Holway Park Community Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Holway Park Community Primary School Shakespeare Avenue, Taunton, Somerset TA1 2JA

p.1

Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

p.1

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school’s work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this highly inclusive school. They describe it as a place that welcomes pupils from different backgrounds, including those who speak English as an additional language, and helps them to make friends. The school has high expectations for pupils. However, the quality of education pupils receive is variable across different subjects. Some pupils do not remember the most important knowledge and cannot make connections in their learning. This means they do not learn as well as they should.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Despite these shortcomings, pupils are eager to learn. They are polite and courteous. Pupils understand the expectations for behaviour and follow them in lessons. This starts in the early years where children respond to the routines that are in place and play well together.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff take time to build positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils feel safe and cared for. Pupils know they can speak to trusted adults or use their ‘worry boxes’ to share any concerns.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of clubs such as football, musical theatre and Spanish. They are proud to become school and eco-councillors, reading ambassadors and lunchtime monitors. They say these roles boost their confidence and make them feel responsible. 25 and 26 February 2025

p.1

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

The school has a clear vision for what pupils can achieve. However, this vision is not yet fully realised. An ambitious curriculum is in place. It makes clear the knowledge and skills pupils need to know and remember. However, implementation of the curriculum does not support pupils to know more and remember more as they move through the school.

p.2

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

Leaders accurately understand the areas needing development, particularly improving pupil outcomes, which were significantly below national averages in 2024. They have improved the curriculum on offer to pupils. However, it is too early to see the full impact of this work.

p.2

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

In some subjects, there is variability in teaching. Where teaching is effective, staff use their subject knowledge to design activities that enable pupils to build their knowledge over time. In mathematics, for example, pupils confidently use their prior knowledge of number when solving multiplication problems. However, where this is not the case, teachers present too much information at once or do not design learning activities that help pupils learn the intended curriculum. In addition, some teachers do not check well enough what pupils know before moving on to new content. This means some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should.

p.2

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

The school prioritises the teaching of early reading. Staff use their training to deliver the phonics programme effectively. In the early years, staff model new sounds clearly. Most children learn and remember sounds well because of this. Pupils who find reading more challenging receive the right support, which helps them to catch up quickly. Pupils enjoy reading. They say that it ‘grows their imagination’. As they move through the school, pupils read with increasing fluency and accuracy.

p.2

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

The school has robust systems in place to swiftly identify the needs of an increasing number of pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It works with a wide range of professionals to ensure that these pupils get the help they need. Staff in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision) use their skills to tailor the curriculum precisely around pupils’ complex needs. Most pupils learn and achieve well because of this.

p.2

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

Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning. Children in Reception share their learning eagerly with visitors. Pupils behave well during social times and enjoy the activities on offer to them.

p.2

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

The school monitors pupil attendance with rigor. It works closely with parents and carers and pupils where attendance is a concern. The attendance for some of the most vulnerable pupils and their families is improving because of this. Despite this, persistent absence remains high. The school needs to continue its work to ensure that these pupils attend school more regularly. 25 and 26 February 2025

p.2

3

The school’s personal development offer is an integral part of its work. Pupils meet the police, which helps them to learn about people who help them. They understand why fundamental British values, such as tolerance and democracy, are important. Pupils talk with maturity about issues such as discrimination and equality. They develop their character by singing at a local care home.

p.3

3

Governors share the school’s vision. They provide appropriate challenge and support to the school. Staff appreciate the way in which everyone works closely together. They know that the school understands the pressures they face, and they value the training they receive, which develops their expertise.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is some variability in how effectively the curriculum is delivered. At times, teachers present pupils with too much information or select learning activities that do not help pupils learn the intended knowledge. This prevents pupils from building the depth of knowledge they are capable of over time. The school should ensure staff are supported in developing subject-specific expertise to enable them to implement the curriculum effectively.  In some subjects, teachers’ checking of what pupils have learned is not as effective as it could be. Consequently, some pupils struggle to remember key knowledge and skills they have learned. The school should ensure that all staff check pupils’ understanding and retention of key knowledge and language so pupils can apply it to future learning.  The attendance of some pupils is still too low. These pupils do not learn the curriculum well. The school needs to continue the work it is doing to improve the attendance of

p.3

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.

p.3

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 25 and 26 February 2025

p.3

4

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.

p.4

4

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in September 2019.

p.4

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.

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). 25 and 26 February 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 17 and 18 September 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 There have been changes to staffing and the governing body since the last inspection. The headteacher took up their post in September 2010.  The school has specially resourced provision for up to 28 pupils with SEND who are supported for autism. This includes pupils from Reception to Year 6.  There is a before- and an after-school club, which the governing body manages.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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 began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject coordinators and the special educational needs coordinators from the school and the specially 25 and 26 February 2025

p.5

6

resourced provision. They also met with groups of staff and pupils and representatives from the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspector met with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a familiar adult.  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 safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Additionally, the inspector spoke to pupils to discuss their views about the school.  The inspector considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The

p.6

6

inspector also took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Ben Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 February 2025

p.6

7

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