Holly Primary School

HOLLY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 17 th September 2003

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HOLLY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holly Primary School - 2 Crown copyright 2003

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HOLLY PRIMARY SCHOOL

This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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HOLLY PRIMARY SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Holly Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 11 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 293

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Holly Drive Forest Town Mansfield Nottinghamshire Postcode: NG19 0NT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01623 477280 Fax number: 01623 477280

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr K Rees

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 16 th -18 th May 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a larger than average primary school set amongst mostly privately owned houses in a former coal mining town. Most parents and carers are in employment, mainly in manual or clerical jobs, and the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is low at under four per cent. The school has expanded significantly since the last inspection and has a waiting list for new entrants. The attainment of pupils on entry is average. Very few pupils are from minority ethnic groups, and none has English as an additional language. Around eight per cent of pupils have special educational needs, mostly with moderate learning difficulties; none has a statement of these needs. These percentages are lower than those found nationally. The school has gained two Achievement Awards in recent years for improved performance in the national tests and was awarded the Investors in People award in 2002. Holly Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

20704 Terry Elston Lead inspector The Foundation Stage Design and technology Physical education Pupils with English as an additional language Citizenship 1112 Peter Oldfield Lay inspector 32363 Susan Gale Team inspector Pupils with special educational needs English Art and design Geography 32283 Denis Goodchild Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology History 18703 Christine Canniff Team inspector Science Music Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Peakschoolhaus Ltd BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Holly Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 31

Holly Primary School - 6 Holly Primary School - 7

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a very good school where the high quality of leadership and management together with good teaching lead to high standards in the national tests. The school provides very good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are:

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OVERALL EVALUATION

• Pupils achieve very well, and standards in English, mathematics and science are well above average by Year 6. • The leadership and management are very good and provide a clear direction for school improvement. • The teaching is very good and ensures that pupils learn quickly. • Very good spiritual, moral and social provision accounts for pupils’ very good attitudes, behaviour and personal development. • Very good links with parents make this a very popular school. • Assessment is not good enough in subjects such as design and technology, history and geography to ensure that pupils achieve well. • The school does not do enough to develop pupils’ awareness of other cultures.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has done very well since the last inspection. It has rectified the main weaknesses in English and information and communication technology (ICT) and standards have also improved in mathematics, science and religious education. The teaching is better and the school is run more effectively.

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Year 6 results

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 English A* C A A Mathematics A D A A Science A C A A Key: A*- Very high A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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Year 6 results

The table shows how well pupils achieve in comparison with similar schools in all three subjects, and this inspection finds that these standards have been maintained. The results for English in 2000 were in the top five per cent nationally. Children make a good start in the Foundation Stage and achieve well. Their attainment is above average by the end of Reception in all areas of learning . By Year 2, pupils achieve very well and their standards are well above average in reading, writing and mathematics . Pupils maintain this very good progress and by Year 6 their standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science and above average in religious education, ICT and art and design. This is very good achievement given their average standards on entry. Standards in history, geography and design and technology are average but limited by weaknesses in assessment to show where pupils can attain higher standards. Pupils

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Year 6 results

with special educational needs make very good progress. Holly Primary School - 8 Pupils’ personal qualities develop very well. Their spiritual, moral and social development is a

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significant strength and is illustrated by their very good behaviour, attitudes to work and

concern for the feelings of others. Pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory but hindered by insufficient opportunities to learn about and meet people from other cultures. Very good attendance ensures that pupils make the most of their time.

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The overall quality of education is very good and characterised by the very good teaching

and learning. The good teaching in the Nursery and Reception classes ensures that children settle quickly into school, develop their independence and make good progress in all areas of learning. Elsewhere, the very good teaching of literacy and numeracy skills develops pupils’ reading, writing and number work very well and they make effective use of these skills in other subjects. Pupils respond very enthusiastically to teachers’ high expectations of them, particularly in their independent work in subjects such as science and art and design. Very good assessment in English, mathematics and science leads to high standards, but weaknesses in assessment in some subjects prevents pupils, particularly the more able, from achieving as well as they should.

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The overall quality of education is very good and characterised by the very good teaching

The curriculum is planned well to provide teachers with a good basis for their lessons. A good range of activities after school and at lunchtime enriches the curriculum. The Philosophy for Children project is an excellent way that the school extends the curriculum and develops pupils’ thinking skills. Very good guidance and support keep pupils safe and feeling secure. There is a very good partnership with parents and good links with the community.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management are very good. The headteacher leads very well with clearly expressed expectations that all staff and pupils should strive hard to achieve high standards. This is why the school keeps improving. Very good management ensures that the school runs smoothly. All staff are clear about their role in the school’s improvement and are supported very well in their own development. There is very good guidance and support from the knowledgeable governing body .

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents’ views are very positive . They are particularly pleased with the standards their children achieve, the high quality of teaching and strong leadership. A few feel that behaviour could be better but no evidence was seen during the inspection of any disruption or aggression.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve still further are:

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

• Develop workable assessment systems in subjects such as art and design, design and technology, history and geography to raise standards further; • Provide pupils with more opportunities to learn about other cultures of the world. Holly Primary School - 9

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children’s good achievement in the Nursery and Reception classes; • Pupils’ very good skills in English, mathematics and science throughout the school and very good progress from their starting point; • Above average standards in ICT, religious education, art and design and swimming; • Very good achievement by pupils with special educational needs.

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Commentary

1. The analysis of pupils’ national test results in 2002 shows that standards in Year 6 improved very well over the three years since 1999 , and at a higher rate than that found nationally. This shows the school’s commitment to high standards of work. Since 1999, for example, Year 6 pupils’ results improved from average to well above average in English, mathematics and science. They did very well compared with pupils from similar schools in all three subjects and showed very good progress from their performance in the tests in Year 2. Parents, justifiably, are very pleased with the standards attained by their children.

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Commentary

2. The Year 2 test results paint a similar picture, with standards well above average in 2002 in reading and mathematics and very high in writing.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

Standards in: School results National results Reading 18.2 (16.5) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 16.8 (14.5) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 16.5 (16.2) 16.5 (16.2) There were 34 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

Standards in: School results National results English 29.5 (27.2) 27.0 (27.0) Mathematics 28.5 (25.9) 26.7 (26.6) Science 30.7 (28.8) 28.3 (28.3) There were 43 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year. Holly Primary School - 10 3. The as yet unconfirmed, results of the 2003 tests show that the school has improved the standards further.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

4. The school has worked hard to raise standards in English, mathematics and science by improving the quality of teaching, rigorous use of assessment data to identify areas of weakness and providing subject co-ordinators with the skills and time to monitor and evaluate standards. These measures are paying dividends and standards in English, mathematics and science are much higher than in the previous inspection.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2002

5. Children enter the Foundation Stage at average levels of attainment. They achieve well, and nearly all exceed the nationally agreed targets in all areas of learning by the time they leave the Reception class. Consistently good teaching, rigorous planning and assessment and very good relationships are at the core of this provision.

