Holbrook Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are friendly and kind towards each other. Pupils enjoy the visits and experiences they are given to support their learning.

For example, pupils enjoy the 'Alzheimer's Support' (Mill Street Club) where they play games and talk to the adults there.

Some pupils, parents and carers feel that behaviour is not good enough. At times, lessons are disrupted.

This slows the progress pupils make. Pupils spoke positively about school rules and the rewards they receive. They get rewarded for demonstrating 'ready, respectful, safe' and for being on the 'recognition board'.

Pupils say they feel safe. They understand what bullying... is and the different forms it can take. If bullying occurs, pupils say that it is dealt with by the adults and it stops.

Leaders have taken steps to improve the quality of education. However, they have not considered well enough how pupils will build their knowledge in subjects over time and have not organised what pupils learn in a logical order. Because of this, pupils do not achieve as well as they should in some subjects, including reading.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Since the previous inspection, there have been changes in leadership and staffing. Over time, pupils' achievement has fluctuated. Leaders have worked hard to improve some aspects of the school.

However, many of their plans are very recent and actions have not been fully implemented.

Leaders have started to improve the writing curriculum. They have considered the way learning is sequenced and are clear about what pupils should learn.

However, the Year 6 curriculum is missing important aspects of the use of grammar. This affects the standard of writing pupils produce.

Leaders have not developed the curriculum well enough so that it is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

This is particularly the case for science, history, religious education (RE) and mathematics. Leaders have started to identify the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn but this has not yet been fully implemented.

Teaching does not build on what pupils already know and can do.

For example, when pupils learn about Stonehenge, they do not develop their knowledge and historical understanding well. Pupils cannot make links between what they have already learned and what they will learn next. As a result, pupils struggle to remember what they have previously learned in a range of subjects.

The needs of pupils with SEND are not well met. Teaching does not identify the small building blocks pupils need to achieve well. This means that outcomes for these pupils are not as good as they could be.

This reflects the shortcomings in the curriculum for all pupils.

Leaders are in the process of changing the phonics programme. Leaders have not ensured that all staff have received the necessary training to teach phonics effectively.

Staff are not clear which sounds and words pupils should be able to read by the end of each term. Although teachers can identify pupils who are struggling to read, teaching is not helping pupils to catch up quickly enough. Leaders are tackling this issue.

They have invested in books that match the sounds and letters that pupils have learned, but it is too soon to see any improvements.

Pupils in key stage 2 read regularly. Pupils read class novels together as well as their individual books.

Pupils say that they enjoy reading and especially like it when their teacher reads to them.

Leaders encourage pupils to develop into responsible citizens. Pupils learn about other faiths and cultures.

Pupils told us that anyone is welcome in the school, no matter what their differences may be. They said that everyone is respected.

Children in the Reception Year do not learn as well as they could.

Leaders' expectations of what children can achieve are not high enough. This results in teaching that is not ambitious. Low-level disruption then occurs, which stops the flow of learning.

Despite this, relationships between adults and children are positive. Children understand why it is important to eat healthily. They enjoy snack time and know that fruit is a healthy choice.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff are well-trained. Staff take the welfare of pupils seriously.

Staff are confident to share any concerns. Leaders make sure that appropriate pre-employment checks are in place.

Leaders work well with other agencies and organisations.

They ensure that pupils and families get help when needed.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For instance, they understand how to stay safe online and know what to do if they feel worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum is not organised well or ambitious enough. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, do not achieve as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is coherently sequenced so that all pupils know and remember more.

. Phonics is not taught well enough as staff lack the training to deliver the curriculum effectively. This means that pupils fall behind and struggle to catch up.

Leaders should ensure that staff are trained well so that teachers and teaching assistants have the skills they need to teach phonics effectively. . Some pupils do not behave well in lessons.

When the curriculum is not challenging enough, pupils lose focus. Other pupils find this distracting. Leaders should make sure that staff have the highest expectations of pupils' behaviour right from the time they start school.

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