Trimley St Mary Primary School

Trimley St Mary Primary School High Road, Trimley St Mary, Felixstowe, IP11 0ST

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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 Good 2

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

 In 2013 attainment at Key Stage 1 in reading, writing and mathematics, having declined in previous years, was well below average.  Well below average standards were also evident in 2013 in writing for the Year 6 leavers.  Compared with most schools, too few pupils were making good progress.  A group of the most-able pupils, some who had a special educational need and some for whom the school received additional government funding did not make as much progress as they should in 2013.  In some year groups, such as Year 2, teaching was not effective in making sure that pupils made the progress of which they were capable.

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The school has the following strengths

 The quality of teaching seen during the inspection is showing marked improvement.  Children in the Reception classes are making outstanding progress.  There are clear signs in lessons and in the work in pupils’ books that progress is improving and attainment, throughout the school, is rising rapidly. This is particularly evident in pupils’ writing.  Provision for pupils’ personal development and for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.  Pupils’ behaviour is good throughout the school and they feel safe.  The governing body and the headteacher are working effectively to bring about improvements in teaching and in pupils’ progress. Their actions have already had a good impact on teaching and progress.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed parts of 32 lessons and were accompanied by the headteacher during 16 of the observations.  Meetings were held with governors, parents, the headteacher, teachers with additional responsibilities, pupils and a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors looked at the work in pupils’ books and heard some pupils reading.  The inspectors took into account the school’s information about pupils’ attainment and progress, its evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses and the resulting plans for improvement. The inspectors also looked at a range of documents and policies concerning school management and keeping pupils safe.  The inspectors considered the 40 responses to Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View) for the current year.

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Inspection team

Godfrey Bancroft, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jane Ladner Additional Inspector John Mason Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is a larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well below average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is broadly average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational need is above average.  The proportion of pupils entitled to benefit from additional government funding through the pupil premium, including those known to be eligible for free school meals, is below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportions of good and outstanding teaching by:  fully embedding the effective teaching methods that have been introduced to improve pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics  continuing and further developing strategies to support those who need extra help and setting harder work for the more-able pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Establish the pattern for pupils’ progress to continually increase by:  maintaining the momentum of improving progress in writing throughout the school  sustaining the focus on raising standards and increasing pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics in Key Stage 1.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Standards at Key Stage 1 declined after the previous inspection and in 2013 attainment in reading, writing and mathematics was well below average and pupils’ progress was inadequate.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In the period leading up to the present year some more-able pupils, some with a special educational need and some of those entitled to the pupil premium have not made sufficient progress.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In 2013 at the end of Key Stage 2, while pupils’ progress in mathematics remained good, standards in writing fell to well below average and pupils’ progress was inadequate.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children join the Reception classes with skills and knowledge that are below those expected for their age and, in some cases, well below.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Progress in the Reception classes is outstanding. The proportion of children on course to join Year 1 with a good level of development is significantly higher than that found nationally. This progress is now being sustained in Year 1 where the standard of writing seen in pupils’ books far exceeds that expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils currently in Year 2 are making good progress and are on course to attain broadly average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. This represents a significant improvement over 2013.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils in Year 3, who performed poorly in 2013 when they were in Year 2, are now making remarkable progress. In little over a term some have improved by a whole national curriculum level, bringing them close to the level expected for their age.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils in Year 6 are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics and are also on course to attain broadly average standards. The good progress in mathematics, evident in previous years, is being sustained and progress in writing is improving markedly. This improving picture is affirmed by teachers’ assessments, by the work in pupils’ books and by the progress seen in lessons.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 More-able pupils and those who have a special educational need are now on course to do every bit as well as they should. Pupils who are entitled to the pupil premium are now doing just as well as their classmates and, in some cases they are more than a term ahead. These pupils are on course to do significantly better, being in excess of two terms ahead, than similar pupils in other schools in both English and mathematics. This is a vast improvement on the 2013 data when they were over a year behind their classmates in mathematics and a year behind them in English.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Older pupils are enthusiastic readers who make regular use of the school and local community libraries. Younger pupils acquire a good grasp of the sounds made by letters and this lays a firm foundation on which to secure their future reading ability.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils, throughout the school, are now acquiring the basic mathematical skills of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, increasingly well.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In recent years and in some parts of the school in 2013, teaching was not good enough to secure good progress for all pupils. This was particularly the case for pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and for the teaching of writing in Year 6.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The headteacher and school leaders have worked effectively to eliminate all the remaining pockets of inadequate teaching. All the teaching seen during the inspection was at least good and in some lessons teaching was outstanding. These improvements are having a very positive impact on pupils’ progress and standards are rising; particularly in Year 2.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Lessons increasingly capture pupils’ interest, move along at a good pace and capitalise on pupils’ considerable enthusiasm for learning.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers are now effective at providing pupils with the basic skills they need to underpin their increasingly good progress. Speaking and listening are promoted well, with good opportunities for pupils to be involved in answering questions and in discussions in most lessons. A similar picture is seen in mathematics where the good teaching of basic mental and oral skills is giving pupils considerable confidence to learn well in this subject.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers, aided by teaching assistants, are now focussing effectively on challenging and extending the most-able pupils. This often occurs in additional small group and one-to-one sessions which take place at the end of the school day. Similar strategies are helping to increase the progress made by those pupils who are entitled to benefit from the additional pupil premium funding.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers and teaching assistants are also good at recognising and responding to the learning needs of any pupils who, for whatever reason, show signs of falling behind.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teachers are good at keeping pupils informed about the levels they are attaining and at advising them about how to make their work even better. This includes providing pupils with helpful advice through marking. Pupils attach great value to receiving a ‘Perfect Pink’ when their work is good and respond well when they get a ‘Grotty Green’ which can be critical but also advises them how to improve.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The school is part of a pilot project which is introducing new teaching methods, designed to improve the quality of pupils’ writing. These methods are already bringing significant improvements to pupils’ grammar, punctuation and spelling. Pupils are becoming increasingly competent at applying these skills to their writing during English lessons and when they write in other subjects.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. During lessons and around the school it is often exemplary and even low level disruption in lessons is rare. Staff manage pupils’ behaviour well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 For several years there have been no pupils excluded from school for unacceptable behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attitudes to learning are also good. Pupils are enthusiastic learners who are proud of their achievements and eager to do their best. They present their work neatly, are keen to answer and pose questions, contribute well to discussions and are always willing to help each other.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils say they feel safe in school; a view with which their parents agree. Staff work effectively to ensure that pupils are well- informed about how to stay safe in the wide variety of situations that they may encounter.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils say that should any bullying occur staff are very helpful in bringing about an amicable resolution. Pupils also have a good understanding of what constitutes bullying in its various guises, including the dangers posed by misuse of the internet and social media websites.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 For several years attendance, including that of pupils entitled to benefit from the additional pupil premium funding, was below average. School leaders have worked effectively to bring about improvements to the extent that attendance is now broadly average. However, there remain a small number of parents who do not do enough to ensure their children attend school as often as they should.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, senior leaders and those who have phase and subject leadership responsibilities are working effectively to reverse the trend of falling standards previously evident in Key Stage 1 and in writing at the end of Key Stage 2. They have risen to the challenge of eliminating inadequate teaching and bringing about improvements in pupils’ progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher and senior leaders have a good grasp of what is needed to sustain the current pattern of improvement. This insight is based on sound evaluation of all aspects of the school’s work, including regular checks to evaluate the quality of teaching and to see how it can be improved. For example, new teaching methods have been successfully introduced that focus on promoting better progress in pupils’ writing and are building on the pockets of good progress in mathematics that are already in place.

