Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Upper Tulse Hill, SW2 2RL

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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.  The headteacher’s high expectations and ambition for improving the school are communicated well through his highly skilled senior team, resulting in rising standards in English and mathematics.  Teaching throughout the school is good and some is outstanding.  High quality teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage enables many children to reach a good level of development by the time they leave Reception.  Pupils achieve well from low starting points to reach above average standards at the end of Key Stage 2 and this prepares them well for secondary school. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection.  Most pupils demonstrate above average reading skills because they have secure phonic skills (letters and sounds), read every day and have access to read a wide range of children’s literature, written by many different authors.  Strong personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

development is at the heart of the school’s success and underpins pupils’ good behaviour.  The school is committed to encouraging pupils and their families to learn together and this is supporting their faster progress.  Governors are increasingly holding the school’s leaders to account for the school’s performance.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to ensure that all pupils, especially the least able, maximise their achievement, or lead their own learning.  Teachers do not always share the success criteria for a piece of work, or check pupils’ understanding throughout the lesson, in order to set harder work for them as soon as they are ready.  There are missed opportunities for pupils to act on their teachers’ marking and make the necessary improvements.  Identified areas for improvement in teaching are not always rectified soon enough to ensure it is always of the very highest quality.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 21 lessons, six of which were joint observations carried out with the headteacher and senior staff. Inspectors also carried out a series of short visits to other lessons across the school, observed an assembly and listened to children read.  Meetings were held with staff, pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body and other governors, and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors took account of the 28 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire and the outcomes of the school’s own recent parental survey, an e-mail and a phone call from two parents, as well as the views of the parents they met. Inspectors also considered the 39 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including national test results and the school’s own information about pupils’ achievement, the school’s self-evaluation, improvement plans, safeguarding policies and records and documents relating to performance management.

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Inspection team

Lesley Leak, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Lee Selby Additional Inspector Victoria Turner Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average size primary school which has two forms of entry.  The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is much higher than the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for certain groups, including children in the care of the local authority, those from service families and pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.  A high proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic families.  The proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is well above the national average. Very few of these are at an early stage of learning to speak English.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs at school action is lower than the national average. The proportion supported at school action plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The school meets the government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for

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Information about this school

pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching so that all pupils, especially the least able, make rapid and sustained progress in mathematics and writing throughout the school by ensuring that:  the school’s procedures for sharing the success criteria with pupils are consistently applied  teachers regularly check their pupils’ understanding throughout lessons providing them with more demanding work as soon as they are ready  when pupils see their marking, they not only know what to do next, but are routinely given opportunities to act on their teachers’ comments and guidance  pupils are encouraged to find things out for themselves and to work independently and collaboratively.  Strengthen the leadership and quality of teaching by robustly checking that identified weaknesses in teaching are addressed quickly.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Most children in the Early Years Foundation Stage enter Reception with skills and knowledge significantly lower than expected for their age and make good progress as a result of the consistently good teaching they receive. By the end of Reception, the majority achieve a good level of development. Over the course of Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to make good progress in English and mathematics securing attainment which is in line with that seen nationally.  Pupils build well on earlier learning and make rapid progress in Key Stage 2. By the time they leave in Year 6, pupils reach standards which are above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.  The attainment of the most able pupils is improving over time and this is reflected in the increased proportion reaching the highest levels in the national assessments at the end of Years 2 and 6.  The strong focus on promoting good speaking and listening skills, from the moment they enter

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The achievement of pupils is good

Reception, helps pupils, especially those who speak English as an additional language, to become confident learners who show positive attitudes to the challenges they are set.  The phonics checks (checks on letters and sounds) for six-year-olds in 2012 and 2013 demonstrate above average reading skills for the majority of pupils and this is having a strong impact on pupils’ reading which is secure throughout the school. Pupils benefit from daily, well- staffed, small group ‘guided’ reading lessons which ensure they are exposed to a wide range of authors and different genres. A minority of pupils, with below average phonics skills, who do not have a good competence in reading unfamiliar words during Key Stage 1, make good progress in reading by the time they leave in Year 6, as a result of the additional support they receive.  Writing standards are improving as a result of careful attention to the technical aspects of what

