Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Holy Family Catholic Primary School

Address: Netherton Road, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 2SF Unique reference number (URN): 149504

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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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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders use effective systems to manage attendance. They work well with families to support pupils who experience barriers to attending well. Consequently, the attendance of different groups of pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, is improving and is close to national averages. A significant number of pupils move away from the area during the school year. These pupils stay on the school's roll until they join a new school. The proportion of pupils persistently absent from school, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, continues to fall rapidly and is broadly in line with national averages.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Behaviour across the school is positive. Leaders see it as their responsibility to teach pupils to behave well. Pupils learn in a calm, orderly environment that makes it easy for them to concentrate. The school's behaviour policy focuses on restorative practice to teach pupils about the impact of their actions on others. As a result, pupils manage their behaviour and emotions well and learn to make consistently positive choices. Pupils who find it difficult to behave are understood well by staff. These pupils show positive improvement in their behaviour over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is well thought through. Staff typically teach the content effectively and ensure that pupils make positive progress with their learning. Reading, in particular, is well taught. Pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils in Years 5 and 6, are making better progress than previously in writing and mathematics due to effective teaching. However, there are some gaps in their learning in these subjects. High-quality teaching has not had sufficient time to help them catch up fully.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff focus effectively on teaching pupils the most important knowledge and vocabulary in different subjects. Teachers ensure that pupils are given appropriate tools and resources to help them learn effectively. For example, pupils use checklists to make sure that sentences are constructed correctly and benefit from displays showing key information about current learning in different subjects. Pupils use this information frequently to support their learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Although most teaching is effective, some staff move on to the next steps of learning too quickly in lessons. This is frustrating for some pupils, since they do not have time to process the new knowledge and skills being taught to them. Leaders are already taking actions to resolve this.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders recognise the learning barriers that some pupils face and act swiftly to reduce them. They check often that the support that staff provide to pupils is making a positive difference. Staff follow specialist advice and work closely with parents and carers, and with external professionals, so that pupils get the right help. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known, or previously known, to social care are supported to learn the curriculum successfully, alongside their peers. Leaders provide the necessary information and training to help staff adapt the curriculum to suit the needs of all pupils. Staff use sensible strategies to help pupils understand new learning. This helps pupils with SEND and other disadvantaged pupils make steady progress from their starting points across most subjects.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Additional funding helps remove some of the learning barriers that disadvantaged pupils face. However, leaders do not check the impact of their actions consistently. This means that leaders do not always know the best time to take the next steps, or what difference the strategy is making to disadvantaged pupils. More pupils than average join the school at times other than the usual start points. These pupils are supported effectively to settle into school life.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are passionate about preparing pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, to succeed in life. They have worked hard with staff and the trust to develop a curriculum that teaches pupils about their local, and wider, communities, as well as the most important knowledge, skills and values. Leaders are improving the quality of teaching by removing inconsistencies. They ensure that weak practice is addressed and work hard to help staff to improve.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors understand the school's strengths. They also understand which parts of the school need to improve. They have acted decisively to strengthen key aspects of the school's work. Recent developments include success in helping many more pupils learn to read accurately and fluently, a keen focus on oracy and vocabulary, and positive steps in improving pupils' attendance. Leaders ensure that their decisions and changes are made with the pupils' best interests at heart.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance use a range of information to evaluate the school's work, including safeguarding, attendance and pupils' outcomes. Governors and trustees fulfil their statutory responsibilities effectively, have sufficient expertise and prioritise securing the best possible experiences for all pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff value the support and professional learning opportunities they receive. They feel that leaders consider their workload and wellbeing when making decisions and are approachable and open to ideas. Leaders ensure that the school is outward facing and have forged positive and productive relationships with parents and carers and the local community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's personal development programme reflects its ethos, the needs of its context, pupils' lives and the local area. Leaders are committed to helping pupils get the most out of school and preparing them well for the future. Staff support pupils to become resilient and caring individuals, who feel happy and able to thrive.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn about relationships and health in an age-appropriate way. They understand how to identify unsafe situations and how to keep themselves safe, both on and offline. For

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Needs attention

example, they know the dangers of chatting to strangers online and understand the importance of road safety when riding bicycles.

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Needs attention

Leaders provide pupils with a range of opportunities beyond the classroom. These broaden pupils' experiences and interests. For example, after-school clubs like craft club are well attended. Leaders track pupils' engagement to ensure that pupils with barriers to learning and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities take part. Leaders check that all pupils have the opportunity to try new things and develop skills they might not otherwise gain. For example, residential trips build outdoor skills and teach pupils how to manage risks.

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Needs attention

Leaders promote the importance of equal rights and fairness. Pupils learn about British values and know why these are important. Visitors enhance pupils' knowledge of different faiths and cultures and expand their world view.

