Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School

Holtsmere End Infant and Nursery School

Address: Shenley Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7JZ Unique reference number (URN): 117377

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils develop secure early reading skills and can decode words accurately. As a result, pupils become confident and fluent readers over time. Additionally, pupils secure the basics of writing, spelling and mathematics. They apply these skills in their work. Generally, they can write clearly, spell accurately and use number knowledge with confidence. Over time, most pupils use these skills across different subjects with growing confidence.

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Achievement Expected standard

As pupils get older, they show increasing independence when completing tasks. This includes pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who may be vulnerable. As a result, pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across wider subjects, such as history, pupils remember key knowledge and use subject- specific vocabulary. Pupils recall previous learning and use it when discussing new topics. Pupils also make links between subjects, using knowledge from one area to support their understanding in others.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the effectiveness of the curriculum and teaching. They identify where improvement is needed and take appropriate action. Leaders have mapped the curriculum carefully. They ensure that each subject builds on prior learning. Staff have the subject knowledge they need to teach most subjects well. Leaders are still developing this in a small number of areas.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, staff use effective teaching approaches to help pupils understand new ideas. For example, they use apparatus in mathematics so that pupils can understand clearly before completing written tasks. In writing, staff explain tasks clearly. This means pupils understand what they need to do and complete their work accurately.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school teaches phonics and reading especially well. Staff follow a structured approach with consistency and enthusiasm. Pupils learn to read with confidence and fluency. Pupils learn to read with fluency. They enjoy reading a great deal.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff teach key vocabulary and return to it often. This means pupils develop a wide vocabulary. In lessons, staff check pupils’ understanding and address errors quickly. Additionally, they adapt tasks so pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access the same or similar learning tasks as others.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teaching generally helps pupils develop a secure understanding. In writing and mathematics, teaching is not yet as consistent as it is in other subjects. Leaders have identified what needs to change.

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Early years Expected standard

Leaders give high priority to the early years. They understand the quality of education and care and take action to improve it. Leaders design a curriculum that builds learning over time. In Nursery, staff develop early language, communication and basic skills through play and guided activities. In Reception, staff build on this and teach early reading, writing and number skills. Over time, children use this knowledge with growing confidence.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff teach the curriculum in ways that suit children’s age and stage. They consider what children already know and use this to guide their teaching. Staff identify gaps and address them through planned activities. Leaders ensure that Reception staff share information with Year 1 teachers to support a smooth move to the next stage.

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Early years Expected standard

Across the early years, staff focus on language and communication. They introduce new words and use them often. As a result, children begin to use these words in their talk and play. In Reception, staff teach phonics each day. Children use this knowledge to read with increasing accuracy and fluency.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff create a safe and welcoming environment. Children follow routines and work well with others. They show confidence and take part in activities with interest. Staff adapt activities and use resources to meet children’s needs. This means that children, including those who face additional challenges, learn successfully. Many children develop the knowledge and skills expected by the end of Reception and are ready for learning in Year 1

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils’ needs are picked up early. Staff use a consistent set of methods in lessons, such as visual prompts and clear explanations, so that pupils who need extra help can fully participate and understand what they are learning. Leaders provide training so staff understand how to use these methods well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders provide a range of ways to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who need additional help. Staff plan this carefully with clear steps and review it often. Leaders use individual plans and clear records to check how well this support is working. Staff work with external professionals, such as speech and language teams, to get more specialist advice. They use this advice to adapt their practice so it matches pupils’ needs more closely. Leaders use funding, including pupil premium funding, to support pupils who need it.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders address the needs of pupils who face challenges, including emotional needs. Staff provide access to pastoral services, such as specialist support programmes and mentoring.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Where pupils attend alternative provision, leaders match each placement carefully to the pupil’s needs and check regularly with the provider. As a result, pupils continue to receive a suitable education and the care they need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders set a clear direction for the school. They involve staff and governors in shaping this direction. Staff and governors share views and contribute to decisions. This helps leaders make informed choices that benefit pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders use a range of information to understand the school’s strengths and areas to improve. They typically identify key priorities and take action to address them. They check the impact of this work over time and adjust plans when needed. This work supports steady improvement across the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors support and challenge leaders. They receive regular updates about the school’s work. They ask questions to test leaders’ thinking. Additionally, governors carry out their duties and check that leaders meet important statutory requirements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders promote professional learning. They provide a planned programme that reflects school priorities and staff needs. They use research to improve teaching approaches. Over time, this develops more effective teaching across the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders support staff wellbeing and workload. They try to reduce unnecessary tasks. As a result, staff feel valued and well supported. Leaders communicate effectively, with parents and the community. They share information about the school and respond to feedback. This communication helps build positive relationships and trust. Parents are positive about the care and education their children receive.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have increased their focus on improving attendance and reducing the number of pupils who are persistently absent. They have taken action to improve it. This work has started, and leaders continue to monitor its impact.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have developed a well-planned approach to supporting pupils' personal development and wellbeing. They set clear aims and review it often. They adjust content when pupils’ needs change. They ensure that the programme runs through lessons, assemblies and wider experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff teach pupils about relationships, health and wellbeing across the curriculum. They present this content in age-appropriate ways. For example, teachers use characters in stories to help pupils understand how to get along with others. This builds pupils’ understanding of positive relationships.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Staff provide pastoral support that meets pupils’ needs. They build positive relationships with pupils and respond quickly when concerns arise. Pupils feel safe and trust adults to support them. They ask for help when needed. This helps pupils manage their feelings over time. Additionally, parents value this support.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils develop knowledge about staying safe online and offline. They begin to understand how to respond to risks. They use this knowledge to make safe choices.

