Trinity Church of England First School

TRINITY CE VC FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 rd - 4 th July 2000

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TRINITY CE VC FIRST SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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TRINITY CE VC FIRST SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Trinity First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Nunney Road Frome Somerset

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Russell Richards

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17/6/96 Trinity First School - 4

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Team members

Alison Pangbourne Registered inspector Jan Zachary Lay inspector Michael Allcock Team inspector

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Team members

Quality Assurance Associates Ltd Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Trinity First School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 10

Teachers have very high expectations and plan challenging activities, which are well matched to pupils’ needs. This enables pupils to reach well above average standards in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high standards by the time they leave the school. The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning. The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very positively to the success of the school. The school promotes very good relationships, successfully encouraging pupils to behave very well, to care about each other and to show very positive attitudes to their learning. The school maintains a very successful partnership with parents, who are very supportive. The unit for pupils with hearing impairment provides very good support, integrating pupils well into classes and ensuring that they can take part in all activities.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 15

The teachers’ confidence in assessing higher than the expected level in science by the end of Key Stage 1. Results of teacher assessments suggest that, by the age of seven, fewer pupils exceed the expected level in science than in English and mathematics. However, teachers are too cautious in assessing their capabilities and standards are in fact well above average by the end of Key Stage 1. The organisation of the science curriculum at Key Stage 2 provides insufficient opportunities for pupils to consolidate their skills and, as a result, although pupils are doing well, they do not achieve as well as they do in English and mathematics by the time they leave the school.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Trinity First School - 6 Trinity First School is situated on the edge of the town of Frome, which comprises a mixture of owner occupied and local authority housing. It draws its pupils mainly from the local area and from the village of Buckland Dinham. The school includes a unit for pupils with hearing impairment but this unit is due to close at the end of the term, when its last pupil leaves for the middle school. Children’s attainments on entry are broadly average. At the time of the inspection there were 309 pupils on roll; of whom two had statements of educational need and 67 were included on the special educational needs register. This is broadly average. There are slightly more girls than boys. The pupils are predominantly white with few pupils from an ethnic minority background. The socio-economic circumstances of the pupils are broadly average, with eight per cent entitled to a free school meal,

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is very effective with many very good features. Attainment on entry is broadly average for most children but they achieve well above average standards by the age of seven and they continue to do well over the next two years until they leave the school at age nine. This is because the quality of teaching is very good and the leadership and management of the school are excellent. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teachers have very high expectations and plan challenging activities, which are well matched to pupils’ needs. This enables pupils to reach well above average standards in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high standards by the time they leave the school. • The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning. • The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very positively to the success of the school. • The school promotes very good relationships, successfully encouraging pupils to behave very well, to care about each other and to show very positive attitudes to their learning. • The school maintains a very successful partnership with parents, who are very supportive. • The unit for pupils with hearing impairment provides very good support, integrating pupils well into classes and ensuring that they can take part in all activities.

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What could be improved

• The teachers’ confidence in assessing higher than the expected level in science by the end of Key Stage 1. Results of teacher assessments suggest that, by the age of seven, fewer pupils exceed the expected level in science than in English and mathematics. However, teachers are too cautious in assessing their capabilities and standards are in fact well above average by the end of Key Stage 1. • The organisation of the science curriculum at Key Stage 2 provides insufficient opportunities for pupils to consolidate their skills and, as a result, although pupils are doing well, they do not achieve as well as they do in English and mathematics by the time they leave the school.

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What could be improved

The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been very good improvement since the school’s last inspection in 1996. Standards, already high, have risen in line with national trends. There have been significant improvements in the number of pupils attaining the higher than expected level for seven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science. Teaching has improved considerably with almost all lessons being at least good in both key stages. The school has very successfully addressed the issues pointed out in its previous inspection. It now has a very effective health education policy and it has won a health promotion award as a result of its work. Very attractive and useful collections of work have been developed in most subjects, not just for science and mathematics as was identified for development. Opportunities for independent learning have been identified and these contribute well to the high standards. The school is on course to meet its targets.

