Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy

Halifax Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy Savile Park Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 2ES

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected 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.  Children in Nursery and Reception Years make outstanding progress as a result of highly effective teaching and a breadth of very well planned activities.  In Key Stages 1 and 2, the proportion of pupils making expected progress and more than expected progress is above average.  Teaching is good. Most lessons challenge pupils effectively and are taught with a lively, fast-paced approach.  The academy provides good support for pupils learning to speak English and for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  Pupils’ behaviour is good and they feel safe in the academy. Pupils are polite and treat each other with respect.  Leaders set high expectations and drive improvement effectively. Their checks on the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress ensure that these are improving.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some teaching requires improvement. Teachers do not all take sufficient account of pupils’ varying levels of ability when planning future work.  Attendance is below average.  When checking the quality of teaching, leaders do not ensure that teachers always set pupils’ work at the correct level.  Governors have not been trained to analyse and interpret data on pupils’ progress and therefore lack the sharp insights they need to challenge leaders more effectively. Inspection report: Halifax Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy, 15–16 May 2013 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 27 lessons taught by 16 of the academy’s 22 teachers.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, staff, pupils and representatives of the governing body.  Inspectors examined samples of pupils’ work and listened to a small group of pupils reading.  A wide range of the academy’s documentation was scrutinised including its evaluation of its work, a recent external review of the academy, procedures for keeping pupils safe, data on pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Account was taken of the views of 51 parents who responded to Ofsted’s on-line questionnaire (Parent View) and of 53 staff who completed Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Alan Lemon, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Catherine Beeks Additional Inspector Rosemary Batty Additional Inspector Inspection report: Halifax Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy, 15–16 May 2013 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 The academy is much larger than the average-sized primary academy.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average with approximately half of the pupils on roll being of Pakistani heritage. An above average proportion of pupils starts school learning English as an additional language, although this is decreasing.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after.)  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is average. The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The school converted to become an academy in July 2012. When its predecessor school, Holy

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Information about this school

Trinity Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding.  The academy provides a before- and after-school club. Trinity Tots which caters for very young children meets on a Tuesday morning. The Holy Trinity Playgroup, managed by the governing body, is registered for 16 children aged two and three years and is inspected separately.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching by:  teachers planning lessons so that pupils’ work always matches closely the different stages they are at in learning  leaders checking that teachers take good account of pupils’ different points in learning when planning lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that attendance is improved and the academy achieves at least the average attendance rate of 95%.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase governors’ capacity to question and challenge leaders by developing the knowledge and skills needed for analysing and interpreting data on pupils’ performance. Inspection report: Halifax Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy, 15–16 May 2013 4 of 9

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Progress in reading, writing and mathematics has improved as a result of leaders’ ambitious targets to raise achievement. The proportions of pupils making the progress expected and more progress than expected between Key Stage 1 and 2 is above average. In a small proportion of lessons the challenge for pupils is not consistently high and this slows progress down slightly. As a result, achievement is not yet outstanding.  From the beginning of the Nursery Year to the end of the Reception Year children make excellent progress and their achievement in all areas of their learning is outstanding. The starting points of a significant minority of nursery children are well below the level typically expected for their age. By the time they finish reception most children are at the level expected and a good proportion is above this.  Children in the Reception Year have made enormous progress in communication skills through

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The achievement of pupils is good

the rapid development of language. Those who started nursery at an early stage of learning to speak in English understand clearly what is being said and have the language and literacy skills to fully engage in every learning opportunity.  Children read, write and count with confidence and accuracy. Children who learn more quickly are very assured in describing an object as ‘a triangular-based pyramid’ or ‘a square-based pyramid’. Nursery children explain clearly how to mix colours to get a new colour and how seeds are planted and growth happens.  A high level of expert support ensures that pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points. Pupils supported through the pupil premium also make good progress. The very large majority of Year 6 pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is at the expected level in English and mathematics. The measure

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The achievement of pupils is good

of their progress almost matches that of all pupils, leaving a very narrow gap between their attainment and that of their peers.  The standard of pupils’ reading across the school is above average. At the outset, pupils learn effectively to link letters and the sounds they make and from here they systematically develop good reading and writing skills.  The pupils in Key Stage 1 who were heard to read did so fluently and talked knowledgeably about what they had read. In Key Stage 2, pupils enjoy reading and speak enthusiastically about stories and why they choose the books they do. Most read regularly at home and in school. At the breakfast-club, pupils are encouraged to read while eating breakfast.  By Year 6, pupils produce a good standard of writing. They write at length using a good command of language to make writing fluent and interesting. Teachers mark pupils’ writing in detail and this ensures that pupils’ spelling and grammar are of good quality.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils are very sure of a wide range of mathematical knowledge and skills and well planned teaching ensures that most pupils are competent in using number. A large proportion of Year 2 pupils are ahead of where they should be by effectively solving problems involving fractions using a secure knowledge of multiplication and division. The fastest learners in Year 6 are tackling effectively mathematics typical of that done in Year 7.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good overall. A significant proportion is outstanding and a small amount requires improvement. Teaching has improved but it does not have the consistently high quality to be outstanding and produce excellent outcomes.  Most teaching has high expectations and sets a fast pace for learning. Nearly all teachers demand a very high standard of behaviour and manage this expectation effectively. Lessons are productive, lively and offer many exciting problem-solving tasks such as exploring animal food 5 of 9

