Holmes Chapel Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The outstanding headteacher is an inspirational leader. Her very clear and determined leadership has secured significant improvements in the quality of teaching and the achievement of the pupils.

Governors are a key strength of the school. They are very knowledgeable about the school's strengths and its priorities for improvement. They provide senior leaders with an excellent balance of support and robust challenge.

The headteacher, senior leaders, governors and staff, are all highly ambitious for the school and the pupils. They are determined to make the school the best that it can be. Pupils' achievement is outstanding.
.../>Pupils make excellent progress across the school, and by the end of Year 6 they consistently reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are significantly above the national average. The high quality teaching evident in all year groups ensures that all pupils achieve exceptionally well. Teachers and teaching assistants are particularly effective in using their questioning skills to check on pupils' learning and move it forwards at a rapid pace.

The very highest expectations and most effective marking that are apparent in most classes are not consistently evident in all classes in Key Stages 1 and 2. Very effective leadership and outstanding teaching ensure that children in the early years make rapid progress from their different starting points and achieve highly. As a result, they are exceptionally well prepared for Year 1.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons is outstanding. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning and enjoy being challenged to think hard. They get on very well with one another both in and out of class, and this contributes to the very positive and caring ethos within the school.

Pupils say that they feel extremely safe in school because of the high quality support and guidance they receive, and this view is supported by the overwhelming majority of parents. The curriculum allows pupils to use and develop their skills in reading, writing and mathematics very well. It also provides them with a broad range of interesting topics, effectively enhanced by school visits and an extensive range of extra-curricular activities.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness is developed very effectively. The work of the school fosters good relationships. Any form of discrimination is robustly challenged if it ever occurs.

Morale is high. Staff are extremely positive about all aspects of the school and are proud of its achievements.

Information about this school

Holmes Chapel Primary converted to an academy on 1 September 2013.

When its predecessor school of the same name was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be good overall. The school is larger than the average-sized primary school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, those supported by the pupil premium funding, is below average.

The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is well below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

In the early years, children attend Reception class full time. The school currently holds the Basic Skills Quality Mark and Artsmark Silver awards. The Chair of the Governing Body is a National Leader of Governance.

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