Hollyfast Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 19 September 2023

This is a time of exciting change at Hollyfast Primary. A new curriculum and a sense of enthusiasm enrich the life of this community. Every day, happy pupils thrive, surrounded by kindness and care. This is a school that is committed to getting it right for pupils. As the new curriculum starts to have an impact, the motto 'Aim high, grow within and reach beyond the stars' is becoming a reality for all pupils. Rewards assemblies, opportunities to nominate peers for awards, and activities, such as mindfulness and yoga, promote a sense of self-belief and confidence for pupils. Shared learning with families fosters ambition and high expectations for every pupil. Pupils know that staff care for them. The school goes the 'extra mile' to work with pupils and families when they need help. Consequently, pupils attend well, and their behaviour is calm and purposeful across the school. Pupils feel safe because they are confident that staff would quickly help them if they thought bullying was happening. Inspectors agree. Achievement is recognised in many ways at Hollyfast. An impressive range of opportunities helps pupils develop interests and hobbies. Craft, dance, gymnastics, tennis and chess are just some ways that inspire pupils to have healthy minds and bodies.

What the school should improve

• The school has not yet ensured that all pupils have the essential previous knowledge to access the intended learning from the new curriculum. This means that in some lessons, they cannot link to what they already know. The school needs to continue identifying the existing gaps in pupils' learning and ensure they are filled before new knowledge is introduced.
• In some lessons, teachers do not routinely check on what pupils have learned and understood from that lesson. This results in some pupils not being ready for the next steps in their learning. The school should ensure that all staff are skilled in and aware of the school-preferred assessment systems and implement them consistently.
• As some aspects of the school's curriculum are relatively new, the school has not yet had the opportunity to review how well they are implemented over time. Consequently, not all subject leaders have a detailed enough understanding of how well pupils learn in their respective curriculum areas. The school should support subject leaders to evaluate the curriculum's impact on pupils' learning.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)