Holland Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Holland Junior School Holland Road, Hurst Green, Oxted, Surrey RH8 9BQ

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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Outcome

Holland Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Deniece Graham. This school is part of The Pioneer Academy, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lee Mason-Ellis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Joanne Bouwens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and feel they belong. They benefit immensely from this inclusive and nurturing school, which provides safe and happy learning for all. Most pupils attend school regularly. However, the attendance of some pupils is still too low. As a result, these pupils do not consistently benefit from the education the school offers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive about school. They behave well and follow the school rules. When they find it difficult to manage their feelings and emotions, staff use several strategies to help them settle and return to learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ achievement, which pupils successfully realise. Pupils enjoy lessons and enthusiastically take part by asking and answering questions. They are curious to learn and soak up new knowledge and skills. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of the different subjects they study.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are invested in the school. Older pupils like to help younger pupils. Many hold leadership roles, such as school councillor, digital leader or sports captain. The school ensures that all pupils take part in a range of rich experiences, as set out in ‘The Pioneer Passport’. The school goes above and beyond to ensure that all pupils feel included. 25 and 26 February 2025

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

Since joining The Pioneer Academy, much has improved at Holland Junior School. The school has thoughtfully developed an ambitious and exciting curriculum. Although published outcomes in 2024 were lower than the national average, they are not reflective of how well pupils achieve at the school currently.

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

Well designed and logically sequenced, the curriculum sparks pupils’ interest in a broad range of topics across several subjects. Pupils enjoy learning new things. For example, in physical education, pupils learn about and practise different fundamental movement skills, such as jumping.

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

Teachers have secure subject knowledge across the curriculum. They explain new concepts clearly and carefully check pupils’ understanding. Teachers provide helpful tasks that support pupils’ learning. However, the tasks that teachers provide are not adapted consistently well enough to enable all pupils to learn the curriculum fluently. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their learning.

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

The school carefully checks what pupils know and can do when they join the school at the start of Year 3. Swift identification of pupils’ needs means that the school knows pupils well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are prioritised. These pupils receive effective support, including in the school’s specially resourced provision.

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

The school helps pupils develop early reading and mathematics knowledge. Reading is a priority. Weaker readers receive effective support that helps them read fluently and confidently. Pupils enjoy visiting the library to read high-quality texts. They are supported to successfully develop subject-specific vocabulary across the curriculum.

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

Pupils are keen and motivated to learn. The rewards system encourages pupils to make positive choices. Adults manage behaviour effectively. Break and lunchtimes are well organised, and pupils enjoy playing together. While attendance is below the national average, the school works closely with parents and carers to improve attendance.

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

The school’s personal development offer prepares pupils well for the future. Pupils are taught about different religions and learn about fundamental British values. They can eloquently discuss the rule of law and individual liberty. Pupils enjoy school life, including outdoor learning. They love the ‘corridor of curiosity’, a corridor full of historical items and facts that spark interest.

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

Staff feel supported by the school and The Pioneer Academy. The school carefully considers staff workload and well-being. Staff appreciate that the new way of providing pupils with feedback in lessons helps to reduce workload.

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

Leaders, including trustees and local governors, have had a steadfast focus on improving the school’s areas for development since the last inspection. With an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the school, those responsible for governance challenge and support the school with great rigour and effectiveness. 25 and 26 February 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

n Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. As a result, these pupils do not consistently benefit from the education the school offers. Leaders should further identify the key barriers to pupils attending school and support and challenge parents to increase pupils’ attendance. n The tasks that teachers provide are not adapted consistently well enough to enable pupils to learn the curriculum fluently. This means that some pupils develop gaps in learning. The school should ensure that staff have the skills to adapt tasks more consistently so that pupils can learn the curriculum with greater success.

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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, Holland Junior School, to be good for overall effectiveness in November 2014. 25 and 26 February 2025

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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.

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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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined The Pioneer Academy, a multi-academy trust, in April 2022.  The school has a specially resourced provision for 12 pupils with autism spectrum disorder.  The school does not currently 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 began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in his evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders and staff. He also met with the CEO and the regional director who oversees the school. The inspector spoke to trustees 25 and 26 February 2025

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and members of the local governing body, including the chair of trustees and the chair of the local governing body.  The inspector carried out activities including discussions with leaders and teachers about the curriculum, visiting a sample of lessons, speaking with pupils about their learning and considering pupils’ work. The inspector also listened to pupils read.  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 views of staff and parents were gathered through discussions and responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Shaun Jarvis, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 2025

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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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