Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School

Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School Inspection report

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122579 Unique Reference Number Nottinghamshire Local Authority 314334 Inspection number 22–23 October 2008 Inspection dates Roger Sadler Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Community School category 3–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 285 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 60 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Alan Close Chair Mr Mark Eadon Headteacher 14 June 2004 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Off Portland Road School address Selston Nottingham Nottinghamshire NG16 6AW

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3–11 Age group 22–23 October 2008 Inspection dates 314334 Inspection number 01773 783909 Telephone number 01773 783909 Fax number

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3–11 Age group 22–23 October 2008 Inspection dates 314334 Inspection number .

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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. 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The vast majority of pupils in this school are of White British heritage and speak English as their first language. The proportion eligible for free school meals is average. The percentage of pupils who find learning difficult is below average. Children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) on a part-time basis and move to full-time education at the beginning of the Reception Year. The school has recently received a Healthy Schools Gold Award and the Active Mark Award for physical education (PE).

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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Grade: 2

The quality of education provided to pupils is good. This is due to good leadership and management and good teaching and learning. Provision for children in the EYFS is also good. The headteacher is highly regarded by parents, governors, staff and pupils and inspires confidence in others to give their best. One parent captured the views of many when she wrote, 'My child is doing very well at the school which is a very caring place'. Care, guidance and support and the school's curriculum and pupils' personal development and well-being are also good. High quality relationships and consistently good behaviour help pupils to achieve well and enjoy their time in this happy and very safe school. Right from Nursery and up to Year 6, pupils are well cared for and feel very secure in school. Pupils show an impressive regard for their own safety and the safety of others. They say they like school and the welcome they get

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Grade: 2

from all adults in the school. Pupils also appreciate the efforts staff make to ensure learning is interesting and fun. They also like the school's varied curriculum with its emphasis on linking learning in a range of subjects and the wide range of enrichment opportunities and clubs available to them. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are particularly enjoying their topic on Divali, which is effectively supporting their learning in a wide range of subjects helping them develop a clear understanding of the ways of life of people from other cultures who live in modern Britain. By the end of Year 6, pupils have made good progress and achieved well. They attain average standards, which are rising. Academic guidance is good. In all classes, staff regularly assess and carefully analyse each pupil's progress and the school directs extra help to those who are achieving standards below those expected for their ages. Because opportunities are occasionally

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Grade: 2

missed to extend those who are capable of doing harder work, fewer than usual exceed the standards expected for their ages in English, and to a lesser extent in mathematics. Pupils who find learning difficult make good progress because they frequently receive carefully tailored support from teachers and teaching assistants. The headteacher and leadership team provide clear direction for the work of the school and staff work together well as a team. Monitoring and evaluation are effective and the school has a clear understanding of its strengths and where improvements are needed. The school has brought about many important improvements such as in the way that science is taught. Consequently pupils achieve very well in science and science standards are above average throughout the school. The way that younger pupils are taught their letter sounds has also improved and standards of reading and spelling are rising in the younger classes. The school

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Grade: 2

has good capacity to continue improving. However, ways of judging progress of priorities in the school development plan are sometimes unclear, thus limiting leaders' and governors' facility in evaluating fully the impact of the plan on the standards pupils achieve.

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Grade: 2

Children enter the EYFS with knowledge and skills below those normally found for their age, although, over the last two years there has been a rising trend in the levels of attainment. Children learn, develop and achieve well, because the provision is well-organised to meet their different needs and the new framework for the curriculum for young children is well-implemented. Children are inducted well and are soon happy, settled and keen to be involved. They choose from a selection of activities which enable them to develop their skills in being creative. They find out about different traditions and cultures and practise their skills 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008 in dance, moving with control, co-ordination and imagination. Children's creativity and independence in their learning are valued by staff. This results in a good balance of activities

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Grade: 2

between those which children choose for themselves and those which are directed by adults. Because activities engage and motivate them, children develop their skills in concentrating and persevering with their tasks. The staff are skilled at interacting with the children in their play and helping them to develop their ideas. Children approach adults confidently and securely and know that they will be supported in their learning and treated in a sensitive way. The progress children make is carefully recorded and activities are matched to each child's individual needs. The unit is well-led and managed, with a clear view of areas for improvement. The teaching of literacy skills is currently being improved and work on helping children identify sounds and letters in words is ongoing. Staff have correctly identified the need to use children's knowledge of sounds to improve their writing skills.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Provide additional support and challenge to pupils to help more of them attain standards above those expected for their ages in English and mathematics. ■ Provide specific criteria for success in the school development plan to enable leaders and governors to more easily evaluate progress in its key priorities.

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Grade: 2

Pupils achieve well and make good progress through the school. Standards are currently average and steadily rising. Pupils make good progress in Years 1 and 2 and standards in reading are improving due to the introduction of effective daily teaching of letters and sounds in younger classes. Rates of progress in Years 3 to 6 are also improving. Science standards are now above average and standards in mathematics and English are in line with expected levels. Pupils who find learning difficult respond well to the carefully tailored additional support provided by teachers and teaching assistants and make good progress. Pupils throughout the school make good progress in their speaking and listening skills because they are given frequent chances to hold discussions in classes.

