Holy Family VA RC Primary School in Salford, Lancashire, has undergone an ungraded inspection on 26 and 27 March 2024, maintaining its overall judgment of outstanding. However, the evidence suggests that if a graded inspection were conducted now, the grade might not be as high. The school is recognized for its ambition regarding pupils' learning and development, providing a broad and purposeful education that generally leads to good achievement across various areas. Nonetheless, a minority of pupils struggle to overcome gaps in communication, language, and reading skills.
Most pupils enjoy attending school, although a small number do not attend as frequently as they should, which affects their educational experience. The school fosters a culture of kindness and consideration among pupils, who are polite and courteous. Social interactions during break times are encouraged, with staff promoting a variety of games and activities that help pupils build friendships and enjoy their time together. Pupils are eager to engage in the wider life of the school, participating in clubs, competitions, and activities that contribute to their personal development and foster a healthy balance of cooperation and competitiveness.
The school has successfully re-established stability following recent leadership and staffing changes. It has a clear understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and has taken appropriate actions to enhance the quality of education. The curriculum is broad, balanced, and ambitious, allowing pupils from early years to Year 6 to learn essential subject content in a logical sequence. This approach helps deepen their understanding over time. Staff demonstrate secure knowledge of their subjects and effectively introduce and explain content, particularly in early years, where a range of activities supports children in mastering early learning goals.
Despite these strengths, recent data indicates that some Year 6 pupils did not progress as expected in reading. In response, the school has strengthened its approach to teaching early reading and phonics. While children in Nursery and Reception have suitable opportunities to develop communication and language skills, some support for addressing gaps in these areas for early years and key stage 1 pupils is not sufficiently effective, impacting their confidence in reading and overall learning.
The school is aware of the increased number of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language. It has considered staff workload in managing these changes and generally provides effective support for these pupils. Most pupils attend regularly, and the school actively supports families to improve attendance, although a minority remain persistently absent.
Pupils benefit from high-quality personal development opportunities, learning to make good choices and seek help when needed. The school emphasizes the importance of partnership with parents, keeping them informed about their children's experiences and providing workshops to support their involvement in learning. The governing body is engaged and committed to supporting the school in maintaining high educational standards.
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, ensuring a safe environment for all pupils. To improve, the school needs to ensure that additional support for communication, language, and reading is well-targeted to address specific barriers to learning. Additionally, strategies to improve attendance for the minority of pupils who are persistently absent should be strengthened to enhance their educational opportunities. Overall, the school demonstrates a commitment to continuous improvement and the well-being of its pupils.
