Holme Valley Primary School

Inspection Report Holme Valley Primary School

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117811 Unique Reference Number North Lincolnshire LEA 280157 Inspection number 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006 Inspection dates Mr Eric Jackson Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Timberland School address Primary Type of school Bottesford Community School category Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01724 842152 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01724 842152 Fax number 230 Number on roll Mr Michael McCarthy Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Judith Moorhouse Headteacher 1 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 280157 7 February 2006 - 4 to 11 8 February 2006 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Holme Valley is an average-sized primary school, with 230 children from ages 4 to 11 on roll. It has grown considerably since the last inspection and an above- average number of children leave or join during the school year. Socio-economic circumstances locally are average. Children’s attainment at entry covers a wide range, but is broadly average. The number of children with learning difficulties or disabilities is below average. There are very small numbers of children from minority ethnic groups, or in public care. The school has achieved many awards for its work in physical education, the arts and basic skills. It has close links with a primary school in China.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Holme Valley Primary School, 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006

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Grade: 2

The inspection confirms the school’s view that it is a good school with some outstanding features. The headteacher’s excellent leadership promotes high endeavour, high quality care and support, and outstanding personal development for the children. The school has maintained its strengths and improved well since the last inspection. It provides good value for money and is very well placed to improve further. Achievement is good. Quality and standards in the Foundation Stage are good with some excellent features. Standards are usually above or well above average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. However, last year’s test results in Year 6 were lower than usual. This was because a high proportion of the children taking the tests joined the school in Years 4, 5 and 6, significantly changing the character of the year group. Pupils now in Year 6 achieve well, in line with the school’s usual progress, and are on track to

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Grade: 2

reach well-above-average standards in national tests. Parents support the school strongly and contribute well to their children’s progress. All children are included in its activities, and the curriculum is enriched superbly. Standards in physical education, art and information and communication technology (ICT) are high. Staff use assessment information very effectively in the main to plan new learning. However, the recording and analysis of assessment data are too complex, and this hampers the staff’s response to rapid changes in the school’s population.

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What the school should do to improve further

Simplify assessment systems to set clear and accurate targets for achievement so as to raise standards, including those for children who join during the school year.

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Grade: 2

Achievement is generally good across the school. Standards are usually above average at the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics, and science, building effectively on children’s attainment at the end of Year 2. From 2001 to 2004, standards in Year 6 were above the national average and compared well with results in similar schools. However, in 2005, results in national tests in Year 6 were lower than usual and missed the targets set. A high proportion of this cohort joined the school in the juniors. Despite the extra staffing provided, attitudes to learning worsened and slowed the overall progress of the class significantly. The current Year 6 are achieving well and on track to reach challenging targets and well-above-average standards because, as they say, they ‘want to learn’. Children in the Foundation Stage make good progress. Almost all of them reach the expected goals by the end of reception, and a significant

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Grade: 2

proportion exceeds them. Standards are usually above or well above average by the end of Year 2. The current Year 2 are on track to achieve well- above-average standards. Action taken following the lower-than-expected attainment of Year 2 boys in writing last year has been effective. The school’s strongly inclusive approach ensures that 2 Inspection Report: Holme Valley Primary School, 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006 children with learning difficulties or disabilities, and those from minority ethnic groups or in public care, make good progress towards the targets set for them.

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Grade: 1

The inspection confirms that children’s personal development and well-being are outstanding. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent, reflecting the positive ethos for learning that is the heart of the school. Children are made strongly aware of different cultural and faith traditions. Active links with a primary school in China add greatly to this. All children say that they greatly enjoy school: they value their interesting lessons and are eager to do well. Attendance is well above average. The staff spend time discussing codes of behaviour and learning strategies with the children. These discussions lead to very good attitudes to learning, and good behaviour because relationships are excellent and based on mutual trust. Children’s self-esteem is high. The school concert exemplified the high standards expected and achieved, with every child in the school playing an important part very

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Grade: 1

well. Children feel and are safe and secure, and learn well how to be fit and healthy. They are proud of the achievement of the Healthy School Award, and the Gold Activemark. Through many ‘jobs’, such as being School Councillors, children learn responsibility. This helps them contribute well to the community, and prepares them well for later working life.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good, and occasionally outstanding. Virtually all children make good progress, both in all subjects and areas of the curriculum, and in knowing how to learn. Recent approaches to help children and staff develop thinking skills have begun to have good effect in lessons. Children in reception learn to comment on each other’s physical activities, and in Year 1 they learn how to work effectively as ‘talking partners’. By Year 6, children are confident, skilled learners, who successfully pursue tasks independently or in groups. The staff work very well together as a focused development team, using their specific skills for everyone’s benefit. For example, the subject manager for science, who is also an advanced school teacher for ICT, trains other staff in scientific method, and a teaching assistant is the school’s webmaster, helping staff and children alike in developing high-level ICT skills. Ongoing assessment