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Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage

Standards in relation to the early learning goals by the end of Reception in: Personal, social and emotional development Good Communication, language and literacy Good Mathematical development Good Knowledge and understanding of the world Good Physical development Good Creative development Good Inspectors make judgements in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor.

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Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage

6. The current standards attained by pupils in Year 2 are well above average in all aspects of English, mathematics and science. Pupils’ standards are above average in ICT, religious education and art and design and average in all other subjects.

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Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage

7. By Year 6, standards are well above average in English, mathematics and science , above average in ICT, religious education, art and design and swimming and average in all other subjects.

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Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage

8. Pupils achieve very well overall by Year 6 , particularly in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science given their average attainment on entry to the school. They make a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes where the foundations for literacy, numeracy and scientific discovery are laid securely. By Year 2 pupils are already well ahead of pupils nationally in all subjects in the national tests and teachers’ assessments for science. All groups of pupils maintain this pace of learning through the school. Nearly all pupils with special educational needs attain national standards by Year 6 in English, mathematics and science because of the very good planning to meet their individual needs and good support in class by knowledgeable teaching assistants. More able pupils achieve very well as is illustrated by the high percentage of pupils who attain the higher Level 5 in the national tests by Year 6.

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Standards at the end of the Foundation Stage

9. Pupils achieve well in religious education, ICT and art and design where teachers’ skills are well developed. In history, geography, music, design and technology and aspects of physical education pupils achieve satisfactorily but the lack of rigorous assessment to track their progress and set challenging targets restricts further progress. This particularly affects the more able pupils who rarely achieve the high standards in these subjects that they do in English, mathematics and science. Holly Primary School - 11

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• All pupils are very enthusiastic about school; • They behave very well; • They are very mature and good at expressing their feelings. • They have very good social skills; • There is not enough around the school to celebrate the cultural diversity in our society.

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Commentary

10. Pupils gain great enjoyment of their lessons, and parents speak highly of their love of school. In their responses to the questionnaires, pupils were very enthusiastic about their teachers and the fairness with which they are treated. Their attendance is well above average and they nearly all arrive punctually.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data: 4.0 School data: 0.3 National data: 5.4 National data: 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year .

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

11. Pupils feel proud of their school and there are no signs of litter, wilful damage or graffiti. They are very enthusiastic about the school council and all take their responsibilities very seriously.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

12. Pupils have a very strong sense of right and wrong. They have a very good understanding of the school’s rules that are clearly displayed around the school and referred to often in assemblies. This explains why behaviour in classes and around the school is very good. There have been no recent exclusions.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

13. Pupils are confident to express their own views. They have mature attitudes to work and listen well to teachers. Where opportunities exist for them to take responsibilities, they are quick to accept these. For example, pupils in Year 6 investigated the best way to store outside equipment and researched sensibly how much improvements would cost.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

14. All adults at the school set very good examples in the way they treat pupils and each other. This creates a very good ethos in the school where all are working together and are treating one another equally.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

15. In order to develop the opportunity for pupils to debate and reflect, the school has become involved in the ‘Philosophy for Children’ project. These lessons are outstanding in the way they challenge pupils to think deeply about important issues and debate them maturely. They do much to develop pupils’ self-knowledge and spiritual awareness and help them to fully understand the responsibilities of living in a community.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

16. Pupils develop a sound awareness of other cultures, and the ‘Tree of Faiths’ displayed in the school hall shows a good understanding of how different cultures worship. The school misses Holly Primary School - 12 some opportunities to take this further, however, and evidence of Britain’s multicultural society around the school is sparse.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

17. Very young children have a very good introduction to school life in the Nursery and Reception classes. They are very well supported in lessons and soon grow in confidence. From a very young age children develop very good relationships with adults and their peers.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

18. The good attitudes and very good relationships stated in the last report have been enhanced, and help to explain the higher levels of achievement of pupils found in this inspection.

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The school provides a very good quality of education underpinned by very good teaching,

good curricular planning and very good care and support pupils and links with parents.

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Foundation Stage and very good in Key Stages 1 and 2. Rigorous assessment of the core

subjects is a key reason for the high standards attained.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good relationships and induction help children settle into school life quickly; • Very good teamwork makes the most of the skills of all adults; • The good range of learning opportunities to stimulate learning. • The very good day-to-day assessment.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very challenging teaching gets the best out of pupils; • The very good match of work to pupils of all abilities, including those with special educational needs; • The very good focus on basic literacy and numeracy skills leads to high standards; • The teachers’ very good emphasis on scientific discovery; • The high quality of assessment in the core subjects drives up standards; • Teachers’ expectations of the presentation of pupils’ work are not always high enough; • The lack of rigorous assessment in foundation subjects limits the achievement of more able pupils.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

3 (8%) 19 (50%) 8 (21%) 8 (21%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

19. The quality of teaching and learning is very good. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection, and shows the benefit of enhanced training and regular evaluations of teachers’ work followed by clear guidance as to how teachers can improve their practice. Parents agree Holly Primary School - 13 that this is an important strength of the school’s provision, with 99 per cent of them indicating in the questionnaire that teaching was either good or very good. In the responses to their questionnaires, pupils said they had a great respect for their teachers who always treat them fairly.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

20. The good quality of teaching in the Foundation Stage ensures that children learn quickly. The teacher and teaching assistants work in close partnership to provide a wide and stimulating range of activities for children to enjoy. They share a detailed understanding of what each child can and cannot do and this enables them to plan work for individual children. As a result, they make good progress, especially in their reading, writing, speaking and number work. There is a very good balance between structured tasks that teach children important basic skills, and opportunities for them to choose activities that develop their independence.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

21. Throughout the rest of the school, the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy skills is very good and extends pupils to the full. Teachers are very confident with the national strategies and pupils develop very good reading, writing and number skills. A weakness in some of pupils’ written work lies in its presentation. Teachers are very demanding in terms of the content of pupils’ writing but do not always insist that it is done with the utmost care.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

22. Teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well, with a firm but kind approach, and this makes the most of the time in class. They are skilled at giving pupils responsibility for their learning and this develops their independence very well. This is especially the case in science; pupils develop very good investigational skills because teachers set them challenges to discover for themselves how evaporation works, for example, or which materials conduct electricity the best.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

23. Teachers are very good at asking probing questions to make pupils think hard about a subject. In an excellent Year 5/6 lesson, for example, the teacher asked for pupils’ thoughts about the character of Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream . It was a difficult challenge but by gentle use of further questions the teacher got from pupils some excellent hypotheses about the role of Puck in the play.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

24. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The teachers are skilled at preparing material at the right level for these pupils and match work closely to their individual targets. These targets are well constructed, and provide very good guidance to pupils, teachers and the skilled classroom assistants. The co-ordinator for pupils with special educational needs works closely with all staff to ensure pupils are given appropriate support, and as a result, pupils make very good progress, particularly in their reading, writing and behaviour.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

25. The school’s procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are satisfactory overall, and very good in English, mathematics and science. Rigorous tracking of every pupil’s progress through the school enables teachers to set challenging targets for improvement. In the Nursery and Reception classes, detailed assessments made on a daily basis help adults see how well children are progressing and give extra support when necessary.

