Holme Primary School

Inspection Report Holme Community School

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112179 Unique Reference Number Cumbria Local Authority 289192 Inspection number 13 March 2007 Inspection date Dave Byrne Reporting inspector

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

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North Road School address Primary Type of school Holme, Carnforth Community School category Lancashire, LA6 1QA 4 °11 Age range of pupils 01524 781205 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01524 782664 Fax number 106 Number on roll (school) Mr Mike Prill Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Jane Smith Headteacher 1 October 2001 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection date Age group 289192 13 March 2007 4 °11 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 one Additional Inspector.

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Description of the school

This is a small village school. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals is well below average. The proportion with learning difficulties and disabilities is broadly average but the percentage with statements of special educational need is very high. Virtually all pupils are of White British ethnicity, and a very small number have English as an additional language. The attainment of children starting school in Reception is similar to that found for children of their age.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school in which pupils are given a very good foundation for their future. From an average starting point on entry to school, pupils make good progress overall and reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. They develop outstanding attitudes to school, form excellent relationships with others and behave very well, demonstrating politeness and consideration. They say they feel safe and secure in school. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are excellent. They have good basic skills and the personal qualities to make the most of the next stage of their education and to prepare for their future economic well-being. They take on responsibilities and contribute to the community through charitable work. The vast majority of parents are proud of the school and value what they describe to be an ethos of being one large family. Achievement is good. Very good teaching in Reception lays firm foundations for the

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Grade: 2

children’s school life by giving a good grounding in academic learning alongside developing good personal and social skills. Teaching overall is good, but there are variations in quality between Key Stages 1 and 2 and consequently the rate of pupils’ progress differs. It is good in Key Stage 2 and progress there accelerates so that by the time they leave school, standards are above average not only in English, mathematics and science but also design and technology, music and physical education. In Key Stage 1, teaching is improving and meets the needs of most pupils but it is not extending the performance of the more able, particularly in writing and mathematics. Information gained from the inspection indicates that progress in Key Stage 1 is improving and standards are higher this year after a time when they were below average. Pupils benefit from outstanding levels of personal care, which is one reason why the

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Grade: 2

pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those with English as an additional language are so well integrated in school. The safety and protection of pupils have a high priority. Pupils love school, partly because of a good curriculum, which is enriched by a wide range of educational visits and partly because of the good emphasis given to pupils’ personal, social, health and citizenship development. As a result, pupils enjoy lessons and try to do everything they should to be fit and healthy. Systems for assessing and tracking pupils are unnecessarily complex, and make the tracking of pupils’ progress difficult. This has a negative impact on standards in Key Stage 1 where the more able are not systematically challenged enough. Leadership and management are good. The headteacher works closely with the staff team and the effective governing body to make sure that the school is well managed

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Grade: 2

so that it is constantly improving. Finances are very well managed and resources used exceptionally well. Given the current circumstances, there is a good capacity for the school to improve in future. 2 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise expectations at Key Stage 1, especially of the more able in mathematics and writing. • Devise, implement and monitor the effectiveness of a manageable assessment and tracking system across the school.

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Grade: 2

Pupils reach above average standards by the end of Year 6 in English, mathematics and science. From an average starting point when pupils join the school, this represents good achievement. The rate of progress, however, varies. It is good in the Foundation Stage and most children reach and many exceed the expectations for their age. In Key Stage 1, progress has not been good enough in the past but inspection evidence shows that it is currently satisfactory. In Key Stage 2, progress accelerates to a very good rate, which is reflected in the positive value added data for the school. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities benefit from very good support by learning support assistants, resulting in them making consistently good progress across the school. Those with English as an additional language do well, are fully integrated into school life, and make the same progress as others. Standards in Key Stage 2 have been consistently above average since 2002 and were

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Grade: 2

well above average in 2006. Standards are particularly good in English; pupils read and write well and are articulate when speaking. They also do well in mathematics and science. Standards are also good in design and technology, music and physical education. In Key Stage 1, standards have been below average in recent years but this year results are set to improve.

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Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are outstanding. Throughout the school, pupils demonstrate very good behaviour, great awareness of others and an appreciation of good manners. Pupils say they feel safe at all times. In lessons, they take pride in their work and thrive on learning new ideas and skills. The smiles around school illustrate pupils’ enjoyment of learning, which impacts positively on the rate of attendance which is above average. Through a thriving school council pupils feel their views are heard and that they are influencing aspects of school life. They have a very good understanding of the choices required to keep healthy and they do all they can to stay fit and well. The school has gained Healthy School accreditation, which benefits the pupils’ understanding of healthy living. The school’s Activemark award underlines the good quality of provision for sport in school, which generates tremendous enthusiasm

