Holway Park Community Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 February 2025

Pupils enjoy coming to this highly inclusive school. They describe it as a place that welcomes pupils from different backgrounds, including those who speak English as an additional language, and helps them to make friends. The school has high expectations for pupils. However, the quality of education pupils receive is variable across different subjects. Some pupils do not remember the most important knowledge and cannot make connections in their learning. This means they do not learn as well as they should. Despite these shortcomings, pupils are eager to learn. They are polite and courteous. Pupils understand the expectations for behaviour and follow them in lessons. This starts in the early years where children respond to the routines that are in place and play well together. Staff take time to build positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils feel safe and cared for. Pupils know they can speak to trusted adults or use their 'worry boxes' to share any concerns. Pupils enjoy taking part in a wide range of clubs such as football, musical theatre and Spanish. They are proud to become school and eco-councillors, reading ambassadors and lunchtime monitors. They say these roles boost their confidence and make them feel responsible.

What the school should improve

• There is some variability in how effectively the curriculum is delivered. At times, teachers present pupils with too much information or select learning activities that do not help pupils learn the intended knowledge. This prevents pupils from building the depth of knowledge they are capable of over time. The school should ensure staff are supported in developing subject-specific expertise to enable them to implement the curriculum effectively.
• In some subjects, teachers' checking of what pupils have learned is not as effective as it could be. Consequently, some pupils struggle to remember key knowledge and skills they have learned. The school should ensure that all staff check pupils' understanding and retention of key knowledge and language so pupils can apply it to future learning.
• The attendance of some pupils is still too low. These pupils do not learn the curriculum well. The school needs to continue the work it is doing to improve the attendance of pupils who are persistently absent.

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