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 38 lessons

26. Assessment in other subjects is less rigorous, and limited to teachers giving tests at the end of topics and looking together at samples of work. While this provides a sound picture of how well pupils have worked at a topic, it gives no indication of standards against those expected nationally, or what pupils need to do to move on to the next level of performance. This explains the disparity between standards in the core subjects and those in other areas of learning.

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The curriculum

The good quality of the curriculum provides pupils with an interesting range of activities. Holly Primary School - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good provision for literacy and numeracy; • Very good equality of access and opportunity for all pupils, including those with special educational needs; • The very good planning for children in the Foundation Stage; • The excellent ‘Philosophy for Children’ project; • The very good provision for personal, social and health education.; • The very good supply of learning resources.

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Commentary

27. The very good implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies has been an important way that the school has raised standards over the past four years. The skills it gives pupils ensure that all have full opportunity to access the remainder of the curriculum. The teachers’ medium term planning gives careful regard to different groups of pupils, and identifies clearly that resources and activities are matched well to their individual needs.

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Commentary

28. The planning for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Their difficulties are identified early in their school life, and teachers produce very detailed individual plans to support their learning and ensure they take a full part in all school activities. This is why they make such good progress.

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Commentary

29. In a good initiative by the school, pupils who have not learned to swim by the end of the swimming courses in Year 5 are given the opportunity to repeat the course in Year 6. This works well and explains why nearly all pupils are competent swimmers by the time they leave.

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Commentary

30. The curriculum is planned effectively to link different subjects together. This is illustrated well in the Edale Settlement Study where the close links between history and geography help pupils see the whole picture of how the area developed. The study also provides very good opportunities for pupils to develop their writing and reporting skills and use ICT to research information from web sites. Role-play activities and visits to museums in their studies of the Romans and Victorians do much to develop pupils’ historical skills well.

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Commentary

31. There is very good provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education. The school nurse provides good lessons on sex education, and police representatives give valuable advice on the misuse of drugs through the ‘DARE’ project. Pupils show great interest in the ‘DARE’ project and develop their social skills and relationships well as they discuss the impact of smoking on health. A visit to Walesby Activities Centre develops teamwork and self-reliance as they participate in climbing, archery, rafting and orienteering.

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Commentary

32. The School Council and class councils provide rich opportunities for pupils to exercise responsibility, engage in discussions and develop speaking and listening skills. In their discussions pupils showed confidence, maturity and sensitivity to the needs of others. Aspects discussed included safety issues of a sponsored walk and secure storage of physical education equipment.

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Commentary

33. The school provides a good range of activities out of normal school time. This includes a wide variety of games classes as well as art and music.

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Commentary

34. Pupils are prepared very well for the secondary school, and parents value this provision highly. Visits to the school and demonstration lessons by secondary school teachers ensure that pupils have a very good understanding of the expectations of them and all look forward to the move. Holly Primary School - 15 35. The introduction of ‘Philosophy for Children’ has provided excellent opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of citizenship and explore the relationship between man and society. This is one of the local education authority’s pilot schools for this exciting project and two teachers have been trained so far to take classes and begin training other staff. These lessons, focusing on giving pupils the skills and confidence to think deeply about issues, are having a very good effect on pupils’ discussion in all lessons and have quickly become an important aspect of the curriculum.

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Commentary

36. Example of outstanding practice – the school’s involvement in the ‘Philosophy for Children Project’ – an inspirational lesson for pupils in Years 5 and 6.

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Commentary

The teacher immediately captured pupils’ attention by an effective calming exercise to ensure that all were concentrating fully on the events in the classroom. When the mood was perfect, the teacher moved quietly on to a sensitive reading of ‘The Butterfly’. This clearly had an inspirational impact on the pupils who sat totally still, transfixed by the story. The teacher then teased out of pupils their interpretation of a complex tale of happiness lost and found. They started uncertainly but the teacher gave them such confidence that before long all were keen to contribute. They spoke eloquently about the meaning of beauty, how different people see it and how they find it. One pupil explained, you can’t just find happiness you have to create it. It’s like when I spend time with my family at weekends – it’s a special time for me. By now, the teacher’s work was largely done. Pupils listened respectfully to the views of

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Commentary

others and responded with “I agree but…” or “I disagree because…”. In this way, they delved even more deeply into the story and were soon debating how the author had ‘hidden’ symbols of beauty in the text. It was a remarkable lesson that got the very best out of the pupils.

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Commentary

37. The school’s accommodation is good. Although there is increasing pressure on space because of rising pupil numbers, careful planning and preparation ensure that space is efficiently used. A review of ICT provision was necessary as the ICT suite was converted to a library. The outcome of this review has resulted in the improved ratio of computers to pupils and a mobile system devised to take computers to pupils. This has worked well and has led to better use of ICT across the curriculum. The school has invested wisely in learning resources and all subjects are very well equipped.

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Care, guidance and support

The school provides very good guidance and support to pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good supervision at all times; • The very good systems to ensure pupils’ good behaviour.

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Commentary

38. The school has a very high regard for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety and discharges these duties very well. The headteacher, as the designated person for child protection, has a good knowledge of the requirements and ensures that all staff are fully aware of the systems.

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Commentary

39. There is very good supervision of pupils at all times, shown by the number of teachers on duty at break times. Lunchtime supervisors are very active and supportive and enjoy very good relationships with pupils. The school provides a very safe environment. Young children are always very well supported in their designated area. A good number of adults qualified in first aid ensure that minor accidents are well recorded and attended to in a kindly way. Holly Primary School - 16 40. The very well developed personal, social and health education programme provides excellent opportunities for pupils to express their own thoughts or worries. A comprehensive behaviour policy states clear expectancies and includes appropriate rewards or sanctions. The school has a strong message, much valued by pupils in the responses to their questionnaires, that any worries are best shared with others. Teachers were seen exhorting pupils to see them, even at

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Commentary

41. Pupils are at the very centre in all that the school has to offer; their needs are known very well by adults who are quick to give support. One parent in particularly spoke very highly of the support given to her children with special educational needs. Parents interviewed during the inspection week had very positive comments to make about the school, some parents having transferred children to the school to take advantage of the very good care and support.