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Grade: 2

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Since the last inspection, their understanding of the multi-cultural nature of British society is much improved and pupils are being well prepared to mix in an ethnically diverse society. This, along with pupils' secure basic skills and their well developed social skills prepares them well for their next school and adult life beyond. Teachers hold high expectations of pupils. Consequently pupils are well behaved and cooperate very well with each other and with adults in the school and act very safely indeed. They take considerable pride in their books and the way that they present their work. The school's work towards Healthy School Award has helped pupils develop a clear understanding of the importance of regular exercise and eating healthily. Levels of attendance are satisfactory rather than good because the attendance of a few pupils is irregular. The school has good links

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Grade: 2

with the outside community and pupils make a good contribution to local charities and events. Although pupils take on some responsibilities in school, there is scope for increasing their responsibility for the smooth running of the school. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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Grade: 2

Teaching is good and staff know how to present knowledge, skills and ideas clearly and in an interesting and informative way. Lessons are well-organised and carefully planned. Very effective management of lessons and pupils results in consistently good behaviour and very good relationships. Pupils sustain concentration and enjoy the creatively presented activities and tasks they are given. Teachers' confident subject knowledge enables them to use and ensure that pupils use the correct mathematical vocabulary in lessons, for example, when describing the properties of two- and three- dimensional shapes. Support for the pupils' learning is good, but at times teaching assistants are too passive when the teacher is taking the whole class. On these occasions those capable of harder work miss out on extra support and challenge.

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Grade: 2

The development of basic skills is given appropriately strong emphasis. Pupils are further helped to develop their literacy skills in a range of subjects such as history and science. Subjects are creatively linked through topics to help make learning interesting and fun. The provision for personal, social and health education is good and supplemented by interesting assemblies and 'circle time'. Pupils have clear guidance on drugs awareness. In Year 6, for example, this was reinforced through music as the pupils sang with conviction about why drugs are best avoided. The curriculum is enhanced with a good range of clubs, trips and visits. The profile of PE has been raised and pupils have benefited from the school's membership of the Ashfield Schools Sports partnership which has helped improve the school's PE curriculum. Information and communication technology (ICT) is used well as an aid to teaching, but it is sometimes not used

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Grade: 2

enough by pupils to support their learning and practise their skills.

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Grade: 2

Academic guidance is good. Pupils are given clear direction on where and how to improve their work and targets are set for the next steps in their learning. Pupils' progress is tracked carefully and there are carefully tailored programmes to ensure they attain standards expected for their ages. However, chances to provide extra guidance to help more able pupils to do their very best are occasionally missed in English and mathematics. Pupils praise highly the staff commitment to them. Parents also acknowledge the support given to their children; 'Couldn't ask for more' was one comment. Procedures for keeping pupils safe are effective and health and safety issues are taken very seriously. Careful checks on any potential hazards and risks are identified and addressed. The committed team of teaching assistants and the learning mentor give good support to children identified as finding learning difficult when working in

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Grade: 2

small groups. Parent volunteers make a valuable contribution to pupils' learning and there are good links with a range of outside agencies and partnerships, for example with secondary schools. 7 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and senior management team work together very well to ensure the overall success of the school. Staff training and guidance are good and careful follow-up checks by the head and other leaders ensure that staff adopt a consistently effective approach to such matters as how pupils' work is planned and marked. The good leadership both of teaching and learning and pupils' personal development are evident in pupils' good progress and in their polite, confident and pleasant demeanour. The headteacher encourages and enables other leaders to develop their leadership roles. Consequently, governors and subject leaders carry out their roles well. Governors have a clear view of the strengths of the school and where improvements are needed. However, ways of judging the impact of the school development plan on pupils' achievement are sometimes not clear enough. Parents comment on the way that they are kept well informed about events at school and how they might help their children

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Grade: 2

at home. Consequently many parents make a valuable contribution to the good progress pupils make. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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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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needs of learners?

Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

2 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 2 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 2 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 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/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 3 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

24 October 2008 Dear Children Inspection of Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, Selston, NG16 6AW. Thank you for making us so welcome when we came to inspect your school. We send special thanks to those of you who gave up part of your lunchtime to talk with us. We thoroughly enjoyed talking with you and your teachers and watching you learn. Your school is a good school. It is run well and is giving you a good education. Adults provide good teaching so that you make good progress. You are being well prepared for life at your next school. I am pleased yours is such a happy and interesting school and that you and your parents are pleased with it. We were very impressed at how many of you know your learning targets. You enjoy school and most of you attend regularly. You all clearly know how to act very safely. You understand what is right and what is wrong, show consideration for others and are very friendly to each other. You should be proud of your good behaviour and manners. Those of

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you who find learning difficult make good progress because the school helps you learn. There are many things that your headteacher, the staff and the governors want to improve because they want your school to get even better! We agree with them that there are two important things that need doing first.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

■ Make sure that those of you who are capable of reaching higher levels in your work, are given tasks that offer you the right level of challenge, and also support from staff so that you achieve as well as you can. ■ To ensure that the adults who write the plan to help your school improve (the school development plan) include clearer ways of measuring how quickly your school is improving. I send you our very best wishes for the future, Roger Sadler Lead Inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Holly Hill Primary and Nursery School, 22–23 October 2008

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