Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 3HZ

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 February 2024

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Outcome

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love their school. They talk with enthusiasm about the many exciting learning opportunities. Pupils are proud of their academic achievements as well as their contributions to school life. Pupils’ leadership roles impact the school community positively. Pupils in the ‘safeguarding committee’ help others on how to stay safe. For instance, delivering assemblies on firework and online safety. Eco-ambassadors encourage others to look after the environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is positive across the school, and pupils know and respect the school values. They are kind to and support each other, including when learning. Staff promote and encourage pupils to be ambitious. This is modelled across the school with all staff having high aspirations and expectations of all pupils. Working relationships between staff and pupils are positive. Pupils know that if they have concerns or worries an adult will listen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ensures that pupils gain life experiences. For instance, pupils enjoy theatre visits, outings to museums and musical workshops. Pupils are proud to represent the school in sporting tournaments. They value the work they do in the local community, including the community garden and with the local hospice.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are ambitious that the curriculum is tailored to pupils’ needs and reflects the school context well. The school identifies the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that pupils should learn. Staff swiftly identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work with parents and carers, and local nurseries to ensure a smooth transition for pupils to school. Staff work effectively to provide bespoke support to ensure that pupils succeed across the curriculum. 28 and 29 February 2024

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Leaders have made informed curriculum changes to ensure consistent approaches to teaching. In some subjects, the curriculum development is at an early stage. Leaders are working with teachers to ensure pupils’ deeper understanding and knowledge in these subjects.

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Teachers have secure subject knowledge and present information to pupils with clarity. They encourage pupils to make links with their learning and build on pupils’ prior learning securely. Children receive a strong start in early years. Staff provide children with many opportunities to practise their learning and to build independence.

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The school’s 2023 statutory assessment information showed that pupils’ progress at the end of Year 6 was below the national average for mathematics and writing. Leaders have responded to this. They have made changes to ensure that there is greater consistency in the teaching of mathematics and writing. For instance, the school has reviewed pupils’ assessment information. Leaders have used this information to identify pupils falling behind curriculum content. More support has been put in place to address pupils’ gaps in understanding, including through bespoke catch-up sessions. As a result, pupils’ work in mathematics and writing is established so that they can learn successfully.

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Teachers support children to use subject-specific vocabulary well. For example, in Reception class, staff enabled children to use vocabulary about measurement accurately. Teachers adapt learning for pupils with SEND through targeted adult support and effective use of resources.

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The school places a high priority on early reading. Leaders identified the need to develop more consistent approaches to the teaching of phonics. They have introduced a new phonics programme. Full staff training ensures a consistent approach to teaching. Regular checks ensure that pupils read books appropriate to their phonics knowledge. Consistent approaches to pupils’ reading development continue throughout the school. Teachers choose ambitious class texts with rich vocabulary and language. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 are proud to be ‘reading buddies’ where they encourage pupils in Years 1 and Reception to read.

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The school knows their pupils and families well. Leaders have strong relationships with families, providing support and guidance when needed. A variety of drop-in sessions enable parents to learn about the school curriculum and gain advice. The school places a high priority on positive attendance and pupils are rewarded for coming to school regularly. Where attendance is low, leaders work effectively with families to support them to improve attendance and punctuality. Pupils learn effective strategies to help them understand their emotions. There is a positive learning environment where pupils are focused in lessons.

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The school promotes pupils’ character development well. Pupils are taught about respecting other people’s faiths, cultures and choices. Pupils talk eagerly about their learning from the museum visits. Careers enterprise week gave pupils ideas and aspirations for their future. A wide choice of clubs encourages pupils to develop new interests. 28 and 29 February 2024

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Leaders and governors have accurately identified the priorities for school development. They work reflectively, including with local schools to aspire to improve. Staff training and development is a high priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the school’s curriculum thinking is still being developed. This has led to some gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding in these subjects. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is sequenced securely across all subjects, from early years to Year 6, to enable pupils to secure their understanding.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2015.

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How can I feed back my views?

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 SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local 28 and 29 February 2024

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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). 28 and 29 February 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 4 December 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The leadership of the school has changed since the last inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, other leaders and a range of staff. Meetings also took place with the governing body, local authority and diocese representative.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. Activities included discussions with leaders and teachers about the curriculum, visiting lessons, speaking with groups of pupils about their learning, and a scrutiny of pupils’ work. The inspector considered the curriculum in other subjects. 28 and 29 February 2024

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 The inspector checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  The inspector considered the responses of pupils, parents and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector held meetings with staff and spoke with pupils during social times. They observed pupils’ behaviour across the school.

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Inspection team

Sacha Husnu-Beresford, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 28 and 29 February 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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