Holly Meadows School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Holly Meadows is a warm and friendly community.

Pupils enjoy everything the school has to offer. Extensive school grounds provide pupils with space to tend to the allotment, learn about nature and improve their fitness. All pupils can participate in a range of clubs, trips and festivals.

For example, the local annual dance festival, the school's 'Glee' club, or a mathematics competition at a local high school. Pupils look after each other and take care of their school environment.

Pupils learn interesting concepts about the wider world and the past.

The school helps pupils to learn important skills such as reading, writing and calculation. Pupils kno...w that reading helps them to learn new knowledge and that this gives them ideas for writing. Pupils enjoy their reading lessons because teachers introduce them to books with exciting plots and characters.

The school culture emphasises the importance of being calm, polite and patient. Bullying is rare. Staff listen to pupils' worries and help them to overcome friendship difficulties.

Staff model kindness and have high expectations about pupil participation. This means that in lessons, pupils try their best and in assemblies, everyone joins in with singing.

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

Since the previous inspection, leaders have improved the curriculum.

The curriculum is well-sequenced. Leaders have increased its focus on knowledge, including in the early years. As a result, pupils become more knowledgeable.

They have conversations about historical events. They produce colourful works of art in the styles of notable artists. The school adapts the curriculum when pupils move into different mixed-aged classes.

This avoids repetition or the possibility that pupils miss out on key knowledge.

Reading is a school priority. Reading lessons start as soon as children join the Reception Year.

Staff ensure that pupils' practice books match the sounds they are learning. Staff quickly spot pupils who have fallen behind in reading. The school provides plenty of effective, extra help and practice opportunities for pupils who need to catch up.

Older pupils look forward to their daily reading lessons.

In response to recently published results, the school has enhanced its focus on English and mathematics. Staff have opportunities to observe expert teaching and leaders plan relevant training for staff.

As a result, pupils have better lesson experiences. They like that teachers now use more physical resources to help them understand new mathematical concepts. However, sometimes adults are not consistent in using the school's approaches for teaching reading and mathematics.

This means that some pupils do not learn how to calculate or read as quickly as they could .

The school carefully adapts education for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff help pupils with SEND to become more independent.

For example, by introducing written information alongside pictures. This helps pupils with SEND to better understand new information and then undertake tasks by themselves. The school engages experts and parents to inform their decisions about how best to effectively support pupils with SEND.

Children in the early years are well cared for. Warm and positive relationships help children to make new friends and listen carefully to the adults. Children regularly hear and practise new words in stories, songs and nursery rhymes.

This helps children develop their language and communication skills. Leaders regularly share information about reading and children's progress with parents.

Lessons are generally calm and orderly.

Staff have high expectations. Pupils are polite and follow the school's rules. On the rare occasions that pupils display disruptive behaviour, staff seek to understand the roots of this.

This informs their response, such as providing opportunities for pupils to reflect, or catch up with missed work. Routines are an important part of school life. However, these are not always consistently managed well.

At these times learning can sometimes be disturbed and occasionally, pupils struggle to focus and concentrate in lessons. Leaders do all they reasonably can to ensure pupils' attendance is as high as it could be.

Personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) lessons help pupils to learn how to keep their minds and bodies healthy.

Pupils learn how to have healthy relationships and stay safe online. Assemblies provide opportunities for pupils to take virtual trips around the world, to learn about diverse cultures. Pupils are inspired by this.

They welcome difference and talk about schools in different countries.

Leaders, including governors, are reflective. They closely monitor the curriculum, teaching and pupils' progress.

This informs their decisions about how to improve education. For example, the need to strengthen the focus on knowledge in the early years by setting out key words for pupils to learn. The school has a positive reputation in the community.

Staff are proud to work at the school. Staff appreciate leaders' support for their workload and wellbeing.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff are not always consistent in using the school's approaches for teaching reading and mathematics. This means that some pupils do not learn to calculate or read as quickly as they could. Leaders should continue to train staff in the school's approaches and ensure the approaches are used consistently and effectively across the school.

• Staff are not always consistent in the way they manage classroom routines. As a result, pupils learning can be disturbed and sometimes pupils struggle to focus or quickly start their tasks. Leaders should continue to help staff in how to manage behaviour consistently throughout the day to avoid lapses in pupil focus.

• The curriculum in the early years is at an earlier stage of development. Leaders are working on setting out key vocabulary for pupils to learn in areas of learning such as understanding the world. The school should continue this work to strengthen the focus on knowledge and vocabulary in all areas of learning.