Schools & FE · Report card

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, Southport

Inspected 2 Jun 2026 · published 8 Jul 2026 · URN 145454

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Neil Johnson (lead), Debbie Withey, Valmai Roberts

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Expected standard
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Expected standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
2 Jun 2026
Inspectors verified
Debbie Withey, Neil Johnson, Valmai Roberts
Postcode verified
PR9 9AZ
Name on report verified
Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School,
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
145454

Page 1 of 15

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingExpected
Early yearsExpected
InclusionExpected
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+76Very positivemore positive than 56% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseeffectivelyeffectiveenjoypositiveambitiouspositivelyfeel safetimely

Criticismconcernsgapsconcernnot alwaysabsencestrugglesnot well preparedlow

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1583w+76
Leadership247w+79
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve31w+39

Strengths

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Concerns

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No strong criticism found.

Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Leadership & governance36
“Leaders have ensured that the curriculum in the early years is well designed and ambitious.” p.3
Reading & phonics16
“This is done most effectively through the delivery of phonics across the school.” p.3
Curriculum16
“Leaders have ensured that the curriculum in the early years is well designed and ambitious.” p.3
Teaching & assessment10
“Leaders should ensure that teachers consistently make purposeful and meaningful adaptations in lessons so that all pupils can learn the intended curriculum well.” p.5
Communication & language10
“In general, pupils can talk confidently about what they are learning across the curriculum.” p.2
Progress & outcomes10
“Leaders check regularly how well pupils are making progress through the curriculum.” p.2
Attendance8
“They take timely action when absence becomes a concern.” p.2
Wellbeing & mental health7
“Generally, they take swift action to address these effectively, for example, through access to play therapists, mental health support or through the support of an additional adult.” p.3

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 15
Words of findings: 1,912; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Fairly hard; Flesch 52, typical 43
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 2; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 6%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 52%Leadership 8%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 1%About the inspection 37%

Full report text

Southport

Address: Manchester Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR9 9AZ Unique reference number (URN): 145454

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

At the end of key stage 2, pupils’ attainment is typically close to national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. As such, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, are prepared well for the next stage of their learning. Results in the Year 4 multiplication tests are above average. This ensures that pupils can access further mathematical learning effectively. In general, pupils can talk confidently about what they are learning across the curriculum. On the whole, they take pride in their work.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised reading for the youngest children in the school. This ensures that they are able to access the full curriculum. Most pupils in Year 1, for example, achieve the expected standard in the phonics screening check.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Some older pupils have gaps in the fluency and accuracy of their handwriting. This means that they are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they could be.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders maintain a sharp focus on attendance. They use a range of robust tracking systems to monitor patterns of absence. They take timely action when absence becomes a concern. As a result, attendance is in line with or above national averages over time. Leaders work effectively with parents and carers to reduce any barriers to regular attendance to school. Staff greet families at the gate each morning. This builds positive relationships and ensures any barriers to a successful day are addressed promptly. For those pupils with very low attendance, leaders put in place targeted support. Largely, this ensures that rates of attendance are increasing.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

For the most part, the school is a calm and orderly place. Typically, pupils need very few reminders to meet the high expectations set by leaders. As such, lessons are focused and pupils enjoy what they learn. At social times, pupils generally behave appropriately. Bullying and the use of unkind language, including online, are rare. Pupils are quick to report anything that bothers them. They know that it will be resolved promptly and effectively by staff. If a pupil struggles to sustain focus, leaders make effective use of support strategies to help them to regain it. This ensures that learning can resume quickly.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders know which aspects of curriculum and teaching are working well and what needs to improve. They have designed an ambitious curriculum that builds knowledge over time from Reception to Year 6. Leaders check regularly how well pupils are making progress through the curriculum. They support those who need extra help in a timely manner.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

On the whole, teachers use their subject knowledge effectively to introduce new learning. They take particular care to introduce new vocabulary to support pupils’ understanding. In general, teachers choose helpful resources and activities. Consequently, pupils typically learn well. However, on occasion, some teachers do not make meaningful adaptations to learning. This hampers some pupils’ progress through the curriculum.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised reading. High-quality texts are used throughout the school. Leaders ensure that pupils who find reading difficult get the support that they need to catch up quickly. This is done most effectively through the delivery of phonics across the school. Teachers ensure pupils can use numbers well. Pupils have regular opportunities to practise their multiplication skills. Even so, teachers do not always identify gaps in handwriting accuracy and fluency quickly enough. This is particularly true of some of the older pupils at the school.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders prioritise children getting off to a good start in the early years. Established routines mean that children begin the day happy and ready to learn. They settle quickly and cooperate positively with their peers. Children take turns effectively. They know the importance of sharing.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum in the early years is well designed and ambitious. They have clearly identified the knowledge and skills that children need to move successfully to Year 1 and beyond. For example, to take account of children’s different starting points, staff help children to understand the world around them. Furthermore, there is an emphasis on vocabulary development through the use of rhymes and songs. Children learn to recognise their emotions effectively through the use of pictures and stories. These carefully considered learning opportunities mean that children progress well through the curriculum.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Reading is a clear priority in the early years. Staff use effective techniques to teach phonics each day. Consequently, children can read simple words and enjoy the stories that they read. Staff pay close attention to any gaps in children’s knowledge. They take timely action to address these. For example, to ensure that children are ready for Year 1, teachers provide additional support to children who need help with letter formation.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify any barriers to learning and/or wellbeing quickly. Generally, they take swift action to address these effectively, for example, through access to play therapists, mental health support or through the support of an additional adult. Leaders rightly pride themselves on knowing pupils, parents and carers well. If a particular strategy does not reduce barriers to success, leaders act in a timely way to try something new. As such, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally get the support that they need to achieve well. This is reflected in published attendance and attainment data.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use research-informed strategies, such as targeted small-group work, and help with the cost of trips to support disadvantaged pupils. As a result, these pupils typically progress well through the curriculum and are exposed to a wide range of experiences. Leaders work positively to ensure that those pupils who are known to social care receive the support that they need to succeed. Leaders prioritise reading for pupils who are new to learning English. Through the use of targeted reading support, these pupils typically catch up quickly. This means that pupils can learn the planned curriculum and communicate positively with their peers. This enhances their sense of belonging and improves achievement.

p.3