Holme Slack Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 January 2026

Pupils experience a calm, welcoming and well-ordered environment. They are greeted warmly on arrival and settle quickly into well-established routines. Pupils feel safe and secure and are confident to approach trusted adults for support when they have concerns. The school serves a high proportion of pupils who face additional barriers to learning. Staff know pupils well and provide thoughtful, well-coordinated support for their academic and personal development. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils with a hearing impairment who attend the specially resourced provision flourish, benefiting from skilled staff and inclusive practice. Pupils enjoy learning and show positive attitudes in lessons. They apply themselves well and try hard, particularly when learning outdoors in the wooded area, which pupils value highly. A well-considered rewards system motivates pupils effectively. They are keen to earn recognition, such as hot chocolate or walking the school dog, which reinforces positive behaviours for learning. Pupils take pride in being ‘responsible readers’ and enjoy setting a positive example for others. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and respectful, and work and play together harmoniously. Bullying is rare, and when it does occur, it is dealt with thoroughly and effectively. Outcomes are stronger in mathematics than in English. While many pupils achieve well, some do not develop the fluency in reading and writing that they need. Consequently, a minority of pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders are aware of this and have begun to promote reading more consistently, for example through star badges that reward regular reading. Trips and visitors enrich the curriculum and help pupils understand their local community and the wider world. Pupils learn to respect difference and develop an age-appropriate understanding of diversity in modern Britain. They also learn how people practise their faith and celebrate important festivals, which contributes to pupils’ social and cultural development.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that pupils develop sufficient fluency and stamina in reading and writing, so that they are securely prepared for the next stages of their education. • Leaders should ensure that teachers prioritise the most important knowledge and skills pupils need to learn, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that all pupils achieve as well as they can. • Leaders should act swiftly to identify and address emerging patterns of weaker attendance, so that pupils attend regularly and benefit fully from their education.

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