Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School South Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 3AF

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Lisa Eadie. This school is part of The Redstart Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Suzanne Flack, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tess Gale. 19 and 20 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy positive relationships with each other and with staff. They say the school is like ‘one big family’, which includes the school dog and pet tortoise. Parents speak highly of the school. They value the individual care that their children receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has raised its expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils now live up to these. For example, pupils are keen to be the ‘walkers of the week’, awarded for moving around the school calmly. The school deals with low-level disruption well so that pupils learn successfully.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand the school’s values. They are eager to share their pledge to be kind and compassionate, for example. Pupils appreciate the range of extra-curricular opportunities that the school provides. They take part enthusiastically in clubs, such as chess, cheerleading and gymnastics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to be active citizens. For example, they vote for ‘class champions’ and give presentations about important topics, such as equality. Pupils learn how to keep safe and how to take care of each other. For instance, they enjoyed learning first aid by practising putting bandages on their teddy bears.

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better?

Pupils learn a broad and ambitious curriculum. The school has considered carefully the sequencing of this curriculum. For example, younger pupils get to know songs, rhymes and stories well. This prepares them to start to learn to read. In the nursery and Reception Year, there is a sharp focus on the development of children’s language and communication. This helps them to gain the vocabulary they need for future learning.

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better?

In each subject curriculum, the school has identified the most important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. For instance, in geography, pupils learn map skills and develop their understanding of local places, as well as others further afield. In the Reception Year, children start to learn about numbers. This helps prepare them to learn mathematical facts later.

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better?

Teachers have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum effectively. However, teachers’ use of assessment does not always identify how well pupils have learned the curriculum. Where this is the case, pupils sometimes develop misconceptions or have gaps in their knowledge. This hinders them from building detailed knowledge and skills over time.

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better?

Most pupils enjoy reading. They start learning to read as soon as they join the Reception Year. Initially, pupils read books which match closely to the sounds they have learned. As they gain confidence, pupils read books to improve their fluency. Pupils who need extra support receive it quickly. 19 and 20 September 2023

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The school identifies accurately the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For some pupils with SEND, the school makes successful adaptations to the curriculum. Consequently, pupils develop their knowledge and independence well. However, some pupils with SEND do not achieve well enough. This is because the curriculum is not designed carefully to meet their needs.

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Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and are proud of their achievements. Older pupils are keen to share their learning, such as pieces of writing displayed on the ‘best work’ wall. Younger children like to share their discoveries in the outdoor learning area, for example.

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Pupils learn a well-devised personal, social and health education programme. They know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy and how to stay safe online. Pupils learn how to talk about their feelings in ways appropriate to their age. This helps staff to meet children’s emotional needs well, especially the very youngest.

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Pupils learn about different religions and about the importance of tolerance and respect. They enjoy championing campaigns, such as Anti-Bullying Week. Pupils learn to appreciate difference and to celebrate the things they have in common.

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Trustees and local governors understand their roles. They provide meaningful support and challenge to the school. They manage resources well and hold the school to account to bring about improvement. While this is not reflected in the most recent published outcomes, current pupils receive a good quality of education.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that the school thoughtfully manages their workload and well-being. Teachers receive useful professional development which enhances the teaching of the curriculum. Those newest to teaching value the support they receive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not use assessment effectively enough. As a result, pupils do not always securely learn the knowledge and skills they need for future learning. The school and the trust should ensure that they check whether pupils have learned the curriculum as intended.  The school does not adapt the curriculum well for some pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils do not learn the crucial knowledge and skills they need. The school and the trust should ensure they meet the needs of all pupils with SEND so that they develop their independence and achieve well. 19 and 20 September 2023

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a nursery that accepts two-year-olds.  The school has a higher-than-average number of disadvantaged pupils. It has a higher-than-average number of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The school is a Church of England School in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The school received its last section 48 inspection in December 2017.  The school uses two unregistered alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 19 and 20 September 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with senior staff about the curriculum and with pupils about their learning in other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

James Oldham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Brewer Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 September 2023

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regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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