Holbeach Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that leaders:
  • use information about outcomes of pupils skilfully to improve the teaching of mathematics
  • provide governors with sufficient information so that they are able to challenge leaders effectively.
• Improve the quality of the teaching of mathematics by:
  • ensuring that teachers explain how pupils can improve their work in ways that they can understand and use in future lessons
  • checking that teachers set work that enables pupils to build on their skills from previous lessons
  • ensuring that teachers challenge pupils to explain their reasoning and methods of calculation more effectively. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and governance may be improved. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• The executive headteacher, the head of school and senior leaders do not use information about outcomes for pupils effectively to ensure their progress is consistently good across all subjects taught. They have identified the weakest teaching and recognised that standards in mathematics need to be raised. However, they do not check how their actions are improving outcomes for pupils with sufficient regularity and rigour. As a result, teaching is not consistently effective in all subjects and particularly in mathematics.
• Leaders do not check on the progress of pupils regularly enough and do not analyse this information in sufficient depth. As a result, leaders cannot identify rates of progress of different groups of pupils in the current school year with precision. This limits their ability to hold teachers to account and evaluate how effectively resources are being used.
• Leaders’ plans for improvement are not focused sharply enough on reducing the differences in progress that continue to exist between different groups of pupils and subjects. They do not identify sharp success measures or clear-enough timescales for improvement.
• Leaders conduct regular checks on the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. They use an appropriate range of evidence to provide teachers with guidance on what they are doing well and areas for further development. Consequently, teachers follow agreed policies and procedures consistently. Teachers who are in the early stage of their career understand what is expected of them. However, leaders do not link their evaluation of teaching rigorously to its impact on outcomes for different groups of pupils.
• Leaders do not use information about outcomes for pupils rigorously enough when evaluating how well the pupil premium funding is being used. As a result, they do not know precisely how quickly differences in outcomes for disadvantaged pupils are diminishing.
• The leader responsible for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities has recently taken up her post. She is introducing more regular and extensive checks on the progress these pupils make. However, these have not yet been completed. As a result, the impact of the use of resources on improving outcomes for these pupils is unclear to school leaders and governors.
• The sports premium is used well to help pupils learn about and participate in a wider range of sports. The participation of girls has improved in particular as a result of decisions made about the use of this funding.
• The curriculum supports pupils’ personal development well and promotes British values effectively. Teachers implement the well-organised plans for the curriculum effectively. As a result, pupils enjoy learning across a wide range of subjects. Pupils benefit from imaginative and exciting opportunities to broaden their horizons. For example, pupils in Year 5 visit a school in Finland to learn how people live in a contrasting location and culture. The wide range of other visits and activities, and the creative use of literature throughout the school, promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education well.

Governance of the school

• The governing body knows about the school’s strengths and weaknesses. Governors can talk in detail about actions aimed at improving outcomes for pupils. However, governors do not have enough information about how well pupils in the current school year are doing. They cannot evaluate how effectively additional funding for disadvantaged pupils is being spent. Consequently, they cannot hold leaders sufficiently to account.
• Governors ensure that their work is understood by parents and pupils. They fulfil their statutory duties in relation to safeguarding effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders take appropriate action to ensure that all members of staff are kept up-to-date with the most recent guidance on safeguarding. The training provided includes a good emphasis on particular risks, which leaders believe may be particularly relevant to the community. For example, staff are provided with training to help them understand and identify signs that pupils may be at risk from particular dangers, such as sexual exploitation or female genital mutilation.
• Procedures for making referrals and recording concerns are robust. Relationships with parents and other agencies are strong. This ensures that concerns are recognised early and dealt with promptly.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• Weaknesses in the teaching of mathematics have not been tackled effectively enough to ensure outcomes in this subject are improving rapidly. This is why the quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement.
• The quality of the teaching of mathematics is inconsistent. Leaders have revised the policy for teaching this subject and make sure that teachers understand its principles. However, weaker teachers do not plan lessons that enable pupils of different abilities to build on their previous learning rapidly enough. The most able pupils are not challenged sufficiently in lessons aimed at strengthening pupils’ knowledge of number facts and basic calculations. Pupils’ work shows that many spend too much time completing calculations using methods that they already understand. Teachers provide regular guidance for pupils. However, its impact on pupils’ progress diminishes when it does not help them identify how to apply their skills or challenge them to explain their reasoning. Pupils who spoke to inspectors said teachers gave less-clear information about how well they were doing in mathematics than in other subjects.
• Teachers and additional adults provide effective motivation and support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities across a wide range of subjects. However, leaders have not evaluated how well this is promoting the progress of these pupils in the current school year.
• Teachers set high expectations for the quality of pupils’ writing. They offer effective guidance to enable pupils to understand how they can improve the style and structure of their writing to suit different audiences and purposes. Pupils say they understand what is good about their writing and what they need to improve. The most able writers are taught how to apply more sophisticated features of different genres to improve the style of their writing.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported in ensuring they develop a secure understanding of spelling and grammar.
• The quality of the teaching of phonics dipped in Year 1 in the last school year and outcomes suggest it has been inconsistent since the last inspection. However, leaders have been successful in ensuring that teachers currently in key stage 1 teach phonics well.
• Teachers use the wide range of good books on offer and the splendid library to promote an enjoyment for reading among pupils. The most able pupils are provided with effective guidance to deepen their reading skills.
• Pupils benefit from skilful and inspirational teaching across the wider range of curriculum subjects, such as in art and science. Teachers confidently use imaginative and intriguing starting points for pupils to develop their skills and knowledge.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils thrive on the wide range of imaginative and creative opportunities for them to contribute to the school community. Those with responsible jobs during breaktimes understand why they were chosen for their roles and how to be successful in carrying out their duties.
• The curriculum provides good opportunities for pupils to understand how to stay safe, including when they use the internet.
• Pupils say that they are confident in the work of the school to keep them safe. Parents told inspectors that they appreciate the way school leaders promote mutual respect and a passion for learning among pupils. Teachers are successful in ensuring pupils feel confident about discussing difficult issues openly. Pupils learn to appreciate that others may see things from a different point of view and to respect this, while feeling confident to express their own beliefs.
• School records show that bullying and other discriminatory behaviour are rare.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning. They understand the consequences of poor behaviour and know why they should behave well. Pupils told inspectors that the time teachers provide pupils to reflect on mistakes is helpful in ensuring that they do not repeat them.
• Pupils rarely disrupt learning, but a few find it difficult to maintain concentration at times in lessons.
• Pupils use the outdoor areas safely and considerately. They say that bullying is rare and understand how to tell when bullying is taking place. Parents and pupils have an overwhelmingly positive view of pupils’ behaviour at the school.
• Current rates of attendance are in line with those of schools nationally. The positive relationships that leaders have developed with parents and pupils is ensuring attendance continues to improve.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Outcomes for pupils require improvement because the progress of different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, is below national averages and is not improving rapidly enough in mathematics.
• Inconsistencies in the teaching of mathematics over time mean that pupils make slower progress than that seen nationally, particularly in key stage 2. Pupils’ work in mathematics in the current school year indicates that their progress is not improving rapidly enough in some classes.
• In 2016, provisional information indicates that the progress of pupils in key stage 2 in mathematics was slower than that seen nationally, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with average starting points. As a result, the proportion attaining the expected level by the end of key stage 2 in 2016 was below the national average. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils attaining the expected level was well below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils reaching the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics check remained below the national figure for the third year running in 2015, with the gap growing, particularly for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have taken prompt steps in the current school year to improve the teaching of phonics in key stage 1. Early indications show that the progress of pupils has improved as a result.
• Pupils’ progress in reading throughout key stage 2 is similar to the national average and in writing it exceeds it. Disadvantaged pupils make similar progress to other pupils nationally in reading and writing. The most able disadvantaged pupils make the strongest progress within this group.
• Attainment by the end of key stage 1 is broadly average, representing good progress from different starting points overall.
• The most able pupils make similar progress to other pupils nationally who achieve high attainment. In mathematics, the number of most able pupils attaining a higher level is broadly in line with the national average. However, in the current school year, pupils’ work indicates that the progress of the most able pupils is inconsistent in mathematics.
• The school has limited information to indicate how the progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities compares with other pupils in the current school year. The same is true for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Work seen in books and other inspection evidence indicates that their progress is similar to that of other pupils, given their starting points.