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Commentary

42. Pupils are consulted often about the school’s provision. The active school council provides good opportunities for pupils to express their views, often started at class councils. At all times pupils are encouraged well to express their views, which are acted upon and valued.

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Commentary

43. The positive care and support stated in the last report have been well maintained.

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The school’s very good partnership with parents and good links with the community help to

explain why this is such a popular school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents’ views of the school are very positive; • Parents are well informed about the school’s work; • Their concerns are dealt with promptly and effectively.

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Commentary

44. Parents feel with justification that their children make good progress at the school. Their responses to the questionnaire were very positive. The school is part of a family of schools where the focus has been to develop strong partnerships between home and school. In this, the school has been very successful.

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Commentary

45. Many parents help in lessons with outings and swimming, and are keen to supervise work done at home. They feel very welcome and contribute well to the support given to their children. The very active parents’ association gives very good support to the school. Fund-raising events are held throughout the year and provide much needed resources while providing a very good link between parents and teachers. The school is held in good esteem in the local community, and local traders are eager to provide prizes and contribute to fund raising events.

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Commentary

46. Parents value the good information provided about the school. The weekly newsletters are informative and lively. They enjoy the ‘parents’ afternoons’ when teachers invite them to see the work done by their children. Annual reports are detailed and show clearly that teachers know their children very well.

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Commentary

47. The school has good links with the local community. Adult learning courses are held at the school, including ICT classes and first aid training. There are very good links with the local supermarket whose staff provide exciting food tasting sessions and offer trips to look around the bakery department. Holly Primary School - 17 48. The school has very strong links with the local secondary school. Before transfer, pupils benefit from informative talks and demonstration lessons.

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Commentary

49. The good partnership with parents stated in the last report has been enhanced by the school’s strong commitment to developing this link. This has been an important element in the school improvement plan, and is now bearing fruit.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very strong leadership by the headteacher; • Very good management of the school; • Very good guidance and support by the governing body.

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Commentary

50. The very good leadership and management are central to the school’s success. The headteacher’s very strong leadership provides staff with a clear vision of the school’s direction and their role in its continued improvement. The headteacher’s very high expectations are clear to staff and pupils and parents. With justification, parents see this as an important strength of the school and the main reason for pupils’ high standards.

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Commentary

51. The leadership has created an excellent team spirit in the school. Pupils and staff work effectively together in the knowledge that each individual is valued highly. New initiatives are introduced sensitively and embraced wholeheartedly by the staff if they work. The Philosophy for Children project is an excellent example.

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Commentary

52. The school is very well managed. The well-established culture of self-evaluation ensures that all aspects of the school’s work are improved. Rigorous monitoring of pupils’ performance in the national tests identifies weaknesses in the teaching and learning and these are quickly rectified. Teachers evaluate one another’s work regularly, as part of the very effective performance management process or as a subject co-ordinator, and they value highly the constructive feedback after lessons.

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Commentary

53. The school has very good systems for the appointment and retention of staff. The headteacher and governing body ensure that vacancies are filled by staff of high quality who are committed to the school’s high expectations. Once appointed, the very good induction procedures ensure that staff settle quickly and soon learn how things work. They are supported very well in their professional development to enable them to achieve their full potential. This helps to explain why this is such a happy school.

p.17

Commentary

54. The governing body provides very good direction and support. Its members visit the school often to ensure that they have a very clear grasp of its strengths and weaknesses. Their perceptive evaluations of teaching, learning and curricular provision are valued by the staff and provide a very good basis for setting the school’s future targets.

p.17

Commentary

55. The finances are managed effectively. The headteacher and governing body apply the principles of best value well. They compare the school’s performance with similar schools, and this helps them set challenging targets. Fund raising provides a good source of funding, and is directed well into areas of need, including computers and resources. All ‘stakeholders’ are consulted, including pupils and parents, when considering the forward direction of the school. Holly Primary School - 18 The Office Manager plays a key role in this process, ensuring that materials are bought at the best price, and keeping everyone well informed about the state of the school’s finances. Holly Primary School - 19

p.17

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 558635 Balance from previous year 5899 Total expenditure 534011 Balance carried forward to the next 24624 Expenditure per pupil 1822 Holly Primary School - 20

p.19

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good, and gives children a stimulating and

enjoyable start to school. The children achieve well. They enter the school with average skills and, as a result of good teaching in all areas of learning in both the Nursery and Reception classes, their standards by the end of the Reception year are above those expected. The teacher and teaching assistants work effectively as a team, planning carefully to provide children with a wide range of experiences matched very well to their individual needs and abilities. The provision is very well managed, and the children’s progress is carefully checked to identify their strengths and rectify their weaknesses. The improvements in the teaching, particularly of literacy and numeracy skills, explain the higher standards found in this inspection compared with the previous report.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children take responsibility for their own actions at an early age; • They behave very well and soon learn the rules of what is expected of them.

p.20

Commentary

56. The teacher and teaching assistants in both the Nursery and Reception classes have clear and consistent expectations of how children should act and behave, and this explains why after only a few weeks in school children work and play sensibly together. They even remind each other of the rules – one child in the Reception class, for example, echoed the teacher’s rule to the rest of the group that they should all “share the pencils and not keep them all to themselves”. When necessary, adults correct the children firmly but gently; this makes children well aware of their actions and ensures that they have every opportunity to learn.

p.20

Commentary

57. Numerous examples were seen during the inspection where children worked independently for extended periods, behaving sensibly and sharing resources. This starts well in the Nursery, with children being introduced carefully to the idea of choosing their task and making their own decisions about what to build or paint.

p.20

Commentary

58. All adults encourage children to help with tidying the classrooms and outside area, and this works very well. Children quickly learn what is expected of them and work very well together to load the trolleys with outside equipment, for example, and push them carefully back inside.

