Trinity St Peter's CofE Primary School

Trinity St Peter’s CE (VA) Primary School Paradise Lane, Formby, Liverpool, Merseyside, L37 7EJ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 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.  Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils make good progress and attainment in English and mathematics is well above average.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress, becoming ever more knowledgeable and curious about learning.  Pupils become skilled in reading, writing and mathematics from an early age and use these skills to support learning in other subjects.  The quality of teaching is good and includes some that is outstanding. Pupils enjoy learning and strive to achieve.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. They are thoughtful and reflective.  Behaviour is good and pupils say they feel safe. Pupils are consistently polite, cheerful and self-assured. They are proud of their school and their many accomplishments.  The headteacher provides very clear direction for staff. Actions have improved the school especially achievement and the quality of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

teaching.  Significant staff absence over the past 18 months has been managed effectively to cause as little disruption as possible.  The governing body holds the school to account and provides effective challenge for the headteacher.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The quality of teaching is not outstanding. Some lessons lack challenge especially for most-able pupils.  The quality of marking is inconsistent, and does not always tell pupils how to improve.  The targets that the school sets for pupils to achieve by the time they reach the end of Year 6 are not always challenging enough and not always set at the start of Year 1.  Parents are not fully informed of how they can help support their children.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed parts of 11 lessons, three of which were joint observations with the headteacher.  Inspectors listened to pupils reading individually and during lessons.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders, including the achievement manager and Early Years Foundation Stage leader, three members of the governing body, pupils and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors took account of the 84 responses to the on-line parent questionnaire (Parent View), school surveys of parents’ views and conversations with parents. The questionnaires completed by 16 staff were also taken into account.  The inspectors observed the work of the school and reviewed various documents including the school’s view of its effectiveness, the tracking of pupils’ progress, pupils’ books, records of governing body meetings and the performance management of staff. Documents relating to

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Information about this inspection

behaviour, safeguarding and safety were also considered.

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Inspection team

Marie Cordey, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Nina Heron Additional Inspector Eithne Proffitt Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils supported through school action is below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below average. (The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after).  Nearly all pupils are White British. A very small number are from minority ethnic backgrounds.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school provides ‘wrap around’ care for nursery age children.  There have been significant staff absences over the past 18 months.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all teaching is good or better in order to raise the attainment of all pupils further, particularly the most able, by:  providing consistent challenge in lessons across the school so that pupils always achieve the highest levels of attainment  improving the quality of marking so that pupils’ next steps in their learning are very precise and then checking that pupils act on this advice.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Further improve the qualities of leadership and management by:  ensuring that the targets set for pupils as they move from year-to-year are always sufficiently challenging from Year 1, especially for those who are identified as possibly reaching very high standards  further engaging with parents to help them support their child’s learning.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils make good progress from their individual starting points because of good teaching. Some pupils make exceptional progress because of outstanding teaching over time in Years 2 and 6.  Children start school with attainment that varies but is generally what is normally seen for this age. In the Early Years Foundation Stage children make good progress because teaching is effective and provides a very stimulating setting. Their language development is strong. For example, in a sifting and sieving activity children screamed with excitement using scientific vocabulary such as ‘sifting’ and ‘draining’ to describe what they were doing.  Progress from Year 1 to Year 6 is good. Attainment, as pupils leave school, is consistently well above average in English and mathematics. The headteacher, along with the governing body, acted quickly and effectively to ensure that staff absences did not affect pupils’ standards.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Indeed, pupils’ work and school tracking records indicate that this year some pupils in Year 6 will attain Level 6, which is the highest level that can be achieved in primary schools.  Standards for pupils in Key Stage 1 are above average and, sometimes, well above average providing them with a good grounding for further raising their attainment.  Although, overall, during their time in school the most-able pupils make good progress, in some lessons work fails to extend their learning to ensure they always reach high standards.  Reading is a strength in the school. Pupils in Year 2 read fluently and expressively. Older pupils use their highly developed reading skills for research in other subjects. Many of these pupils are skilled writers showing a good grasp of spelling, punctuation and grammar. As pupils move more to Level 6 work they become very confident mathematicians.  The achievement of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good. Their

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The achievement of pupils is good

