Holmwood School

Welcome to Holmwood School & Nursery

I would like to welcome you and your family to Holmwood School.  I am extremely proud to be the Headteacher of Holmwood School, with all it has to offer.  Every member of the team believes in our motto “Bringing out the best in everyone”.

Children who attend Holmwood School and Nursery can expect to be nurtured in order to fulfil their potential.  They are well supported in all areas of their academic, physical, social and emotional learning, with the assessment results at the end of Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 2017 being our highest ever. 

We have adopted the full Read Write Inc programme of teaching reading and writing and children can frequently be heard coming out of their lessons linking challenge in the lesson to their well-being scales going up.  Every child should leave us having made good progress in reading, writing and maths, as we recognise for your child to meet their potential they need to have strong skills in these areas.  Maths teaching and learning across the school has also been refreshed, with children demonstrating they are building on new and old skills and concepts.

Staff take great care in ensuring they form positive, respectful relationships with all the children, and of course their parents.  We follow restorative principles in school and use daily check-ins, as well as check-outs to ensure everyone in the class has the opportunity to speak up and be heard.

Having high levels of pupil well-being is so important to us that in September 2016 we introduced a set of well-being scales and learning zones.  Children and staff self-assess themselves according to a set of agreed statements, and children are taught techniques in order to improve their own well-being or that of a friend, if it is low.  Pupils are taught to make the link between their well-being and their ability to learn well.  Kaleidoscope sessions are taught in our purpose built room, and give children the opportunity to deepen their understanding of relationships and learn how to relax.

Good pupil behaviour underpins the choices your child makes, and pupils are frequently rewarded for meeting our high expectations in this regard.  Every half term new “royals” of behaviour are chosen and celebrated with the whole school.  Nothing can beat the sense of pride I feel when children show their beautiful manners by holding doors open, or greet adults as they walk through school.

The school boasts a wonderful outdoor area. Our children have very regular opportunities to explore, play, problem solve and grow things in our forest area. We hold regular special days or weeks to promote various topics, such as Science, DT or my favourite “aspirations day” when we all dress up to show what job we would like to do when we grow up!  Pupils at Holmwood may be young but they learn key life lessons at every opportunity.

There are many other wonderful aspects of Holmwood for you to find out about, but rest assured Holmwood is often praised for our warm and welcoming atmosphere and for the way in which staff work in partnership with parents.

It is impossible to feel the wonderful atmosphere Holmwood School has without visiting us in person.   Our pupils are friendly, polite, hard-working, resilient, full of fun and actually thrive on being challenged, so do take the time to come in and look around.

Mrs Claire Sharples – Executive Headteacher