Burnley Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

HOLY TRINITY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: October 1 st to 3 rd 2001

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HOLY TRINITY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Short 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 of E PRIMARY 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 C of E Primary School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Raglan Road Burnley Lancashire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

e-mail head@holy-trinity23.lancsngfl.ac.uk

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Ian Bannister

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19/05/1997 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 4

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Team members

19994 Lysbeth Bradley Registered inspector 13746 David Russell Lay inspector 22398 Lynne Wright Team inspector

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Team members

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This Church of England voluntary aided primary school is situated close to the centre of Burnley and serves an increasingly wide area. The school is much the same size as other primary schools with 265 boys and girls on roll, aged from 4-11. The pupils come from a broad cross-section of local families; overall their social and economic circumstances are below that found nationwide. Most children are of white United Kingdom heritage; a small number come from homes where English is not the first language. A quarter of the pupils are eligible for free school meals. This is above the national average. The number of pupils on the school’s register for special educational needs is similar to most schools. The increasing number of pupils with a statement of need is above the national average. The range of special needs is varied, including speech and communication difficulties, autism, and both moderate and specific learning

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

difficulties. Most children attend nursery or play group prior to starting school. Their attainment on entry to the school is well below average when compared with schools nationally. The school achieved the Basic Skills Quality Mark in 2000 and a School Achievement Award for excellence for the good results pupils achieved in the 1999/2000 school year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Holy Trinity has become a very successful school with a deservedly high reputation in the community. The headteacher, staff and governors work extremely hard to improve the life chances of their pupils. Pupils look forward to coming to school and try hard to meet their teachers’ high expectations. Relationships are very good at all levels. Standards of attainment are good overall and improving in line with the national trend. The school’s tracking of individual pupils indicates that they make very good progress overall, with a growing number of pupils reaching above average standards. Standards are not yet as high as the school would like at the age of seven, particularly in mathematics, but rigorous monitoring is beginning to make a positive impact. There are excellent systems in place to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning is checked on a regular basis. The right support is put in place to enable all staff to play an active role in the

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

school’s robust approach to self-evaluation. The headteacher provides very strong and sensitive leadership and is very well supported by the recently appointed deputy and an active and able governing body. The school has taken a thorough approach to the issues raised by the last inspection. As a result of a co- ordinated effort from all staff and governors, the school has improved at a faster than expected rate and has the capacity for even greater rates of progress. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school’s honest approach to self-evaluation, under the head teacher’s outstanding leadership, a united staff team with high expectations and a committed and able governing body, have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning; • First-rate strategies for developing literacy skills have produced pupils who are confident speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at the age of eleven; • High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads to their making very good progress in their personal development; • Rigorous assessment processes in English, mathematics and science result in pupils of all abilities making very good progress over their time at the school.

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What could be improved

• Pupils are not sufficiently involved in analysing their successes in learning or in setting targets for improvement; • Assessment processes in subjects other than English, mathematics and science, do not enable teachers to measure the progress that individual pupils make in their learning in a consistent or helpful way. The areas for improvement, building on very good practice in self-evaluation and assessment, will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the last inspection in 1997, standards have risen and the quality of teaching has improved significantly. The school has made good progress overall in addressing the key issues and in some areas great strides have been made. Governors have established very effective ways of working, understand their role and responsibilities well, and play a full part in the management of the school. The financial position of the school is strong. School development planning is of a high order, ensuring that the right priorities are being pursued and that the progress towards targets is put under close scrutiny. Staff development planning is closely tied in to the school’s priorities.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

In most other areas, good progress has been made. Curriculum time has been extended. Implementation of whole school planning means that the curriculum is now covered in greater depth. Pupils of all abilities are well catered for, particularly in English, mathematics and science. However, whilst very good progress has been made in the co-ordination of English, science, information and communication technology (ICT) and special educational needs, the school has made no more than satisfactory progress in developing the role of subject co-ordinator overall. Monitoring procedures for all subject areas have been established in the last year and there are clear plans for co-ordinators to continue to develop expertise and to extend their role.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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schools

1998 1999 2000 2000 English B A* A A* very high well above average A* A

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schools

mathematics D A B A above average average B C science C A* A A below average well below average D E

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schools

Similar schools are those where between 20% and 35% of pupils are eligible for free school meals

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schools

In 2000, pupils attained well above average standards in English and science at the age of eleven and above average standards in mathematics. However, when compared with similar schools, results were even more impressive. Pupils’ scores in English were in the top five per cent and they compared very favourably in mathematics and science. Results over the last three years have improved at a similar rate to schools nationally. However, in 2001, unpublished results show a significant drop in standards. This can be explained by the increase in the number of pupils on the special educational needs register, particularly those with statements. Inspection found standards to be above average in English and science, and average in mathematics. The school’s tracking of individual pupils’ results demonstrates that pupils of all abilities achieved standards of which they were capable. The school has established excellent processes for setting

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schools

challenging targets. It exceeded its targets in 2000, and just failed to meet them in 2001. This was because the targets had not been altered to take account of pupils leaving or joining the class.

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schools

When children start school their attainment is much lower than expected, particularly in communication and personal, social and emotional skills. By the time they move into Year 1, their standards have improved as the result of good teaching, although they are still below average overall and well below average in communication, literacy and language. In 2000, results at the age of seven were low in reading and mathematics, and average in writing. When compared to similar schools, reading and mathematics were low, although standards in writing compared very favourably. The school has worked very hard to address the weaknesses in teaching and the curriculum in the infants. Results for 2001 show substantial improvement in all three subjects with standards close to the national average in reading, in line in mathematics and above average in writing. Inspection confirmed these improved standards.

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schools

Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 8 Pupils make better than expected progress at each stage in their learning and over their time in school do very well. Pupils with special educational needs make equally good gains in their learning because of the high quality of the support they receive and the effective ways in which their learning is organised. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language make the same good progress as their classmates in relation to their ability because their learning is closely checked. Standards have improved in ICT and now match increased expectations at both key stages. Pupils achieve above average standards in singing in the juniors. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school From the time children start in the reception classes, they are eager to come to school and keen to make the most of their time there. The older pupils take full advantage of the activities provided outside lessons. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is consistently very good in all classes. Children quickly learn what is expected of them and treat each other and all adults with consideration. They look after the school environment well and take good care of their own property. Personal development and relationships This is a school where everyone gets on very well and relationships are very good. Boys and girls work and play together constructively; the older pupils take good care of the younger ones. Relationships between the staff and pupils are warm and pupils show courtesy towards their teachers, other staff and visitors to the school. As they move up the school, pupils show

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Aspect Comment

increasing levels of initiative and take responsibility for their own actions, although they are capable of becoming even more involved in the life of the school Attendance Attendance levels are good and most children arrive on time.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The quality of teaching is good at each stage and promotes consistently good learning as pupils move through the school. In the reception classes, a good understanding of how young children learn and a strong focus on developing clear routines and widening children’s experiences and vocabulary ensure that they settle very quickly and rapidly grow in confidence. Good progress has been made in establishing greater consistency of methods and expectations in the infant classes, since the last inspection. Very good, and frequently excellent, teaching at the top end of the school leads to accelerated learning in the final two years, which builds very effectively on the solid base established in earlier years of the juniors.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

The teaching of English is very strong and enables pupils to master the skills of reading and writing as well as developing a love of language and books. The teaching of mathematics is good and improving, but pupils do not yet have sufficient opportunities to carry out investigations or to solve problems. The school is very effective in teaching basic skills, particularly literacy. Teachers not only identify specific vocabulary in all lesson plans, but also successfully explore ways in which pupils can extend their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills in subjects across the curriculum.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

Teachers have high expectations of achievement and behaviour and make sure that their pupils understand precisely what they are aiming for. Relationships and classroom management are very good and this means that no time is lost. In all classes pupils try their hardest and work at a good rate. Support staff work very effectively alongside class teachers and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils with special educational needs show as much commitment and concentration as their class mates and make good gains in their learning. Teachers assess and keep track of their pupils’ progress accurately in English, mathematics and science; the work they set is very well matched to the Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 10 needs of different groups and provides the right level of challenge. In other subjects, there is not the same consistency among staff. In a few lessons, too much emphasis is placed on

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

knowing facts, rather than on developing skills and understanding.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. Pupils are provided with a variety of interesting contexts for learning that extend their experiences and thoroughly address their learning needs. Teaching literacy across the curriculum is something the school does exceptionally well. The range and variety of activities outside lessons is good and the school has established effective links with the local high school to improve the curriculum in design and technology and ICT. Provision for pupils with special educational needs There is very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. Individual education plans are of high quality and are taken into good account in teachers’ planning. The knowledgeable and highly effective support given by the special needs co-ordinator, and classroom and special needs assistants, ensure that pupils make rapid progress, noticeably in English and mathematics. Provision for pupils