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Grade: 1

for exercise amongst many pupils. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong, with good levels of moral and social development contributing to excellent relationships. Although pupils have a good knowledge and understanding 3 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007 of aspects of cultures abroad, for example Mexico and India, their understanding, although satisfactory, of the diversity of modern society is less well developed. Imaginative efforts involve pupils in raising funds for less fortunate children; for example, through the shoebox scheme. The good academic standards and excellent social skills give pupils a very good preparation for their future lives.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning are good overall, but there are variations across the school. In the Foundation Stage, excellent planning underpins the provision of lively and stimulating learning experiences, which gives children a very good start to school life. In Key Stage 1, teaching is satisfactory overall. The needs of the lower and average attaining pupils are effectively met but expectations are not high enough to stretch the knowledge and understanding of the more able pupils. In Key Stage 2, lessons are imaginatively planned to meet the needs of all pupils so that they are made to think for themselves and use their knowledge to solve problems. This approach results in pupils learning with enthusiasm through fun activities and developing their confidence to make decisions about learning for themselves. Whilst teachers know their pupils well and information from assessment is used to inform planning, the current model

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Grade: 2

for recording and tracking individual and group progress is over complex and ineffective, particularly in Key Stage 1.This has a marked impact on the quality of planning for the more able in Years 1 and 2. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and with English as an additional language are taught very well throughout the school as a result of excellent partnerships between support staff and teachers.

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Grade: 2

A good curriculum enriched by a good range of additional activities makes learning fun. In the Foundation Stage, children receive a rich range of activities tailored to meet their needs. Elsewhere, literacy and numeracy are effectively planned and increasingly links are made with other subjects so that pupils can develop their reading, writing and mathematical skills in a variety of situations. Pupils benefit from strengths in the provision for music and sport and in Key Stage 2 have weekly sessions in French. Whilst the curriculum is very well adapted to support pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, the curriculum policy for the able, gifted and talented pupils is only satisfactory. Good provision for personal, social, health and citizenship education develops mature pupils with a good awareness of what it means to be a good citizen. Visits to places of educational value in the locality, links with local high schools and

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Grade: 2

visits to school of musicians and sports coaches all enrich learning. Pupils enthusiastically attend the good range of extra-curricular activities that include clubs such as yoga, as well as a wide range of sporting and musical events. 4 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good, with excellent levels of personal support. The school has excellent procedures for maintaining the health and safety of staff and pupils and effective checks on the suitability of adults in contact with pupils. Child protection procedures are very effectively implemented and good links exist with outside agencies to provide support to pupils who are emotionally vulnerable. The needs of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those with statements of special educational need, are very well met by a combination of very good management within school, very effective teaching by support staff and strong links with education and health agencies. Pupils with English as an additional language are supported effectively within classes. Although the more able are given effective guidance in Key Stage 2, it is not as effective as it could be in Years 1 and 2.

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Grade: 2

This is partly because of weaknesses in the quality of tracking and assessment to provide enough information about pupils’ progress.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management are good. The headteacher provides strong leadership and has a clear vision for the school’s future development. She is well supported by able and committed senior teaching and administrative staff and an effective governing body. Together with a very supportive and professional team of teachers and support staff, the school accurately evaluates its strengths and sets realistic goals for improvement. A suitable school improvement plan guides school developments and keeps a good balance between pupils’ academic and personal progress. It is starting to tackle the weakness in assessment evident in Key Stage 1 and maintains very good management of the provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities. Good links with local secondary and primary schools contribute well to staff development; for example, in areas such as sport and in enriching the curriculum. Finances are very

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Grade: 2

carefully managed to get excellent value from the budget. Overall improvement since the last inspection has been good and very good in terms of standards in English at Key Stage 2. Despite a tight budget, improvements since the previous inspection have been made in staffing, the buildings and resources. The accommodation is excellent in terms of outdoor provision and indoors limitations of space are overcome by the very creative use of all areas. 5 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Holme Primary School North Road Holme Carnforth Lancashire LA6 1QA 13 March 2007 Dear Pupils, As you know, I visited your school recently and spent a day there. I would like to share with you the opinions that I formed from that visit. You are right in your judgement that your school is good. It is also right to say that your behaviour is excellent and that for most of the time, you work hard in lessons and usually do your best. The standard of work in Key Stage 2 is very good in English, mathematics and science and also in design and technology, music and sport. In Key Stage 1, I feel that some pupils find work too easy and need to be challenged to think more. Children in Reception get a cracking start to school life. Learning there is fun and exciting, and just what younger children need. Your teachers and headteacher are very caring and they do a good job in making school a safe and secure place. Lessons are usually exciting and interesting. Everyone does a great job in

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

helping those who have difficulty learning and it was very good to see the way everyone mixes together. The teachers and headteacher know you all well, but the way that teachers record how well each of you is doing as you move through the school is difficult to use. The school is looking to find a better way of doing this so that you get even better support with your learning. I will have a lasting memory of smiling faces, the pride you have in your school and of the good friendships you all seem to have. I hope you continue to be helpful and kind people and try to do your best in all that you do. Yours sincerely Dave Byrne (Lead inspector) 9 Inspection Report: Holme Community School, 13 March 2007

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