p.20

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers and support staff take every opportunity to develop the children’s language skills; • Literacy lessons are very effective; • Children read and write well. Holly Primary School - 21

p.20

Commentary

59. Nearly all children are on course to attain the expected targets by the end of the Reception year. This is because the school has worked hard at implementing a very good strategy to teach children important basic skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening that prepares them very well for the literacy strategy in Year 1. Children achieve well and make good progress from their average skills on entry to the school. Adults keep detailed records of the language development of children with weaker skills. This ensures that the children with most need get the necessary support. Children develop their speaking and listening skills well through role- play, particularly in the ‘shop’ where they enjoy making conversation about the goods they sell and buy. In the Nursery, children are encouraged to explain clearly what they want to do, and adults are very good at listening carefully and asking just the right questions to help the children

p.21

Commentary

60. In both the Nursery and Reception, the good teaching is characterised by a good understanding of the needs of young children and their high but realistic expectations of what they could achieve. These important strengths mean that children learn to read and write in a systematic way, building up a good store of memorised words and making good attempts at writing down their thoughts. Adults assess children’s work carefully and set challenging targets for improvement. When one child, for example, made good progress in writing simple sentences the teacher set the target of introducing full stops and capital letters. This rewarded the child for his success and showed him clearly how to improve further.

p.21

Commentary

61. Adults make good use of a reading diary to record the children’s achievements and keep regular contact with parents. This works very well and the system is valued highly by parents.

p.21

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Adults question children very well and use a wide variety of activities to support learning; • Children develop a good feel for number.

p.21

Commentary

62. The teaching and learning are very good in both the Nursery and Reception. Adults take every opportunity to develop the children’s mathematical skills and particularly the development of mathematical language. Adults are good at questioning the children whilst they are engaged in a variety of activities, always trying to draw out and encourage their mathematical understanding. For example, the teacher asked, Do I need any change? when buying an imaginary ice cream and this made the child think carefully about the money handed over. Children are good at exploring repeating patterns using a wide range of resources such as bead necklaces using three colours. They match colours and numbers through a range of games and develop their skills further by chanting a range of number songs. The children count well, with many in the Reception counting to 20 and beyond. Adults use games effectively to teach children how to count, and one group learned very quickly how to count down from ten

p.21

Commentary

when a teaching assistant helped them build a rocket ship and counted down with them to ‘lift off’ to the children’s great glee.

p.21

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

63. It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision or standards in this wide area of learning, but the work seen was good. The children had made detailed observations of caterpillars and produced excellent labelled diagrams of their transformation into butterflies. Holly Primary School - 22 Children are confident using the computer, and handle the mouse well to select objects and ‘drag’ them to a different location.

p.21

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision or standards in this area of learning, but the work seen was good.

p.22

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

The children display good physical skills outside on the exciting play equipment, climbing with good control and awareness of safety. They show good manipulative skills when handling dough, scissors and small toys. They have been taught well how to hold pencils and paint brushes securely, and nearly all do so with the correct grip. Adults give the children good opportunities to explore a wide range of tools, and try to offer alternative resources where a child is becoming frustrated.

p.22

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

It was not possible to make an overall judgement of provision or standards, but the work seen was again good. Children use the role-play area well for imaginative play. Children in the Reception made very good attempts at shading when colouring their pictures of caterpillars, and their collage pictures of boats showed very good imagination when constructing sails and showing a rough sea.

p.22

ENGLISH

The overall provision for English is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good speaking and listening, reading, and the range and quality of pupils’ writing; • The good quality of teaching; • The school’s very effective assessment; • The very good leadership and management; • Some work is poorly presented.

p.22

Commentary

64. Standards are well above average in all aspects of English by Year 2 and Year 6 . By Year 2, pupils speak very well in class and group situations, and their well-developed listening skills ensure that that they learn new work quickly and well. Nearly all pupils read fluently with very good expression – teachers have worked hard to develop this particular aspect of reading. In their writing, most pupils demonstrate a good grasp of language and they produce interesting stories and some good factual writing.

p.22

Commentary

65. By Year 6, pupils’ speaking and listening skills have continued to develop and nearly all are very confident about speaking formally during class discussion as well as more informally during group and paired activities. Teachers are good at encouraging pupils to think seriously about a range of issues and this is why pupils express their points of view thoughtfully and with great maturity.

p.22

Commentary

66. Pupils read very well and the wide selection of novels available to them has helped to extend their interest and enjoyment of a range of books. Most pupils skim and scan non-fiction books quickly to gather information, and use the Internet skilfully to research their topics further. Pupils produce poems and stories of a very high quality. Their work contains vivid descriptions and exciting vocabulary, such as: Holly Primary School - 23 67. ‘The laughter fluttered out of the fairy ring, as enchantment drifted into the jewels of the flowers…Leaves fought out speckles of blossom…Sour plums were not found in the heart of the woods, but mysteries gemmed with excitement, as fairy wings flickered with jewels like rays of a rainbow.’ (From work about A Midsummer Night’s Dream )

p.22

Commentary

68. Based on their average attainment on entry, pupils’ achievement in English throughout the school is very good . Pupils of all abilities are challenged well. More able pupils are constantly urged to even higher standards by teachers providing demanding tasks that require them to find information for themselves. This was seen to good effect when pupils rewrote the story of Macbeth in their own words. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because teachers plan work carefully to ensure that they understand the task and are given support when they need it. The presentation of pupils’ work is generally sound but the handwriting in some pieces of work is untidy, and this is not always picked up in the marking of work. Pupils use computers well to write and redraft their stories.

p.23

Commentary

69. The quality of teaching throughout the school is very good and this accounts for the high standards achieved. The teachers have good subject knowledge including a thorough grasp of the National Literacy Strategy. They plan systematically so that skills can be practised and developed from Year 1 to Year 6. Teachers use imaginative and innovative methods of teaching which excite the pupils and build up their enthusiasm for the subject. There is very good pace in lessons, which ensures pupils remain interested, and teachers’ excellent questioning skills ensure that all pupils are involved in the lesson and challenged to do their best.

p.23

Commentary

70. The school’s methods used to assess pupils’ progress are very thorough. Regular checks on pupils’ standards and progress and rigorous analysis of national test results give teachers a clear idea of individual pupils’ strengths and enable them to rectify their weaknesses . This is an important reason for the much higher standards found in this inspection compared with last time.

p.23

Commentary

71. The leadership and management of the subject are very good. Standards of teaching and learning are monitored and evaluated well, and expertise amongst the rest of the staff has been strengthened by sharing examples of very good practice, not least by the very skilled subject co-ordinator.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

The planning of topic work around literacy works well; it extends the time that pupils are asked to use their literacy skills and provides them with many opportunities to write at length, particularly in subjects such as history and geography. Teachers are very good at extending pupils’ spoken language, often asking them to clarify their ideas when putting forward an opinion and offering lots of opportunities for them to speak formally to the class. The Philosophy for Children project provides an outstanding structure for developing pupils’ discussion skills that extends to all areas of the curriculum.