Early years provision Good

• The early years leader and her staff have established a consistently effective environment for learning in the main school and the Nursery provision. This ensures that the proportion of children achieving a good level of development has remained above the national average. The proportion exceeding a good level of development is rising. Disadvantaged children do as well as other children nationally in the early years. Additional funding is spent effectively. Children make at least good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for Year 1.
• Teaching in the early years is consistently good. Teachers very frequently review activities and lesson plans to ensure that children remain challenged and supported. The most able children thrive on the opportunities for them to make connections between different aspects of learning, both indoors and outdoors. Teachers make sure that those who need more support with their learning get the most from equipment and resources. For example, children enjoy learning how to use measuring equipment to compare the amount of materials they are using.
• Teachers and support staff understand the needs of children whose speech and language skills remain lower than that expected for their age. They create good opportunities for these children to respond to questions and describe what they are doing. However, they do not always exemplify accurate English grammar in their own speech or expect children to answer in complete sentences when they are able to do so.
• The activities available to children contribute very well to their personal development. Members of staff are skilled at identifying opportunities for children to take responsibility for looking after themselves and thinking about one another. As a result, children learn why they should behave well from the outset of the time at the school.
• The teaching of phonics and early skills in reading and writing is good. There are also many effective opportunities for children to develop their mathematical skills.
• Safeguarding in the early years is effective. Members of staff have a shared understanding of the procedures for reporting and responding to concerns. Parents spoken to said they were confident about the work of the school to keep the children safe. Partnerships with parents are strong. There are many meaningful opportunities available for parents to become involved with their child’s learning in and out of school.

School details

Unique reference number 100688 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 10001062 The school was inspected on 6 December 2016 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. This inspection was led by an Ofsted Inspector. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act, which took place between 8 December and 9 December 2016 and was led by one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors. Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3 to 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 503 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ms V Edwards Executive headteacher Ms C Boxall Telephone number 020 8690 4713 Website www.holbeach.lewisham.sch.uk Email address admin@holbeach.lewisham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 April 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• Holbeach Primary School is a larger-than-average sized primary school.
• The school is in a soft federation with another local primary school. The executive headteacher works across both schools, typically spending two to three days a week at this school. The head of school leads the school on a day-to-day basis.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of key stage 2.
• The proportion of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, entitled to the pupil premium, is much higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors made observations in lessons in each year group, including the Nursery and Reception classes. Many of these observations were completed jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during playtime and the lunch break. A school assembly was also observed.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders and representatives of the governing body. Inspectors also held discussions with leaders responsible for many aspects of the school’s provision.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s improvement plan, information about pupils’ achievements and records of the checks carried out by leaders on the quality of teaching. Inspectors looked at behaviour records, attendance information and documents related to safeguarding.
• Inspectors met with parents informally at the end of the school day and considered 70 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire.
• A wide range of pupils’ work was scrutinised with school leaders. Inspectors met with a group of pupils and heard some of them read.

Inspection team

Andrew Wright, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Margaret Warner Ofsted Inspector Ogugua Okolo-Angus Ofsted Inspector Joy Barter Ofsted Inspector David Radomsky, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector