Holy Trinity CofE Infant School

HOLY TRINITY C.E. INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 February – 1 March 2000

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HOLY TRINITY C.E. INFANT 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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HOLY TRINITY C.E. INFANT 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. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Trinity Lane Ripon North Yorkshire Postcode: HG4 2AL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 17–20 June 1996 Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 4

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responsibilities

Robert Robinson Registered inspector Mathematics Religious education Under fives English as a second language What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? What should the school do to improve further? Brenda McIntosh Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Paul Hayes Team inspector Design & technology Information technology Science Physical education Equal opportunities Special educational needs How well is the school led and managed?

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responsibilities

Ralph Walker Team inspector Art English Geography History Music How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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responsibilities

Independent School Inspection Services 5 Huntsman Close Beaumont Park Huddersfield HD4 7BR

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responsibilities

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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responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT [ ]

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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? [ ]

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is an average sized infant and nursery school for boys and girls aged three to seven. About two- thirds of the pupils live in mainly private housing to the north side of the City of Ripon and a third live at the local army accommodation. A small percentage (four per cent) of pupils is eligible for free school meals. The nursery has 52 children, 29 boys and 23 girls, who attend either in the morning or in the afternoon each day. Their attainment when they enter the nursery is, overall, about average for children of this age. In the main school there are 196 pupils, 105 boys and 91 girls, who attend full time. A high percentage of pupils (about 25 per cent) joins the school part way through their education. At the time of the inspection 38 children in the reception classes were under the age of five. A very small number of pupils comes from minority ethnic backgrounds and two children in one

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

of the reception classes are learning English as an additional language. Thirty-three pupils are on the register of special educational needs, which is well below the national average. Two pupils have statements of special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school that is led well by the headteacher and supported effectively by staff and governors. Pupils’ attainment is above average as a result of the overall good quality of teaching, pupils’ good attitudes to learning and their high standards of behaviour. Parents are supportive of the school. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards of attainment in English, mathematics and science are above the national average. • The provision for children under the age of five is good. • The quality of teaching is good overall. • Pupils’ behaviour is of a high standard. • The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is very good. • The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher are good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There is no clearly defined system for the effective monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning by curriculum co-ordinators. 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

The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

• Standards of pupils’ attainment have improved in English, mathematics and science. • The school has made only limited progress in increasing the level of responsibility for subject co- ordinators to include support and monitoring in their designated subject areas. • Reports to parents now give a much clearer indication of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in all subjects. Information provided to parents is now a strength of the school. • The school has developed since the last inspection a satisfactory school development plan which includes ways to judge the success of initiatives. Recently the school has made a most detailed evaluation of its performance, and areas for development are included in a school improvement plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The strengths in the quality of teaching, pupils’ good attitude to learning and high standards of behaviour, improvements in the curriculum and assessment procedures and the effectiveness of the Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 7 leadership and management place the school in a favourable position to improve standards further. However, the regular evaluation of teaching and learning is not in place to assist the monitoring of improvements.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

reading C B B B well above average above average A B writing C D C D average below average C D mathematics C B C C well below average E

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Key

• As can be seen from the table standards in reading compared to the national average have improved from the performance in 1997 to being above the national average in 1998 and 1999. Inspection judgement of this year’s seven-year-olds shows that standards remain above average. • Pupils’ performance in writing has varied over the three years. In 1999 standards were below those achieved in similar schools. Inspection judgement shows that pupils’ performance is now above the national average. • In mathematics pupils’ performance has always been at least in line with the national average and in 1998 it was above it. Compared with results in similar schools in 1999 standards were average. Inspection judgement shows that this year pupils’ performance is above the national average. • Standards in speaking and listening are well above average. Attainment in science is above the national average. Standards in information technology are in line with the national expectations.

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Key

In religious education pupils meet the expectations of the local education authority’s agreed syllabus. • Children under the age of five exceed the levels expected of their age in personal and social development, language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. They reach the standards expected in physical development. • Pupils’ achievement overall from entering the school at the age of three to leaving at seven is good. Children under the age of five make good progress and achieve well; five to seven-year- olds make satisfactory progress and reach their potential. Children learning English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • The school sets targets for pupils each term in English and mathematics. The targets set this year for pupils by the age of seven are demanding, but achievable, reflecting inspection judgements.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good: pupils have positive attitudes to school and are eager to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good: behaviour is of a particularly high standard and contributes very effectively to the good progress pupils make.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good: pupils’ personal development is good and their relationships at all levels are very constructive and a particular strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good: pupils enjoy coming to school.

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

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

• The quality of teaching and learning is good. The teaching in eight per cent of lessons was very good, in 58 per cent good, in 30 per cent satisfactory and in four per cent unsatisfactory. • The teaching and learning of children under the age of five is good in all the areas of learning. • Teaching and learning are good for children learning English as an additional language and for pupils with special educational needs. • The teaching of pupils aged over five in reading, writing and mathematics is satisfactory. The teaching of the skills of speaking and listening is good. Literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. • The teaching of science, art, design and technology and physical education is good for five to seven-year-olds. It is satisfactory in religious education, geography and music. No judgement was made on the teaching of information technology and history, as these subjects were not timetabled

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

during the inspection; however, analysis of pupils’ previous work shows the quality of their learning to be satisfactory. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Curricular opportunities overall are satisfactory; however, policies do not reflect current practice. The provision for children under the age of five is good

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for children with English as an additional language The few children learning English as an additional language in one of the reception classes are taught well and make good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Provision for pupils’ personal, spiritual and cultural development is good. Provision for their moral and social development is very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is successfully providing a good level of care to ensure pupils’ welfare and safety. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic performance and personal development are good, though the school is not monitoring pupils’ attainment according to gender. How well the school works in partnership with parents Partnership with parents is good and they are involved well in their children’s learning. The school provides good information for parents and the school works hard to establish effective relationships with all parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher has a clear vision and sense of direction for the school and provides good leadership. Curriculum co-ordination is not fully developed. There is no clear system for regular monitoring of the quality of teaching and learning. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body satisfactorily fulfils its role in shaping the direction of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school’s strategies for improvement and development in order to meet the school’s targets are effective, except for the monitoring and evaluation of teaching.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school has a well-qualified and experienced staff who are deployed effectively. Learning resources are good and used well. The accommodation is satisfactory but the toilet provision for pupils in Year 2 is unsatisfactory. Financial administration is of a high standard and effective methods are sought to ensure best value is obtained for the benefit of pupils. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 10

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children are happy at school. • Standards of work and behaviour are good. • Teaching is good. • Members of staff are accessible and parents are comfortable talking to staff. • The school expects their children to work hard. • Information about their children’s progress is insufficient. • The school needs to work more closely with parents. • The range of activities outside lessons is limited.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the positive views of parents. Parents expressing concerns should feel reassured that inspection judgements show that the school provides good information for parents such as annual reports, formal parent-teacher interviews and opportunities for informal discussions at any mutually convenient time. The school works hard to establish effective relationships with all parents encouraging them into school at every available opportunity. A good range of activities outside lessons is available in which their children can participate. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 11

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The 1999 National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds show that: • pupils’ performance in reading was above the national average and also above the average in schools with pupils from similar backgrounds; • pupils’ performance in writing was in line with the national average but below the average of schools with pupils from similar backgrounds; • pupils’ performance in mathematics was in line both with the national average and with the average achieved in schools with pupils from similar backgrounds; • teacher assessment showed that pupils’ speaking and listening skills were well above the national expectations; • teacher assessment showed pupils’ attainment in science was well above the national average at the level expected of seven-year-olds though few pupils achieved above this level.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Inspection judgements of the present group of pupils show that by the time they reach the age of seven: • pupils’ performance in reading, writing and mathematics is above the national average; • pupils’ performance in science is also above the average; a high number of pupils achieve the level expected for their age and an average number reach the higher levels. • pupils’ performance in speaking and listening is well above average.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Discrepancies between the inspection judgements and the results of the previous year’s national test results can be explained in several ways. The school analyses the results of the national tests and works hard to improve standards; this is shown, particularly, in the improved standards in writing and in mathematics. Changes to the curriculum in order to raise standards have been successful; for example, the teaching of handwriting has been improved to enable pupils to write in joined-up script. The introduction of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are also having a positive effect on standards. The differences in science result from different groups of pupils and the significant number of pupils who join the classes at times other than at the start of Year 1. Boys’ performance in the past has been below that of girls, though no significant difference is now apparent.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. Standards between 1996 and 1998 rose sharply in mathematics from below the national average to above but then dipped back to the national average in 1999; inspection judgement shows that standards have returned to the above average level this year. Pupils’ performance in reading has risen consistently from close to the national average in 1997 to above the national average. In 1996 standards in writing were well above the national average but then dipped in 1997 to the national average and below it in 1998, though it then rose in 1999 to be in line with the national average once more. However, inspection judgements show that standards in writing are now above the national average.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The school has developed good assessment and recording procedures that are used effectively to set targets for pupils for the following term. The targets link to small steps in learning based on the programmes of study of the National Curriculum. The targets set recently for pupils by the age of seven are challenging but achievable considering the present attainments of pupils, their good attitudes and the determination of teachers to raise standards further. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 12 6. The attainment of children entering the school is typical of three-year-olds nationally. By the age of five most children exceed the nationally recognised desirable learning outcomes in personal and social development, language and literacy, mathematical development, in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development; in physical development pupils reach the level expected of their age.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Inspection judgements show that: • pupils’ achievements are good overall; the achievement of children under the age of five is good and for five to seven-year-olds it is satisfactory.

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The school’s results and achievements

8. Children under the age of five make good progress in the nursery and reception classes and achieve well. In personal and social development children quickly adapt to the high expectations the school has of behaviour, happily attend school and are eager to learn. In language and literacy they enjoy talking to other children and adults, make rapid improvements in reading and learn to write their names correctly. In mathematics they develop an understanding of the language of number. They develop their counting skills using apparatus; for example, they counted spots on dice and realised that six was greater than five. In their knowledge and understanding of the world they understand how some soldiers’ dress is designed to camouflage. In physical development they increase their skills in riding tricycles, using a wheelbarrow and climbing over and through physical education equipment. In creative development children sing

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The school’s results and achievements

heartily and enjoy dressing up and acting as grown-ups. They learn to make puppets from textile materials and decorate these attractively. The progress of children learning English as an additional language and children with special educational needs is good.

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The school’s results and achievements

9. In English pupils satisfactorily realise their potential in reading and writing. They do particularly well in developing their speaking and listening skills; this is seen in the confident way they prepare and deliver individual presentations in Year 2. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in all aspects of English. Literacy skills are developed soundly in other subjects and speaking and listening skills are developed well throughout the curriculum. Pupils learn to read aloud with good fluency and expression and gain a thorough understanding of letter sounds and the sounds of combinations of letters to help them to read unfamiliar words. Pupils enjoy writing and begin to develop effectively their spelling and handwriting skills.

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The school’s results and achievements

10. In mathematics pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. They develop their numeracy skills in other subjects soundly; for example they measure materials in design and technology and they time events in physical education. They refine increasingly their recording in investigations. They begin to use their knowledge of the five-times table to assist their calculations when solving a problem. Pupils learn the names of different shapes and draw shapes, such as a pentagon, on squared paper. They learn to measure in centimetres the distance between two points on a map.

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The school’s results and achievements

11. In science pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils investigate the habitats of different small creatures and record their findings pictorially, in writing and on the computer. Pupils’ achievement in information technology is satisfactory. Pupils use information technology satisfactorily to support their learning in other subjects; for example, in mathematics pupils practise addition and subtraction using a computer program. They gain experience of editing text they have written directly onto the computer. In religious education they learn well-known stories from the Bible and begin to reflect on the relevance of these to their lives. Pupils’ achievement is good in art, design and technology and physical education; it is satisfactory in geography, history and music.

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The school’s results and achievements

12. Standards have improved overall since the last inspection. The strengths in the quality of teaching and learning, pupils’ good attitudes and high standards of behaviour, recent improvements in the curriculum and assessment procedures and the effectiveness of the management place the school Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 13 in a strong position to improve standards further. However, the regular evaluation of teaching and learning is not in place to assist the monitoring of improvements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The school effectively promotes and encourages the very good behaviour, which is a strength of the school. Throughout the school, pupils have good attitudes to school and their work, which have a positive effect on standards and the quality of learning. Parents’ positive views of pupils’ attitudes and behaviour strongly endorse the school’s success in promoting them. Pupils settle quickly in class, are attentive to their teachers, and listen carefully to what others have to say. They enjoy their work and approach their tasks with enthusiasm.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Children under five are very positive about school. They are very well behaved both in the nursery and reception classes. They quickly gain an understanding of school routines and expectations. They are eager to come to school and are excited about the activities available. They take up their tasks with enjoyment and confidence; for example, children in the nursery role-play area take the lead, pretending to be the teacher marking the register and giving out class responsibilities. In the reception classes, children move quickly from whole-class teaching sessions into small group activities, consolidating and practising skills learnt with the whole class. Children readily ask questions if they need guidance and respond positively to adults and each other. Most are able to maintain their concentration well and carry on with pieces of work until they are finished. They enjoy learning. In a music lesson, children joined in enthusiastically with

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

the well-planned singing activities learning about beats and rhythm and reinforcing their letter sounds, numbers, and colours. Many children have the confidence to sing alone to the rest of the class.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils aged five and above, including those with special educational needs, have good attitudes to their work. They show a good level of interest in their work and apply themselves well to their learning; for example, pupils in Year 1 show they are keen to improve their handwriting skills and are proud of their work. Pupils are confident and well able to express their views. In lessons, they are keen to talk about their work and interests and contribute to discussions with enthusiasm.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. Pupils behave very well, both in class and around the school. When moving around the building pupils are orderly and sensible. They display good self-discipline and social skills on occasions such as lunchtime and milktime. Their behaviour in the playground is very good, they show a good awareness of and consideration for others. There have been no exclusions at the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Pupils’ personal development is good. Pupils show initiative in their learning and assist in the daily routines of the school. Even the youngest pupils readily accept suggestions for improvements to their work and are able to select, use and return resources. Work and ideas brought from home are valued and used in the classroom. When handling books, pupils treat them with care and respect, turning pages carefully. Pupils respond well to the good opportunities they are given to take responsibility for tasks in class and around school; for example, they collected registers happily and put out chairs for assembly. They take their duties seriously and carry them out with pride and determination.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. Relationships throughout the school are of a very high standard. Pupils are friendly, well mannered and polite. Visitors are made welcome and pupils are happy to enter into conversation with them. They show good levels of co-operation in group, class, and individual activities. Pupils give support and encouragement to each other and spontaneously care and show concern for others. They are keen to hear about each other’s interests. This is particularly evident in the Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 14 way Year 2 children listen attentively to each other when individual pupils are asked to do a presentation to the whole class. Parents stated that bullying is not an issue and any incidents occurring are acted upon quickly. The school is a happy and harmonious community. Attendance at the school is good and parents agree overwhelmingly that their children enjoy coming to school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

19. Pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in the life of the school and relationships between pupils and between staff and pupils are very good. The behaviour of children with special educational needs is of a high standard. Children learning English as an additional language are very happy and relate very well to other children and staff. Their standard of behaviour is very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teaching and learning are very good in eight per cent of lessons, good in 58 per cent of lessons, satisfactory in 30 per cent and unsatisfactory in four per cent of lessons. One unsatisfactory lesson was seen in a reception class and one in a Year 2 class. The very good teaching was in Year 1.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching and learning is good for children under the age of five in both the nursery and reception classes. Members of staff are very welcoming to parents and involve them very effectively in their children’s learning. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of teaching children of this age and children quickly become confident and eager to learn. The basic literacy and numeracy skills are efficiently taught and information technology is used effectively to support children’s learning. Teachers plan lessons well and organise challenging and interesting activities resulting in children sustaining concentration in their work and achieving well. Members of staff have a wonderful rapport with the children and they respond by behaving very well indeed. The pace of lessons is brisk and this leads to children working hard and making good progress. Teachers keep detailed notes of children’s progress and this ensures that teachers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

know what children understand and how they can improve. The teaching and learning of children learning English as an additional language and children with special educational needs are very effective and these children make good progress. Where teaching and learning are unsatisfactory the pace of the lesson is too slow and the groupings of pupils is inappropriate; as a consequence pupils are given too few opportunities to practise skills and lose concentration which leads to children not achieving as well as they should.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The quality of teaching and learning of pupils aged five and above is satisfactory in English, mathematics, religious education, geography and music; it is good in science, art, design and technology and physical education. No judgement was made on the quality of the teaching of information technology and history as it was not possible to see any lessons taught because of the organisation of the timetable; however, from discussions with pupils and scrutiny of pupils’ work it was clear that the quality of learning in these subjects is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Where teaching and learning are very good teachers teach the basic skills very well. Learning resources support teaching very effectively; for example, a play version of the story of ‘The Three Little Pigs’ was used very well with groups of pupils for each character, enabling all to take part. Lessons move on at a fast pace from one activity to another and this maintains a high level of endeavour from pupils. Teachers have very good rapport with pupils and celebrate successes well, so pupils know what is expected of them and how well they are doing. Where teaching and learning are good, teachers have high expectations, organise pupils well and have good knowledge and understanding of ways to develop pupils’ learning efficiently. In these lessons pupils show intense interest in their work, behave very well and concentrate on the tasks set and their achievement is good. Where the teaching is unsatisfactory the organisation of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 15 furniture in the classroom results in pupils being taught in cramped conditions, which leads to restlessness and lack of concentration and the pace of learning is slow. There is lack of challenge as too much time is spent on consolidating previous learning with only limited new learning taking place.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Teachers are highly competent in teaching literacy and numeracy. In Year 1 the teaching and learning of English and mathematics are of a particularly high standard. In Year 2 they are satisfactory. There has been much recent training and improvements have been made to the curriculum following the introduction of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. Teachers develop literacy and numeracy skills effectively in other subjects, for example through the use of ‘big’ books to introduce lessons in religious education, and the recording of investigations as bar charts in science. Teachers use homework well to reinforce work done at school and to encourage pupils to acquire skills; for example, each week pupils are given a target such as ‘learn to count forwards and backwards to 100 in fives’. Satisfactory use is made of information technology to support teaching and learning in other subjects.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The teaching and learning of pupils with special educational needs are good. Teachers know their pupils well and planning builds upon pupils’ previous learning well. Most pupils are willing workers and complete their set tasks effectively. Teachers are capable of determining how to assist pupils to overcome difficulties and this leads to pupils with special educational needs gaining a better understanding and making good progress. Classroom assistants are experienced and well prepared, and they enable pupils to take a full part in lessons. Teachers use the good provision of learning resources well to support the teaching and learning of these pupils. Members of staff have effective methods of ensuring that the pupils behave well. The teaching and learning of higher attaining pupils are good. Teachers challenge these pupils effectively and as a result they are keen to learn and make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Inspection judgement agrees with the parents’ views that the quality of teaching is good. This high standard of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection. In order for further improvements to take place, the school appreciates that subject co-ordinators should become more involved in the monitoring and support of teaching.

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PUPILS?

27. The school provides a broad curriculum of satisfactory quality and meets the needs and interests of all pupils. Statutory requirements to teach the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education are fully met. Collective worship is well planned and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The school has a policy not to teach sex education. It promotes personal, social and health education successfully through the subjects of the curriculum. A lively display in a Year 2 classroom demonstrates pupils’ appreciation of the need to keep fit, and the school organises a weekly keep-fit class after school. The introduction of both the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies has been effectively managed and both are operating satisfactorily. Both strategies are leading to improvements in the teaching of basic skills.

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PUPILS?

28. The provision for children under the age of five is good. The curriculum is well thought out and carefully linked to the nationally recognised desirable learning outcomes for children under the age of five. The curriculum leads smoothly into the early stages of the programmes of study of the National Curriculum and by the age of five many children are working in the early stages of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Assessment procedures are very good and show clearly the good progress the children make in their areas of learning. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 16 29. Since the last inspection the school has consolidated its curricular planning procedures and practices, but has not yet brought all its policy documents up to date or completed the development of its own schemes of work for subjects. Termly planning is good for all subjects with appropriate reference to the programmes of study of the National Curriculum and

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PUPILS?

incorporates clear and relevant learning objectives. Consideration is given to matching work to the pupils’ different levels of attainment. Newly instituted target-setting for individual pupils in the core subjects is sharpening the focus of planning to meet individual needs more fully.

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PUPILS?

30. The provision for special educational needs is good. The Code of Practice is fully implemented. Individual education plans are well recorded and the targets are appropriate to the needs of all identified pupils. The provision for pupils with statements of special educational needs is good and procedures are properly carried out. There is good support for pupils in the classroom both by teachers and by trained classroom assistants. The provision for higher attaining pupils is good; planning is linked carefully to the attainment of pupils.

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PUPILS?

31. For an infant school there is good provision of after-school activities in a keep-fit club and French club. At the time of the last inspection there were no after-school activities. Drama and music are well developed in Christmas productions and at Easter and Harvest. Year 2 classes attend services at the cathedral with pupils from other schools in the town. Older pupils have the chance of learning the recorder, though this is not an extra-curricular activity.

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PUPILS?

32. Planning and classroom practice clearly demonstrate the school’s commitment to equal opportunities, making sure pupils with special needs, pupils for whom English is a second language, and boys and girls all receive the same entitlement. This leads to good progress by all these pupils.

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PUPILS?

33. Links with the community are good. The school has a good relationship with the local church and visits it regularly each term when pupils join the junior school for a service. Pupils also take part in the services for Ripon schools held each term in the cathedral. The school uses the cathedral and other churches in the town as learning resources for religious education, history and mathematics. There are good links with the junior school, which ensure curricular continuity and smooth transition for pupils from the infant to the junior school. Infant pupils have the opportunity from time to time to attend special events at the junior school, such as musical concerts by professional musicians. The school supports students from the local secondary school on work placements and students training to be nursery nurses and teachers. Pupils visit local senior citizens’ residences to sing to them, and these elder members of the community are invited to

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PUPILS?

34. Provision for personal development and particularly for the development of spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school is committed to developing the ‘whole child’ and sees the promotion of this aspect of pupils’ development as central to its work.

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PUPILS?

35. Provision for spiritual development is good. Assemblies and collective worship are of a high quality. They are very well planned and provide good opportunities for pupils to reflect on serious spiritual and moral issues at an appropriate level for their age and to celebrate pupils’ achievements. There is an appropriate quietness and calm, and prayers are responded to respectfully. Music is used effectively and the quality of singing is good. Teachers help pupils to consider the importance of friends and friendship, and this links well to studies of Christianity. The school encourages pupils to reflect on a special friend. In religious education pupils learn about stories from the Bible and about Judaism; for example, in a Year 1 class pupils considered the story of David and Goliath and the teacher helped pupils to appreciate David’s bravery and how God helped him. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 17

p.16

PUPILS?

36. The school’s provision for moral education is very good. The school is a caring community with clear values, and this permeates its ethos and working practices. Members of staff encourage pupils from the youngest age to understand right from wrong in relation to behaviour in school and beyond. Pupils develop an understanding of the purpose of school and class rules. Teachers give rewards for caring and thoughtful behaviour. In assemblies leaders encourage pupils to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of others. Older pupils have opportunities to reflect more fully on moral issues in 'circle time', when, for example, they might consider and discuss an incident that has arisen in the playground or classroom.

p.17

PUPILS?

37. The provision for social education is very good, and its impact can be seen in the high standards of behaviour and courtesy in the school. Teachers encourage pupils to take responsibility from the time they enter the school; for example, pupils keep the classroom tidy and take registers to the office and they are expected to show initiative in selecting resources themselves. Older pupils have school-wide responsibilities, as in preparing the chairs for assembly and switching the recorded music on and off. They are expected to show care for younger pupils. Teachers help pupils to establish constructive relationships with others and to work effectively in small groups in classroom learning activities. The school celebrates achievements both within the school and outside, developing pupils’ self-esteem and self-confidence, and helping them to appreciate and acknowledge the worth of others. Class presentations in assembly develop pupils’ skills and

p.17

PUPILS?

confidence in addressing a large gathering; for example, a Year 1 class in assembly confidently presented their pictures of their best friend and read out clearly and audibly what they had written about them. A recent innovation in Year 2 gives pupils the opportunity to prepare and present an illustrated talk on a personal interest. This develops initiative, independence and self-confidence well in addressing others and in responding to questioning.

p.17

PUPILS?

38. Provision for cultural development is good. Well-planned visits in the locality allow first–hand experiences that enrich what the pupils learn at school. Work in geography, history, science, religious education and mathematics is furthered by trips to, for instance, the local arboretum, the national railway museum at York, a bird of prey centre, Ripon cathedral, and to a local patisserie to see chocolate eggs being made. Theatre groups, musicians and storytellers visit the school, and recently a local artist came to help Year 2 pupils to do rubbings in art. Parents and grand- parents relate aspects of their experience to help young pupils understand what it was like in earlier parts of the century, for instance, what toys they had and what games they played. The school develops music and drama well in the curriculum and gives three performances of the annual Christmas production. Older pupils learn the recorder as part of their music curriculum.

p.17

PUPILS?

Teachers celebrate pupils’ artwork in effective displays around the school. The school broadens pupils’ experience of other cultures; for example a representative of the Sikh religion talked to pupils about her culture and a Kosovan parent read a fairy story in Albanian to a class of reception pupils. Pupils learn about Jewish religious customs in religious education; and they hear Indian, Greek and African music in assemblies and music lessons.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The school is successful in providing a good level of care to ensure pupils’ welfare and safety. Inspection findings agree with parents’ views that this is a caring school. Pupils are happy to come to school and cope effectively and confidently with school life. Teachers clearly know their pupils very well and plan lessons accordingly. They are supported well by staff and older pupils in school. Pupils’ attendance and behaviour are monitored effectively.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Members of staff, including midday supervisors, provide a good level of supervision and carry out their duties in a caring way. Comprehensive welfare procedures are in place. The school follows local authority guidelines for health and safety and has adopted its own policy, outlining procedures and practices in place in school. Child protection procedures are implemented Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 18 effectively. The designated person has a good understanding of the procedures and receives appropriate training. Members of staff are fully aware of the requirements and discuss regularly issues arising. The school addresses health and safe living well through themes and topics in several areas of the curriculum. Members of staff work hard to provide a caring, safe environment for the pupils.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. There are clear and effective procedures for the early identification of pupils with special educational needs and the school’s arrangements meet the requirements of the national Code of Practice. The provision is good and pupils make good progress. Each of the pupils on the register has a suitable individual education plan with specific, realistic targets. The school gives good consistent support to these pupils in the development of their skills. The works benefits from close liaison with outside specialists especially the educational psychologist. Pupils learning English as a second language are well supported and they make good progress. They are happy in school and are very eager to learn. A number of pupils come from service families who transfer into school during the school year. The school is very supportive of these pupils and their families and very much aware of their individual needs.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Assessment procedures are good. There are very good systems for the assessment of pupils’ attainments when they start nursery. Members of staff meticulously assess and record pupils’ progress throughout the time they are under the age of five. The information is used well to plan for the pupils’ needs. In the reception classes the pupils are assessed during the first half-term and this information, combined with the nursery records, provides a useful baseline of pupils’ attainment. Teachers continue to monitor pupils’ progress regularly during the reception year.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. For pupils aged over five procedures for monitoring assessments in mathematics and English are thorough. Information is used effectively to enable teachers to plan the next step of learning and to set individual targets. Additionally, each pupil has a record of achievement folder containing information on attainment and samples of work. Each child has a record of topics covered during Years 1 and 2 and levels of attainment in both core and non-core subjects. There are regular moderation meetings amongst staff and with other schools. Staff are beginning to make use of the assessment components within the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies which help to assess pupils’ performance in terms of specific learning outcomes. The assessments are recorded systematically and collated throughout the year to ensure that progress is tracked over time and to facilitate accurate reporting to parents. The school has not, however, tracked the

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

progress of boys and girls in each year group to ensure that the pace of learning is similar for both genders. Pupils’ personal development is monitored and recorded very well. Assessments are made of pupils’ personal qualities such as their attitudes, behaviour, self-confidence and attendance. The school is most successful in valuing pupils’ achievements and raising their self- esteem. Throughout the school support staff and volunteers are used effectively. This has a significant impact on raising the achievements of individual pupils. The school has maintained and developed good assessment procedures since the last inspection.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. Parents’ views indicate a good level of satisfaction with the school. The responses from parents, at the parents’ meeting and in their answers to the questionnaire, are mainly supportive of the work done by the school. They feel their children are making good progress, find staff approachable and agree that the homework set is useful to their children. Some parents, however, would like more information about school and their children and feel that the school does not work closely with parents. Some also think there is a need for a more interesting range of activities outside lessons. Inspectors judgements are that the information provided by the school and the range of extra-curricular activities are good. The school works hard to encourage and welcome parents into school. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 19 45. The school gives good useful information to parents and encourages them to become involved in

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

their children’s work. The practice of many parents coming into school with their children each morning means that teachers are accessible and able to build up a rapport with them. Good information about the school’s daily life and events is available in the prospectus, governors' annual report and regular newsletters. These are well presented and are useful for reference. Topic letters provide good information for parents about the work to be covered during the forthcoming term. The information provided by the nursery is full of helpful ideas for parents on how to support their children as they start school, including a leaflet on reading. A carefully planned induction programme ensures that each family is well prepared for their child to start nursery. Parents can talk informally to staff at any time. There are formal opportunities for them to meet with teachers to discuss pupils’ progress. The pupils’ targets and areas for improvement

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

are shared with their parents. The majority of parents attend open evenings. The written reports to parents on their children’s progress are good. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. The reports are thorough and detailed and focus clearly on what the pupils know and can do. They highlight strengths and weaknesses in the core subjects, though they do not always make sufficient reference to progress made. The school works closely with parents of pupils with special educational needs. Parents are informed from an early stage of the school’s concerns about their children. Most attend reviews and are kept well informed of pupils’ progress. The school has provided information about the Literacy Strategy.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school has done much to establish effective relationships with parents in order to involve them in the learning of their children. Parental involvement has a good impact on both the pupils’ learning and the work of the school. Many parents help regularly in school and many more are willing to help on educational visits. They are effectively deployed in the classrooms, making a positive contribution to the standards attained. A group of parents raises considerable funds for the school. Parents are happy to support their children when work is sent home. Many parents listen to their children read and make regular comments in the reading record book. The school seeks parents’ views formally and informally and listens to their views and suggestions.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. Leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher has a clear vision and sense of direction and provides good quality leadership which gives a clear focus to the work of the school. The headteacher and staff work closely together and have contributed to a rolling programme of development of subjects. The headteacher has an effective practice of setting up working parties of staff to examine and evaluate new initiatives or priorities, thereby engendering a feeling of ownership amongst teachers. The school’s aims and values, which strongly emphasise the education of the whole child, are reflected in the everyday life of the school. There is a good policy for equality of opportunity and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, have access to the full range of curricular activities. The provision for pupils learning English as an additional language is good and allows those pupils to play a full part in

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school life. The work of subject co-ordinators and senior teachers is effective and has assisted in the implementation of the literacy and numeracy initiatives and clearer planning for a range of subjects. However job descriptions and policies do not reflect the current good practice or focus on the specific role or tasks required for the posts. 48. The governing body is newly constituted from the joint body of Junior and Infants schools. Governors take their statutory responsibilities seriously and discharge their duties satisfactorily. They work closely with the headteacher, setting up the appropriate sub-committees and acting as a ‘critical friend’ to the school. Governors have taken responsibility for subject areas and aspects and support the school by forming working parties to investigate areas of improvement for the school. They have a sound understanding of its strengths and weaknesses and this knowledge

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 20 enables them to contribute to the forward planning and future priorities within the school development plan. Governors also monitor standards by analysing the results of statutory tests taken by the pupils and take part in the appraisal of the headteacher’s performance by means of appropriate target-setting. 49. The school has effective strategies for its improvement and development in order to meet the targets in the school development plan, although there is as yet no adequate system for co- ordinators to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching. The headteacher scrutinises teachers’ half-termly and weekly planning to ensure appropriate progression and planning for high standards. The results from end-of-key stage assessments are analysed to identify strengths and weaknesses and there is regular recording of pupils’ achievement in English and mathematics to

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

aid target-setting. Staff and governors are committed to the raising of standards, the improvement of school facilities and the effective use of information and communications technology. Arrangements for teacher appraisals, based on appropriate performance criteria, are well up to date, improving staff expertise and meeting school targets. The school follows the local education authority’s scheme for the induction of newly qualified teachers. 50. The school makes effective use of its resources, including its teaching and support staff, and its finances are managed well to implement its educational priorities. The special educational needs budget is always fully spent, facilitating good identification of learning difficulties, good teaching and classroom support. The school has been successful in obtaining a grant to enable it to maintain the smaller class sizes for infants by creating an extra teaching group for the morning