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Needs attention

Pupils learn about different beliefs and cultures. For example, pupils visit different places of worship and learn about various religions. Pupils discuss fairness, respect and democracy. They recognise these ideas in school life. This means they learn to show respect for others.

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Needs attention

Pupils take part enthusiastically in clubs and trips, including a recent beach visit, which broaden their interests. Staff adapt activities and provide targeted support to ensure disadvantaged pupils and others facing barriers can access the full programme. Leaders track participation in these activities. They identify any gaps to ensure that pupils do not miss out on these.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve attendance. Some measures are more recent and have not yet had enough time to improve attendance fully for all pupils. Pupils' attendance is currently below average when compared to their peers nationally. The number of pupils who are persistently absent is higher than in most schools. When a pupil's attendance declines, leaders support families in improving it. Additionally, incentives such as ‘Hero Bear’ reinforce the importance of being in school every day. These actions are starting to make a difference. The number of pupils who are persistently absent is falling, and overall attendance is improving.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils behave well. Leaders and staff have high expectations. Staff teach the school rules in a straightforward way, so pupils find them easy to follow. This means that they are easy to follow. If some pupils find it harder to manage and understand their feelings, staff support these pupils with care. They also help pupils understand their emotions and respond appropriately. Staff know pupils well, which positively impacts pupils’ behaviour over time. The school promotes fairness and staff teach pupils to show compassion to others. Bullying is rare. Serious incidents of poor behaviour happen very infrequently and incidents of discrimination, harassment, abuse or violence are not tolerated. Pupils show kindness and respect towards each other.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy coming to school. Friendly morning greetings and caring staff help them feel a sense of belonging. Staff build positive relationships with pupils. These positive relationships help pupils feel safe and know who to go to if they need help. Additionally, pupils explain that ‘everyone is welcome at this school.’

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils behave well. In lessons, they focus and make good use of learning time. At playtime, they play happily together. Additionally, children learn school routines securely in the early years. They understand them and follow them well. Across the school, pupils treat each other with kindness and respect. Bullying is rare. When it happens, staff deal with it quickly. Pupils enjoy talking to visitors because they feel proud of their school. They embrace the school mantra, ‘I am kind, I am brave, I believe in myself.’ They also know the school rules well. Pupils can explain how they have shown bravery and why the rules are important.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy learning. They also work hard. Pupils show pride in their work. They speak with confidence about what they have learned. Generally, pupils achieve well, show self- confidence and behave well. This means they are ready for each stage of school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy the wider opportunities available to them that develop their interests and talents. These include activities such as learning about opera or attending clubs, such as the science club. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about these experiences.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school helps pupils learn well because it removes difficulties that affect their learning. For example, staff make sure pupils learn to read fluently and with confidence. This helps pupils learn well in other subjects.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Many pupils attend school regularly. Some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or face other challenges, do not attend as often as they should. Attendance for these pupils is improving.

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Next steps

Leaders should embed their attendance strategy so that recent gains are sustained and attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND rises to align with national figures over time. Leaders should continue to refine their work to secure greater consistency in the delivery of mathematics and writing. They should build on the current provision to ensure that all pupils experience the same quality of teaching across these subjects.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Jane Bisseker.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior staff, teachers, support staff, pupils and some parents and carers during the inspection. They also spoke to representatives from the governing body and local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school: The school makes use of one alternative provision, which is unregistered.

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Team inspectors:

Emma Breckenridge, Ofsted Inspector Ania Vaughan, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

National average: 300 Headteacher: Nicola O'Connell

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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