Moving beyond the floor target: Holway Park Community Primary School, Somerset

• Date: Jan 2008
• Programme: Improving Schools Programme (ISP)
• Focus: Tackling underachievement in schools causing concern
• Number in series: 12
• School name: Holway Park Community Primary School
• Phase: Early Years, Primary
• Key stage: Foundation stage, Key Stages 1 and 2
• Local authority: Somerset
• Ref: 00150-2008DWO-EN-01

School context and profile

Holway Park Community Primary School is an average-sized school, which serves a socially and economically disadvantaged area. The school is identified by Somerset LA data as the ninth most needy in the county.

• Number on roll: 231, including Foundation Stage. Age range: four to 11.
• Most of the learners are white British, but mobility is high.
• Almost 50% of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities.
• On entry attainment is well below national expectations, with particular weaknesses in communication skills and social development.

The school was inspected in June 2007 when it was judged to be a good school, which has made good improvement since the previous inspection in 2001. The headteacher has 'real drive' and together with his leadership team provides a firm steer for the school.

Issues identified were:

• to improve standards in writing by providing more opportunities across the curriculum to develop skills fully;
• to improve the quality of marking in order to provide consistent advice on how to improve learning, and to encourage higher standards of presentation.

2006 Key Stage 2 results: English level 4 59%; mathematics level 4 56%
2007 Key Stage 2 results: English level 4 70%; mathematics level 4 66%