Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Church Street, Clayhanger, Walsall, WS8 7EG

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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.  The headteacher provides strong and caring leadership, ably supported by the deputy headteacher and a committed team of staff and governors. He has successfully developed a team spirit with shared leadership and management responsibilities across the school.  Teaching and learning are consistently good, enabling pupils to make rapid progress. Some teaching is outstanding.  Pupils’ attainment in English and mathematics is above the national average. Attainment in reading is a particular strength in the school.  The learning environment is of a high quality in classrooms, corridors and main areas. Displays are interactive, colourful and highly informative.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good. Pupils are courteous, respectful and friendly. Relationships are a real strength. Pupils feel very safe, and respect the staff, themselves and each other.  The school provides well for pupils’ spiritual,

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Standards are not quite as high in writing as in reading because pupils are not given enough opportunities and time to revisit and edit their pieces of written work.  Although diligent in marking pupils’ work, on a few occasions, teachers do not always point out how and where pupils can improve in their writing.  In writing, pupils are not always given opportunities and time to act upon teachers’ comments in marking or to respond to their questions.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 14 lessons and also made a number of shorter visits to classrooms. Five of these lessons were observed jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  Meetings were held with pupils, members of the governing body and the school’s staff, including senior leaders. The lead inspector also had a telephone conversation about the school with a representative from the local authority.  The views of 48 parents and carers who responded to the online Parent View survey were taken into account, as well as those gathered through discussions with parents and carers. The inspectors also received and considered the views of 16 staff in their completed questionnaires.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a number of documents, including: the school’s self-evaluation and planning for improvement; the information the school keeps on pupils’ current progress and achievement; reports on the quality of teaching; teachers’ planning

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Information about this inspection

and work in pupils’ books; records relating to pupils' behaviour and attendance; and the school’s safeguarding procedures.  In addition, the inspectors scrutinised pupils' work and listened to pupils read.  The inspectors observed morning playtime, lunchtime activities and attended an assembly.

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Inspection team

Sarah Somers, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Cliff Mainey Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children looked after by the local authority, those known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families, is below average. There are no children of service families currently in the school.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below average.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the standard of writing further by:  ensuring that pupils in all year groups are given opportunities and time to revisit, redraft and improve their writing  making sure that marking always gives clear suggestions for how pupils might improve their writing  providing regular opportunities for pupils to respond to and act upon teachers’ marking  sharing the existing outstanding practice in the teaching of writing across the school.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children start school with skills that are typically as expected for their age in all areas of learning. However, this varies from year to year and an increasing number of children are entering school with skills below that expected. Children make good progress throughout the Reception class because of good teaching and the exciting range of well-planned activities, which take account of their individual needs. Children are encouraged to be independent, taking responsibility for their own learning.  A dip in results in 2012 at the end of Year 2 has been successfully reversed. In the 2013 assessments at the end of Year 2, a higher proportion of pupils than found nationally reached the expected level for their age in reading, writing and mathematics.  By the time they reach the end of Year 6, pupils attain standards above those found nationally in both English and mathematics. Although writing is not as strong as reading, it is broadly

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The achievement of pupils is good

average. The school has clear actions in place to further improve standards and progress in writing, and has successfully raised the profile of writing across all areas of the curriculum.  Reading is a strength of the school and, from the start, children learn letters and the sounds that they make (phonics), which helps them to become accomplished readers. In the national phonics screening check in Year 1 last year, the school’s performance was considerably better than the national average. In the recent screening check in 2013, it was significantly above average as nearly all pupils achieved the expected level for their age.  In reading at the end of Year 6 in 2012, more pupils achieved the higher levels than found nationally, and the school’s assessments show that this has continued in 2013.  Pupils currently in the school are making good progress from their starting points. Learning observed in lessons and work seen in pupils’ books also demonstrates good progress. Actions

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The achievement of pupils is good

taken this year to improve pupils’ writing are quickening the rate at which pupils make progress and, as a result, attainment in this subject is rising, although it is not yet as strong as reading.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs receive effective help from teaching assistants in lessons. This helps them to understand the work and to be fully involved in activities. These pupils make good progress across the school from their individual starting points. The school is effective in ensuring equality of opportunity for all pupils in their learning.  The school has used the pupil premium funding to provide eligible pupils with additional support and to employ the services of a family support worker. In reading, mathematics and writing in 2012, these pupils were about a term and a half to two terms behind other pupils in the school. The pupils currently in the school are making good progress and this gap is narrowing rapidly

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The achievement of pupils is good

between this group and their classmates.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good across the school. Examples of outstanding teaching were also seen. Effective monitoring has improved teaching and learning. Nearly all parents and carers who responded to the Parent View survey said that their children are taught well and make good progress.  The regular assessment and careful tracking of pupils’ progress has made all teachers much more aware of their accountability for the progress of pupils in their class and of the levels that their pupils are expected to attain.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have access to a wide range of high-quality resources and a recently enhanced outdoor learning area. A good balance between activities that children choose for themselves and those directed by the teacher helps the children to become independent learners while receiving a good grounding in basic skills.  The many colourful displays of pupils’ work in classrooms and throughout the interior of the

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The quality of teaching is good

school reflect the range of the curriculum and the genuine pride that adults and pupils clearly take in their school.  Teachers ask pupils carefully chosen questions to keep them engaged in each lesson, to consolidate learning, and to challenge their thinking by encouraging them to explain their reasoning. For example, in a Year 6 lesson, pupils were asked to explain examples of personification in a poem. Skilful questioning challenged pupils and accelerated learning for them.  Marking and feedback across the school are regular and positive. In the best practice, pupils are informed of what they have done well, what they need to do to improve further, and they have time to respond to teachers’ comments and to correct their errors. This good practice is stronger in mathematics than in writing as pupils are not consistently given the opportunity to act upon teachers’ marking and to improve their written work.

