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A culture of nurture and care permeates all areas of everyday life at Holyoakes Field First School. Staff have the highest expectations for every child and want them to have the best possible start to education.
Children flourish and do well. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Pupils' behaviour is strong.
They love their school and attend regularly. Pupils are a delight to speak to. They are friendly, welcoming and proud of their school.
Lessons are calm, orderly and generally free from disruption. The warm, purposeful and positive relationships between staff and pupils are a joy to... observe. Pupils say that their teachers are the best thing about their school.
Staff care about pupils and help them to learn. Pupils are confident that their teachers will deal swiftly with any issues if they ever happen.
Staff pay careful attention to pupils' well-being.
Adults are nurturing and kind. The school's motto of 'Empowering young minds to become great minds' underpins the offer to promote pupils' personal development. Pupils learn about different cultures and beliefs, as well as personal and online safety.
They say that everyone is welcome at their school, regardless of their background. Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
The school sets ambitious goals for every pupil.
The main tool for achieving these goals is the school's curriculum. It outlines the knowledge and skills pupils should learn over time, including in the early years. Learning builds in a logical order.
This helps pupils to achieve well. However, in a small number of subjects, this work is not yet well developed. Some subject leaders do not yet have the required skills and expertise to improve their curriculums effectively.
Where this happens, the precise knowledge pupils should learn, and in what order, is not identified as clearly as it could be. As a result, pupils do not learn as well as they could in these subjects.
The reading curriculum has been strengthened since the last inspection and is now effective.
Strong and consistent teaching of phonics ensures that pupils become fluent readers. Pupils enjoy reading and do so daily. Staff quickly spot any pupils who need extra support.
Effective help and interventions ensure that these pupils catch up quickly. In addition, there is a strong reading culture across the school. Pupils love reading and many now read at a level appropriate for their age.
Pupils with SEND are supported effectively. They receive targeted help at every stage. This includes in their lessons and in individual intervention sessions.
Staff are highly skilled at identifying pupils' educational needs, and leaders ensure pupils get the help they need quickly. All of this means that pupils with SEND overcome their learning barriers, flourish and achieve well.
Staff, including additional adults, have strong subject knowledge.
Staff provide pupils with engaging learning tasks that deepen their knowledge. Teachers check effectively what pupils learn and understand. Staff skilfully adapt their teaching to address any misconceptions.
Pupils, including those with SEND, receive work that is well matched to their learning needs. Consequently, pupils achieve well.
The early years provision is excellent.
Staff work highly effectively to help children settle quickly and begin learning as soon as possible. Strong care and nurture ensure that children swiftly learn the routines and expected behaviours of daily school life. Adults model language and speech very skilfully.
Children are safe and happy. They love learning in the engaging classrooms and outside spaces. The curriculum is highly effective in ensuring that children are very well prepared for Year 1.
Pupils behave well. They conduct themselves in line with the high behaviour expectations that all understand. Strong relationships between adults and pupils effectively underpin this work.
Where pupils need help, the school acts swiftly and fairly. Because of this, the school is a calm and orderly environment.
The school's work to promote pupils' personal development is strong.
This work includes trips, residentials, visits and after-school activities which pupils keenly attend. The curriculum to support this work is effective. Pupils talk knowledgeably about values such as respect, tolerance and kindness.
As a result, pupils are very well prepared for their next steps in life and education.
The trust and governors have a strong understanding of the school's strengths and what needs to improve. Since the last inspection, together with the trust, school leaders have addressed the identified areas for improvement.
Staff speak highly of the support they receive, including for their well-being and workload. They are proud to work here.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
What does the school need to do to improve?
(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
• The curriculum in a few subjects does not always clearly identify the precise knowledge and skills that pupils should know. As a result, in these subjects, staff are not always clear about the most important knowledge pupils need to be taught and in what order. The school should ensure that staff members have a clear understanding of the precise key knowledge and skills pupils are expected to learn in all subjects.
• Some subject leaders are learning how to discharge their role successfully. This means that they do not yet have a clear oversight of the impact of the curriculums in their areas of responsibility. The school should ensure that all subject leaders develop their knowledge and understanding so they can fulfil their roles effectively.