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The leadership and management are good

 There is compelling evidence of the school’s capacity to sustain improvements in the future. The list includes higher attendance, outstanding progress in the Reception classes, dramatic improvements in Year 3 to the progress of pupils who had previously made inadequate progress in Year 2, improvements to the achievement of the most-able pupils and the progress of those who are entitled to the pupil premium.

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The leadership and management are good

 Staff morale is high and teachers are justifiably confident they can make a positive contribution to sustaining the current improvements in pupils’ progress. They are fully committed to ensure that every pupil is able to achieve as well as possible. Staff appreciate the support they receive from the headteacher and senior leaders and value the good opportunities for their continued professional development.

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The leadership and management are good

 Arrangements to evaluate and reward good teaching are linked to challenging, but realistic targets for pupils’ progress. These arrangements are increasingly effective in addressing any weaknesses that are evident in teaching.

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The leadership and management are good

 Learning activities and additional opportunities are contributing well to pupils’ personal development and to their academic progress. One-to-one focussed learning opportunities during lessons and after school are helping pupils from a wide range of abilities to make good progress. The teaching of pupils for English and mathematics in groups based on their prior attainment and progress is also paying dividends in terms of improved progress. Beyond the school day pupils particularly enjoy participating in a wide range of sports clubs.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Pupils are very aware of and sensitive to the needs of those less fortunate than themselves. They also have a good understanding of fellow pupils who come from other backgrounds and cultures and have beliefs that are different to their own. The school has high profile links with a school in the

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The leadership and management are good

Gambia which make a significant contribution to pupils’ understanding of children from another culture and the challenges they face.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is totally inclusive, and promotes equal opportunities at all times. There is no evidence of discrimination through gender, ethnicity, disability or special educational needs.

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The leadership and management are good

 Responses to Parent View, although relatively few in number, present a mixed range of views. Parents are most critical of homework provision, although inspectors judge that this meets pupils’ learning needs well. Without exception parents who spoke to inspectors expressed positive views about the school’s work and their children’s progress.

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The leadership and management are good

 The local authority has, in the main, provided the school with helpful support which is contributing to the current pattern of improving progress and especially improvements to the quality of teaching. The school also makes good use of other available expertise; for example, in supporting the introduction of new teaching methods that are being successful in improving pupils’ progress in writing.

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The leadership and management are good

 Additional funding provided for the relatively small number of pupils who are entitled to the pupil premium is effective in improving their progress. Similarly, the primary school sport funding, which is used to purchase specialist coaching is making an effective contribution to pupils’ wellbeing. It is currently being used to improve pupils’ skills in a range of sports and to help a group of pupils who have special educational needs which mean they struggle with their coordination.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors are doing a good job and they bring a helpful range of expertise and skills. Governors know about the progress being made by the various groups of pupils and about the quality of teaching, including the arrangements to reward good teaching. They are also great advocates for the school’s work, being very pleased with the current improvements in progress and the quality of teaching, without being in any way complacent. Being well informed and given their range of expertise they are well placed to keep school leaders on their toes with the questions they pose. Governors ensure the available resources are managed wisely and have a clear understanding of the effect additional funding, such as the pupil premium and primary school sport funding, are having on pupils’ progress and well-being. Arrangements for safeguarding of pupils and for child protection meet current 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 124613 Local authority Suffolk Inspection number 430808

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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 Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 352 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colin Monk Headteacher Christina Ashford Date of previous school inspection 10 May 2012 Telephone number 01394 284130 Fax number 01394 270570 Email address trimleystmary@talk21.com 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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