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The quality of teaching is good

 On occasions in writing, there are some missed opportunities for pupils to revisit and edit their work, and improve its quality. Pupils’ ability to assess their own written work and that of their peers is not fully developed in all classes.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are monitored carefully. Additional needs are identified promptly and, when progress is not as rapid as expected, measures are applied to tackle this. Teaching assistants work effectively alongside teachers and are often skilled at giving additional support to pupils. Good liaison with the class teachers gives assistants a clear understanding of what is expected of them.  Pupils enjoy their activities and want to do well. They have positive attitudes to learning and co- operate well with each other when working independently, in pairs or in small groups.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in their classes, in assembly, at break times and around the school. The school is a very friendly and orderly learning community. Pupils are polite and courteous towards each other and adults. Staff are excellent models of such behaviour, convey high expectations and make sure that no discrimination is tolerated.  Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good. They are keen learners and usually show high levels of concentration, even in the very small number of lessons where the pace of learning dips. Only very occasionally do individuals let their attention wander.  Pupils know how to stay safe in different situations. They say they feel very safe and the school has helped them well to do this, for example through assemblies, or by inviting visitors to talk to them. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep them safe on the internetand have a good awareness of possible dangers around them.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils understand clearly what bullying is and show an awareness of different types of bullying, such as name-calling. They say that bullying is infrequent, but know that if any does occur, they can go to a member of staff who will listen to them and take action as necessary. One pupil commented, ‘There is no real bullying. Teachers always sort it out. We trust them to help us even if we do something wrong!’  A few parents and carers who replied to the questionnaire suggested that there may be some sort of bullying but parents and carers who spoke to the inspectors did not feel it is an issue.  Pupils are punctual to school. The school has focused on improving attendance with pupils, and parents and carers, and attendance is above average.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is led extremely well by the headteacher, who provides caring and purposeful leadership. He has built a highly effective team with a strong team spirit. Together with the support of the deputy headteacher and staff, he has created a clear vision in which the academic potential of pupils is a priority, while also promoting their wider social needs.  Staff and governors support this vision well and are enthusiastic about the leadership of the headteacher. This was seen in the unanimously positive comments of staff in their survey. The headteacher has skilfully developed a team of leaders to take on additional responsibilities. This has broadened the experience and knowledge of these teachers and strengthened the capacity of the school to improve.  School leaders constantly check how well the school is doing. Consequently, they have an accurate view of its strengths, and a clear understanding of the priorities for improvement and

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The leadership and management are good

actions needed to resolve them. Effective procedures are in place for evaluating and improving the quality of teaching, and senior leaders accurately identify how lessons can be improved further.  The curriculum is effective in engaging pupils and promotes learning for all pupils, including those with additional needs or who attract the pupil premium. It provides rich opportunities for quality learning, as well as an extremely positive effect on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, which has some outstanding features. In school, there are good opportunities to enjoy the arts and performance, while active links with schools in Africa help broaden pupils’ understanding of other cultures.  The school has a number of effective partnerships. There are strong links with the local church, and the school has been identified as a Beacon school by the Diocese and works effectively to support other schools in the area. Membership of the cluster of local schools provides training

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The leadership and management are good

opportunities, shared resources, expertise and contributes to improvements across the schools. The Pegasus initiative has been effective in supporting the provision for more-able pupils across the cluster.  The management of teachers’ performance is linked closely to teaching and learning. Staff are held to account for the progress of pupils in their class. Staff training and opportunities for professional development have been highly effective, particularly in improving the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics.  Pupil premium funding and resources for disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs are managed extremely well. Pupils known to be eligible for free school meals receive additional support and funds are used to employ a Family Support Worker and to ensure they have additional resources to support their learning.  The local authority has taken a light-touch approach in recent years to support the school. This

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The leadership and management are good

is because it has confidence in leaders to make the right choices about how to move the school forward.  The governance of the school:  The governing body benefits from the expertise of its members in carrying out their statutory duties, including those for safeguarding, which are fully met. Governors know about the achievement of pupils. They monitor the curriculum and through direct contact have a clear idea of what is going on in teaching. The governing body fulfils its responsibilities regarding the link between teachers’ pay and performance and systems for setting targets. The targets they set for the headteacher are monitored effectively. A governor keeps a close eye on the school’s finances and governors have a detailed understanding of the way in which funding, such as the pupil premium, is used to raise the attainment of those pupils who receive it.

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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 104223 Local authority Walsall Inspection number 413092

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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 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 232 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Philip Rowley Headteacher Kevin Myatt Date of previous school inspection 12–13 May 2010 Telephone number 01543 452327 Fax number 01543 374113 Email address postbox@holy-trinity.walsall.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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