Hollingwood Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Hollingwood Primary School Lilac Street, Hollingwood, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 2JG

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school’s work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of this school is Chris Stewart. This school is part of Flying High Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Chris Wheatley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Robinson. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be members of this caring and supportive community. The ‘Hollingwood Way’ is lived out with ‘clarity, consistency and kindness’. These values ensure that everyone is crystal clear about their roles and responsibilities. Pupils achieve very well from their starting points because the curriculum is well suited to their needs.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make positive behaviour choices. They demonstrate maturity and show a deep respect for other people. Pupils learn to consider the impact of their actions. They recognise how they can manage and regulate their own conduct. Pupils understand the school’s systems and routines. This has helped pupils, including those with social, emotional and mental health needs, to feel safe and secure. As a result, the behaviour and conduct of all pupils is exemplary.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school strives to ensure its relationships with parents and carers are supportive and positive. They can participate in school events alongside their children. For example, ‘Friday family fun’ promotes physical health, and the school hosts an annual remembrance service to honour parents who are in the armed forces. As one parent typically commented: ‘This school is a blessing. The children thrive every day.’ 22 and 23 October 2024

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school carefully and systematically considers the needs of the pupils and the community from which they come from. These needs form the school’s ‘LEGACY’ values that underpin the curriculum. Its ambition is to ensure that each pupil receives a high- quality education centred around their individual needs. The curriculum is broad, aspirational and ambitious and links to pupils’ next stages in education. As a result, from their starting points, all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve very well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Learning to read is given the utmost priority. Adults provide skilful support so that the youngest children develop their early language through songs, rhymes and focused communication activities. Older pupils who are still in the early stages of learning to read have age-appropriate books and resources. Those who need further help with reading receive specific targeted support that links closely to the gaps in their knowledge. As a result, most pupils master the knowledge they need to read with confidence and fluency. The books pupils read together in class link closely to the curriculum they learn. The school environment provides pupils with a wide and diverse range of novels, non-fiction texts and poetry books. These ignite the imagination of pupils and provide them with opportunities to understand different cultures and periods in history. Every day, the pupil librarians take pleasure in reading these books to their younger peers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has ensured that staff are provided with high-quality and ongoing training to deliver the school’s curriculum. As a result, teachers’ subject knowledge is very well developed. Lessons help pupils, including those with SEND, to recap, rehearse and apply what they have learned. Teachers ensure that they make accurate checks to identify any gaps that pupils may have in their knowledge. Pupils with an education, health and care plan (EHC plan) receive a carefully constructed curriculum that helps them to build on their prior knowledge.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In lessons, pupils are attentive, and they work with diligence. Pupils make expert use of self-help strategies to manage their feelings and emotions. Thus, learning time is always productive and rarely interrupted.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In the early years, staff use pictures and symbols with expertise to support children who are at the very early stages of communication. Clear routines and high expectations mean that children play and learn in a calm and positive environment.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school works closely with families to reduce any barriers that may impact pupils’ attendance and punctuality. Direct, swift actions have had a positive and sustained impact on persistent absenteeism, particularly for the most disadvantaged pupils in school.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils access a broad and carefully crafted enrichment and personal development programme. They learn to value themselves, each other, their school and their community. As one pupil commented: ‘It does not matter how anyone looks, we treat everyone equally.’ Pupils uphold their leadership roles with responsibility and pride. School councillors are keen to represent their peers’ views. Their suggestions lead to positive changes in school. Educational visits provide pupils with opportunities to understand communities that are different to their own. 22 and 23 October 2024

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The trust and local governing body know the school extremely well. They have a sharp and thorough oversight of the impact of the school’s actions. The challenge and support they provide ensure that the school’s development in all areas of its work is focused on providing the very best for every pupil.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Hollingwood Primary School, to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2014.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 22 and 23 October 2024

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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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Website www.hollingwood.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Hollingwood Primary School converted to become an academy school in July 2021. When its predecessor school, Hollingwood Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness  The school is part of the Flying High Trust.  The executive headteacher took up the post in September 2023.  The school operates an internal SEND provision. Some of the pupils that attend this provision have an EHC plan. When pupils attend, they receive a bespoke curriculum linked to their SEND needs.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic 22 and 23 October 2024

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began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with various leaders who have oversight of the school’s curriculum, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  Discussions were held to consider the school’s curriculum for reading, mathematics, history, physical education and science. A sample of lessons was visited. The inspector spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector held a meeting with representatives of the trust, including the CEO.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour during the school day.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record; 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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector reviewed a range of documents, including plans that set out the school’s long-term vision and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff. She also spoke with parents on site and considered the views expressed through the Ofsted Parent View survey.

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Inspection team

Shaheen Hussain, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 22 and 23 October 2024

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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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