Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Cookham

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School SSchool Lane, Cookham, Maidenhead, SL6 9QJ

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Overall effectiveness

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

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 The standards pupils reach in writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 are not as high as they should be. The progress of pupils across the school is not consistent enough and varies between classes and subjects.  Teachers do not always ensure that pupils are given work that is hard enough for them because their expectations of the pupils are not high enough.  Teachers do not always ensure that pupils understand what they are learning. Teachers’ questioning does not always make pupils think about what they are learning or help them to become independent learners.  When marking pupils’ work, teachers do not always tell pupils how to improve and pupils are not regularly given targets to aim for.  Subject leaders do not yet have the skills required for them to carry out their role in terms of holding teachers to account for the results they achieve with their pupils.  At present, many of the systems and

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

procedures in the school are very recent and have not yet become standard practice in the school. They have not yet led to sustained improvement.  Until recently, governors have not challenged school leaders sufficiently well for the performance of the school.

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The school has the following strengths

 There are some examples of strong teaching in the school, particularly for younger pupils.  The behaviour of pupils is good and their attitude to learning a strength of the school.  The new executive headteacher has identified the key weaknesses in the school and has taken significant steps to address them. Staff and parents speak positively of the school and the changes being made.  New arrangements for helping teachers to improve and to help pupils make better progress have been well received.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 13 lessons and were accompanied by the executive headteacher for some of these. Some shorter visits to classes were made and some children were listened to reading.  The inspectors held both formal and informal meetings with pupils, met with several members of the governing body, held meetings with a number of staff members, a representative of the Oxford diocese and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors looked at the work pupils had done in their books since September.  The views of 87 parents who had completed the online questionnaire, Parent View, were taken into account, as was the parental questionnaire carried out by the school last term. Some informal conversations with parents also took place.  Twenty one members of staff completed the staff questionnaire and their views were also taken into account  Inspectors also looked at a range of evidence provided by the school including the school

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Information about this inspection

development plan, the school’s self-evaluation, the executive headteacher’s summary of these, information about pupils’ attainment and progress, safeguarding documents and the school’s records of how it monitored the quality of teaching.

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Inspection team

Martyn Kitson, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jacqueline Lawson Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School is a smaller than average primary school.  The number of pupils eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, is below the national average. In this school this relates to the latter category only.  A very high proportion of pupils come from a White British background with very few from an ethnic minority.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs being supported through school action is below the national average as is the proportion supported at school action plus or through a statement of special educational needs.  In 2013, the school exceeded the government’s floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.  At present, the school is led by an executive headteacher for two and a half days a week who

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Information about this school

was officially appointed from 1 September 2013, but who had worked informally with the school during the previous term.  The school has experienced a great degree of turbulence over the past year both at a leadership level and at a teaching level. In a school with eight classes, five teachers were new to the school in September along with the executive headteacher.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least good by ensuring that: - teachers plan activities that are accurately matched to pupils’ needs - effective questioning helps pupils to think about their work and become independent learners - teachers’ verbal and written feedback to pupils gives them clear guidance on how to improve it, so that they meet their targets - all pupils know what they are learning about and why so that they understand what they need to do in order to succeed.  Improve pupils’ progress and the standards they reach in writing and mathematics by: - making good use of the data the school collects to help teachers to plan challenging activities in writing and mathematics - providing pupils with greater opportunities in writing to create longer pieces of writing that are then improved on through editing and redrafting - helping pupils to explain, both verbally and in writing, the methods they use to solve

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

mathematical problems and why they have used these methods. -  Strengthen leadership at all levels by ensuring that: - subject leaders monitor the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress and are responsible for leading their subject and are held accountable for both - governors develop their skills in holding the leadership of the school to account for all aspects of the work of the school. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because not enough pupils make consistently good progress in writing and mathematics.  Pupils enter the Reception class with levels of development that are above those expected for children of that age and make good progress. Although they leave Year 6 with standards that are still above average, their progress in Years 1 to 6 is too often uneven and many pupils do not reach the standard they should in writing and mathematics. In particular, more able pupils do not make sufficient progress. The small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds achieve in line with others.  Standards in Year 2 have recently improved but those at the end of Year 6 have fallen. Even so, standards at the end of Year 6 are above the national average and standards at the end of Year 2 are now also above national averages. Current school data suggest that pupils are on course to improve on previous results by the end of this academic year.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In writing, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to write in different styles, or to produce longer pieces of more adventurous writing. Many pupils do not know how to improve their writing through checking it themselves and then revising it.  Expectations of pupils in mathematics are not high enough. The presentation of work does not always show how the pupils arrived at an answer, which makes it harder to identify errors. There are not enough opportunities for pupils to solve word problems or to investigate mathematical ideas.  Progress in science is good because of the excellent provision in this subject.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress because of the extra support that they receive through well-managed additional programmes. They often achieve standards above those found nationally.  Pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding make progress and reach standards similar to