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The quality of teaching is good

chains in science and in art making clay tiles decorated with Mexican motifs.  Many lessons are planned effectively using teachers’ good knowledge of subjects and the points pupils are at in learning to set challenging work. Sharply focused questions test pupils’ understanding and cause them to think hard about solutions to problems.  Teachers assess learning thoroughly and use checks and pupils’ learning well to steer their teaching. A strong feature in several lessons is the time given for pupils to assess what they have learnt and to what extent they have achieved objectives. Pupils make good use of these opportunities and it leaves them with a clear understanding of their progress.  In most lessons, teachers model language very effectively, giving pupils a good command of subject vocabulary. Pupils learning to speak English are supported very well by this. In Nursery and Reception Years adults keep up a constant dialogue with children and succeed in

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The quality of teaching is good

encouraging a lot of talking between children.  Teaching assistants team up effectively with teachers and make a good contribution to the learning and progress of individuals and small groups. Pupils who require extra support as a result of disabilities, special educational needs or because they fall behind are helped to keep up as much as they can with other pupils.  In the very small amount of teaching that is less than good, planning is not thorough enough to ensure that lessons challenge all pupils. This is sometimes a simple matter of pupils sitting listening for too long when they are ready to move on and therefore having less time for active learning. More prevalent is the fact that the work planned is not varied enough to match pupils’ different points in learning. As a result, whatever their ability they do the same work, meaning those who can learn faster are not being stretched.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 In lessons, pupils’ behaviour is often exemplary. Most pupils conduct themselves extremely well around the academy. Attitudes to learning are very often highly positive. Occasionally, this is not the case as a result of a very few pupils causing minor distractions in the very few lessons that have failed to engage them.  Pupils feel safe and they treat each other and adults with respect. They say they enjoy the academy and that there is no bullying ‘if there was it would be stopped immediately’. It is acknowledged by some pupils that the behaviour of a few very occasionally gets out hand on the playground, but this is dealt with well by staff. The lessons learnt from the academy’s anti- bullying day are clearly understood.  Pupils act considerately and politely. Children in the Reception Year were frequently heard saying to each other ‘excuse me’ and ‘thank you’. Pupils value each other’s contributions to

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

lessons. In Year 5, pupils chosen to come to the front and show their solution to a mathematical problem were spontaneously given warm encouragement by others and applauded for their efforts.  Pupils make outstanding progress in their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Their well rounded outlook is shaped by the academy’s Christian ethos and values and its positive regard and respect for others whatever their differences in culture and religion. Academy assemblies promote spiritual awareness and moral understanding very effectively.  Attendance is below average although there are indications it is improving as a result of leaders approaching parents who take family holidays in term time.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s leadership is good and maintains the academy’s high standards. Parents and other stakeholders hold the academy in high esteem for its educational standards, positive ethos 6 of 9

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The leadership and management are good

and values. Leaders’ ambitions for the academy provide a strong drive to improve teaching and raise pupils’ achievement. The staff appreciate their leaders’ clear direction and work as a cohesive team.  Leaders keep a regular check on teaching and make a good assessment of its quality. In the main they improve teaching effectively although the focus is not always sharp enough where lesson planning is very occasionally not precise on matching work to pupils’ different abilities.  The management of teachers’ performance ensures that teachers have clear objectives for developing their practice. Professional development is focused on what makes teaching outstanding. All teachers are given opportunities to see colleagues teach and observe an advanced skills teacher and this raises awareness of what outstanding teaching looks like. More recently, some have visited other schools to see good practice. As a result, several teachers

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The leadership and management are good

demonstrate outstanding qualities.  A copious amount of data is gathered on pupils’ progress which is analysed thoroughly. Every effort is made to ensure that pupils’ achieve ambitious targets and that all pupils are provided with an equal opportunity to succeed. The progress of different groups of pupils is carefully checked, such as those supported through the pupil premium, those learning to speak English, disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  The curriculum offers pupils the appropriate breadth of study, much of which is improved by well attended clubs after school and educational visits planned for all pupils. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength reflecting the academy’s distinctive ethos.  The governance of the school:  Governors are closely involved with the academy and strongly committed to its success. An exceptional feature of governors’ involvement is that each is attached to a class group which

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The leadership and management are good

they follow throughout their time at the academy. They get to know a particular group of pupils extremely well and gain a good insight into how the academy impacts on their preparation for the future. Governors have a breadth of expertise and experience and they apply this effectively to keep a check on the academy’s work. They receive reports on the quality of teaching and assure themselves that teachers’ pay reflects the achievements of pupils. The academy provides governors with reports on pupils’ progress including analysis of the progress of pupils supported through the pupil premium. However, governors have not trained in the analysis and interpretation of pupil performance data. This limits the extent to which they can question and challenge leaders on pupils’ achievements. Inspection report: Halifax Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy, 15–16 May 2013 7 of 9

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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: Halifax Holy Trinity Primary School, A Church of England Academy, 15–16 May 2013 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 138302 Local authority Calderdale Inspection number 412223

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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 Academy converter School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 451 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul McCartney Principal Elizabeth Whetham Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 01422 367161 Fax number 01422 250113 Email address admin@holytrinitycofe.calderdale.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

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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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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