p.23

MATHEMATICS

The school makes very good provision for mathematics.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Very good teaching meets the needs of all pupils; • Very good assessment and monitoring procedures identify pupils’ needs clearly; • Very good leadership and management raises standards; • Teachers’ marking does not always identify what pupils need to do to improve. Holly Primary School - 24

p.23

Commentary

72. By Year 2 and Year 6, pupils attain well above average standards, and achieve very well given their average standards on entry. The much higher standards compared with the last inspection are a direct result of the better quality of teaching which provides a greater challenge to pupils and more effectively gains their full attention.

p.24

Commentary

73. By Year 2, nearly all pupils are very confident with number and use their skills well to solve simple problems. They have a very clear understanding of shape and measure. Pupils collect data systematically and produce accurate graphs of their results.

p.24

Commentary

74. By Year 6, nearly all pupils have a quick recall of multiplication tables and use this skill well to explore complex patterns of numbers. They are very good at interpreting data from graphs and finding the mean, median and mode of sets of figures.

p.24

Commentary

75. The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school . All teaching demonstrates very good planning and preparation that ensure a very good match of the work to pupils’ abilities. Lessons start promptly, the pace is brisk and no time is lost. Resources are well prepared and meet the needs of all the pupils. These are important reasons why pupils are well behaved, concentrate hard and make very good progress within lessons.

p.24

Commentary

76. In a very good Year 1 lesson that exemplifies some of these strengths, pupils made very good progress in counting and ordering numbers to 20. This was because resources were colourful and supported pupils’ learning. The support assistant was well briefed by the teacher and had a good understanding of the tasks. She was positive in recognising pupils’ success and made learning enjoyable. She was therefore able to effectively support the lower ability pupils. They made good progress in their understanding of ‘more than’ and ‘less than’.

p.24

Commentary

77. Very clear structured planning was evident in a Year 6 lesson. This careful preparation enabled the lesson to progress at a brisk pace. Quick-fire questioning kept the pupils on their toes. Accurate planning identified the needs of different groups of pupils. Thus the teacher was prepared to target questions at different pupils. Pupils responded very enthusiastically and quickly rounded up or down to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000. All pupils made very good progress in using written methods in multiplication because the teacher was very clear about the best methods to use. All groups of pupils achieved very well and while lower ability pupils, with the aid of a grid, multiplied three digit numbers by two digit numbers, more able pupils multiplied decimal numbers.

p.24

Commentary

78. Teachers make sound use of ICT in mathematics. Groups of pupils are given good opportunities to follow-up work completed with the whole class. For example, the teacher’s use of a computer enabled the Year 1 pupils to recognise patterns of addition up to ten and this speeded up their calculations significantly.

p.24

Commentary

79. Teachers in their planning demonstrate a very good understanding of the needs of all pupils . This is because of the very effective assessment and monitoring procedures that are in place. Rigorous analysis of statutory and optional tests identifies areas of the curriculum that need more work and groups of pupils that are not achieving well enough. Regular assessment of pupils’ progress in lessons enables the teacher to accurately match work to pupils’ needs. In these ways, analysis and assessment make a very significant contribution to the raising of standards. This is clearly evident in the positive impact of ‘booster’ classes in which pupils receive additional support enabling them to move on to the next level of attainment. Marking of pupils’ work includes positive comments but does not always identify what they need to do to improve.

p.24

Commentary

80. Leadership and management are very good and have been crucial in the raising of standards. The subject co-ordinator monitors both teaching and learning very well through regular observation of teaching, scrutiny of planning and monitoring of pupils’ work. These give Holly Primary School - 25 the school a very good understanding of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and ensure that prompt action is taken to raise standards.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

The school does much to improve pupils’ understanding of mathematics in other subjects. In science, for example, pupils in Years 5 and 6 have monitored their heart rate before and after exercise and produced excellent line graphs of their findings. In design and technology, the teachers’ insistence on accurate measurement gives them good practice in using rulers carefully and calculating perimeters.

p.25

SCIENCE

The overall quality of the provision for science is very good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards throughout the school are well above average; • Teaching is very good; • The subject co-ordinator provides very effective leadership; • The science curriculum is very good with a strong focus on the development of pupils’ skills; • Pupils enjoy science and have very positive attitudes to work; • Greater use could be made of ICT to support learning.

p.25

Commentary

81. Pupils achieve very well to reach well above average standards in their work by the end of Year 6. The school has made very good improvement since the previous inspection and standards are rising throughout the school. Assessment is an important feature in the raising of standards, because the co-ordinator monitors standards very effectively by analysing test results in order to find out areas of strengths and weaknesses within the curriculum. This analysis has resulted in a strong focus on the development of pupils’ investigative skills. As a result, pupils gain good enquiry skills and their knowledge is underpinned by a very good understanding of scientific concepts acquired through challenging practical and investigative tasks. By Year 2, pupils make good use of their own experiences when carrying out investigations. They give careful thought to what might occur and begin to draw reasonable

p.25

Commentary

conclusions from their findings. By Year 6, pupils have developed into young scientists. They explain the key factors to be considered in a fair test with very good understanding and, from the outcomes of their investigations, draw conclusions firmly based on secure knowledge and understanding. Pupils with special educational needs are very well provided for, because the tasks and activities meet their needs well and classroom assistants give them very good support. As a result, they achieve well to reach average standards in their work by the time they leave school.

p.25

Commentary

82. Teaching is very good overall and teachers plan interesting lessons with a good range of practical activities so that pupils can learn and develop scientific skills through first hand experiences. Pupils are highly motivated and are keen to learn, because the way in which teachers present the work is exciting and enjoyable. Teachers check thoroughly how well pupils are doing and provide a high level of challenge for more able pupils so that they begin to think more creatively; for example, they are very skilled at devising their own investigations. They provide pupils with good opportunities to use their research skills, which they do so very effectively to develop a good understanding of the different aspects of the subject. Teachers promote pupils’ use of scientific vocabulary very effectively, enabling them to express their ideas clearly in discussion and writing. Teachers make sound use of ICT for example, when

p.25

Commentary

using computers to record data. Holly Primary School - 26 83. The science co-ordinator leads and manages the subject very effectively because of the close focus on raising standards through checking pupils’ performance and finding how teaching and learning can be improved. As a result, he is clear about what the school needs to work on next.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The very good leadership and management; • Teachers’ very good subject knowledge; • Pupils’ lack of experience in the use of remote sensing and control.

p.26

Commentary

84. Standards by Year 2 and 6 are above average and all groups of pupils achieve well. This represents an improvement on the previous inspection. Analysis of work and lesson observations indicates that teaching is good.

p.26

Commentary

85. The good teaching of basic skills in Years 1 and 2 ensures that pupils quickly become familiar with the computer keyboard and enter text onto a word-processing program accurately. They make a good start at programming floor ‘robots’ and learn how the accuracy of their commands affects the movements of the machine. Pupils maintain this good progress through the school, and by Year 6 nearly all use computers well to edit text, produce multimedia presentations and design spreadsheets.