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

sessions, benefiting both reception and Year 1 pupils. Specific grants for training and equipment are used effectively. Educational priorities are well supported by the available budget and effective school administration, which contributes well to the day-to-day smooth running of the school. The very recent audit showed only one minor item for attention and that has been fully addressed. 51. The school applies the principles of best value soundly. It has created an impressive overview of assessments in all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education for all pupils, which helps in setting targets for improvement. The headteacher and administrator consider cost, quality and efficiency in their decisions on the choice of goods and services and obtain tenders for larger expenditure. The lack of a system for co-ordinators to monitor teaching leads to less than effective value for the deployment of subject leaders and to an absence of information on

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

strengths and weaknesses of teaching. By means of good housekeeping the school has created a large surplus figure designed to cushion the effect of the often rapidly changing numbers on the school roll and the planned return of a senior teacher to full-time teaching. The computerised system for finance and administration is used well and enables the organisation and procedures of the school to function efficiently. 52. The school has a well-qualified and experienced staff, with a good range of expertise to be able to teach all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education and to offer specialised support and advice. All teachers are trained in special needs and are skilled at identifying pupils who may require extra help. Learning support assistants are experienced and work well with classroom teachers. The accommodation is satisfactory rather than good overall, owing to the unsatisfactory toilet provision for pupils in Year 2. Many rooms in the school are

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

pleasant, large, airy and attractive areas for staff and pupils to work in. The library and nursery are particularly welcoming and well resourced. A good range of learning resources is available for the teaching of all subjects. They are stored well, are readily accessible and are used well. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 21

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

53. In order to raise standards further the school should take the following measure:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1.* Develop the roles of the curriculum co-ordinators further to include the monitoring of teaching and learning in their subjects by: • providing detailed job descriptions of co-ordinators’ roles and responsibilities; • ensuring the school improvement plan shows how this will be accomplished in all subjects. (Paragraphs 12, 26, 47, 49, 73, 77, 82, 86, 90, 95, 98, 102, 106, 109)

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issue above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Updating written policies to reflect current practice.* (Paragraphs 29, 47, 77, 82, 86, 95, 98, 102) • Comparing the performance of boys and girls in each year group. (Paragraphs 3, 43, 66) • Providing satisfactory internal toilets for the Year 2 classes.* (Paragraph 52) *The issues asterisked had already been identified by the school prior to the inspection as areas for improvement. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 53 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 29

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor 0% 8% 58% 30% 4% 0% 0% The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 196 Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 8 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y2 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 2 33

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 39 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 37 Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 23

p.22

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5.2 School data 0 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.

p.23

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 39 32 71

p.23

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 31 28 32 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 30 28 31

p.23

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 86 (87) 79 (78) 89 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (80) 87 (85)

p.23

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 32 32 38 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 30 31 31

p.23

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 87 (87) 89 (82) 97 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (84) 87 (85)

p.23

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 24

p.23

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 247 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 25

p.24

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.5 Financial year 1998/1999

p.25

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.1

p.25

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Average class size 26.1 £ Total income 353059 Education support staff: YR– Y2 Total expenditure 348147 Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1576

p.25

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total aggregate hours worked per week 94 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year

p.25

nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) Number of pupils per qualified teacher

p.25

nursery

Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week

p.25

nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13 FTE means full-time equivalent. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 26

p.25

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 47 42 5 2 4

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 43 49 1 0 7

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 54 4 0 9

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 43 16 3 4

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 33 6 4 0

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 44 47 3 2 4

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 33 46 11 7 3

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 39 41 8 4 8

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 40 50 5 1 4

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 11 40 15 6 28 Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

54. When the children enter the nursery their levels of attainment are typical of three-year-olds. Children are taught by a teacher and a nursery nurse and attend the nursery part-time each day. Children begin full-time education in the reception classes generally in the year in which they are five.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

55. The provision for children under the age of five is good. By the age of five most children exceed the nationally recognised desirable learning outcomes in personal and social development, in language and literacy, in mathematical development, in knowledge and understanding of the world and in creative development. Children reach the expected levels in physical development. Their achievement is good and by the age of five most children are working on the early stages of the National Curriculum. The quality of teaching and learning in the nursery and each of the reception classes is good.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

56. In personal and social development children exceed the standards expected of five-year-olds; they achieve well. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers have a wonderfully calm approach to the children and as a result children are confident in their surroundings, work productively and sustain concentration. In the nursery teachers encourage children to become more independent; for example, on entry to school children log their attendance by placing their name cards in the corresponding named pocket on a wall display. In reception, teachers organise well activities which develop a sense of quietness and reflection; children through these activities become aware of the need to think carefully before answering a question. Children’s behaviour is of a very high standard.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

57. In language and literacy children achieve well and most exceed the standards expected and by the age of five are working in the early stages of the National Curriculum. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers provide interesting activities which encourage the development of speaking and listening skills; for example, children and teachers in the nursery were engaged in plenty of discussion whilst working on filling containers with water and teachers’ effective questioning moved children’s learning on at a brisk pace. Well-organised systems, that involve parents well in their children’s learning, encourage children to begin to develop their reading and love of books. By the age of five children follow stories in large textbooks well and join in, following the teacher, using memory and sight vocabulary. Higher attainers recognise some rhyming words and identify words using the sounds of letters. Teachers provide plenty of

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

opportunities for children to write in all areas of their learning; for example, in a numeracy activity children wrote their names correctly and recorded their answers neatly in words and figures. By the age of five higher and average attainers practise joining letters and write sentences independently with well-formed script. Lower attainers copy over the teachers’ writing and begin to form individual letters. Children enjoy their assignments, are well behaved and listen when others are speaking.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

58. In their mathematical development most children exceed the level expected of their age and are working in the early stages of the National Curriculum by the age of five. The quality of teaching is good and as a result the children achieve well. Teachers are well organised and plan thoroughly and this leads to children having plenty of opportunities to consolidate and extend their understanding. Most children by the age of five can subtract one from numbers up to ten when challenged with a verbal problem. Higher attainers are well motivated and on one occasion asked the teacher for a ‘tricky’ question during the plenary session. Children behave very well and are Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 28 very responsive to teachers’ instructions. They sustain concentration, work productively and are eager to learn more.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

59. In the development of knowledge and understanding of the world children are given a wide range of experiences, achieve well and exceed the level expected of five-year-olds. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers use books well to interest children and to widen their understanding of the world around them; for example, children were intrigued by a picture of a chameleon in a ‘big’ book and gained an increased understanding of camouflage. Teachers encourage children to learn about other cultures; for example, children listened intently to a story about Australia and then they were eager to find the country in an atlas.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

60. In creative development children achieve well and reach the standards above those expected of five-year-olds. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers provide an adequate range of activities to develop children’s creativity. Children very competently create pictures using a graphics program on the computer and gain skills in moving objects around the monitor screen and enlarging objects using a ‘menu’ bar. In the role-play kitchen children sustain interest and in one lesson used their imagination to make a meal for the people on ‘Noah’s Ark’. Teachers encourage children to explore different media to make two-dimensional and three- dimensional representations. In music lessons the quality of teaching and learning is very good and children’s achievements are high. Teachers’ enthusiasm engages children’s interest so much that they all want to sing. Children learn to clap different rhythms by the very effective choice of

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

61. In physical development children engage in a wide range of activities to promote their learning and attain the standards expected of five-year-olds. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall and as a result children’s achievement is sound. Outdoor play activities are well organised, there is a high level of care for the children and the children know what is expected of them. Members of staff have a lovely rapport with the children and, as a consequence, the children are confident and happy and do their best. Children with special educational needs are given very effective help by the teachers and classroom assistants and make good progress. In the hall, teachers set clear expectations of good behaviour and stress safe practice; the children listen and act upon instructions quickly and behave very well. They are able to hop, jump and move around the hall using different pathways, respecting the space of

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

others. Where teaching and learning are unsatisfactory teachers organise groupings inappropriately, the pace of lessons slows and too few opportunities are given for energetic exercise to promote children’s learning effectively.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

62. Children learning English as an additional language have strong support both from teachers and from additional classroom assistants. They settle into the routines of the school quickly; for example, they know the routines at lunchtimes. They are happy children who relate well to their teachers and to other children. They make good progress and quickly grasp early skills in speaking and listening, reading and writing. Children with special educational needs make good progress through very effective planning. These children participate fully in all the areas of learning with effective support from adults when necessary. The behaviour of children learning English as an additional language and children with special educational needs is very good and they show intense interest in their work.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE

63. The leadership and management of children under the age of five are good. The curriculum rightly provides a strong emphasis on developing children’s literacy and numeracy skills whilst maintaining good provision for other areas of learning. The monitoring of children’s progress is very effective and enables teachers to plan future work to move children’s learning on efficiently. Learning resources and accommodation are of a high standard and are used well to assist Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 29 teaching and learning. The school has maintained the good provision for children under the age of five noted in the last inspection and is well placed to continue to do so.

p.28

ENGLISH

64. Since the last inspection standards in English have improved from average to above the national average. Provision has been enhanced through effective implementation of the National Literacy Strategy and additional training for teachers. The range and quality of book resources have been increased. There have been significant improvements in the standards of handwriting through successful adoption of a handwriting programme.

p.29

ENGLISH

65. The 1999 National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds show that pupils’ performance in reading was above the national average, and above average in comparison with the results for similar schools. Their performance in the writing tests was in line with the national average, but below the average for similar schools. Teacher assessment of speaking and listening skills showed that pupils’ attainment was well above the national average. Overall pupils’ achievement in English is satisfactory.

p.29

ENGLISH

66. The findings from the inspection concur with test results for speaking and listening and for reading. Performance in writing was found to be above the national average, and clearly reflects the success of the school’s strategies in targeting this aspect of English. No significant differences between the performance of boys and girls are now apparent, though national assessments indicate some underachievement in writing by boys in comparison with girls. Standards in reading have significantly improved over the last four years, while standards in writing have remained around the national average.

p.29

ENGLISH

67. By the time pupils reach the age of seven their standards of speaking and listening are well above average. Pupils listen with concentration and interest to their teachers and to one another. They understand clearly what is being asked of them and follow the line of discussion well. They are confident and articulate speakers, and explain their ideas with good choice of vocabulary and apt detail. A good number can express their opinions with some force. Year 2 pupils demonstrate very good skills in preparing and presenting a talk to their class they have chosen for themselves. They use notes with assurance and communicate their interests with enthusiasm and clarity.

p.29

ENGLISH

68. By the time pupils reach the age of seven, their standards of reading are above average. The majority of pupils read with confidence; they are accurate and fluent, and use appropriate expression. They use varied strategies effectively to work out words they do not know. They can explain the differences between fiction and non-fiction, and know how to use the contents page and index to locate information. They can discuss favourite stories, pointing out aspects they like. Lower attainers still need some support, and work with a limited sight vocabulary, but they manage well with texts at an appropriate level.

p.29

ENGLISH

69. Standards in writing by the time pupils are seven years old are above average. High attainers write confidently with effective detail and use of vocabulary. Average attainers sequence ideas well and can shape a story. Standards of spelling are good and pupils use their knowledge of sounds well to attempt unfamiliar words. Handwriting is clear and well formed and pupils are either using cursive script or are on their way to adopting it. Work is neatly presented. Lower attainers communicate their ideas satisfactorily but have difficulties with spelling and use little punctuation.

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ENGLISH

70. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall. Pupils’ attitude to their work is good and their behaviour is of a high standard. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and in Year 1 most Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 30 of the teaching is very good. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the subject and of the National Literacy Strategy are good; and basic skills are well taught. The teaching of reading skills through guided reading groups is particularly well managed. Teachers have high expectations and challenge pupils well in questioning, in discussion and in the individual tasks that are set. Effective assessment and recording procedures are in place for guided reading and writing, and these are used well by teachers to focus subsequent planning. Good relationships are established and this enables teachers to maintain good order with a minimum of fuss, and concentrate on motivating their pupils and carrying their learning forward. The teaching of

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ENGLISH

speaking and listening skills throughout the school is good. Pupils’ ideas are valued, and good opportunities are provided for pupils to express themselves in whole class and in small groups. Older pupils in class presentations are able to develop more formal skills, presenting prepared material to an audience and answering questions. Pupils make satisfactory and sometimes good progress because they know what is expected of them, they concentrate and work hard, and new knowledge and skills are acquired. Pupils make good progress in Year 1 and satisfactory progress in Year 2. In the best teaching there are clear learning objectives, the pace is brisk and purposeful, questions are well directed to pupils of different levels of attainment and they stimulate thinking. Organisation and management of lessons are skilfully handled so that all pupils are well involved in both whole-class and individual activities.

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ENGLISH

71. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills and their literacy skills are developed effectively in the range of subjects of the curriculum. Particular attention is paid to developing understanding and use of the special language of subjects. Pupils make good use of their research skills in history, geography and science, finding out information from the school library or from class topic books. They learn to write appropriately in a range of ways, writing historical accounts and descriptions, explaining how they are going to make a toy or model building in design and technology, and writing about their investigations in science.

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ENGLISH

72. Teachers ensure a good quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs. These pupils benefit from carefully devised work, which is well matched to their level of attainment. They are well supported by their teachers and classrooms assistants. Teachers sensitively involve these pupils in whole-class activities, and they make good progress.

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ENGLISH

73. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The National Literacy Strategy has been introduced effectively and a school working party is well on its way to completing a revised policy and new scheme of work to accommodate both the National Literacy framework and the requirements of the National Curriculum. There is a commitment to high standards, and effective initiatives have been taken to improve provision. Recently introduced target-setting for individual pupils is enhancing assessment and planning procedures. Currently there is no regular monitoring of teaching and standards of pupils’ work by the subject-manager, though the school does hold meetings to sharpen teachers’ assessment of levels of the National Curriculum.

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MATHEMATICS

74. The National Curriculum tests in 1999 show that the performance of pupils by the age of seven is in line both with the national average and with the average achieved by pupils in similar schools. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. The inspection judgements are that standards of attainment are now above the national average. The improvement in standards is the result of the careful analysis of the provision for the subject to implement soundly the National Numeracy Strategy, additional training for staff and the setting of challenging weekly and termly targets for each pupil. There are no significant differences in the performance of boys and girls.

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MATHEMATICS

75. Pupils by the age of seven investigate effectively the way members of their class travel to school. They record the results accurately in a bar chart and discuss the results of their survey. Most Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 31 pupils can add and subtract competently within 20. They gain an increasing understanding of the language of number and use this appropriately in discussions. Many pupils are presenting their work neatly in joined-up script. Higher attainers work out accurately, mentally, three times 43p and take away the answer from £1.50. They continue complex number patterns well. Lower attainers successfully match different coins up to 10p. They find difficulties in forming numbers correctly and many numbers are reversed. Most pupils measure in centimetres and metres precisely. They recognise correctly different shapes and combinations of shapes such as a cone and a cylinder. They can tell the time to the nearest quarter of an hour.

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MATHEMATICS

76. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall; it is good or better in Year 1 and satisfactory in Year 2. Pupils’ attitudes are good and their behaviour is of a high standard. Where teaching is strong teachers have good knowledge and understanding of teaching numeracy skills. They question and challenge pupils well with ‘quick-fire’ questions to check pupils’ understanding and move their learning on at a brisk pace. The speed of questioning and a high level of challenge maintain pupils’ concentration and interest. Very effective use is made of learning resources to assist pupils to understand; for example, a counting rod split into units of five was used well to assist Year 1 pupils to count forward and backwards in fives. Teachers and classroom assistants give good support to pupils with special educational needs; for example, the teacher gave clear planning to the classroom assistant, who worked effectively with a group of

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MATHEMATICS

lower attainers who gained from the additional attention and began to correctly spot missing numbers in a sequence. In Year 2 teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to use mathematical skills in other subjects; for example, in science pupils investigated favourite foods and drinks and recorded their findings on a chart, and in physical education they produced a matrix of the number of times they could hop, jump and leap. Teachers have good relationships with the pupils, who respond positively to the teaching and behave very well indeed. In all classes weekly targets very effectively challenge pupils to improve their numeracy skills and this system is assisting in the raising of pupils’ attainments. Where teaching and learning are unsatisfactory the organisation of the classroom furniture results in pupils becoming restless from sitting for far too long in cramped conditions on the carpet. Too much time is taken consolidating

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MATHEMATICS

previous learning, and insufficient time and not enough attention are given to extending this work.