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The achievement of pupils is good

makes good writing, and the additional opportunities to write at length in other subjects, especially in Key Stage 2. The school encourages pupils to talk to each other before writing their ideas down and this has led to their growing confidence with writing. This has been particularly helpful for those pupils who are learning to speak English as an additional language. Carefully planned additional support ensures that they also do as well as their peers in reading and mathematics.  Standards of achievement are rising in mathematics because of the school’s recent demands on pupils to know their times tables, number bonds and place value. Pupils are highly motivated to achieve well in mathematics because of the many opportunities to solve ‘real-life’ practical mathematical problems, such as in one particularly successful Year 6 mathematics lesson about ‘ratio’, where pupils estimated their friends’ height by the size of their feet.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The school actively promotes equal opportunities and tackles discrimination by ensuring pupils who are not making sufficient progress are given extra help to achieve well. Half-termly checks on pupils’ progress mean that anyone who needs extra help is quickly identified and provided with specific support. Consequently, most pupils who are disabled and those with special educational needs make at least expected progress.  By the time they reach Year 6, pupils eligible for support from the pupil premium funding secure higher attainment in English and mathematics than pupils nationally and they make similar progress to their peers. This is because funding has been effectively spent on meeting the needs of identified pupils through additional support and other small-group activities to accelerate their progress.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teachers and other adults create a positive and welcoming environment which promotes good relationships and high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement.  Pupils make rapid progress in English and mathematics because of the good teaching they receive. However, there is not enough outstanding teaching to maximise all pupils’ achievement, especially for those pupils who demonstrate knowledge and skills below those expected for their age.  In the Early Years Foundation Stage, where staff provide a stimulating and caring environment, inside and outside, children quickly become confident and eager learners. A newly appointed Expressive Arts Practitioner has ensured that children in Reception make good progress in English language and social skills. All teachers and support staff in Reception challenge children well by developing their use of vocabulary and numeracy skills, thereby ensuring that pupils are

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The quality of teaching is good

at a good level of development to make a smooth transition to Year 1.  Adults who support pupils in need of additional help, including disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs or who are eligible for funding through the pupil premium, are making an effective contribution to their good progress because work is usually well matched to each individual’s needs. Staff are well trained and briefed on how best to support those pupils and as a result they are highly motivated to succeed. Occasionally, their impact is diminished in classes where teachers’ introductions are too lengthy, preventing them from supporting identified pupils as soon as possible in the lesson.  Most work is set at the right level for each pupil and learning moves at a fast pace when teaching is challenging and inspiring. In one particularly successful Year 2 writing lesson, through her careful questioning, the teacher checked everyone’s understanding, to make sure

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The quality of teaching is good

they used all of their senses to describe Red Riding Hood’s forest. The learning was enhanced through role play and all of the pupils were inspired to use sophisticated vocabulary, such as ‘twisted’, ‘gnarled’, ‘worried’ and ‘petrified’.  Sometimes when the pace of learning slows it is because teachers have not checked pupils’ understanding throughout the lesson, anticipating where to intervene and set harder work for pupils as soon as they are ready. This particularly applies to the least able pupils who are not always given sufficiently challenging tasks.  Teachers’ marking and assessment of pupils’ work are regular. They often provide useful guidance about how pupils can improve their work but as the advice is not routinely acted on, it limits the progress that pupils make. Some pupils are not sufficiently experienced at finding things out for themselves and working independently.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are welcoming to visitors and keen to talk about their pride in the school. They appreciate its Christian ‘family ethos’ and behave in a respectful way to each other and other adults, both in class and around the school.  Good behaviour routines are well established and any occasional ‘off task’ behaviour is managed effectively by the teacher. As a result, pupils respond quickly to staff instructions and settle down to work in lessons right from the start, demonstrating their good attitudes to learning. Occasionally, their behaviour wanes when work is not quite hard enough or teachers do not move them on quickly enough.  Pupils have a good awareness about different forms of bullying and learn about internet safety. During the inspection, all pupils benefited from an assembly, designed to raise pupils’ awareness of bullying, provided by a professional theatre company for anti-bullying week. Pupils said that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

