Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham

Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham Fiddlers Folley, Fordham Heath, Colchester, CO3 9UE

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Teaching is now consistently good. Teachers’ marking helps pupils to improve their work.  Pupils’ attainment has improved steadily. All pupils are now making good progress from their starting points.  The school successfully supports disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and also those eligible for the pupil premium, so that they make good progress and achieve as well as their classmates.  Pupils are proud of their school. They behave well in lessons and around the school and are thoughtful and caring to others. The school is a happy, friendly place.  The headteacher sets high expectations and leads by example. Good training opportunities have led to improvements in the quality of teaching and in pupils’ achievement.  The headteacher makes regular checks on pupils’ achievement and teachers’ performance so that teachers are quickly held to account for any dips in progress.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The governing body understand the priorities for the school and its role in improving the school further. Governors monitor the quality and impact of teaching well. They provide a good level of support and challenge.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Over time, too few of the more-able pupils have attained the higher levels of which they are capable at the end of Key Stage 2.  Teachers sometimes do not match work precisely to pupils’ ability levels or give them time to produce high quality written work. Excellent practice is not shared sufficiently across the school. Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 2 of 10

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector observed seven lessons, of which three were joint observations with the headteacher. In addition, the inspector made short visits to classrooms, observed the support provided for individual pupils, visited an act of collective worship and observed pupils at break time and lunchtime.  The inspector listened to pupils read and observed the teaching of reading. She also undertook a detailed scrutiny of a sample of pupils’ books with the headteacher.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils, members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority, and school staff including subject leaders.  The inspector took account of the 26 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, and met parents informally around the school.  The inspector observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents including the school’s development planning, information on the management of teachers’ performance, the

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Information about this inspection

school’s records on the progress and attainment of all pupils, the local authority’s review of the school’s work, minutes of the meetings of the governing body, records relating to behaviour and attendance, and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Lynn Alexander, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 3 of 10

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Information about this school

 Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School is smaller than the average sized primary school.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is below average. The proportions supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs are broadly in line with other schools nationally.  Most pupils are White British. There are a few pupils from other ethnic groups, but very few pupils speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for pupils including those known to be eligible for free school meals, is just below average.  A much higher number of pupils join the school during the year than in other primary schools.  There are four mixed-age classes (Year R /1, Year 1/2, Year 3/4, Year 4/5) and one Year 6 class.  The school runs its own breakfast club. A private provider runs a pre-school on the site, which is

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Information about this school

inspected separately.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ achievement and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the amount of outstanding teaching to raise pupils’ achievement further by:  making sure that the activities that pupils are given to do are always closely matched to their abilities  ensuring that there is enough time for pupils to complete enough work and to practise their skills, particularly in writing  continuing to increase the level of challenge for more-able pupils across the school, so that more of them achieve Level 3 at the end of Key Stage 1 and Level 5 or above at the end of Key Stage 2  building on the good start made to sharing of outstanding practice between teachers, so that all share the same high expectations of pupils’ work and progress. Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 4 of 10

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills that differ year on year. By the time they leave the Reception Year their skills are broadly in line with expectations for their age. Over time, there has been a rising trend in achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ attainment as measured by end of key stage tests has been erratic, representing differences between very small cohorts of pupils from one year to the next. In 2011 the school was in the top 100 performing schools in the country based on improvements in English and mathematics. In 2012, attainment was broadly average.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Over time pupils’ attainment has been higher in reading and writing than in mathematics and in past years not enough pupils attained the highest grades. There is now a general trend of improvement and, in 2012, more pupils achieved the higher levels in mathematics at the end of Year 2 than pupils nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Evidence from the inspection and the school’s assessment records suggest that the majority of pupils currently in the school are making rapid progress, particularly in reading, but also in writing and mathematics.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Where pupils have made slower progress in the past, the school is working effectively to help them to catch up. For example, older pupils are involved in planning what they need to improve, such as learning some ‘times tables’ facts that they cannot recall quickly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 In the 2012 Year 1 phonics screening check (which checks pupils’ understanding of the links between letters and sounds), the proportion of pupils who met the required standard was above average. Younger pupils who read to the inspector were confident in breaking down and building up words. Pupils throughout the school enjoy reading and use a range of skills when reading in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils use their good phonic skills in their writing, and consequently achievement in writing is improving as pupils move through the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress overall because of the support they receive. At best, some of these pupils are making better progress in English and mathematics relative to their starting points than that made by their peers.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Those pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium receive additional support to help them in English and mathematics. The gap between these and other pupils is narrowing. They are now less than one term behind other pupils in these subjects, whereas previously they were over a term behind in English and two terms behind in mathematics.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Over time, the quality of teaching has improved as a result of the training provided for teachers and the rigorous checking carried out by the headteacher. This is shown by the improving achievement evident in pupils’ books in all classes across the school. Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 5 of 10

