Holywell School

Overview

Holywell School continues to be a good school, characterised by a Christian ethos where pupils are welcoming and take on responsibilities that enrich the community. The curriculum is well-planned, with leaders breaking learning aims into logically ordered pieces so that knowledge builds effectively. Most pupils behave well and have a positive attitude towards learning, though some find it challenging to concentrate.

Strengths

• Leaders liaise with lower schools to plan detailed transitions, ensuring pupils know what they need to learn to succeed in upper school.
• Teachers use expert subject knowledge to provide clear instructions and well-structured examples, helping pupils progress through the curriculum.
• Leaders have high aspirations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), with most teachers adapting teaching to support them effectively.
• An effective catch-up programme ensures most pupils become fluent readers, with positive encouragement for those lacking confidence.
• Staff feel valued and supported by leaders, who consider workload when implementing new initiatives.

Areas to improve

• Leaders must ensure all teachers adapt their teaching approaches to meet the needs of pupils with all levels of prior attainment and SEND, as some currently set work that is too easy.
• Leaders should ensure all staff use agreed protocols for dealing with disruptive and disengaging behaviour consistently and fairly, as inconsistent application leads to low-level disruption.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff receiving regular training to identify risks and leaders responding tenaciously to secure support for pupils and families.