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STANDARDS

Trinity First School - 7 The table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

Reading A B B B Well above average above average A B Writing A A A A Average Below average C D Mathematics A* A A A Well below average E

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Key

Note: the grade A* means that the school’s performance is in the highest five per cent of schools nationally.

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Key

Key Stage 1 National Curriculum test results were well above average in 1999 in writing and mathematics and above average in reading. Science assessments were very high with all pupils reaching the expected level, although the percentage of pupils exceeding the expected level was average. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ performance in writing and mathematics was well above average and it was above average in reading; their performance in science was very high.

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Key

Inspection evidence shows that standards overall are well above those expected for seven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science. They maintain these well above average standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave the school. Standards in science are lower than those in English and mathematics by the time pupils are nine years old because the organisation of the curriculum allows insufficient time for pupils to consolidate their skills. The school has identified this and has already planned improvements for next term.

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Key

The pupils achieve very well, with average standards on entry to the school but well above average standards by the end of Key Stage 1. Pupils continue to do well by the time they leave the school. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress, most achieving national standards. Higher attaining pupils also do very well, particularly in mathematics. Results have improved at a similar rate as those nationally at Key Stage 1. The school is likely to meet its challenging targets for literacy and numeracy this year.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy coming to school because they are offered interesting activities and they are very keen to do their best.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils behave very well both in and around the school and this contributes to an orderly learning environment.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are expected to show a good level of independence. Relationships are very good and teachers know their pupils very well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Above average. Unauthorised absence is well below the national average. • Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are a strength. Very good attitudes were seen in almost all lessons and were never less than good. Outstanding attitudes were seen in two mathematics lessons. • The design of the building means that pupils often work in groups where they show high levels of independence and behave very well.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years aged 7-9 years

Lessons seen overall Good Very good Very good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years aged 7-9 years

The quality of teaching seen during the inspection was satisfactory or better in 100 per cent of lessons. Ninety five per cent of lessons were good or better with 30 per cent being very good or excellent. Taking all factors into account, the quality of teaching is very good overall and contributes to very good learning.

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Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years aged 7-9 years

• English is taught well, particularly at Key Stage 2. Literacy is taught well because teachers have a secure understanding of how to teach these skills. • The teaching of mathematics is good. A particular strength is the teaching of higher attaining pupils in Year 2. In a lesson seen during the inspection, the quality of teaching was outstanding. The teaching of numeracy is good. • Strengths in the quality of teaching include the use of challenging questions, which extend learning, and very high expectations, which encourage pupils to persevere. Tasks are well matched to the needs of the pupils. • The school meets the needs of all pupils very well. The needs of higher attaining mathematicians in Year 2 are particularly well met and contribute to very good learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a good curriculum. Pupils develop their literacy, numeracy and information technology skills well across many other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision. Good support from teachers and classroom assistants and individual education plans identify clear targets. The unit for pupils with hearing impairment provides very good support, integrating pupils well into classes and ensuring that they can take part in all activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school effectively promotes collaborative and co- operative work, which has a positive impact on pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Teachers know their pupils very well because they have them in their class for two years after the reception year. A strong emphasis is placed on promoting self-esteem. Playtimes and lunchtimes are well supervised.

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Aspect Comment

• The curriculum meets statutory requirements. The organisation of the curriculum allows for science, history and geography to be taught through topics. This means that where the topic does not have a strong scientific content, science may not be taught regularly each half term. This leads to slightly lower standards at Key Stage 2 because concepts are not regularly revisited. The school has already planned to use national guidance to plan the science curriculum next term to address this. Trinity First School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher sets a very high standard that contributes to the success of the school. The deputy headteacher and subject co- ordinators undertake their roles very successfully.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governors play an active and very effective part in the management of the school, contributing strongly to high standards in many of its aspects.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school evaluates its performance very thoroughly and takes steps to address any weaknesses. For example, it identified that boys were not achieving as well as girls in reading and very successfully implemented a project to address this. All aspects of the school are thoroughly monitored and the right priorities for development and improvement are identified.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The high spending on classroom assistants contributes very positively to the standards attained.

