Holme Hall Primary School

Inspection of Holme Hall Primary School Taddington Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S40 4RL

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 September 2023

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

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Jackie Littlechilds. This school is part of Learners’ Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matt Freeston, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steve Welsh. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

At ‘Team Holme Hall’, pupils aspire to be the best version of themselves. They enjoy their learning. They understand the need to be resilient and persevere when faced with challenges in their education. Pupils work hard in lessons. They are responsible, respectful and polite. They told inspectors that school was a happy and caring place to learn.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils wear the yellow ‘STAR Learners’ Code’ badges with pride. The code ensures that the expectations for behaviour and conduct are crystal clear. As a result, the school is calm and orderly. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), strive to achieve the blue and green stars. This provides pupils with opportunities to take on responsibilities such as ‘mini techies’ or ‘office apprentice’. They all want to be positive ‘role models’ for their peers.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers appreciate the nurturing environment of the school, in which their children flourish. They value the communication between home and school. Many relish the opportunity to attend the school events, such as ‘Family cooking’ with their child. As one parent commented, typical of many: ‘Every child has a voice, as do the families. The school staff go above and beyond.’

p.2

better?

The school has produced a well-considered curriculum. It clearly identifies what pupils must know and when. This helps teachers to check what pupils have remembered and what must be revisited. The school’s ‘ACE drivers’ permeate the daily curriculum offer, helping pupils to understand key ideas such as community and equality.

p.2

better?

Teachers deliver the intended curriculum well. The trust provides training to develop staff’s knowledge and expertise. In most subjects, this has led to some consistency in how well subjects are taught. Staff skilfully promote pupils’ development of subject-specific vocabulary. For example, pupils in Year 5 explore the difference between sandbanks and dunes as they share a story set by the sea.

p.2

better?

In collaboration with the trust, the school continuously reviews and evaluates the intended curriculum. Checks are made on how well all pupils, including those with SEND, can remember key knowledge in each subject. Where needed, adaptations and improvements are made to the curriculum. The school supports leaders to develop their knowledge and expertise in their area of responsibility. In a few subjects, this is not yet fully developed.

p.2

better?

From the very start, in early years, the school ensures that children develop positive attitudes to learning. Children settle quickly into routines. They learn vital skills and knowledge to help them to access resources with independence and confidence. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.2

3

They enjoy sharing stories and play early number games. They listen carefully to adult instructions and play imaginatively alongside their friends.

p.3

3

Across the school, leaders prioritise reading. Parents are invited to come and share their favourite stories during ‘books on blankets’ days. The school promotes ‘favourite reads’ in the library. Children at the early stages of reading learn to independently use the knowledge they have been taught. They learn to sound out words well. Pupils who require extra support with reading, including those with SEND, receive regular help. All pupils read from books that match the sounds they know.

p.3

3

The school works hard to understand the unique interests of every pupil. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities available to support these interests. All pupils, including those with SEND, have opportunities to further their talents and interests in areas such as sport, music, art and technology. The school is a hub for local community events. Pupils are developing as respectful young citizens. The school’s curriculum is enriched with opportunities to learn about different groups in society. The school helps pupils to develop inclusive attitudes. However, pupils do not always have the necessary language and vocabulary to express their ideas about these different protected groups.

p.3

3

The school and the trust have a shared ambition for the school and its pupils. Those responsible for governance provide effective support and challenge. They assist the school with positive actions to manage teacher workload and well-being. Staff appreciate the opportunities for training and support.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The leadership of a few subjects is not fully developed. This means that the schools’ ambitions in aspects of the curriculum are not yet fully realised. The school must continue to support and develop new leaders so that their practice aligns with the strongest leaders in school.  Pupils do not always have the necessary language and vocabulary to express their ideas about different protected groups in society. This prevents them from expressing their thoughts and ideas. The school must ensure that all pupils can talk about diversity so they can fully celebrate the similarities and differences in communities that make up modern society. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.3

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.

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

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

p.4

School details

Website www.thelearnerstrust.org/holme-hall- primary Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The special educational needs and disabilities coordinator (SENDCo) was appointed in September 2023.  Holme Hall Primary School converted to become an academy in April 2019. When its predecessor school, Holme Hall Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement overall.

p.5

Information about this inspection

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

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgment about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 19 and 20 September 2023

p.5

6

 The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including the school’s SENDCo and the early years leader.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust, including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour during different parts of the school day. They spoke to pupils about behaviour and conduct around school. They considered how well leaders’ enabled pupils to understand the expectations for conduct in school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors met with the curriculum leaders to consider planning documents. They visited lessons and spoke with pupils and teachers. Inspectors also sampled curriculum plans for other subjects.  Inspectors met with the designated leader for safeguarding and considered documentation relating to how the school keeps pupils safe. They sampled

p.6

6

information for pupil attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors spoke with parents and pupils. They considered the responses to the staff surveys and the responses to Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Amanda Greaves Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 September 2023

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