Holy Trinity Church of England Academy, Rothwell

Inspection of Holy Trinity Church of England Academy, Rothwell Queensway, Rothwell, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS26 0NB

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

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The headteacher of this school is Gemma Briggs. This school is part of Abbey Multi-Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the co-chief executive officers (Co-CEOs), Helen Pratten and Catherine Garrett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gefrin Price. 5 and 6 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Holy Trinity is a small school with a big heart. It is a warm and welcoming place where pupils are happy and grow in confidence. Parents appreciate the support the school gives to their children and families.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and rise to meet the high expectations set by the school. Pupils are proud of their own achievements and celebrate the successes of others. They value working towards the ‘gold centre of the heart’ reward. Pupils trust adults to help solve problems and treat them fairly. They feel safe and supported. They know that adults will listen to them and treat everyone equally. These trusting relationships build a calm, positive environment.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn essential life skills. This is reflected in their respectful relationships. Pupils advocate for equality. They take on leadership roles and join clubs that support their personal growth. Pupils learn about safety, living in a digital world and how to handle challenges. They feel well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

After previous low outcomes, leaders have made effective changes to the curriculum. These changes have resulted in significant improvement to pupils’ achievements in key stage 1. They also had a positive effect on the small key stage 2 cohort.

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

The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum. It is progressive and helps pupils to build knowledge and gain important skills. In mathematics, for example, pupils use manipulatives such as counters. This apparatus helps them to show their understanding. When pupils struggle, staff quickly provide extra practice to secure essential number knowledge. In some subjects, pupils show a deep understanding by connecting different ideas. For example, when learning about crime and punishment, pupils use their knowledge of rationing during World War 2 to explain changes in prison population due to poverty and theft. Other subjects are at an earlier stage of implementation. For these subjects, assessing what pupils have learned is not fully developed.

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

The school prioritises reading. It regularly replenishes books through a local library loan system. Pupils are enthused by the rich range of different genres. These include myths and legends, fact books and classic stories. These captivate pupils’ imagination. Staff make reading exciting and enjoyable. They use suspense and stop on cliff-hangers to keep pupils hooked. The school encourages a reading culture through shared reading activities. Older pupils read with younger children and pupils read alongside their peers. Pupils enjoy a dedicated space for reading at breaktimes. Through these practices, pupils develop a joy of reading.

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

Pupils learn to read through an expertly delivered phonics programme. They use their phonics knowledge to read words accurately. They read from books containing the sounds they know. This gives pupils the chance to practise their phonics skills. For pupils who 5 and 6 November 2024

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need extra help, targeted practice ensures that they catch up quickly. Pupils achieve well and most learn to read fluently.

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The school understands that handwriting can be a challenge for some pupils. The new handwriting approach is helping some pupils improve their letter formation accuracy. It is also helping them build fluency in their writing. However, for some weaker writers, incorrect letter formation persists. These pupils struggle to focus on the content of their writing.

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In early years, children build confidence and skills through play. Staff set clear routines and behaviour expectations. Positive reinforcement encourages children to follow rules and make good choices. Staff adjust activities based on each child’s needs, which improves engagement. Children also practise independence through routines like tidying up and washing their hands. Children are learning to self-regulate. This positively impacts on behaviour throughout school. Pupils are polite and respectful, engaging well in lessons. Playtimes are calm and inclusive.

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The school prioritises supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff quickly identify pupils’ needs. They work closely with specialist staff to monitor what pupils have understood and where adaptations are needed. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Attendance remains a top priority. The school precisely monitors absence. It acts swiftly to work with families and find solutions. As a result, the school has seen a significant improvement in attendance. Persistent absence is reducing year on year.

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The school develops life skills through activities like sports, trips and leadership roles. Pupils build respect, resilience and confidence. They also learn about fairness and equality. Pupils learn to treat everyone fairly, no matter their race, gender or disability. Older pupils speak with kindness, integrity and consideration for others. They understand how their actions can help make the world a better place.

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Leaders collaborate effectively, focusing on supporting staff and improving the school. They stay informed about national developments and reflect these appropriately in their school. Staff well-being is a top priority for the trust.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some newly revised subjects, assessment is underdeveloped. This means that subject leaders and teachers do not know if all pupils have learned the intended key knowledge. The school needs to develop a consistent approach to assessment to 5 and 6 November 2024

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understand what each pupil knows, address misconceptions and build pupils’ knowledge over time.  Some pupils do not secure accurate letter formation or writing fluency. This results in ongoing errors that hinder their ability to write effectively. The school should focus on teaching correct letter formation and provide more practice to improve handwriting fluency.

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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 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). 5 and 6 November 2024

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School details

Co-CEOs of the trust Helen Pratten Catherine Garrett Headteacher Gemma Briggs

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Holy Trinity Church of England Primary Academy is part of Abbey Multi-Academy Trust.  The school is a member of the Leeds Diocese and has a Christian character.  The school’s last S48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in February 2024.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 5 and 6 November 2024

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in the evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning, listened to pupils read and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the impact in other subjects. They looked at the impact of writing in books and work from art and design and science.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors met with a wide range of staff, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher, designated safeguarding leads, the leader for special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator (SENDCo), the learning mentor, subject leaders and trust leaders with curriculum responsibility. The inspectors also met with the chair of trustees, trustees, the chair of the local governing body, the two chief executive officers and a representative from the diocese.  Throughout the inspection, the inspectors met with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspectors considered the views of parents expressed through Ofsted Parent View and met parents on the school gate.

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Inspection team

Lesley Sullivan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Angela Spencer-Brooke Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 November 2024

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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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