Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Tracey Bishop Headteacher Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding Church Close Lower Beeding Horsham West Sussex RH13 6NS

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

Following my visit to the school on 12 July 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in February 2013.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have successfully utilised the talents of your team to drive improvement during a time of significant change. Leaders have established the interesting and innovative curriculum with a strong emphasis on pupils’ personal development. Your message of ‘work together, learn together, grow together’ is understood and embraced by parents, pupils and staff. As a result, the school is a harmonious community where respect, care and joy abound.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

Since the previous inspection, you and the governing body have managed extensive grounds and building improvements. During this time of substantial disruption, you have not allowed the quality of teaching to diminish. This is because you provide teachers with regular, well-considered feedback on how to improve their teaching. Staff are highly motivated and work hard to meet your high expectations. You revisit classrooms to check that your recommendations are followed. Consequently, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is consistently high.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

The governing body is skilled and evaluates the school’s effectiveness accurately. Recently, governors worked with local authority officers to improve their systems for checking the work of leaders. Governors now ask more pertinent questions which are sharply aligned to the strengths and weaknesses of the school. As a result, governors offer you greater levels of challenge and support and hold leaders to account for their actions effectively. The governing body publishes useful newsletters that provide parents with information about their work. However, governors recognise that the school does not currently meet requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

In this small school, pupils and staff know each other exceptionally well. Everyone is treated as an individual and the opportunities for pupils to learn, play and grow are extensive. Pupils love their school and show tremendous respect for each other. Year 5 pupils and children in Reception enthusiastically explained how they read together every week. This offers younger children a positive role model and older pupils the chance to take on additional responsibility. Spaces, such as the new ‘peace garden’, are used well to encourage pupils to think and reflect. One pupil noted that ‘it gives us a place of calm when the playground is noisy’. Behaviour in classes and during playtimes is excellent.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

Pupils enjoy the broad and interesting curriculum. In Year 5, pupils created a maze from their reading of ‘Theseus and the minotaur’. Pupils planned their product carefully and used their design and technology skills to measure and cut wooden dowels to construct walls. Pupils in Year 3 used their geography skills to create maps showing where different products, such as coffee, cocoa and bananas, are grown, considering carefully the ethical implications of trade on less economically developed countries. Pupils across the school make good progress in all curriculum subjects. Nevertheless, pupils’ writing in the foundation subjects and science is weaker than pupils’ writing in English

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

At the time of the last inspection, you were asked to ensure that work is not too easy, especially for the most able pupils. Work is suitably challenging, particularly in mathematics and writing. Pupils use their excellent understanding of grammar, punctuation and vocabulary to write articulate and meaningful texts for a range of purposes. Teachers’ clear and accurate understanding of pupils’ progress ensures that work is set at just the right level for them. In mathematics, pupils use their excellent calculation skills to solve complex problems. As a result, a greater proportion of pupils are working at a high level of attainment in English and mathematics.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality. You complete statutory checks on all staff, governors and volunteers. Governors are trained appropriately in safer recruitment practices and monitor the work of the school to satisfy themselves that checks are completed.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, Lower Beeding

Staff receive excellent training, which helps them to keep children and pupils safe from harm. Staff record and pass on concerns quickly. When required, leaders work well with external agencies to support families and protect pupils. Records are detailed, clear and methodically filed. As a result, information about pupils’ well- being and safety is easily accessed, analysed and understood by leaders. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Year 5 pupils worked with local police to learn about the dangers posed by legal and illegal drugs. Pupils in Year 4 met with the local fire service to learn how to maintain smoke alarms through the ‘Check it Tuesday’ initiative. Pupils show a clear understanding of emerging dangers and know how to manage risk.

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Inspection findings

 At the start of the inspection, we agreed to look at the effectiveness of safeguarding; the progress of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, in mathematics; the quality of support and challenge for pupils, particularly boys, in writing; how effectively governors and leaders monitor standards across the curriculum; and the standards of pupils’ behaviour.  Standards in mathematics are high. Pupils use their excellent calculation skills to solve challenging problems. For instance, pupils in Year 4 used their understanding of time to create timetables for a school trip. Pupils discuss their thinking eloquently and reason confidently. As a result, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, make strong progress in mathematics.  The English curriculum provides pupils with many opportunities to write at length for a range of purposes. The writing of both boys and girls is interesting and sophisticated. Pupils use their secure knowledge of grammar, punctuation and

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Inspection findings

spelling to enhance their texts. Consequently, the writing progress of pupils across the school is rapid, with an increasing proportion attaining at a high standard.  Leaders monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment well with a sharp focus on English and mathematics. Teachers are skilled and highly motivated because they receive useful feedback on the quality of their work. As a result, standards in English and mathematics are high. Nevertheless, leaders’ monitoring of the wider curriculum lacks precision. Standards of writing in subjects such as science, geography and history are not as high.  Pupils are exceptionally polite and well mannered. They value their education and take great pride in their behaviour. Parents, pupils and staff all note that poor behaviour is rare and dealt with well by leaders. Efforts to improve pupils’ attendance, particularly of disadvantaged pupils and those who have special

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Inspection findings

educational needs and/or disabilities, have been effective. Pupils attend school regularly and rates of absence are low.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 standards of writing across the curriculum match the high standards in English  the school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Chichester, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for West Sussex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

I met with you, four governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority. I observed learning in three classes. I analysed a range of school documentation, including information about pupils’ achievement, the school improvement plan, and safeguarding checks, policies and procedures. We discussed your own evaluation of the school’s effectiveness. I considered the 15 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and spoke to parents at the beginning of the day. Some parents offered written responses, which I also considered. I analysed the results of the confidential staff and pupil surveys. I met with children from Reception and pupils from Years 1 to 5. I gathered the views of other pupils throughout the day.

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