on rare occasions when bullying happens, it is dealt with swiftly by the school. Consequently, pupils feel safe and well cared for.  Pupils value the many opportunities to take on important roles and responsibilities, for example as head boy and head girl, playground buddies or as members of the school council and as prefects.  Pupils’ attendance has improved very recently and is now above the national average. This is because the newly appointed family welfare officer rigorously follows up any pupils’ persistent absences with their families and pupils respond positively to the school’s highly successful rewards scheme for good attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher’s high expectations and ambition for improving the school are communicated well through his highly skilled senior team, resulting in rising standards in English and mathematics.  Senior leaders and members of the governing body have an accurate picture of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and there is a good plan to tackle shortcomings.  The school’s systems for managing staff performance are effective in ensuring that teaching is good, with some that is outstanding. Senior staff have placed a strong emphasis on developing assessment and lesson planning to enable pupils of different abilities to reach their potential. Consequently, most teachers provide pupils with success criteria to ensure that they are clear about what they must know, understand and be able to do by the end of the lesson. However, as this approach is not yet consistently applied, its full impact is not fully realised.

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The leadership and management are good

 The improving quality of teaching is strengthened by a rigorous programme of professional development which is effective and supportive. It is based on the identified needs of staff and the needs of newly qualified teachers. The appraisal system is rigorous and linked closely to Teachers’ Standards, ensuring that challenging targets are set in relation to pupils’ progress.  Subject leaders conduct rigorous evaluations of their subject area and track individuals’ progress accurately. While this is intended to hold teachers to account for the progress of their pupils and reinforces the school’s expectations, sometimes actions identified for improvement are not followed through, so their impact is diminished.  The curriculum is enriched by exciting subjects, including music and sports, taught by specialist teachers, in- and out-of-school visits and residential trips. New approaches in mathematics and

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The leadership and management are good

English are assisting pupils to learn more effectively than previously.  The school makes good use of the government additional funding for sport through its investment in additional sports coaching from a specialist ‘Sports in Education’ company. Pupils are learning new competitive sports, such as athletics, tennis, rugby and cricket, alongside their well-established football and this is enhancing their physical fitness. Through their continued involvement in pupils’ physical education lessons, staff are benefiting from the coaching themselves, which ensures that development will be ongoing.  There are many opportunities for pupils to participate in activities that promote their social, moral, cultural and spiritual development. Time is made for spiritual reflection and prayer and Christian morals and values underpin the life of the school. At the same time, the school arranges visits to a range of religious buildings and ensures that pupils understand and respect

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The leadership and management are good

faiths which are different from their own.  The school is very successful in engaging parents, and the family learning programme of phonics, reading, language and numeracy courses together with support for home learning not only helps to support parents, but also supports their children in their learning out of school.  The governance of the school:  The governing body has recently reorganised its committee structure and membership to increase its effectiveness. As a result, its members are now robust in their ability to challenge and support the school. They receive regular and accurate evaluations of the school’s performance and know precisely where it is doing well and its shortcomings. They have a comprehensive understanding of the school’s performance data. The governing body monitors the effectiveness of the school’s use of the additional funding through the pupil premium to narrow the gap in attainment. Governors receive relevant training and hold the headteacher to

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The leadership and management are good

account for the school’s performance and the management of its finances. The governing body has recently agreed to establish a clearer link between the quality of teaching and the management of the salaries staff receive. They ensure that safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements and seek out parents’ views of important aspects of the school.

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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 100622 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 425507

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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 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 398 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jim Maddox Headteacher Lascelles Haughton Date of previous school inspection 14–15 September 2011 Telephone number 020 86749051 Fax number 020 86746782 Email address admin@holytrinity.lambeth.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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