Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Victoria Street, Littleborough, Lancashire OL15 9DB

p.1

Outcome

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

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this busy school. They are happily engaged in learning from the start of each day. Pupils are proud of the accomplishments of their school, including successes in competitions and a range of charitable fundraising.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for the achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils display positive attitudes to their learning, and they achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour across the school is exemplary. Pupils are kind to their peers, and they work well together. This begins in the early years where children are keen to share and involve each other in their activities. Pupils hold a range of positions of responsibility, which they carry out with pride. For example, older pupils act as ‘buddies’ for younger pupils to help them to settle into school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides an abundance of opportunities to build the interests and talents of pupils. For example, pupils take part in a variety of sports, such as netball, lacrosse and swimming. Many pupils play a wide range of musical instruments. There are also many other clubs on offer to pupils, for instance, cookery, sewing and art. Pupils’ learning is enhanced through regular visits, including opportunities to travel abroad.

p.1

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

All pupils, including those with SEND, follow the same ambitious curriculum. Starting from the early years, the school has carefully considered what pupils should learn and when this content should be taught. In most subjects, the curriculum has been well organised to build on pupils’ prior learning. By the end of Year 6, pupils develop a rich body of knowledge. In these subjects, pupils achieve well.

p.1

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

In the main, teachers present information clearly, and they have a strong subject knowledge. Staff are skilled in designing activities that help pupils to build and consolidate 20 and 21 March 2024

p.1

2

their learning. In the majority of subjects, teachers identify and address pupils’ misconceptions as they arise.

p.2

2

In a small number of subjects, curriculums have recently been updated. In these subjects, due to weaknesses in the previous curriculums, some older pupils do not have the prior knowledge required to fully access new learning. This is because the school has not identified the gaps in knowledge that these pupils have swiftly enough. At times, in these subjects, some pupils do not learn in sufficient depth.

p.2

2

Pupils across the school enjoy reading. This enthusiasm begins in the Reception class where children establish a strong foundation in letters and sounds. Skilled staff implement the phonics programme consistently well, and they carefully monitor pupils’ progress in early reading. If pupils find reading difficult, expert staff support them to catch up quickly. Across the school, pupils value the range of genres and different authors that are available for them to explore. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers.

p.2

2

The school provides staff with the information that they need to identify and support most pupils with SEND effectively. For example, the school ensures that information is shared with parents and carers and that the needs of pupils with SEND are regularly reviewed. For the most part, staff are skilled in making adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum when necessary so that pupils with SEND can fully access their learning. However, the school does not check sufficiently well on the effectiveness of staff’s adaptations to meet individual pupils’ SEND. Occasionally, this means that a few pupils with SEND do not receive the most effective support in the first instance.

p.2

2

Most pupils attend school regularly. The school is a hive of activity before lessons start and many pupils told inspectors that they arrive early to take part in extra-curricular clubs. The school monitors pupils’ rates of attendance carefully and provides effective support for those pupils who do not attend school as often as they should. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the rewards that they receive for their positive attitudes to school life.

p.2

2

The school ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn about democracy, and this is put into practice through the active student council. Pupils acquire a range of knowledge that helps them to keep safe and healthy, build positive relationships and make valuable contributions to the community.

p.2

2

The school provides carefully designed wider opportunities for pupils to build confidence and independence. Pupils also benefit from chances to learn beyond the classroom, for example, speaking Spanish with their penfriends when they visit them in Barcelona.

p.2

2

Governors know the school well. They fully understand their roles and carry out their duties effectively to provide appropriate support and challenge for the school. However, the school has not ensured that it monitors the implementation of some policies and curriculums as rigorously as it could. Occasionally, this hinders the school from having sufficiently detailed oversight of the quality of education that it provides, including for pupils with SEND. 20 and 21 March 2024

p.2

3

Staff were overwhelmingly positive about working at the school. The school takes thoughtful action to support staff to manage their workload, for example, staff are allocated additional time to complete training.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the school has not identified the gaps in some older pupils’ knowledge from weaknesses in the previous curriculum. On occasion, this hinders how deeply some pupils learn. The school should ensure that teachers are well equipped to fully address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge left by the previous curriculum designs. This is so that pupils, including those with SEND, can benefit fully from strengthened subject curriculums.  The school does not monitor the effectiveness of its policies and curriculums as well as it could. As a result, the school does not have a deep enough understanding of the impact of the quality of education that it provides, including adaptations for pupils with SEND. The school should ensure that it has sufficient oversight of the implementation of polices and curriculums so that it can address any inconsistencies in the quality of education as they occur.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2018. 20 and 21 March 2024

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 20 and 21 March 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.holytrinityce.rochdale.sch.uk

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Manchester. The most recent section 48 inspection took place in July 2023. The school’s next section 48 inspection is due to take place in 2028.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff.  The inspector met with members of the governing body. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority. 20 and 21 March 2024

p.5

6

 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, and art and design. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils from Years 1 to 3 read to a familiar adult.  The inspector spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views about behaviour and bullying. She also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.

p.6

6

 The inspector also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Eleanor Overland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 20 and 21 March 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7