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Grade: 2

and good marking keep children well informed about how they can improve, and also check on their progress. The staff plan well to meet the needs of all groups of children, including those with learning difficulties or disabilities. ICT is taught very well, and children make excellent progress. Homework and parental support also contribute well to the standards achieved. 3 Inspection Report: Holme Valley Primary School, 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good, a rich tapestry embroidered with a wealth of additional experiences. The remarkable variety and scope of visitors to the school and visits out add powerfully to children’s learning and all aspects of their personal development. The school places a good emphasis on ‘core’ subjects, and has begun to adapt its curricular planning to accommodate important national initiatives. However, this has only recently begun to develop literacy skills through planned work in other subjects. The curriculum for the reception classes is very effective in meeting their needs, and the staff plan the transition into Year 1 well. Physical activity, modern foreign languages and the arts have a strong place in the school’s life, and children’s work is of high quality. Links with other local schools and colleges and with a Chinese primary school, together with a good range of extra-curricular activities, broaden the children’s learning

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Grade: 1

Care, guidance and support are outstanding, even better than the school’s own judgement. Parents all said that children’s care, welfare and safety are key strengths of the school; their children agree. Staff are well trained in child protection and risk assessments and fully committed to children’s welfare. Every child nominates a special adult to help them deal with problems, and uses the ‘worry box’ to signal concerns. Children who have learning difficulties or other barriers to making progress are supported well by the staff. Provision of additional learning opportunities for children with special gifts or talents is also very well organised and managed. The school has close and effective links with other agencies to promote learning, and transition to secondary education is well managed. Children are increasingly involved in planning their own learning experiences. They are very clear about what they have learned and

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Grade: 1

how they might improve because their progress is guided so well.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good, with some outstanding features. The headteacher is an excellent leader, who sets very clear direction for the school’s work and development and focuses sharply on children’s achievement and personal development. Her disappointment last year that, despite significant effort, the school could not motivate a group of late entrants to Year 6 to make progress has spurred her determination to set up procedures to deal with any potential recurrence. The current school improvement plan reflects this. Other senior staff support her well, and lead significant aspects of the school skilfully, including the Foundation Stage, where quality and standards are good. A real strength is the close and productive teamwork between the staff, and with parents. They and their children are consulted regularly and their views taken fully into account in making improvements. The school has an

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Grade: 2

4 Inspection Report: Holme Valley Primary School, 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006 accurate knowledge of itself, based on thorough monitoring and evaluation procedures. For example, governors and the whole staff meet together to evaluate the previous year’s improvement plan, and to develop the new one. Governors know the school well and fulfil their roles effectively. However, an identified weakness in the school’s systems is the lack of clarity in analysing recorded assessment data on children’s attainment. 5 Inspection Report: Holme Valley Primary School, 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Holme Valley Primary School, 7 February 2006 to 8 February 2006

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well do learners achieve? NA 2 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 2 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 1 The attendance of learners NA 1 How well learners enjoy their education NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 1 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 1 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 2 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 1 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 2 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 2 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0207 421 6800 F 0207 421 6707 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 Mrs Judith Moorhouse Holme Valley Primary School Timberland Bottesford Scunthorpe North Lincolnshire DN16 3SL 10 February 2006 Dear Children Thank you for welcoming Mrs Evans and me in such a friendly Holme Valley way. We enjoyed being in your school very much and want to congratulate all of you on how well you performed your concert, ‘Pick a Pocket or Two.’ I even checked that my wallet was still there! It was, of course. You know that our job is to see how well your school looks after you and helps you to learn. You and your parents told us that Holme Valley is a very caring school, where all the staff are friendly and helpful, making sure that you are safe and secure. You also said that many of your lessons are interesting, even exciting, and that the wide range of different activities is ‘great’. We agree with you: you are lucky to be given such a feast of learning. We feel that you also

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

help your school work successfully by behaving well and trying hard in all you do. Your staff team works together well on your behalf, led really well by your headteacher. We think that the way they plan your lessons helps you all to make good progress, as your parents told us. The staff also try to give you a wide variety of experiences to extend your understanding in art, PE, music and ICT, where you do very well. You don’t gain all those awards without hard work! We have asked the staff to share with you learning targets that are very clear and challenging to help you make even better progress, particularly those of you who have joined the school later than reception. You can help by continuing to do your best, and enjoying all the ‘cool’ things you have to do. With best wishes for your future. Yours sincerely Eric Jackson (lead Inspector) Heather Evans (Additional Inspector).

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