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Aspect Comment

• A particular strength of the school is the outstanding leadership of the headteacher. She sets an excellent example in her teaching and is very well respected by parents and pupils. She is committed to raising standards even further. • The school applies the principles of best value very effectively and evaluates spending very carefully.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Behaviour is good and the school helps children become mature and responsible. • The teaching is good and children make good progress because they are expected to work hard. • The school is well led and managed. • They can approach the school with any questions or problems. • Their children enjoy coming to school. • Some parents would like their children to have more homework. • Some parents would like more extra curricular activities to be provided. • A few parents, and particularly those who are unable to come to school during the day, would like more information about how their child is getting on.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The inspection team fully supports the very positive views held by the parents. With regard to their concerns, they found that the school sets an appropriate amount of homework and that it plans to provide more in mathematics next term. There is a good range of extra-curricular activities but all are for pupils in Key Stage 2. There are sufficient opportunities for parents to discuss their child’s progress, including two formal occasions each year and fortnightly opportunities for pupils to show parents their work after school. Teachers are always willing to meet parents by appointment when necessary. Trinity First School - 10

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

standards by the time they leave the school.

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

1. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 1999, pupils reached well above average standards in writing and mathematics, and above average standards in reading. Standards are similar this year although standards in reading have improved. Pupils continue to do well by the time they leave the school.

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

2. One of the reasons why standards are so high is because teachers take particular care to plan challenging activities, which are well matched to the needs of all pupils. This is based on careful assessments of their progress. Teachers know their pupils very well because they keep them in their class for two years from the reception class onwards, thus ensuring that no time is wasted getting to know a new class at the beginning of each year. Another reason for the high standards is the successful identification of areas of weakness, which are quickly addressed. For example, a factor in the improvement in standards in reading is because the school identified that girls did better than boys and implemented a project to address this. Consequently, boys now attain at a similarly high level to girls. Information gained from this project has been used successfully to raise standards. Every opportunity is taken to develop

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum; for example, pupils write extensively about historical figures and about characters from the Bible. They use their measuring skills to make masks, vehicles and puppets in design and technology, often writing about the process. Pupils develop their literacy and numeracy skills through a range of subjects and this makes a positive contribution to the high standards they achieve.

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

3. Teachers plan challenging activities to extend pupils’ skills in English. For example, the very youngest children are expected to offer words that rhyme with ‘pet’ and ‘bun’ when playing a game of ‘Pass the Pebble’ with their teacher. This was an appropriate and well-organised activity, which clearly motivated the children. By the time pupils reach Year 2, higher attaining pupils show a good understanding of punctuation. They include speech marks, apostrophes, exclamation marks and commas when punctuating a challenging text about Little Red Riding Hood. Good work habits are well established; for example, teachers encourage pupils to read the text through at least twice before they start working. Consequently, the pupils complete a challenging activity successfully. Average attaining pupils were challenged to punctuate simple poems such as Who’s that tickling my back? said the wall, using speech marks and question

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

marks. In another lesson for pupils in Year 2, pupils were motivated to pay attention during a well-chosen story about snails because the teacher reminded them that she was going to ask questions afterwards to see what they had found out. By Year 4, in a challenging lesson on persuasive writing, pupils used expressions such as ‘non-native’, ‘conservation’ and ‘ forays’ when making posters about ‘Wildlife Wonders’. The needs of pupils of different abilities were well met in this lesson. For example: higher attaining pupils discussed a more complex story with their teacher; average attainers analysed the persuasive writing used in a range of advertisements; and below average attainers discussed a story involving persuasion with the classroom assistant. Examples such as this, where pupils are offered different tasks that challenge them according to their abilities, are features of many lessons and contribute to the

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

4. Pupils enjoy mathematics and they respond very well to teachers’ very high expectations. All mathematics lessons begin with brisk mental arithmetic sessions, capturing pupils’ interest and motivating them to succeed. By the end of Year 2, pupils quickly offer the missing number when the teacher gives them one number bond to make 20. They are confident in using addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and understand how to break down numbers to 200 in order to calculate quickly. Pupils in Year 3 are challenged to solve increasingly more difficult problems and to use correct mathematical vocabulary such as ‘partition’. By Year 4, Trinity First School - 11 pupils show a secure understanding of fractions and decimals and produce complex patterns showing reflective symmetry.

