Holne Chase Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love attending Holne Chase Primary. The school's bright and welcoming environment is carefully considered to capture pupils' interests.

A deep moral purpose underpins all that happens at this school. Adults are passionate that all pupils receive high-quality provision that gives them the skills they need for the future. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life beyond the school.

Pupils relish the range of opportunities the school provides. Pupils say they go on the best trips and 'have a blast'. Leaders plan these carefully, including other experiences such as a recent Shakespeare theatre workshop or geography fieldtrips, to bring the curriculum to life.<...br/>
Clubs such as art and craft, music and choir are well attended.

Strong relationships are evident across the school. Staff model positive behaviours, and pupils mirror these in their actions.

Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong. They learn that 'two wrongs don't make a right'. Playtimes are busy with lots to do, and pupils share equipment nicely.

Pupils report that unkindness can occur but are confident adults will help them resolve any issues. This builds a harmonious community where pupils are safe and well cared for.

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about leaders' work.

One, summing up the views of many, describes the school as a 'safe pair of hands'.

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

Since this school reopened as an academy, leaders have established high expectations and standards for all pupils. Trust leaders have put into place a comprehensive curriculum that begins in the early years.

In all subjects, including the early years, they have precisely identified and sequenced the knowledge pupils are to learn. Pupils' progress is tracked carefully across the curriculum. The school ensures pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified and given the support they need to learn successfully.

As a result, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Reading is a cornerstone of the curriculum. Books are in every nook and corner of this school, including vending machines.

This promotes reading to all. The phonics curriculum is well established and ensures pupils develop fluency quickly. Well-trained staff deliver the programme.

They ensure pupils at risk of falling behind their peers are supported to ensure they catch up quickly.

Teachers know their subjects well. They present ideas clearly and encourage pupils to deepen their understanding.

In the early years, high-quality interactions support children's developing understanding. Throughout the school, adults provide effective support to help pupils with their work. They adapt their teaching well, including in the moment, to support pupils with SEND.

Across the curriculum, pupils have planned opportunities to recap their prior learning before they are introduced to new ideas that link to it. However, this work is not as effective as it could be. Assessment across the foundation curriculum is not always used well to identify gaps in pupils' prior knowledge.

As a result, teachers do not always provide enough opportunities to recall all prior learning, leading to some gaps in pupils' prior understanding not being identified and addressed.

Pupils' behaviour is good. Routines and expectations are established quickly in the early years, providing a secure foundation for the school's expectations.

Pupils talk proudly about their work. Classrooms are productive places, and pupils work hard. Recent work to address historical high levels of absence has been effective, and attendance has significantly improved.

Across the school, learning environments are calm and purposeful. In most classes, there is a consistent approach to support positive behaviour. However, leaders rightly acknowledge there are still some small inconsistencies with how the behaviour policy is applied.

This can cause isolated incidents of distraction during learning, and the school is working to address this.

Leaders have prioritised pupils' personal development. The school's values of 'Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, Positivity, Empathy and Aspiration' reinforce character development both in the curriculum and in the linked assemblies.

As a result, pupils are confident to take risks in their learning. They benefit from learning about others' views and beliefs. They enjoy visiting a range of religious buildings and are intrigued by the similarities and differences with their own faiths.

For example, in a recent visit to a Hindu temple, Year 4 pupils were fascinated to learn how sacred texts were stored. Pupils are open in their outlook, and the school is wholly inclusive and welcoming to all.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Assessment expectations across the foundation subjects are not yet fully established. As a result, teachers are not routinely checking to ensure pupils can recall all knowledge over the long term. The school needs to ensure assessment is used well to identify gaps so they can be addressed quickly and effectively.

• The school's high expectations for pupils' behaviour are not applied consistently throughout. As a result, pupils can become distracted and not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure its high expectations are consistently applied by all so that no learning time is lost.

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