individual needs are identified quickly. Effective arrangements are then made by leaders, teachers and support staff about exactly how best to meet these needs to raise their standards.  Pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium make similar good progress as other pupils. Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals reach standards that are well above those of similar groups nationally and of all other pupils in English and mathematics. This is closely linked to the quality of teaching and also to the effective promotion of equal opportunities for all and the focus on treating each pupil as an individual.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching over time is good and sometimes it is outstanding. Consequently, pupils make good progress. Teachers engage pupils in lessons because of their specialist knowledge and their enthusiasm. Teachers value their pupils and, as a result, pupils have positive attitudes to learning.  In the most effective lessons the pace of learning is brisk and tasks are set that help pupils to learn well whatever their ability. For example, in a Year 6 mathematics lesson there was a hive of activity because all pupils were challenged and engrossed in the lesson. A seemingly simple task of spending £70 in a supermarket was made very challenging with the inclusion of discount vouchers and supermarket offers. Pupils had to compare prices at different stores in order to make the most of the money available. This use of real experiences is a strength in the teaching of mathematics and encourages pupils to apply their skills.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching that is challenging is not always evident, as a result the needs of most-able pupils when they are taught in large groups are not fully met.  Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this well to ask effective questions. This ensures pupils remain interested throughout lessons.  Reading is taught well. Pupils benefit from a firm grounding in letters and their sounds and use this well to tackle new words. A good range of books are used and pupils are keen readers of fiction and non-fiction.  Teachers often share their enthusiasm for learning and use a variety of activities which make learning enjoyable. This is very evident in the Early Years Foundation Stage where children revel in a happy environment when they explore their own learning in different spaces. Teachers ensure role-play is imaginative and captures pupils’ imagination.  The quality of marking is inconsistent. Comments often help pupils to improve and celebrate the

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The quality of teaching is good

quality of work. However, at times gaps in learning are not made up quickly enough because pupils’ work is not checked well enough.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are carefully and thoughtfully supported by their class teacher and teaching assistants. Pupils are encouraged to work things out for themselves. Occasionally, there are missed opportunities to use teaching assistants for more general class support.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour is good; pupils are diligent and conscientious. They are keen to talk to visitors and are rightly proud of their achievements and contribution to school. School councillors take their responsibilities seriously and their suggestions have helped to improve the school.  Pupils enjoy learning and appreciate the many sporting, artistic and musical activities on offer. For example, in an outstanding lesson pupils threw themselves into singing in rounds and harmonies. Their abilities were clearly evident for the whole school to hear. The teaching of music is strengthened by a partnership with a local high school.  Pupils show consideration for each other and adults. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is enhanced by the school’s religious character and its emphasis on equality. Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds and cultures although opportunities to extend

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

their knowledge with first-hand experiences are limited.  Pupils say they feel safe and most parents agree. They know who to turn to if they are concerned and say that the work on ‘bully busters’ helps them to understand the feelings of others. They are very keen to point out that although there is a little name calling ‘there’s no bullying here.’ Pupils do say there is some ‘silliness’ in lessons and inspectors agree, especially when the pace is not brisk enough and pupils do not settle to work fast enough.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make friends quickly and look forward to playing and learning either in a concentrated fashion on their own or with others.  Attendance is above average and reflects pupils’ enjoyment of school as well as their parents’ support.

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The leadership and management are good

 Strong leadership is modelled by the headteacher. The lack of a deputy headteacher has meant that the headteacher has been the driving force for change. This has been managed very well including sustaining high standards during a time of staffing instability. A deputy headteacher has now strengthened the team and actions are already moving the school on at a brisk pace showing a strong capacity to improve.  Leaders and governors have an accurate view of how well the school is doing and what is needed to make it improve further. Priorities lead to effective actions with a focus on improving teaching and achievement. Consequently, the school has improved since the previous inspection.  Teaching is monitored well and only a few areas to improve remain. Support and training are linked closely to individual and school needs.  Tracking of pupils’ progress is thorough and the school uses information to provide support

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The leadership and management are good

where it is most needed. Data is used well to set pupils’ annual achievement targets and this helps to spot when pupils are not on track to achieve as well as expected. The targets for the most-able pupils have not always been high enough to ensure brisk pace is sustained as they move from year-to-year.  Teachers are set targets that are sharply focused on pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching. The targets are linked to teachers’ pay and to professional support and training. Staff are held accountable for pupils’ performance and respond positively to this challenge.  The curriculum focuses sharply on preparing pupils for the future. The emphasis on literacy and numeracy raises overall standards. Pupils enjoy other subjects, particularly physical education, music and art. Personal development supports pupils’ academic skills and they shine in their spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority provides effective support and challenge.  Parents’ views are mixed. Although a significant proportion of parents raised concerns about different aspects of the school in the online questionnaire (Parent View), recent school surveys are almost wholly positive. Parents who talked with inspectors were happy about the education provided. Nevertheless, leaders and governors are trying to further engage with parents to improve some perceptions of the school and to involve them more in helping their children to learn. Most parents appreciate the difference the school makes to their child’s education. Team TSP, a forum for all parents reflects the parents’ active support of the school, and their significant contribution towards charity and school events .  The governance of the school:  Governors provide effective support. They recognise the quality of teaching and are increasing this by visiting classes and looking at pupils’ work. Governors set challenging performance

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The leadership and management are good

management targets. They study data on pupils’ achievement and hold the school to account for any lack of progress. Funds to support pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium are carefully allocated to benefit these pupils and reflect governors’ astute management of finances. Governors are making themselves more visible to parents at the end of the school day to discuss any concerns parents may have. Governors ensure arrangements for safeguarding meet statutory requirements.

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 134988 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 413069

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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 aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 253 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Fr Paul Ormrod Headteacher Deborah Pringle Date of previous school inspection 11 January 2010 Telephone number 01704 876391 Fax number 01704 831746 Email address admin.trinitystpeters@schools.sefton.gov.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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