Holme St Cuthbert School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel very happy and proud to attend this small and friendly school. Staff provide effective support for pupils' mental health and well-being. This helps pupils to become confident and successful learners.

There is a strong sense of community that makes pupils feel that they belong.

The school has a consistent and nurturing approach to support pupils to manage their behaviour. Pupils know where the boundaries are.

As a result, pupils are respectful and sensitive to each other's needs. They behave well.

The school has high expectations for pupils' academic success.

It fosters pupils' curiosity and concentration effectively from a young ...age. As a result, pupils generally achieve well in many subjects.

Pupils have a deep appreciation of, and respect for, the many differences that exist between people.

They make a positive contribution to the life of the school, for example carrying out roles that support younger pupils to settle quickly and develop good behaviour and participating fully in community and inter-school activities. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from a wide variety of clubs and trips which broaden their experience. These include visits to local cities and joining clubs such as sports, arts and craft clubs.

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

The school has designed an ambitious, high-quality curriculum which is enhanced with rich experiences. These enrichment opportunities ignite pupils' interests and broaden their aspirations and horizons.

In most subjects, the school has designed a curriculum which builds successfully from the Nursery provision for two-year-olds through to Year 6.

Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well in these subjects. However, in a small number of subjects, the school is not clear about the knowledge that it wants pupils to learn and remember. This means that in some curriculums, staff do not know what the most important knowledge is to teach.

As a result, this hinders how well some pupils learn and recall important information.

The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Staff are well trained to meet the needs of these pupils so that they learn the same curriculum content as their peers.

These pupils build positive relations with staff and their peers. They mostly achieve well.

The school has prioritised the teaching of reading.

Staff benefit from regular, specific training to support pupils to recognise and read sounds. This precise training ensures that the approach to the teaching of phonics across the school is consistent and effective. By the end of key stage 1, pupils, including those with SEND, become fluent readers.

Pupils demonstrate a love of reading. They use a range of subject-specific vocabulary across the curriculum. Pupils spoke positively about their favourite books and enjoy using the well-resourced school and local libraries.

Older pupils enjoy acting as positive role models for younger pupils. Across the school, pupils listen to their teachers and stay focused on their learning. Outside of lessons, pupils demonstrate good manners and show respect towards staff and each other.

The school has high expectations of pupils' attendance and punctuality. It works closely with parents and carers to overcome any barriers that may prevent pupils from attending school as often as they should. As a result, pupils are rarely absent.

The school ensures that pupils are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils understand very clearly that all people are equal and know about the protected characteristics. They have a firm understanding of the different faiths in the world and how to avoid stereotypes.

Pupils have a voice in the school and contribute extremely well to decisions about helping the school to be even better. For example, pupils have helped to choose some of the huge array of extra-curricular activities offered, such as chess, art, tennis, crafts and block-building clubs. There is a very strong uptake across these opportunities.

Pupils access a vast range of opportunities to learn about the wider world through trips to different areas of the country and a residential visit. These help pupils to learn more about the diverse world that they live in.

Governors provide effective support and challenge to the school to continually improve the quality of education that pupils receive.

They, alongside the school, have an expectation of ongoing improvement and carefully decide priorities with consideration to staff's work–life balance. For example, governors bring necessary changes in over a realistic time period. Staff value the training and support that they receive to help them do their jobs well.

They are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, it is not clear what knowledge pupils should learn.

This means that from time to time, staff do not know precisely what should be taught and how this links to earlier learning. As a result, there are a few gaps in some pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that the key knowledge is clearly identified so that pupils make connections with earlier learning and achieve well in these subjects.