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MATHEMATICS

77. The leadership and management of the subject are good. Much has been gained by teachers observing the co-ordinator’s teaching, but the curriculum leader does not have the opportunity to work alongside the teachers in order to assist them to improve further pupils’ learning and standards. The policy for the subject is dated and does not reflect the current practice. Learning resources are good and very effectively support teaching and learning. Standards have risen significantly since the previous inspection from below the national average in 1996 to above average performance. The school is well placed to maintain the improvement in standards.

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SCIENCE

78. Inspection judgements are that pupils’ performance is above the national average by the time pupils are seven, a high proportion achieving the level expected of their age and an average number achieving the higher than expected levels. Pupils’ achievement is good. Teacher assessments of pupils aged seven in 1999 indicate very high numbers attaining the level expected of seven-year-olds, but the number attaining the higher levels is well below the national average. Apparent variations in performance as measured by teacher assessments compared to inspection findings are explained by the differences in groups of pupils and by the high percentage of pupils joining the school at times other than at the beginning of Year 1.

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SCIENCE

79. By the age of seven pupils know the habitats and the food of some small creatures. Pupils can undertake a ‘fact-finding’ investigation around the school grounds, recording types of vegetation and their location and sightings of animals or of possible sites or habitats. They record Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 32 observations clearly in drawings, painting, writing or word-processing. In their other science work pupils use visits to a local arboretum to study effectively green plants as organisms. They make detailed measurements of trees, identify leaves, bark, berries and pinecones and can classify successfully familiar animals by identifiable features such as the number of legs. In their work on electricity, pupils discover which materials can make or break a circuit. They carry out well surveys of their friends to discover who has the healthiest diet - and who is the fittest - by means of activities, which they observe, and record accurately. Higher attaining pupils are able

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SCIENCE

to appreciate the need for fair tests and conduct more complex activities.

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SCIENCE

80. Since the last inspection, there have been good improvements to the planning of the subject, involving the co-ordinator, the local authority adviser and a working party of teachers. The national recommendations for schemes of work have been adapted to suit the school’s organisation and long-term planning now ensures coverage and progression through the key stage. Medium-term planning contains appropriate learning objectives for different age groups and also assessment opportunities. By this means, standards in science have improved beyond national expectations.

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SCIENCE

81. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils’ attitude to their work is good and their behaviour is of a high standard. A very good feature of teaching is the effectiveness and variety of methods used to motivate and interest pupils. Teachers use the school site and local environment well to stimulate pupils’ interest and this benefits pupils’ learning. Teachers make clear introductions and explain tasks carefully. Lessons are well prepared, with appropriate learning objectives and with good quality, relevant resources. Work is almost always geared to pupils’ level of attainment and makes good use of worksheets prepared by teachers to consolidate pupils’ learning. The effective organisation of group work and the management of the pupils enable a great deal of work and learning to take place during lessons. Class teachers and support assistants work closely together to ensure all pupils, including those with special educational

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SCIENCE

needs, are able to work to their full potential. Pupils are motivated and enthusiastic about the subject. They behave well and are able to co-operate with each other to discuss their findings. This contributes to pupils’ personal development. In plenary sessions, pupils are keen to show what they have done and what they have learnt. Many work independently, sustaining concentration, as when they observe and record features in the environment, during their field study sessions. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to learn and develop new scientific vocabulary, such as ‘habitat’, ‘fair test’, ‘control’ and ‘classify’.

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SCIENCE

82. The leadership and management of the subject are good. However, the policy and job descriptions for co-ordinators do not reflect the current practice and organisation. There is no formal system for the monitoring of the quality of teaching to ensure that there is evaluation, feedback, support and development for teachers and information for the governing body. Assessment is a strength, with opportunities built into all medium-term planning, enabling short- term and daily planning to incorporate work in three attainment bands. Pupils have good individual records, which indicate at a glance the levels of the National Curriculum attained.

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ART

83. Good standards of work in art have been maintained since the last inspection and by the time pupils are seven their performance is above what one would expect for this age group. Their achievement is good. They develop a good level of skill in using a range of materials to express their ideas. They have a good understanding of colour and mix colours confidently to achieve particular effects. Pupils have the opportunity of experiencing non-western as well as western art. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 33 84. By the age of seven pupils can show in their paintings an appreciation of detail, line and colour. They create effective collages of animals and imaginative experiments with shapes and colours. In painting the face of their best friend they pay careful attention to choosing suitable brush size and mixing colours appropriately for hair, skin and eyes. They make interesting portraits of Elizabethan personalities using a variety of media and techniques, for instance charcoal, wax-

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ART

crayon, pencil, paint and pen. Pupils can draw on their first-hand experience of observing buildings and their knowledge of shapes like oblong and triangle to create representations of buildings. They focus effectively on shape and texture. They handle tools satisfactorily, though cutting with scissors is often not very precise. Pupils develop well their knowledge and understanding of artists such as Lowry and experiment with some of his techniques and colour preferences in their own paintings.

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ART

85. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Careful and well-focused planning together with well-selected and appropriate teaching methods enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and skills well and to understand clearly what they have to do. Pupils work productively with interest and concentration and behave very well. Teachers have precise and relevant objectives in their planning, build upon first-hand experience, and provide a clear explanation of the tasks. Teachers use resources well to illustrate points and organise learning activities well and as a result the pupils approach their learning productively and with interest. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and encourage pupils to look carefully at colour, shape and form, and at how space is used in the overall composition. There is a good balance of instruction by the teacher and practical time in which pupils can develop and refine their techniques. Developing

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ART

understanding and skill in art is used well to illustrate and represent experiences in subjects such as English, history, geography and religious education. Substantial artwork by a whole class often follows a visit, for example, following a trip to an arboretum.

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ART

86. The subject is well managed. All pupils’ work is valued, and displays of their paintings, drawings and three-dimensional artefacts are given prominence in the school. Planning and assessment are satisfactory, though the policy document is out of date; the development of a new scheme of work was delayed because of national priorities with the national literacy and numeracy initiatives. The co-ordinator undertakes no monitoring of teaching and pupils’ work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87. Standards are above those typical of seven-year-olds and pupils’ achievements are good. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. By the age of seven pupils are able to work with a variety of materials and draw on their own experience to generate ideas and convey those ideas through drawing. They are able to choose materials and tools and measure, mark out and cut a variety of shapes. They employ simple finishing techniques and make suggestions for ways of improving the product. Pupils know about the textures and strengths of a variety of papers and their functions, such as wallpaper. They can focus on the practical task of constructing a place mat by accurately measuring, cutting and pasting a variety of papers that they themselves have chosen on to a base of card and subsequently decorating and varnishing it. They work with some precision and accuracy. They are able to design a product, for example, a soft toy.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Pupils have a good attitude to their work and behave very well. Teachers have clear learning objectives and use discussion sessions well, putting appropriate questions to enable pupils to appreciate their own knowledge of the subject and to enthuse them for the task ahead. Teachers’ clear explanations and good organisational skills ensure that pupils know what to do and have the materials, tools and equipment to do it. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 34 They make use of a number of classroom helpers, who are well briefed before the lesson and who make a valuable contribution to overall standards. Teachers’ planning and the variety of methods they use in lessons lead to good productivity and pace of working, with pupils often working independently and with concentration. The good standards achieved across all aspects of the subject are also due to the teachers’ high expectations, good management and relationships

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

with the pupils. Teachers use the subject well to support other areas of the curriculum; for example, pupils enhanced their learning in mathematics, history, art and science by constructing scaled models of Elizabethan houses, including wooden beams, leaded windows and pantiled roofs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. The leadership of design and technology is satisfactory. There is an effective policy and scheme of work. There is no formal, class-based monitoring of the quality of teaching. Pupils’ progress is assessed well by class teachers and is effectively recorded. The school has maintained the good standards of teaching and learning since the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

91. The history and geography curriculum is set within a topic approach, and, although both subjects are satisfactorily encountered within the year, they are not taught concurrently. Consequently it was not possible to observe any teaching of history during the week of the inspection. Judgements about that subject are therefore based on scrutiny of pupils’ work and display, and discussion with pupils and teachers. By the time pupils reach seven their standards of attainment in both geography and history are typical of those for seven-year-olds and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. Standards of attainment have been satisfactorily maintained since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is a second language make sound progress.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

