Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, NW3

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

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Mrs Laura Hall Headteacher Holy Trinity CofE Primary School Trinity Walk Maresfield Gardens London NW3 5SQ

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 20 March 2018, 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 November 2013.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Since your appointment in April 2017, you have created an effective leadership team which shares your vision and commitment to school improvement. You strive to maintain and improve the quality of education in the school. Staff are highly supportive of the changes you are making. You set high expectations for staff and pupils.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Since the previous inspection, you have taken decisive action to strengthen the quality of teaching. Staff are now deployed where they are most effective in raising standards. As a result, in 2017 pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics were strong at the end of key stage 2, and progress and attainment in mathematics were particularly strong. However, you recognise that there is more to do to raise outcomes in the Reception Year and at the end of key stage 1.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Leaders evaluate the school’s performance thoroughly. You are clear about the school’s strengths and accurately identify what you need to do to improve even further. You have met the recommendations from the previous inspection well. You have been uncompromising in your approach to improving the quality of teaching and have taken decisive action where necessary. The local authority and the diocesan adviser provide effective support in evaluating the school and its development. Governors know the school well and are highly effective. They visit the school regularly and receive clear information from leaders. They are supportive, but challenge leaders where they believe the school can achieve even more.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Parents who spoke to me were positive about your leadership. They described you as ’approachable’ and always willing to listen to any concerns. Some parents highlighted the care and support provided for their own children who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. Parents appreciate the pastoral care provided by the staff for their children.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Pupils are well behaved, respectful and keen to learn. They are articulate in lessons and enjoy asking questions and using their thinking skills to seek out answers. They are keen readers both in school and at home.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

The school motto highlights the vision that you and your leaders have for the school: ’Strength for Today. Bright Hope for Tomorrow’.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose. Records are detailed and of good quality. Governors regularly check the school’s single central record and undertake safeguarding audits around the school. Leaders make sure that training for staff and governors is up to date. Staff know their pupils very well and are aware of local safeguarding issues. They know how to raise any concerns they may have about a pupil’s welfare. Records show that leaders take action quickly should the need arise. The school works in close partnership with outside agencies to support children and families in need. The pre-employment checks on the suitability of adults to work with children meet statutory requirements.

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Short inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe and know to whom they should report any concerns. Pupils in Year 6 told me in detail what steps they should take in order to keep safe online. Pupils and parents said that incidents of bullying are rare and swiftly dealt with. School records show that the number of exclusions and incidents of poor behaviour are low. Parents spoken to said that their children are safe, happy and being well looked after in school. The responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, show that the vast majority of parents support this view. One parent’s comment, typical of others, described the school as a ’caring and cohesive community’.

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Inspection findings

 We agreed at the start of the inspection to review the provision in the Reception Year. You had identified this as a key priority for improvement in your own school self-evaluation. For the last three years, the proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of the Reception Year was below the national average.  You took swift action to address this issue. A new early years leader was appointed at the start of the academic year. The classroom and outside play area were extensively refurbished to allow children ease of access to both areas; both indoor and outdoor learning environments are now well organised. Leaders also undertook a thorough review of the recording and assessment systems in the early years. New systems were introduced to assess children on entry and track their progress. This information is now being shared with parents. Leaders made engagement with parents a key priority. Workshops to support parents in helping

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Inspection findings

their children learn are now being regularly provided.  Training for staff is helping to raise expectations of the quality of children’s work. In the Reception class, we saw children working on number activities and displaying skills in matching numbers up to 12. We also looked at children’s writing on display and in their ‘learning journals’. We agreed that, within a broad picture of improving provision and outcomes, children’s writing skills, such as letter formation and writing simple sentences, are not yet as good as they should be.  We next looked at how leaders are accelerating progress for the most able pupils across the school. Last year, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher standards was below the national average in reading, writing and mathematics in both key stages.  After last year’s review of the quality of teaching and learning, teachers were redeployed to key classes to best reflect their skills and experience. Additionally,

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Inspection findings

following evaluation, senior leaders made changes to how writing is taught, particularly in key stage 1, to raise teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve. This has been consolidated by the introduction of team working to foster the sharing of good practice. Improvements in the use of assessment across the school mean that individual pupils who are underachieving can be identified and supported to achieve the higher standards. A review of current assessment information in classes, matched to analysing pupils’ writing in books, shows that more pupils are now on track to meet the higher standards. However, leaders recognise that there is more to do to raise standards further.  The third key line of enquiry was to look at the impact of the school’s work to develop pupils’ oracy skills in key stage 2, so that they speak fluently and grammatically. You rightly identify this as being crucial to the improvement of

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Inspection findings

pupils’ vocabulary and reading and writing skills.  You are ambitious to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills through the school’s broad and balanced curriculum. In all classes in key stage 2, opportunities were seen for pupils to develop these skills. For example, in Year 4, the pupils were able to give examples of complex sentences using conjunctions before applying these to their writing.  To develop pupils’ confidence in speaking in public, leaders have introduced drama workshops and debating in key stage 2. In drama, pupils are learning about the works of William Shakespeare and have performed plays, including ‘Macbeth’ and ‘Othello’, for their parents. In Year 6, pupils used their skills in debating to discuss the morality of war and conflict. Based on their philosophical thinking and reasoning, pupils argued their case well. These pupils are confident and articulate speakers and clearly enjoy this aspect of their learning.

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Inspection findings

 A final focus of the inspection was to review how leaders are improving attendance and reducing persistent absence. Leaders have rightly identified this area as a key priority for improvement and have implemented strategies that have been successful in improving pupils’ attendance. For example, pupils receive badges and motivational stickers at Friday assembly as a reward for good attendance. The most recent figures show that attendance is improving and is currently above the national average. However, leaders recognise there is more work to do to reduce the persistent absenteeism of some pupils.

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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

 more children achieve a good level of development at the end of the Reception year  teachers provide increasing support and challenge so that more pupils attain the higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stages 1 and 2.

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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 London, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Camden. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During this inspection, I held discussions with you and senior and middle leaders. I spoke with representatives from the local authority and held a meeting with six governors, including the chair. I spoke with pupils in class, in structured settings and informally. I also spoke to parents. I observed pupils’ behaviour in class, in the playgrounds, and as they moved around the school. I scrutinised pupils’ work in a wide range of subjects. I heard readers across the school and spoke with pupils about the books they are reading. I also made visits to all classes, alongside senior leaders. I examined the school’s assessment records and tracking information relating to pupils’ progress. I scrutinised a wide range of documentation concerning safeguarding, welfare and attendance. I also looked at behaviour and bullying incident logs. I considered the responses of 24 parents to Parent View, the responses of pupils and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys, and the school’s own

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