Holton Le Clay Infant School

Inspection of Holton Le Clay Infant School Church Lane, Holton-le-Clay, Nr Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN36 5AQ

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Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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 Good 30 April and 1 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Holton Le Clay Infant School enjoy coming to school. They follow the school’s motto, ‘To be the best we can be’. The school values are at the heart of the school’s work. Pupils are taught to be curious, be respectful, be understanding and be hardworking.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils get on well. They understand the importance of treating everyone equally and with respect. At social times, they like chatting and playing together. They share and take turns on the play equipment. They help each other to set up the chess set and read quietly together in the reading shed. In lessons, pupils work hard and listen carefully. Pupils who find it more challenging to manage their behaviour and emotions are supported well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have positive relationships with pupils. Every member of staff is warm and welcoming. They care for the pupils. One member of staff said: ‘It’s who we are and what we do.’ They join in and make learning fun. Staff in the early years dance along with the children as they sing the alphabet song. Pupils trust the adults in school to keep them safe and help them if they have a problem. They say their teachers are ‘amazing’.

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better?

The school is determined that all pupils will do as well as they can. Significant work has been done to improve the English and mathematics curriculums. Reading is prioritised. The school wants every pupil to leave in Year 2 as a fluent reader. Children learn to recognise sounds in words right from the start of school. They read books that match the sounds they know. Pupils who need extra help to read receive timely support. Pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They enjoy story time. In the Reception Year they join in with the phrases they know as their teacher reads ‘Room on the Broom’. In Year 2, they listen to more demanding chapter books.

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better?

The curriculum for mathematics sets out what pupils need to learn, and when. It is carefully sequenced so that new learning builds on what pupils have previously been taught. In the Reception Year, children develop an understanding of number using clapping games and practical activities. This secure knowledge means that pupils in Year 2 are well placed to face more challenging concepts such as fractions. In Year 1 and Year 2, lessons begin with a ‘flashback four’ so that pupils can recall and practise prior knowledge. Pupils understand why this is important. One pupil said: ‘We practise it until we’ve got it into our brains’. On some occasions, the curriculum is not successfully adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. When this happens, pupils struggle to engage with the learning or it does not help them to do as well as they could.

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better?

Across the wider curriculum the school has identified the key knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. The early years curriculum provides a solid foundation for later learning. However, in key stage 1 there is some variability in the degree to 30 April and 1 May 2024

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which the school has identified how well pupils know and remember the intended learning in the foundation subjects. They do not yet have a precise picture of what is working well, or where further changes may be needed.

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The school is aspirational for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND are identified without delay. Some pupils have complex needs. Wherever possible, they learn the same curriculum as their classmates. The school seeks the advice of a wide range of external and specialist agencies to ensure that pupils with SEND get the right support.

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The school’s personal, social and health education curriculum is well designed. It comprehensively covers a wide range of topics in an age-appropriate way. Pupils learn about positive relationships, personal safety and respect for difference. Pupils know to ‘stop, close and tell a trusted adult’ if they encounter something that worries them online. Healthy bodies and minds are promoted through ‘Wellness Wednesday’, when pupils can go on a ‘wellness walk’, practise mindfulness and enjoy playing active games together.

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Governors share the vision for continued school improvement. They hold leaders to account for the decisions they make and carry out their own activities to check the information they receive. They fulfil their statutory duties well.

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Staff say that their workload and well-being are considered. For example, some subject leaders work across the federation, which means they have fewer ‘hats to wear’. All agree that they enjoy working at the school and are proud to be a member of staff at Holton Le Clay Infant School.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is prioritised. Leaders take the right action at the right time to keep pupils safe. However, some records are not precise enough. They do not consistently explain the train of events that have led to the action that has been taken.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On some occasions, the curriculum is not successfully adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. This can make it difficult for pupils to acquire the intended learning and they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that all staff have the skills they need to confidently adapt the curriculum so that pupils’ learning is maximised.  The impact of the curriculum is not sufficiently evaluated in a number of foundation subjects. In these subjects, the school does not have a complete overview of how well pupils know and remember the intended curriculum. The 30 April and 1 May 2024

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school should continue to monitor and gather evidence so that they can assure themselves that the design of these curriculums is supporting pupils effectively to make progress.  Some safeguarding records lack detail. While the decisions leaders take are appropriate, there are examples where it is difficult to understand the full detail of the events that have led up to the action that has been taken. The school should ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance on the precision with which events should be recorded and check that records meet the agreed thresholds

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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). 30 April and 1 May 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 February 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Holton Le Clay Schools Federation. The executive headteacher leads both schools.  Pupils can access a breakfast and after-school club that operates at Holton Le Clay Junior School. This provision is managed by the school.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher and subject leaders. The lead inspector met with five members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also held a telephone call with a representative from Lincolnshire local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and religious education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, 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 reading to a member of staff.  The lead inspector held further discussions about the curriculum for geography, science, and art and design and reviewed pupils’ work in these subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at social times, in an assembly and around the school. The lead inspector met with school leaders to discuss how they respond to behaviour incidents and the action they take to ensure that all pupils attend well.  Inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments, and responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Caroline Poole, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Heather Hawkes Ofsted Inspector 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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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