p.26

Commentary

86. Standards are higher than at the previous inspection because of the very good leadership and management of the subject. The school’s very good use of training has developed teachers’ knowledge well, and this is evident in the confident way they teach skills. The main strengths in the teaching centre around teachers’ very good planning for the different levels of ability and experience in the class, their clear explanations and their secure knowledge of ICT; these are significant improvements since the last inspection. In a Year 1/2 lesson, for example, the teacher’s clear instruction and demonstration enabled all the pupils to use cursor keys and space bar to enter a space between sentences. More able pupils then used a shift key to enter capital letters. In one lesson, Year 3 pupils confidently edited a text, changing letter size and colour, while Year 4 pupils used cut and paste commands to rearrange a set of class rules in

p.26

Commentary

order of importance. In both lessons pupils were enthusiastic and enjoyed learning. This was because the planned activities were challenging for all groups in the class. All pupils therefore made good progress.

p.26

Commentary

87. The subject manager evaluates the provision well by checking pupils’ work, monitoring teachers’ planning and observing their lessons. The school maintains useful individual records of pupils’ progress to assess their achievement and progress through the school. These assessments provide teachers and the subject co-ordinator with a clear understanding of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses within the school. The change from the use of an ICT suite to a system where laptop computers are transported to classes on a trolley has been well managed. The new arrangements work well; they have improved pupils’ access to the computers and computers are now used more regularly to support learning in other subjects.

p.26

Commentary

88. Pupils are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject. They recognise the impact of ICT on everyday life and, when interviewed, described clearly how computers can sense changes in materials and control devices. However, examination of pupils’ work shows little evidence of Holly Primary School - 27 practical work in this area. The subject co-ordinator recognises this as an area for development and has just acquired the necessary equipment for pupils to develop these skills further.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

89. The school make good use of ICT across the curriculum. Pupils have researched information on the Internet about the works of Shakespeare and in geography they have studied maps of countries and used branching databases. They have used the Internet well to prepare themselves for a school trip, printing out useful information on the area to be visited.

p.27

HUMANITIES

Only two lessons were observed in history and none in geography because of the way the curriculum is planned over the year. The pupils’ work was analysed and groups of Year 6 pupils were interviewed, but it is not possible to make judgements about the quality of teaching in these subjects. In religious education, three lessons were observed, in Years 1, 3/4 and 6.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Visits and role-play support learning well; • Assessment is not used well enough to raise standards further.

p.27

Commentary

90. Standards are average by Year 2 and Year 6 and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. By Year 2, pupils have a sound grasp of some important events and people from the past, and write with good understanding of the Great Fire of London. By Year 6, pupils show a good understanding of life in Tudor times. Teachers link this work well to literacy and this gives pupils good background information on conditions in the time of Shakespeare. Pupils research topics well on the Internet, but few attain sufficiently high standards to be able, for example, to question sources of evidence or ask why some accounts of events are different from others. Visits and role-play provide interesting learning opportunities in units of work on the Romans, Victorians, Edale and Eyam. Visits to a museum enabled Year 5 pupils to explore aspects of Victorian life. They handled Victorian objects, and this enabled them to gain a clear understanding of the

p.27

Commentary

differences between life then and now. Their work on Eyam gave pupils the opportunity to engage in historical enquiry and to study the impact of major events on people. A ‘Roman Day’ gave pupils a good understanding of how different groups of people lived in Roman times.

p.27

Commentary

91. In a very good Year 5 lesson on Victorians pupils were encouraged to formulate questions on photographs. This helped to develop the skill of interpretation of evidence. By the end of the lesson many pupils were able to identify elements in the photographs and formulate hypotheses.

p.27

Commentary

92. In a Year 3/4 lesson on The Wives of Henry VIII, all pupils identified the wives and placed them accurately in chronological order. The average and above average pupils were also able to recognise and explain consequences. They were able to provide reasons for divorces and executions. This was a good lesson because of the interesting presentation on the computer by the teacher that captured the pupils’ interest. All pupils therefore made good progress.

p.27

Commentary

93. Teachers make some basic assessments at the end of units but these are limited to checks on pupils’ knowledge and give little evidence of their historical enquiry skills. There are no judgements on standards achieved compared with those expected nationally or on pupils’ progress over time. This shortcoming prevents pupils attaining higher standards. Holly Primary School - 28

p.27

GEOGRAPHY

The overall provision for geography is satisfactory.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Some good links with literacy; • Not enough written evidence in pupils’ books to show depth in knowledge, skills and understanding in geography; • Lack of rigorous assessment.

p.28

Commentary

94. Standards are average by Year 2 and Year 6. Pupils achieve satisfactorily given their attainment on entry. By Year 2, most pupils have a good recognition of features in their school and the local area, and compare their own locality with a Scottish island. They have some basic knowledge about maps and the British Isles. They use the computer well to present their findings about hair and eye colour, and use the Internet competently to download maps.

p.28

Commentary

95. By Year 6, pupils have made steady progress in their use and understanding of maps and use grid references accurately. They have studied other places in some detail, for example, villages in Kenya and the Amazon, but there is very little evidence of geographical enquiry to help them make further progress. For example, their diaries produced during residential visits contain basic information about geographical features of the area but rarely go into any depth about why changes occurred in the regions. Pupils use the Internet well to download ‘world news’ and maps, pictures and information for class topics. Some pupils use the computer to collect data and create graphs to present their work. Pupils link their geography well with literacy, for example when writing passionate letters and poems about the destruction of rainforests.

p.28

Commentary

96. Assessment of the written work of individual pupils is very basic and does not identify whether pupils are achieving well enough or identify areas for further development. There is no school assessment system for geography to raise standards further.

p.28

Commentary

97. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Pupils’ work and planning are monitored systematically during the year but the information is not used sufficiently to inform future planning, and therefore does not contribute to the raising of standards.

p.28

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

The provision for religious education is good.

