning. Teachers do not always ensure that the tasks pupils complete in lessons help them to learn the intended curriculum as well as they could. In a small number of subjects, not all teachers are as ambitious as they could be for all pupils, particularly the most-able 18 and 19 July 2023

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pupils. Subject leaders liaise with external organisations to enhance their subject. For example, in science they linked with a local business to explore 3-D printing.

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Children in early years settle well. Leaders are ambitious for all children. They have established routines. Leaders have designed a well-sequenced curriculum. They plan activities that promote creativity. Children engage with these activities both collaboratively and independently. Children learn to communicate well with each other. For example, they are keen to share their learning about the life cycle of frogs at their frog pond in the forest school. The outside environment encourages children to be inquisitive.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Leaders swiftly identify these pupils’ needs. Leaders establish achievable and meaningful targets. These are well communicated to all relevant staff. Leaders ensure that teachers appropriately adapt learning so pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. As a consequence, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Leaders have high expectations of pupil behaviour. Clear routines are well established. The school environment is quiet, calm and orderly. Pastoral support is effective. Pupils talk positively about the support they receive. They learn how to manage their feelings. Pupils are polite and make visitors welcome.

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Leaders ensure that the curriculum prepares pupils for life in modern Britain. The well-structured curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to explore difficult topics such as protected characteristics. As a consequence, pupils have a sound understanding of equality and diversity. Pupils feel well prepared for their next phase of education and life.

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Senior leaders have managed necessary change well. Leaders are outward looking and seek appropriate support to enable improvement. Staff well-being has the highest priority. Staff appreciate the time provided to undertake their leadership responsibilities. Governors understand their roles and responsibilities. They hold leaders to account effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout school. Systems for recording safeguarding concerns are rigorous and thorough. All staff understand their roles and responsibilities. They recognise any signs of potential harm. Daily ‘touch base’ sessions ensure that all staff have the information they need to support vulnerable pupils. Leaders regularly monitor records and ensure that pupils and families receive the support they need. They tenaciously pursue wider agencies.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe. Should bullying occur, pupils are confident that staff will deal with it. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when learning online. 18 and 19 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, not all teachers are as ambitious as they could be for all pupils, particularly the most able. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that all teachers have the expertise to design learning opportunities which are ambitious for all pupils.  Teachers do not always ensure that the tasks pupils complete in lessons help them to learn the intended curriculum as well as they could. As a result, some pupils develop misconceptions. Leaders should ensure that teachers are consistently matching the tasks that pupils complete to the aims and ambitions of the curriculum.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 18 and 19 July 2023

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Inspection number 10268351 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 June 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in five subjects: reading; mathematics; science; religious education and history. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils.  Inspectors reviewed curriculum documentation for art and design and music. 18 and 19 July 2023

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 The lead inspector met with five members of the local governing body, including the chair.  The lead inspector met with a local authority representative.  The lead inspector took account of the responses to the Ofsted’s free-text service for parents, Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil survey. Inspectors spoke informally to parents outside the school.  Records of attendance, behaviour and safeguarding were scrutinised. This included the school’s single central record. Inspectors also conducted meetings with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Atkins Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 July 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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