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Needs attention

The pastoral care that staff provide ensures that pupils can access the support they need. This help is often tailored to meet the needs of individual pupils. Pupils have opportunities to give back to, and learn about, their local community by raising money for charities and collecting food for those in need. For example, the ‘Mini Vinnies’ visit local care homes and serve afternoon tea to residents.

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Achievement Needs attention

Over time, disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have left the school achieving less well in writing and mathematics than they should have done. This is the same for these groups of pupils currently. These pupils make better progress in developing reading skills and in gaining new knowledge in other subjects across the curriculum. However, the gaps in their basic writing and mathematical skills mean that they do not start secondary school at the expected level.

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Achievement Needs attention

Most pupils make progress over time from their starting points because of an improving curriculum and teaching that is more effective than was the case previously. Pupils typically gain sufficient knowledge across the curriculum to prepare them effectively for their next steps.

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Achievement Needs attention

The proportion of pupils meeting the expected standard in phonics in Year 1, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, is improving and is in line with the national average. This prepares pupils well for later learning.

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Early years Needs attention

In the early years, significant staffing turbulence has affected leadership and impacted the quality and consistency of teaching in the provision. Leaders, with support of the trust, recognise the issues and have developed well-reasoned plans to bring about improvements. The plans are well underway but have not impacted strongly enough on the quality of the offer provided to children in the Nursery and Reception classes. As a result, children in the early years miss out on high-quality verbal interactions with staff and do not make as much progress as they could.

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Early years Needs attention

Children are kept safe and feel safe in the early years. Staff ensure that they are well looked after and supervised when working indoors and outside. Well-established routines help to build children's confidence. Staff understand the needs of disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and any barriers that prevent these children from learning. They are usually successful in helping these children to overcome any obstacles.

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Early years Needs attention

Staff engage effectively with relevant external partners and agencies to ensure that children are prepared well when they start attending school. This includes focusing closely on developing children's language and vocabulary and their interest in books.

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

Pupils feel well understood, well cared for and safe at Holy Family Catholic Primary School.

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

Staff treat pupils with respect and kindness in an atmosphere that is calm and settled. Pupils respond by being kind to each other and to staff. They typically work hard in lessons and try their best. They behave well in different parts of the school, enjoy learning and thrive. As a result, many pupils attend school often. Pupils who join the school at times other than the usual start points talk about how grateful they are for the care that staff give them. Many pupils express a sense of belonging at the school. Bullying is rare and pupils say that staff resolve any issues quickly. Pupils respect and show understanding of those who come from backgrounds different to their own.

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

Pupils generally achieve well from their starting points and in line with national expectations. Typically, they are well prepared for secondary school. Barriers to learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and others who are disadvantaged are recognised quickly by staff. Teaching is usually adapted suitably to help these pupils access new learning. They are given the support and/or space that they need to learn effectively. However, some pupils with SEND and some disadvantaged pupils do not reach their full potential in writing and mathematics. Pupils know that staff are working hard to put this right. These pupils are less-well prepared for their next steps.

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

Disadvantaged pupils are included fully in the life of the school, including trips and visits. For example, during the inspection, all children in the early years experienced outdoor canoeing sessions. Pupils enjoy assemblies in particular. They like having the opportunity to come together as a whole school community and engage enthusiastically with the content.

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Next steps

Leaders should raise the attainment of all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, in mathematics and writing.

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Team inspectors:

Stephen Long, Ofsted Inspector Dave Gilkerson, His Majesty's Inspector Leaders should ensure that teachers, including those in the early years, are equipped to accurately identify and address gaps in pupils' learning before introducing new knowledge and skills. Leaders should make sure that the impact of plans to support disadvantaged pupils is evaluated thoroughly in order to inform the school's future plans to help these pupils. Leaders should ensure that the recent changes to improve the early years are embedded so that the curriculum is taught well and that staff engage in high-quality interactions with children.

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About this inspection

This school is part of St Francis Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Siobhan Kent, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin McDonagh.

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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

The inspection took place on 7 and 8 July 2026.

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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 school leaders, staff and pupils during the inspection. They also held discussions with representatives of the local governing body, the CEO, trust leaders and a representative from the diocese.

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About this inspection

Inspectors considered the responses of parents to Ofsted's survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses to Ofsted's online staff questionnaire.

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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is registered as having a Catholic religious character. Its last section 48 inspection took place in November 2024.

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About this inspection

The school does not use alternative provision.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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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?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years. National average: 26.3%

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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 needs support 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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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 74% 75% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 68% 74% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 38% 46% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 55% 63% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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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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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 5.8% 5.2% Close to average

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Persistent absence

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

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 16.0% 13.0% Close to average

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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. 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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