Holbeach Primary School

Holbeach Primary School is performing well, maintaining its good status since the last inspection in November 2017. The school is noted for its welcoming and inclusive environment, where pupils feel safe and proud to belong. With a focus on the arts and a well-structured curriculum, leaders effectively support pupils' learning and wider development. Noteworthy is the strong emphasis on reading, fostering a love for literature among students. While overall performance is commendable, there are areas that require attention, specifically in the curriculum delivery for a few subjects where the foundations for knowledge are not clearly defined. Additionally, several teaching practices sometimes lack the necessary adaptations to build on pupils’ previous learning. Leaders are already taking steps to address these issues, indicating a commitment to continuous improvement.

Strengths

• Warm and inclusive school environment
• Strong emphasis on arts and music
• Well-planned strategies for pupils' wider development
• Effective support for pupils with SEND
• Ambitious early reading curriculum
• Proactive in addressing learning gaps post-COVID
• Wide range of after-school activities

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum goals not precisely defined in a few subjects
• Teaching sometimes does not build on prior knowledge effectively

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Holbeach Primary School attended 93.8% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 20.2% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 1.4% of pupils at Holbeach Primary School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Holbeach Primary School had 21.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 8.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 11.0% of pupils at Holbeach Primary School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 5.1% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2025–26 Holbeach Primary School received £9,885 and spent £9,948 for each of its 383 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £120,000 (£313 per pupil).

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24).

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

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What is Holbeach Primary School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Holbeach Primary School is Good, from an inspection in July 2023.

When was Holbeach Primary School last inspected by Ofsted?

Holbeach Primary School was last inspected in July 2023.

How many pupils does Holbeach Primary School have?

Holbeach Primary School has 391 pupils on roll.

What age range does Holbeach Primary School cover?

Holbeach Primary School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Holbeach Primary School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 56% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Holbeach Primary School?

Holbeach Primary School is at Nelgarde Road, London, SE6 4TP.