Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Inspection of Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Jersey Street, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL52 2JP

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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 Requires improvement 17 and 18 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this inclusive and welcoming school. Warm relationships between staff, pupils and families are at the centre. The school has high ambitions for what pupils can achieve. Parents typically describe the school as being a ‘village school, within a town setting’. Pupils are polite, friendly and proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn in a supportive and nurturing environment. They are encouraged to express their feelings and concerns. Staff help pupils with any worries they have. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live out the school values of ‘love, courage and wisdom’. They know how these values guide and support them to make respectful choices. Pupils typically behave well. Older pupils act as role models to younger pupils around the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular activities. They develop their interests and talents competitively and for enjoyment. Pupils appreciate the range of clubs, such as art, cricket, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These activities are accessible to all pupils. Pupils learn to respect and care for the environment, and the ‘eco-team’ ensures pupils are conscious about recycling.

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

The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum. It has clearly identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn from the early years to the end of Year 6. The school makes learning relevant and meaningful for pupils. For example, in science, children in the early years learn about living things through the lifecycle of butterflies. In key stage 1, pupils build on this knowledge by learning about different types of habitats. In Year 6, pupils develop this knowledge further by learning about the impact of medicines on the human body.

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

Teachers present subject matter clearly and check pupils’ understanding to address errors or misconceptions. However, in some areas of the curriculum, repeated mistakes in pupils’ written work are not consistently picked up or remedied. This means that pupils’ knowledge in these areas is not as secure as it could be.

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

Reading is prioritised in the curriculum. Staff teach phonics with consistency. They emphasise the importance of using the correct pronunciation as pupils learn new letter sounds. When the school identifies gaps in pupils’ learning, these pupils are supported quickly and effectively. Books are carefully matched to the sounds that pupils know. In the early years, staff share stories and rhymes with children. Older pupils read books written by a wide range of authors. They enjoy these books, and this develops a love of reading.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) early and accurately. These pupils access the full curriculum alongside their peers. Staff know pupils well, so they are able to personalise support. Plans for pupils with SEND 17 and 18 June 2025

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are well considered to ensure that pupils learn effectively. This means that pupils with SEND achieve well over time.

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The early years provision ensures children get off to a great start to school life. They are taught to manage their feelings and emotions. Staff support the development of communication and language skills well when children are engaged in learning. Children develop independence through well-considered activities. These activities increase their confidence and allow children to develop positive learning behaviours.

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Attendance is of paramount importance to the school. The school has efficient systems in place to quickly identify instances where attendance is not as high as the school expects. This results in a high rate of attendance across the school.

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Pupils have positive attitudes and commitment to their education. Low-level disruption is rare. Pupils come into school happy and eager to learn. During social times, pupils play well together and treat one another with kindness and respect. As a result, the school is a harmonious place.

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The school’s effective personal development programme supports pupils to become well- rounded individuals. Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in the real world. They know how to look after their physical and mental health. Pupils learn about diversity among people and families. They understand fundamental British values. Pupils eagerly take on responsibilities around the school, such as being reading buddies and members of the school council. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage.

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Staff, parents and pupils agree that the school is well led and managed. Leaders are considerate of teachers’ workload and promote staff well-being. Governors have a strong understanding of the strategic role they play in driving school improvement and know the school’s areas of strength and development well.

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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 identify errors in pupils’ written work as effectively as it could do. As a result, sometimes pupils make repeated mistakes in their written work, and errors in their thinking persist. The school should ensure that there is a consistent approach to checking for mistakes in written work and should make sure that these are addressed successfully. 17 and 18 June 2025

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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). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school operates breakfast and after-school clubs on the site.  The school makes use of one unregistered alternative provision.  The headteacher took up their post in September 2024.  This is a Church of England primary school in the Diocese of Gloucester. The school had an inspection of its religious character, under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, in November 2024.

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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. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued 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: early reading, mathematics, art and design and science. 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 and looked at samples of pupil’s work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects. The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils in Years 1 to 4 reading to staff.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils across the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including the free-text comments. They also took account of the responses to the confidential

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staff survey and gathered the views of both staff and pupils throughout the inspection.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the school’s senior leadership team, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss early years, SEND, disadvantaged pupils, behaviour, attendance and personal development.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the governing body, including the chair of governors. The lead inspector also had a meeting with a representative from the alternative provider, the local authority and the diocese.  Inspectors reviewed and scrutinised a range of the school’s documents, including leaders’ plans for improving the school and minutes of governor meetings.  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

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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 Dean, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Su Plant His Majesty’s Inspector 17 and 18 June 2025

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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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