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

5. One of the reasons why standards are so high in mathematics is the particular care taken to challenge pupils of all abilities, particularly higher attaining pupils. For example, groups of higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are taught by the headteacher each week. During the inspection, the outstanding teaching seen enabled pupils to make excellent gains in their learning because they were offered very stimulating activities that challenged and extended them. Consequently, pupils demonstrated their skills in doubling numbers such as 36 instantly, explaining their strategies and showing a good understanding of odd and even numbers. For example, they know that an odd number will not divide equally by two. The needs of below average attainers are also well met and they receive very good support, particularly from classroom assistants . Higher attaining pupils also have good opportunities to meet with others

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in English and mathematics by the age of seven and to continue to attain these high

of the same age when they visit the middle school for days designed to extend their skills in other areas of the curriculum.

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

6. The high quality of the teaching is another reason why the school is so successful. Good emphasis is placed on practical activities, particularly those where pupils use their investigative skills, ensuring that pupils understand what they are learning. For example, pupils in a reception class worked in pairs to make subtraction sums using numeral cards. They quickly learned that the larger number comes first in a subtraction sum because the teacher chose appropriate numbers from the pack to illustrate. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, pupils used dice and cards to find numbers to double. In science, the many opportunities for first hand investigative experiences enable almost all pupils to attain the expected level by the end of Key Stage 1. For example, pupils in Year 2 learn about new life through caring for bantam eggs and the subsequent chicks. Good opportunities to collect and examine a range of

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

minibeasts and to record their findings lead to very good learning.

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

7. A particular strength is the use teachers make of challenging questions to provoke thought and test out understanding. For example, during a creative writing lesson for pupils in Year 3, the teacher asked why a pupil had written the word ‘huge’ in large capital letters. The pupil replied that it was because it was a ‘calligram’. The use of terms such as this is helping pupils to think about the impact of their writing on the reader. In another lesson, pupils in Year 2 were researching the life cycle of the butterfly and the teacher asked ‘What does migration mean?’ When the pupils were unsure, the teacher gave them a clue and encouraged them to read on to find out. Experiences such as these allow pupils to take some responsibility for their own learning and encourage them to persevere. In a science lesson for pupils in Year 2, pupils learned the difference between a moth and a butterfly because the teacher followed up each

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

response to her questions with a further question that gave the pupils a clue without actually telling them the answer. This again helped pupils to make very good gains in their learning.

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

8. Effective use of classroom assistants and parent helpers ensures that there are sufficient adults to support the needs of pupils of different abilities and to help all pupils to make good progress. For example, in the class for children aged under five, the children were effectively shared between the teacher and the classroom assistant to play a game with rhyming words. This meant that all children had a turn without waiting too long and that the words were well matched to their capabilities. In Year 3, a group of higher attaining pupils worked on a design and technology task with a classroom assistant in the practical area while the teacher worked with the rest of the class on an English task. This ensured that the cramped space was used effectively and that the well-prepared classroom assistant was able to help pupils develop their ideas to a high standard. The good number of classroom assistants, who are very much part of

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

the team, means that groups of pupils can work effectively in the practical areas, which are out of sight of the teacher in many classrooms.

