Holland House Infant School and Nursery

Inspection of Holland House Infant School and Nursery Holland Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B72 1RE

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

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The headteacher of this school is Adrienne Smith. This school is part of the Broadleaf Partnership 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), Claire Pritchard, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neil Turner.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Holland House Infant School and Nursery under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Holland House Infant School and Nursery to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly and welcoming school. Staff are kind and nurturing towards pupils. Strong relationships between pupils, families and the school have led to a respectful and caring community where everyone is valued. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work hard to meet these aspirations. Pupils gain a solid foundation of knowledge, ready for their next stage of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make positive choices and behave well both in lessons and when moving around the school. Pupils of all ages are curious and enthusiastic. They try hard in lessons. Pupils demonstrate inclusive values founded on respect for others. Some take on additional responsibility in the school. Roles such as the ‘sports crew’ and well-being ambassadors help pupils develop their leadership skills and model the school’s values of kindness and respect.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers value the work of the school and the difference it makes to their child’s education. One parent represented the view of many by saying, ‘The warmth, friendliness and dedication of the entire team is always evident.’

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

This is a forward-thinking school that continues to refine and develop its curriculum through research projects and ongoing staff development. This builds staff’s expertise in the areas they teach. The curriculum is ambitious and organised logically to help pupils make connections in their learning. Staff introduce new learning clearly and help pupils to build their knowledge and skills over time. However, at times, the checks teachers make on how well pupils are learning are not effective. Staff sometimes do not know if pupils have fully grasped a concept or whether they are ready to move on.

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

Children in the early years build strong bonds with staff. Adults engage children in positive and constructive conversations. Carefully chosen activities develop children’s knowledge and skills across all areas of learning. There is a strong focus on early language development with carefully selected stories, rhymes and songs. Children benefit from a stimulating environment, both indoors and outdoors, which encourages them to be curious and independent. This helps to prepare them well for key stage 1.

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

The school prioritises reading. Pupils practise reading often, using books matching the sounds they are learning. Staff deliver the phonics programme consistently well. Staff identify pupils that need extra support and put this swiftly into place. This helps pupils to learn to read well.

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

The school provides very effective support for pupils with SEND. Pupils’ needs are identified swiftly and accurately. Staff know the pupils well. They know how best to 18 and 19 March 2025

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provide effective support to meet each pupil’s needs. Pupils access learning alongside their peers and play a full part in the life of the school.

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The school has a strong culture of kindness and respect. Staff implement the behaviour policy consistently. This helps to maintain a calm and positive environment. Most pupils attend school frequently. Where this is not the case, the school takes swift and effective action, working alongside parents to remove any barriers to attendance that they may have.

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Pupils experience a broad offer to support their personal development. This includes educational visits to enhance their learning and outdoor opportunities to develop their physical and problem-solving skills. Pupils also have access to extra-curricular clubs such as art and a variety of sports clubs and competitions. Members of the school’s choir enjoy singing in the local community. Pupils learn how to be a good friend and understand that everyone should be treated equally. The school places a high priority on pupils’ mental health. From the Nursery Year onwards, pupils learn the language and skills to manage their feelings and emotions, and they seek support when they need it.

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Trustees and the local academy committee have an accurate view of the quality of the education the school provides. They check the school is focused on the right things to bring about further improvements. Since joining the trust, there have been many changes to drive improvements. This has less favourably impacted the workload and well-being of some staff. Nonetheless, staff feel well supported in school. They are committed and proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, staff do not identify pupils’ misconceptions well enough or recognise when pupils are ready to move on with their learning. As a result, some pupils do not build knowledge as securely as they could. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils’ understanding systematically and help pupils to build on prior learning more successfully.  There have been many changes driving improvements since joining the trust. However, the trust has not taken the impact of these changes on the workload and well-being of some staff into account sufficiently. The trust should strengthen its support for the school to ensure that the workload and well-being of all staff are considered carefully. 18 and 19 March 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 June 2010, under section of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Broadleaf Partnership Trust in February 2023.  The headteacher joined the school in June 2024. The headteacher also has responsibility for another school in the trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.  The school runs a breakfast and after-school club.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. The lead inspector met with the CEO of the trust, some trustees and representatives of the local academy committee.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, geography and physical 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 a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at a sample of pupils’ work in some other subjects.

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 The lead inspector listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspectors looked at records of pupils’ attendance and behaviour. They observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around school and talked to them about behaviour, bullying and welfare.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors 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 inspectors spoke with several groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspectors met with groups of staff and pupils and also considered the opinions expressed through Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspectors met with some parents at the start of the day. Inspectors also considered the views expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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Inspection team

Cathy Young, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Pete Hines OBE Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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