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the best lessons, work is well matched to pupils’ abilities and there is a high level of challenge for all. For example, in a mathematics lesson pupils in groups worked out the probability of results in a range of games. Pupils were keen to succeed and could explain their learning because the teacher had made sure the activities were exactly right for them. In another mathematics lesson, the teacher asked probing questions of individuals in order to make them think more deeply about the problem.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Reading is taught well. As a result, pupils are keen to read and to use their knowledge of the sounds that letters make in their writing. However, they do not always get enough opportunities to write independently in other subjects.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is not yet outstanding because some teachers give pupils too long to talk about their ideas and not enough time to do the activities they are set, and on occasion work is not closely matched to the different attainment levels of the pupils in the class.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers ensure that pupils understand what they have to do because they check on learning during lessons. They mark pupils’ work carefully and make sure that pupils have time to correct errors. They identify ‘next steps’ for pupils, who often respond to this advice with written comments to the teacher. As a result, pupils’ work shows good progress and they do not keep repeating the same errors. Pupils are able to comment on their own progress because they know what they have done well.

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The quality of teaching is good

 In the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1, good use is made of the outside learning area so that pupils can do practical activities to develop their knowledge and skills. Classrooms have interesting displays that show pupils take pride in their work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Relationships between adults and pupils are good. Teaching assistants contribute to the achievement of pupils by giving them carefully tailored support whilst encouraging their independence. As a result, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and those pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium are keen to learn. For example, the inspector observed the pride shown by a pupil who took part in a class discussion about a picture puzzle and gave an answer that no-one else had thought of.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Most parents agree that their children are taught well and make good progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite and friendly. They follow the good example set for them by adults in school and show respect to each other.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school provides opportunities for pupils to express their views and to help others, such as the ‘Guardian Angels’ who look after new pupils. A pupil who had recently joined the school told the inspector how others had made her feel welcome.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good. When teaching is at its best, pupils work hard and want to do well. Very occasionally, when they find work is too easy or too hard, for example, they lose concentration, but there is no disruption in lessons.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils spoke knowledgeably to the inspector about all forms of bullying, including name-calling and cyber-bullying. Older pupils have good understanding of internet safety. Pupils say that bullying in school is very rare, but if it happens, adults always deal with it and they feel safe in Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 6 of 10

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school. They think behaviour is good in their school and that the behaviour system is fair.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Most parents feel that behaviour is good and that the school deals effectively with any bullying. The school’s records show that any concerns are dealt with promptly.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is just above average and the school investigates reasons for absence.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides well-focused leadership. This has resulted in improvements in the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils make. She makes regular checks on pupils’ work and their achievement as part of the management of teachers’ performance. She sets demanding targets for teachers and ensures that they have high quality training. There are strong partnerships with other local schools.

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The leadership and management are good

 The ways in which the school evaluates how well it is doing and its plans for improvement are accurate, so the school is in a good position to improve further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher is ably supported by the senior leadership team and subject leaders, who share her ambition to improve the achievement of pupils still further. They have begun to help other teachers to make their teaching even better by sharing their good practice, but this is not yet happening consistently across the school.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders know that pupils’ achievement in mathematics has not been as high as it should have been in the past. They have ensured that the teaching of mathematics provides more interesting work for pupils and that there is less reliance on workbooks, for example through a ‘maths at the movies’ topic. As a result, pupils’ progress has improved.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed. The school supports all pupils well, including those who join the school part-way through their primary education. The school has used its pupil premium funding effectively to support eligible pupils so that their progress in English and mathematics is as good as their classmates.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupils are taught an interesting range of subjects. Close links with the church contribute to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which is a strength of the school. They learn about life in Britain and countries and faiths other than their own through a wide range of topics. Pupils enjoy the activities provided outside of lessons, including sport and music. During the inspection, for example, pupils were fascinated when the eggs they were incubating began to hatch.

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The leadership and management are good

 Most parents have a very positive view of the school, although a very small minority would like more information about the progress their children are making.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements well.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides effective support for the school. It undertook a review in January 2013. It has supported the school to improve the quality of teaching in mathematics and for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 7 of 10

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors know how well the school is doing and what it needs to do to improve further. They are active in deciding the priorities for the school. They check progress towards these goals by asking challenging questions and by regular visits to the school, and through involvement in the local authority review. They fulfil all their statutory duties so that pupils are kept safe. They are involved in decisions about any increases in teachers’ salary, linked to the quality of teaching. A number of new governors have recently been appointed. Governors undertake training alongside staff in school and in relation to their roles. Governors recognise that they have not yet fully evaluated the impact of the pupil premium on pupils’ achievement but they are in the process of doing this. Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 8 of 10

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. Inspection report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Eight Ash Green and Aldham, 5–6 March 2013 9 of 10

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School details

Unique reference number 115075 Local authority Essex Inspection number 401489

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 114 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Reverend Aella Gage Headteacher Heather Hann Date of previous school inspection 17 May 2010 Telephone number 01206 240880 Fax number 01206 240507 Email address admin@eightashgreen.essex.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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