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

9. Other reasons why the quality of teaching is so effective are because teachers manage their pupils very well and are well prepared. Pupils are motivated by the exciting activities that they are offered and respond well to their teachers’ high expectations of behaviour. Teachers are skilled in identifying possible chances for misbehaviour and use their lively teaching styles to Trinity First School - 12 stimulate the pupils’ interest, so defraying the need for more overt management. Well- prepared and attractive resources were features of all lessons seen during the inspection. For example, pupils in Year 2 sorted very realistic plastic minibeasts according to their properties. The opportunity to handle these and examine them closely enabled them to find out more for themselves than would have been possible by examining real creatures. In English and mathematics lessons, well-prepared games, labels and numeral cards are readily available and

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The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning

10. An outstanding mathematics lesson for higher attaining pupils in Year 2 was characterised by the teacher’s excellent subject knowledge and confident teaching. Every opportunity was taken to extend and develop the concept of division through probing questions. The teacher’s enthusiasm for the subject was successfully transferred to the pupils, resulting in excellent learning. This lesson was conducted at a breathtaking speed, motivating the pupils to strive to succeed and maintaining their interest.

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

positively to the success of the school.

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

11. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the development of the school, focused on high standards and high expectations. The shared commitment to learning shown by all staff, governors and pupils ensures that pupils achieve their best and strive to do better. The headteacher sets an excellent example in her teaching and this has a positive effect on the standards attained.

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

12. One of the reasons that the school is so successful and that the standards are so high is that the headteacher and governors analyse its performance very thoroughly and take immediate steps to improve any areas of weakness. For example, standards in reading have improved for boys because, when the school identified that boys were not doing as well as girls, a project to address this was implemented in Year 1. Funding was directed to improve the range of reading materials, to provide ‘Talking Books’ for use on the computers and to allow the teacher and assistant to work with small groups of boys to develop their reading skills. The project was introduced in one of the Year 1 classes while the other class was used to test out the validity of the results. At the end of the project, not only were boys’ reading skills tested, but also their attitudes to reading. The results of this project have been used subsequently to inform practice

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

and, this year, there has been a significant improvement in the number of pupils exceeding the expected level in reading.

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

13. Thorough analysis of test results also identified that pupils could do even better in mathematics if the needs of higher attaining pupils were improved. Consequently, in recent years, higher attaining mathematicians in Year 2 have received extra support from the headteacher, resulting in more pupils exceeding the expected level in this year’s national tests. The school now plans to introduce extra support for higher attaining pupils in mathematics in Years 3 and 4. It is initiatives such as these, where the school continually tries to improve on its already high standards that contribute to its success.

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

14. The consistency in practice seen during the inspection is because senior staff have had good opportunities to monitor the standards and teaching in many of the subjects for which they are responsible. The co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science have a very clear view for the development of their subjects. The co-ordinators for English and mathematics have worked hard to ensure that elements such as extended writing, guided reading and practical mathematics tasks, which have been successful in raising standards in the past, have been well integrated into the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The science co-ordinator has already identified the minor weaknesses in the subject and plans are already in place to address them. This continual self-evaluation, fostered so successfully under the leadership of the headteacher and governors, ensures a very clear focus to school improvement.

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The headteacher and governors provide excellent leadership, which contributes very

15. The role of the governors is very well developed and they play an active part in the management of the school. Their contribution to policy and decision making is excellent. They keep themselves very well informed of the work of the school through regular planned visits to see the school at work as well as presentations by the subject co-ordinators. They also Trinity First School - 13 examine samples of work, planning documents and resources. They have been instrumental in identifying the gender difference in reading standards and are committed to raising standards still further. They analyse all the available data and set appropriate targets for improvement. The commitment they make from the school’s budget to the good provision of classroom assistants has a beneficial effect upon the success of the school and on the standards attained.

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behave very well, to care about each other and to show very positive attitudes to their

16. Pupils of all ages are very well behaved and they have very good attitudes to learning. They are highly motivated and show great interest in their work and a determination to succeed. They show a particular enthusiasm for mathematics, often cheering when they know they are going to have a mathematics lesson and showing a reluctance to stop at the end of a session. This is because tasks are interesting and they are given plenty of opportunities to find out for themselves. They expect to have to work hard and they do, taking pride in the quality and presentation of their work. They enjoy coming to school because they are offered interesting activities and they know that their contributions are valued. They are expected to show a good level of independence and the way in which they respond to this contributes very positively to the ethos of the school.