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are above average throughout the school. • Teaching and learning are very good. • Pupils enjoy religious education and attitudes towards the subject are very positive. • Leadership and management of the subject are very effective. Holly Primary School - 29

p.28

Commentary

98. By the end of Years 2 and 6 standards are above those expected by the local authority. Pupils of all abilities achieve well because teaching is consistently very good and pupils highly motivated. There has been very good improvement since the last inspection and standards have risen. This is the result of improved teaching. Throughout the school, pupils develop a good knowledge of different spiritual and religious ideas from the major religions of the world. There is a strong focus in the teaching on evaluating what pupils can learn from religion and helping them make links between the different religious ideas and practices. Lessons help pupils to value and care for each other. As a result, they show great respect for people’s beliefs and values.

p.29

Commentary

99. The specialist teacher (the subject co-ordinator) who teaches all religious education in the school has great enthusiasm for the subject, which is very effectively communicated to pupils. This is why they enjoy the subject and are so keen to learn. The teacher’s challenging questions and well-judged use of interesting resources promote good discussion and give pupils a good understanding of different religions. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good and pupils have the confidence to discuss their thoughts and beliefs freely. They are happy to speak out in class because the teacher and their classmates are interested in what they have to say.

p.29

Commentary

100. The leadership and management are very good because the co-ordinator has the skills and time allocated to evaluate the quality of pupils’ work and identify what should be improved. The curriculum is very well planned and this ensures that pupils’ learning is built effectively on what they are taught in earlier lessons. However, pupils have no real opportunities to visit different places of worship or meet with representatives of other faiths and this restricts the further development of their understanding.

p.29

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Only two lessons were observed in art and design, one in design and technology, and two in physical education; no judgements will be made on the quality of teaching in these subjects. Three lessons were observed in music, where the teaching and learning were satisfactory.

p.29

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The overall provision for design and technology is satisfactory.

p.29

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils show good design skills in Years 1 and 2; • There is a lack of rigorous assessment to stretch more able pupils.

p.29

Commentary

101. Pupils’ work in design and technology is average by Year 2 and Year 6. This represents sound achievement given their average standards on entry, and pupils with special educational needs often do well to produce some of the best work. In Years 1 and 2, pupils make a sound start in their model-making, getting an early feel for movement in their models, and accuracy in their building. They make good glove puppets and make very good use of their literacy skills to make thoughtful evaluations of their work. Their designs are clear and well labelled. Pupils in Year 4 made some attractive wallets and wrote at length about which parts they found difficult and what they would like to improve. By Year 6, pupils work methodically to gather information about a project, and generate a good number of ideas. Their designs are labelled clearly, and include useful views from different aspects. Their musical instruments show a good understanding of

p.29

Commentary

how sounds are made. Holly Primary School - 30 102. Few pupils move on to higher levels, however. The curriculum is planned to cover the required skills as part of a broader topic, but has no guidance to enable more able pupils to be more creative in their work or attempt more open-ended tasks.

p.29

Commentary

103. The leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator works well with teachers to develop their skills and provide ideas but realises that the subject is not a school priority at present and further development is restricted.

p.30

ART AND DESIGN

The overall provision for art and design is good.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils’ good standards throughout the school; • The good scheme of work.

p.30

Commentary

104. By Years 2 and 6, pupils’ attainment is above average. By Year 2, pupils display a good range of skills using a variety of methods and materials. They are beginning to make thoughtful evaluations of their work; at the end of a Year 1 lesson, for example, when pupils had used different materials to create a boat picture, they discussed maturely how they could improve their work further. By Year 6, their skills have progressed well. Their evaluations of their work have developed well and they now make perceptive comparisons between their finished project and those achieved using other materials and techniques. All groups of pupils achieve well.

p.30

Commentary

105. An artist in residence, visits to galleries and the work of famous artists broaden the pupils’ artistic experiences very effectively. In Year 5, pupils’ paintings and printing work have been inspired by a painting by Degas and they make good attempts at working in that artist’s style. Pupils use the Internet confidently to locate information about artists but limited use is made of specific art programs. Sketchbooks are used to develop observational and drawing skills but they are not always used consistently.

p.30

Commentary

106. Art work is displayed well around the school and demonstrates the breadth of the art curriculum. Teachers assess pupils’ work carefully during lessons and pupils have good opportunities to practice and improve their skills at an art club after school.

p.30

Commentary

107. The leadership and management of the subject are very good and teachers have improved their own expertise through the good practice demonstrated by the specialist teacher. This has helped raise standards by Year 6 since the last inspection.

p.30

MUSIC

The provision for music is satisfactory.

p.30

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Procedures for monitoring standards are not rigorous enough; • Pupils enjoy music.

p.30

Commentary

108. The standard of pupils’ singing in whole-school assembly is line with expectations. They sing rhythmically, matching their voices appropriately to the shape of the melody. By Year 6, pupils Holly Primary School - 31 have a satisfactory understanding of how sounds and the different musical elements are structured to create varying moods and effects. However, few are confident in their use of musical terminology when discussing music.

p.30

Commentary

109. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Lessons have a clear focus, which builds on pupils’ previous learning and is shared with pupils so that they understand what they are to learn. Teachers plan an appropriate range of activities so that pupils can develop their understanding through practical music making. Pupils enjoy the activities and try hard to succeed.

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Commentary

110. The leadership and management are satisfactory. Although the co-ordinator has made a start on the monitoring of teaching and learning, there is not yet enough accurate information to give him a clear sense of the standards that pupils of different ages attain. Little use is made of ICT to record pupils’ practical work in music to enable teachers and pupils to evaluate standards. There are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their musical skills outside the statutory curriculum or to take part in local community events.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The provision for physical education is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good resources and accommodation; • Good standards in swimming; • Good opportunities for outdoor pursuits at residential camp.

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Commentary

111. Pupils attain average standards overall by Years 2 and 6. This is satisfactory achievement. In the dance lesson observed in a Year 1/2 class, pupils did well. The teacher got them off to a good start with a vigorous warm up and ensured that pupils were clearly aware of the importance of preparing muscles for exercise. The teacher’s excellent relationships with pupils gave them the confidence to take risks with their moves and many excelled with exciting sequences of moves. In the Year 3/4 lesson observed, the teacher again began well with a ‘risk assessment’ when pupils looked carefully around the hall for potential hazards. More able pupils achieved well as they twirled in spirals and made spiky movements with their hands. Less confident pupils, however, found the demands of the lesson daunting and took a time to become confident enough to string moves together.

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Commentary

112. Pupils do well in swimming and nearly all achieve the required standard by the time they leave. The school plays a good range of competitive sports against other schools and pupils are particularly successful in athletics competitions.

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Commentary

113. The school has good accommodation for physical education with a large hall and flat playing field. Resources are in good supply and supplemented well by the school’s fund raising efforts. The residential trip to Edale gives pupils very good experiences of climbing and orienteering.

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Commentary

114. The co-ordinator provides good leadership and management. She is well qualified and works closely with physical education co-ordinators from local schools to provide training for teachers, particularly in dance and gymnastics. Holly Primary School - 32

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 2 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 2 Pupils’ achievement 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 2 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 2 The quality of teaching 2 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils’ needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 2 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 2 The leadership of other key staff 2 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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