Holne Chase Primary School

Inspection of Holne Chase Primary School Buckingham Road, Holne Chase Primary School, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire MK3 5HP

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 principal of this school is David Killick. This school is part of Preston Hedges Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Paul Watson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michael Brinkley. There is also an executive principal, Caroline Stewart, who is responsible for this school and two others. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Holne Chase Primary. The school’s bright and welcoming environment is carefully considered to capture pupils’ interests. A deep moral purpose underpins all that happens at this school. Adults are passionate that all pupils receive high-quality provision that gives them the skills they need for the future. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life beyond the school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils relish the range of opportunities the school provides. Pupils say they go on the best trips and ‘have a blast’. Leaders plan these carefully, including other experiences such as a recent Shakespeare theatre workshop or geography fieldtrips, to bring the curriculum to life. Clubs such as art and craft, music and choir are well attended.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Strong relationships are evident across the school. Staff model positive behaviours, and pupils mirror these in their actions. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. They learn that ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’. Playtimes are busy with lots to do, and pupils share equipment nicely. Pupils report that unkindness can occur but are confident adults will help them resolve any issues. This builds a harmonious community where pupils are safe and well cared for.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about leaders’ work. One, summing up the views of many, describes the school as a ‘safe pair of hands’.

p.2

better?

Since this school reopened as an academy, leaders have established high expectations and standards for all pupils. Trust leaders have put into place a comprehensive curriculum that begins in the early years. In all subjects, including the early years, they have precisely identified and sequenced the knowledge pupils are to learn. Pupils’ progress is tracked carefully across the curriculum. The school ensures pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified and given the support they need to learn successfully. As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

p.2

better?

Reading is a cornerstone of the curriculum. Books are in every nook and corner of this school, including vending machines. This promotes reading to all. The phonics curriculum is well established and ensures pupils develop fluency quickly. Well- trained staff deliver the programme. They ensure pupils at risk of falling behind their peers are supported to ensure they catch up quickly.

p.2

better?

Teachers know their subjects well. They present ideas clearly and encourage pupils to deepen their understanding. In the early years, high-quality interactions support children’s developing understanding. Throughout the school, adults provide effective support to help pupils with their work. They adapt their teaching well, including in the moment, to support pupils with SEND. Across the curriculum, pupils have planned opportunities to recap their prior learning before they are introduced to new 7 and 8 November 2023

p.2

3

ideas that link to it. However, this work is not as effective as it could be. Assessment across the foundation curriculum is not always used well to identify gaps in pupils’ prior knowledge. As a result, teachers do not always provide enough opportunities to recall all prior learning, leading to some gaps in pupils’ prior understanding not being identified and addressed.

p.3

3

Pupils’ behaviour is good. Routines and expectations are established quickly in the early years, providing a secure foundation for the school’s expectations. Pupils talk proudly about their work. Classrooms are productive places, and pupils work hard. Recent work to address historical high levels of absence has been effective, and attendance has significantly improved. Across the school, learning environments are calm and purposeful. In most classes, there is a consistent approach to support positive behaviour. However, leaders rightly acknowledge there are still some small inconsistencies with how the behaviour policy is applied. This can cause isolated incidents of distraction during learning, and the school is working to address this.

p.3

3

Leaders have prioritised pupils’ personal development. The school’s values of ‘Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, Positivity, Empathy and Aspiration’ reinforce character development both in the curriculum and in the linked assemblies. As a result, pupils are confident to take risks in their learning. They benefit from learning about others’ views and beliefs. They enjoy visiting a range of religious buildings and are intrigued by the similarities and differences with their own faiths. For example, in a recent visit to a Hindu temple, Year 4 pupils were fascinated to learn how sacred texts were stored. Pupils are open in their outlook, and the school is wholly inclusive and welcoming to all.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment expectations across the foundation subjects are not yet fully established. As a result, teachers are not routinely checking to ensure pupils can recall all knowledge over the long term. The school needs to ensure assessment is used well to identify gaps so they can be addressed quickly and effectively.  The school’s high expectations for pupils’ behaviour are not applied consistently throughout. As a result, pupils can become distracted and not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure its high expectations are consistently applied by all so that no learning time is lost. 7 and 8 November 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). 7 and 8 November 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The principal was appointed in September 2022.  Holne Chase Primary School converted to become an academy school in November 2020 as part of Preston Hedges Trust. When its predecessor school, Holne Chase Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  The school manages its own before- and after-school childcare provision.  The school currently used one unregistered alternative provider.

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 judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.5

6

 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also met with representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  During the inspection, inspectors met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to them informally during social times.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors spoke to the safeguarding leader and scrutinised a wide range of information, including a selection of the school’s

p.6

6

records. They also spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn to keep safe.  Inspectors met some parents to gain their views of the school. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took account of staff responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Laura James, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Baljit Bhabra His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 November 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