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behave very well, to care about each other and to show very positive attitudes to their

17. Very good relationships are evident between all adults and pupils and between the pupils. Adults provide pupils with very good role models and manage them in a very consistent and positive way. Teachers and pupils know each other very well because pupils remain with the same teacher for two years after the reception year, so building a very good relationship and ensuring that no time is lost getting to know pupils at the beginning of each year. Pupils value the contributions of others and show very caring attitudes towards each other. For example, in a mathematics lesson for higher attaining pupils in Year 2, a pupil was encouraged to persevere by his friend when he said ‘You’re catching up!’ Pupils are particularly sensitive towards those with special educational needs, including those with hearing impairment. Examples were seen of pupils giving positive support to others who were less able than

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behave very well, to care about each other and to show very positive attitudes to their

themselves. During a mathematics lesson, a pupil gave very positive and sensitive support to her friend with hearing impairment. Using both speech and gesture she ensured that her friend understood the computer program on which they were working, and helped her to play a full part in the lesson. The school fosters caring relationships through close liaison with the adjacent school for pupils with special educational needs. These pupils join the school for some playtimes and assemblies and the friendships made have a positive impact on pupils’ personal development.

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behave very well, to care about each other and to show very positive attitudes to their

18. Pupils know that they are expected to behave very well and they try hard to meet these expectations. A particularly good example was seen during a wet playtime. Pupils used an impressive range of resources sensibly, creating a calm, ‘family’ atmosphere. Very good behaviour was a feature of many lessons. Pupils are particularly well behaved when they are working outside the classrooms; for example, when working in the practical areas or when searching for minibeasts in the grounds. Behaviour in assemblies is a particular strength; pupils listen attentively to the contributions of others and sit still in the cramped space.

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The school maintains a very successful partnership with its parents, who are very

19. Almost all parents who responded to the questionnaire were very positive about many aspects of the school. They particularly praised the way in which their children are encouraged to be mature and responsible, the leadership of the headteacher, pupils’ behaviour and the way in which teachers expect pupils to work hard. All these factors are fundamental to the ethos of the Trinity First School - 14 school and contribute to the high standards. Parents particularly appreciate the ‘open door’ policy, which means that they can approach the school at any time. They are pleased that the school has the right balance of care and discipline and makes the best of pupils’ abilities.

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The school maintains a very successful partnership with its parents, who are very

20. Parents and grandparents provide very effective support for the school in a variety of ways. For example, they raise large sums of money to improve resources and many help in school regularly. During the inspection, many parents and grandparents

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The school maintains a very successful partnership with its parents, who are very

assisted with tasks such as hearing reading, helping in the library and with science activities, making a good contribution to the standards attained.

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The school maintains a very successful partnership with its parents, who are very

21. The school takes great care to keep parents informed about their child’s progress. Information includes regular newsletters, information about topics, annual reports, consultation evenings, and meetings about the curriculum. A particular strength is the fortnightly opportunity for pupils to show their work to their parents after school. As a result, pupils take care with their work and are justifiably proud of their achievements. The very good understanding which parents have about the work of the school and the very high esteem in which they hold the headteacher, teachers and support staff ensures a very successful partnership.

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The unit for pupils with hearing impairment provides very good support, integrating

pupils well into classes and ensuring that they can take part in all activities.