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

all other pupils in both English and mathematics as a result of specific support, such as focused support from teaching assistants and one-to-one support from different adults.  Pupils are able to read at levels above those expected for their age. Older pupils read fluently and with expression while younger pupils use their phonics skills (the understanding of letters and the sounds they make) to identify new words. There is a positive reading culture in the school and results from the national Year 1 phonics screening show a significant improvement this year.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 While teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is good this is not sustained across the school and therefore teaching requires improvement. There are examples of strong teaching in the school but not enough for pupils to make good progress. Teachers’ knowledge of how to use the results of their assessments of pupils’ progress is weak.  Expectations of pupils are not high enough. In some lessons, teachers’ planning does not ensure that the work is at the right level for the pupils, particularly the more able, resulting in insufficient progress.  The questions teachers ask pupils often are too basic and do not make pupils think about what they are learning. Too many questions require short answers that do not enable pupils to discuss with each other what they are learning. Pupils’ independent learning is sometimes held back by teachers talking too much.  Some teachers do not always make it clear to pupils what they are going to learn in a particular

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

lesson and what they need to do in order to be successful in the lesson.  When teachers mark pupils’ work, they do not provide enough help to pupils so that they know what they need to do to improve and move to the next step in their learning. Pupils are not involved in assessing their own work and do not have targets set for their learning.  Where teaching is good, pupils are engaged and display very positive attitudes. They are focused on their work and make good progress. The good teachers are innovative in the way they gain pupils’ interest through the careful choice of activities and detailed planning of the lesson to ensure pupils are engaged in their learning.  Most teaching assistants provide good support to pupils and have a direct impact on their learning.  Teachers manage pupils effectively and the behaviour of pupils never interrupts their learning. The positive relationships in the classroom ensure that there is an appropriate classroom

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and this is a strength of the school. This is demonstrated by their behaviour in class where they are eager to learn. At all times, they are courteous and respectful to each other and to visitors. There is a calm, purposeful atmosphere around the school and this is commented on by staff and parents. Parents report that this standard of behaviour is a significant improvement from only a few months ago.  Pupils find the lessons interesting but some do say that the work is sometimes easy. In discussion with them, they are keen to answer questions and to listen to other points of view.  Incidents of poor behaviour are rare although the school does not record these well and so cannot analyse these incidents for any particular trends.  Pupils report that they feel safe at school and parents agree with this. Pupils are aware of the different types of bullying but there are only a small number of cases and pupils are confident

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

that when these do occur they are dealt with appropriately by teachers and other adults. There have been no exclusions since the last inspection.  All pupils are treated equally with no discrimination and pupils almost always get on well with each other.  Attendance is consistently high and the small number of persistent absences is dealt with quickly and appropriately.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 The leadership of the Reception class is good but leadership and management across the school require improvement because not enough has been done to improve the quality of teaching so that all pupils make good progress.  Subject leadership in the school needs improvement as leaders do not yet have a clear understanding of how they should be held to account for the quality of teaching and the standards reached by pupils.  The new executive headteacher has acted quickly to establish a clear vision for the school and already has a detailed action plan in place to achieve this. However, it is only in the early stages of implementation.  The school now has a good understanding of what it does well and where it needs to improve and has an appropriate development plan to address the weaknesses of the past.  The school has strong processes in place for improving teaching linked to the needs of the school and to the professional development of teachers. There is an appreciation of the links

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The leadership and management requires improvement

between performance and pay.  The school has strong capacity for improvement. Improved pupil behaviour, better communication with parents and new procedures for improving teaching are examples of where the new executive headteacher has had an immediate effect and this has been well received by staff, parents and governors.  The school is keen to involve parents and regularly gets their views of the school.  The school does not make good use of the school day as not enough time is allocated to teaching and there are too many breaks. Opportunities for pupils to demonstrate their understanding of life in a multicultural Britain or of ways to express their faith in a Christian society are limited. The use of information and communication technology, particularly to support learning across subjects, is underdeveloped.  The school is aware of the primary sport funding and has plans in place to train key staff so that

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The leadership and management requires improvement

the quality of instruction is improved and more pupils take part in sport activities.  The local authority has supported the school with governor training and help with improving the quality of teaching.  The governance of the school:  Governors have received a great deal of training recently and this has enabled them to begin to challenge the school more effectively. However, they are not yet holding school leaders fully to account for the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.  Governors have a good understanding of the standards of achievement and quality of teaching in the school. They ensure that pupil premium funding is appropriately spent and of how this funding is helping these pupils achieve well. Governors understand the link between teachers’ pay progression and pupils’ achievement and check the reasons for teachers’ progression to upper pay scales. They are also aware of how the primary funding for sport will be spent and

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The leadership and management requires improvement

know the impact this funding will have on pupils’ health and well-being.  Working alongside the school, governors ensure that all safeguarding and child protection needs are met. They regularly visit the school, speak confidently about it and are fervent in their support of it. They meet all their legal and financial responsibilities.

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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 109961 Local authority The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 426419

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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 All-through School category Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils 4 – 11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 207 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Yasmin Thorn-Davis Headteacher Dave Rooney, Executive Headteacher Date of previous school inspection 27 – 28 September 2011 Telephone number 01628 523766 Fax number 01628 523766 Email address holytrinity@rbwm.org 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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