Holystone Primary School

Inspection of Holystone Primary School Whitley Road, Holystone, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE27 0DA

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Inspection dates: 16 and 17 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 13 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time. From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between graded inspections under section 5 of the Act. 16 and 17 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school embody the ‘Holystone ethos’. Leaders have ensured that the school’s values, which include respect, independence and resilience, are at the centre of all that the school does. The school’s curriculum further embeds these values. Pupils are encouraged to become caring, compassionate and resilient citizens. One pupil summed up the views of many by saying, ‘Everyone is friendly here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and what they can achieve. Pupils rise up to these expectations. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils. Leaders at the school are proactive in putting effective support in place for these pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school. Leaders ensure that staff and governors are well trained and understand their safeguarding responsibilities. Bullying at the school is rare. Behaviour in lessons is very positive. Occasionally, this is not the case at breaktimes or lunchtimes. However, if issues arise, pupils are confident that trusted adults will resolve the issues quickly. Parents are very supportive of the school. Many parents and carers stated that the school goes ‘above and beyond’ for parents and pupils.

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better?

Children in the early years enjoy an exceptional start to their education. Leaders across Nursery and Reception embody an exceptional clarity of vision. Talented and well-trained staff leave nothing to chance. They plan and deliver a methodical, well- considered curriculum. This delivery allows for highly focused and engaging provision. Activities promote the school’s core values. Leaders plan rich opportunities to develop children’s speech, language and communication. These ensure that children develop effective speaking and listening skills. Adults ensure children access a number-rich environment. Children are ready for the next stage of their education when they transfer to key stage 1.

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better?

Through highly effective, purposeful phonics teaching, pupils develop confidence and fluency in reading. Staff teach the phonics programme with consistency. Additional support provided by adults helps pupils who are falling behind to keep up or catch up. Where necessary, bespoke sessions help to support pupils who may not be able to access an age-appropriate curriculum.

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better?

Most subjects in the curriculum are carefully planned and sequenced. In these subjects, the school has clearly chosen the key knowledge that pupils should develop. Teachers use assessment well to identify, and address, gaps in pupils’ learning. This means that pupils develop knowledge in a logical sequence across most curriculum subjects. In a small number of foundation subjects, assessment within the curriculum is not being used precisely enough to check on pupils’ learning. 16 and 17 November 2023

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The careful way in which the school supports pupils with SEND across the curriculum is noteworthy. Staff working with the most vulnerable pupils are highly trained and understand their roles well. The majority of SEND pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. Where this is not the case, highly bespoke and effective provision is put in place.

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Leaders promote pupils’ high attendance. Persistent absence figures are below national figures. The school engages well with parents so that they understand the importance of pupils attending school regularly.

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Personal development at Holystone is exceptional. Pupils of all ages understand the school’s core values. They respond well to the visual representations of these values around school through different insect characters. The school has developed a varied and rich set of experiences for pupils. These experiences and challenges include a range of activities that focus on promoting positive community engagement, physical activity and mental well-being. For example, pupils in Year 5 visit a care home to socialise in the community. These experiences are planned purposefully across the curriculum. Other activities encouraged in and out of school include watching the sunrise and crossing a river using stepping stones.

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The work that the school does to promote spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is effective. Pupils learn about different world faiths. For example, pupils recalled facts that they learned about Judaism. They knew specific customs and practices associated with the religion. The school promotes equality and respect for everyone, through the curriculum and the school values.

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Governors have a clear understanding of the school. They are well informed and use this information to hold leaders to account. Staff believe that leaders consider their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment in some foundation subjects does not allow for sufficiently precise checks on pupils’ acquisition of knowledge and skills. This means that gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified quickly. The school should ensure that assessment in these subjects is used to precisely track pupils’ learning and to ensure that pupils are acquiring knowledge and skills in line with the school’s intentions. 16 and 17 November 2023

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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’ 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). 16 and 17 November 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.holystoneprimaryschool.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2010

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Information about this school

 A private wraparound care provider operates on the school site.  The school uses 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, other school staff, representatives of the governing body, a representative from the local authority and some parents.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors held 16 and 17 November 2023

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discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupil’s work.  An inspector listened to some pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 reading to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum and looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, met with those responsible for safeguarding, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff and pupil online surveys and Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hannah Millett His Majesty’s Inspector 16 and 17 November 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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