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The unit for pupils with hearing impairment provides very good support, integrating

22. The provision for pupils with hearing impairment is very good. Although there is currently only one pupil receiving support from the unit, previous pupils have benefited profitably from it. For example, one of the support staff is an ex-pupil of the unit, providing a good role model. Support for pupils with hearing impairment includes individual specialist teaching, particularly for literacy, and in-class support. Very good quality teaching was seen during the inspection by the specialist teacher, where the needs of the pupil were very well met, contributing to the very good progress made in the development of language skills. Pupils with hearing impairment are very well integrated into the school, taking part in all aspects of the curriculum. Pupils are very supportive towards the pupil with hearing impairment; some using gestures to ensure that she understands. Very thorough records are maintained which show very good progress through

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The unit for pupils with hearing impairment provides very good support, integrating

the school. Achievable termly targets are set which are regularly reviewed. A strong feature is the targets that are also set for each topic, which include specific strategies for teachers to use. Trinity First School - 15

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mathematics. However, teachers are too cautious in assessing their capabilities and

standards are in fact well above average by the end of Key Stage 1.

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mathematics. However, teachers are too cautious in assessing their capabilities and

23. As there are no statutory tests for science, results are based on teacher assessments and these suggest that fewer pupils exceed the expected level in science than in other subjects. However this is not the case because inspection evidence gained from observation of science lessons for pupils in Year 2, scrutiny of work and the school portfolio show that more pupils are exceeding the expected level than teacher assessments indicate. Teachers are being too cautious and they lack confidence in assessing at the higher level and this is why it would appear that pupils do not do so well.

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mathematics. However, teachers are too cautious in assessing their capabilities and

24. The school is aware of this weakness in assessing at the higher level and teachers have had some training to help them. The school has successfully increased the number of pupils reaching the higher level each year. Teachers have also worked in pairs to moderate their assessments but there have been no opportunities to moderate with other schools to give teachers more confidence.

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doing well, they do not achieve as well as they do in English and mathematics by the

25. The school has appropriately focused on English and mathematics recently but it has already identified that provision for science at Key Stage 2 could be further improved. Although pupils are doing well, they do not do as well as they do in English and mathematics. The school organises its curriculum for science, history and geography into topics. This means that where the topic does not have a scientific focus, pupils may not revisit concepts or consolidate their skills regularly and this contributes to lower standards than might be expected by the age of nine. The school has already planned to address this next term through the use of national guidance, where science is taught each half term. Trinity First School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• In order to continue the very good work of the school and raise standards even further, the headteacher and the governing body should now address the following in their action plan:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve teachers’ confidence in assessing science at the higher level at the end of Key Stage 1 by:* • providing more training to develop their skills; • providing opportunities for teachers to moderate samples of work with teachers from other schools. (paragraphs 22-23)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• While implementing the new curriculum, ensure that sufficient time is allocated to science at Key Stage 2 in order for pupils to revisit and reinforce concepts more regularly.* (paragraph 24)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• *The school has already identified these as areas in need of improvement. Trinity First School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

5 25 65 5 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 309

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 26

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 67

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 13

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 22

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Trinity First School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 99 [98] 25 [27] 37 [38] 62 [65]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 22 [21] 23 [26] 24 [25] Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 34 [36] 36 [31] 37 [37]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 [88] 95 [88] 98 [95] at NC level 2 or above National 82 [87] 83 (80] 87 [83]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 23 [22] 23 [26] 25 [26] Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 35 [37] 35 [37] 37 [35]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 [91] 94 [97] 100 [94] at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80] 86 [83] 87 [85]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Trinity First School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 14.1 Financial year 99/00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y4 Total expenditure 518167

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Expenditure per pupil 1640

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 227 Balance brought forward from previous year 28017

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 27892 FTE means full-time equivalent. Trinity First School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 56 40 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 66 32 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 40 17 2 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 40 41 12 6 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 20 2 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 77 20 2 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 46 41 5 4 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 21 0 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 65 35 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 33 16 4 11

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Other issues raised by parents

Parents spoke highly of the school and in particular the leadership of the headteacher and the commitment of the teachers.

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents felt that they would like to receive more information about their child’s progress because they were unable to attend the opportunities to see their child’s work after school due to their work commitments.

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents would like extra curricular activities to be provided for children in Key Stage 1.

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Other issues raised by parents

Some parents would like their children to be given more homework.

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