92. In history by the age of seven, pupils have a satisfactory sense of chronology; for example, Year 2 pupils know when Henry VIII and Elizabeth 1 lived, and know that Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry and ruled England after he died. They understand why people like Julius Caesar and Florence Nightingale are famous. They understand how to search for information about the past in books, from photographs and by visiting museums. Pupils have a good appreciation of old and new through their study of old and new toys. An excellent display of their work in the school hall shows how they have gained a good understanding of the kinds of toys and games children played with in the earlier decades of the 1900s.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

93. In geography by the age of seven pupils show an awareness of attractive and unattractive features in their local environment, and can discuss why visitors go to particular rural and urban attractions in North Yorkshire and in Leeds. They draw very well on personal knowledge to relate to what they are learning in geography. They use maps effectively to find information. Pupils observe, gather and record information from visits to places and communicate what they have learnt about the physical and human features of particular areas in effective class displays. They make connections with historical information too.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

94. The quality of teaching and learning in geography is satisfactory. Pupils have good attitudes to the subject and their behaviour is very good. Teachers manage pupils well and engender an interest in the subject. Effective questioning develops pupils’ own ideas well. Planning is not always sufficiently detailed with clear learning objectives, and some resources are not used to best advantage; for example, in one instance the teacher used too small a scale Ordnance Survey map and placed it on the floor, where a number of pupils had difficulty in seeing it. Good use is made of visits to places in the locality; these are well planned and enhance pupils’ learning. Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 35 95. The subjects are satisfactorily managed by the co-ordinator. Policies for both subjects are out of date and the development of a new scheme of work has been postponed because of the national initiatives for literacy and numeracy. Currently there is no formal monitoring of teaching and

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

96. Standards of attainment among the seven-year-olds are at the national expectation. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. By the age of seven, pupils are confident users of computers. They are able to use the mouse or arrow keys to click on ‘icons’ to choose word-processing, art or graphics and data-handling programs. Pupils have a basic understanding of ‘windows’ technology. They are able to maximise and minimise and use some features of the toolbar. They are adept at word-processing and know how to edit using the space bar, direction arrows and delete button and the functions of the shift button. They can delete a whole file and go to ‘print’ to arrange copies. Pupils have good awareness of the everyday applications of information technology, such as remote controls for televisions and videos, programmes on washing machines, the electronic information on bar codes and sensors for automatic doors in shops. In their work in

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

control and modelling, pupils can input instructions to direct a programmable robot. Pupils enjoy making decisions to alter the course of events in adventure simulation programs.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

97. No discrete teaching of the subject was timetabled during the inspection and, therefore, no judgement on teaching is made. Discussions with teachers indicate that they have satisfactory knowledge of teaching the subject and some have good understanding and experience. The quality of learning judged from scrutiny of pupils’ previous work and through discussions with pupils is satisfactory. They enjoy using the computers and confidently and often independently work productively on tasks set by teachers to support their learning in other subjects. Planning for the subject is satisfactory. Teachers effectively use the subject to support learning in other subjects; for example, in English pupils designed book covers and greetings cards and wrote ‘character profiles’, such as ‘Wanted, Goldilocks’. In mathematics, pupils make use of games to reinforce knowledge and understanding of addition and subtraction. In science pupils use

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

computers to write accounts of their investigations.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

98. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The co-ordinators work closely with the headteacher to make great strides in the re-equipping of the school with new computers and software. Hardware resources for the subject are now good and the school has rightly identified in its development plan the need to purchase additional appropriate software and to increase training for teaching staff. There is a policy and a scheme of work, which details coverage for each year group though this is recognised by the school to be in need of up-dating to reflect the current practice and resources. No formal monitoring of teaching takes place, although teachers' planning is scrutinised by the headteacher. There is good on-going assessment of pupils’ progress in the subject and this is recorded each half-term.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

99. Since the previous inspection there has been a recent major replacement of dated computers with more up-to-date technology. The school is in a good position to improve standards further once teachers are fully trained in the use of these new learning resources.

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MUSIC

100. Pupils reach standards above those typical of seven-year-olds. Their achievement is satisfactory. By the age of seven pupils can sing well in tune and with good rhythm in collective worship and in class. They know the names of a range of tuned and untuned percussion instruments and how they are played. They perform on instruments appropriately, following the conductors’ signals Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 36 precisely to play, stop, and alter dynamics to loud or quiet. They listen carefully and follow simple rhythmic patterns accurately, when using percussion for example. Pupils are developing confidence and skill well as beginners in playing recorders. They are able to follow simple notation. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in music.

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MUSIC

101. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have a good relationship with their pupils and manage them well. They use a variety of methods suited to the age of the pupils that stimulate their interest and maintain attention and involvement. This leads to satisfactory and at times good learning, in which pupils’ knowledge and skill progress well. In some Year 2 lessons there is too much instruction by the teacher and not enough activity and opportunities for pupils to practise and play their instruments. Effective teaching of singing was apparent in a whole-school hymn practice. The teaching of words and melody was well pitched to the different age ranges and levels of attainment. Good use is made of praise and encouragement, and good opportunities are given to improve performance 102. The leadership and management are satisfactory. The policy is out-of-date, but there has been a

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MUSIC

recent audit of resources and a clearly formulated action plan to develop a revised policy and new scheme of work. This is a priority on the current school development plan. There is on-going appraisal of new resources, particularly to enhance teaching and planning. There is no formal monitoring of teaching or standards of pupils’ work at present.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. Pupils in Year 2 exceed the standards expected of seven-year-olds. Pupils with special educational needs also make good progress in relation to their prior attainment.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. By the age of seven pupils know how to warm up by jogging around the hall and they take part in activities well that involve running, chasing and dodging. Pupils can make a variety of shapes, keeping one hand and one foot on the floor, and maintain good posture. They have good listening skills and use their ingenuity to find different ways of performing basic actions. Pupils find ways of moving in curving pathways around markers on the floor, touching or jumping alternate ones. Pupils form themselves quickly into teams and work well together. In games pupils can throw and catch balls well. Higher attainers can complete more complex skills such as bouncing and catching a ball ten times and then throwing the ball, clapping and catching. Since the last inspection, standards have risen following the completion of a realistic scheme of work and staff training.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers plan thoroughly and make good use of equipment and resources to provide a range of suitable opportunities to enhance pupils’ skills. Basic skills of movement and control, using commands or percussion instruments, are taught well. In the good and very good lessons, teachers use varied methods and strategies and there is always a brisk pace, leading to good rates of learning. Teachers also have high expectations of the pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to work and these are evident in the maturity of the pupils’ response and the high standards they attain. Teachers’ good subject knowledge, together with very clear instructions, enables pupils to perform confidently and correctly. There are good relationships and humour in these lessons, which are characterised by the enthusiasm and very good behaviour of the pupils. Teachers use the lesson time effectively to continually assess and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

evaluate the pupils’ performances and give feedback and encouragement to build confidence and improve their skills, knowledge and understanding.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. The leadership and management of the subject are effective. No time is allocated to co- ordinators, however, for monitoring the quality of teaching to improve standards further, although planning is scrutinised and the training for the monitoring of teaching is already arranged. Extra- Holy Trinity CE Infant School - 37 curricular opportunities for keep-fit are very well supported and have a positive impact on standards.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

107. Standards by the time pupils are seven are in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory. By the time they leave the school pupils have developed a basic understanding of Christianity and Judaism. They know some stories from the Bible, for example, the stories of Joseph and of David and Goliath. Pupils effectively depict pictorially their understanding of the biblical version of the creation story. They state appropriately that Andrew, Bartholomew, James, Philip and Simon were all special friends of Jesus.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

108. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory and sometimes good. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good and their behaviour is very good. In the best lessons teachers use literature very effectively to assist pupils’ understanding and good links are made with other subjects such as art and design and technology. Lessons are well prepared and this helps pupils to gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of the story. Teachers make good opportunities to practise literacy skills in lessons; for example, the teacher checked to make sure lower attainers understood the meaning of ‘ark’ when discussing the story of Noah. Teachers’ good dramatic reading of the story while showing pictures in a book encouraged pupils to find out more about the story of David and Goliath, for example. In the plenary session teachers challenge pupils to reflect on the relevance of the story to them and through good questioning in one lesson pupils expressed and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

applied effort to understand different ways one can be strong.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

109. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory, though the co-ordinators do not have sufficient opportunities to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in order to raise standards further. Learning resources are good and pupils benefit from the provision of artefacts from external sources such as the cathedral and a local college. The subject contributes well to the spiritual, social, moral and cultural development of pupils. Standards of attainment have been maintained since the last inspection.

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