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Aspect Comment

with English as an additional language The school makes good provision for pupils who speak English in addition to their first language, Punjabi; none is at an early stage of learning English. Their individual progress is checked regularly and appropriate targets set. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school is very successful in developing pupils’ spiritual, moral and social education and provides them with good opportunities to develop their understanding of their own culture and that of the wider community. As a consequence, they leave the school as thoughtful and questioning young people who have a firm set of values and beliefs to guide them. How well the school cares for its pupils All staff show high levels of care and concern. This is underpinned by very good information systems that are consistently implemented. Each child’s progress is charted thoroughly, and

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Aspect Comment

their achievements inside and outside the school are recognised and celebrated.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides excellent leadership and has built a committed team of staff and governors. The head and the recently appointed deputy have established a very effective partnership that enables subject co-ordinators to carry out their responsibilities increasingly well. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities very well. Governors have a very good grasp of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and play a full part in charting the strategic direction of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance This is an outstanding strength of the school. Results and methods are subject to meticulous and uncompromisingly honest scrutiny. The right questions are asked about performance and very effective action is taken to rectify identified weaknesses. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 11

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school has a good understanding of the principles of best value and applies them very well in making the most of its resources. The school’s larger than average surplus is justifiably part of the governors’ strategic planning for the imminent reduction in the school’s standard admission number Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 12

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improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school and make good progress, whatever their interests and abilities • Teaching is good and staff expect children to work hard and do their best • They feel easy about approaching the school and talking to staff • Behaviour is good and their children are helped to become mature and responsible • The range of activities provided outside lessons • Information about how their child is getting on • The amount of homework their children receive

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improved

The inspection team fully agrees with parents’ positive comments, but would go further and say that pupils’ behaviour is very good. The range of activities provided for children is good. Staff run a range of clubs for junior pupils at lunchtime and after school. The school also provides many opportunities for all pupils to benefit from visits and visitors to school, which bring their lessons to life. Communication with parents has improved since the past inspection. Parents receive regular information about their child’s progress and end-of-year reports explain clearly how well they are doing; however, the school does not provide regular information on the topics that pupils will study. The inspection team considers that the amount of homework children are expected to do is reasonable and it contributes to the standards they achieve. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 13

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

1. This is a school where nothing is taken for granted and where everyone is prepared to pull their weight. The headteacher has not been afraid to take difficult decisions or to explain to those teachers whose expectations were not high enough how they should be raised. She is equally prepared to question her own effectiveness in enabling staff to manage change. Over the past four years she has succeeded in building a hard- working and committed team of staff and governors, where each member understands the important role they have to play. Everyone is prepared to work hard and give of their best, so that the all pupils get a good deal and their parents understand what staff are aiming for. This has resulted in pupils attaining high standards overall at eleven, and very high standards in English. The recently-forged working partnership between the head teacher and the new deputy head, a long-standing senior member of staff,

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

has the potential to move the school on at an even faster rate because of their unity of purpose and shared vision for the school and its pupils.

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

2. The governing body is unrecognisable from the one criticised in the last report. There have been some changes in the membership, but this does not fully explain the great strides that have been made. A major factor in improvement has been the encouragement from the head teacher for them to work in partnership and to question the school’s performance. In addition, their determination to get to grips with their role, through effective organisation and good communication, has enabled governors to play a full part in deciding the priorities for the school and in charting its progress towards them. Their involvement in the target setting process is very strong and they are not afraid to justify their position when challenged by the local education authority. The governing body and the head teacher have an open and honest relationship with a good level of debate and expectation on both sides. The chair has developed effective

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

strategies to encourage all governors to play their part and to explain the role of governors to parents. Governors have identified the next important next step in evaluating the impact of its decision-making on standards and the quality of teaching and learning. This is to develop a more systematic approach to the school visits, already made by many governors, as a formal way of monitoring.

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

3. Since the last inspection, when the head teacher was very new in post, the school has taken an increasingly uncompromising approach to self-evaluation, analysing data and questioning the reasons behind the facts. As a consequence of the objectivity with which performance is examined, both staff and governors have reached a point where they not only understand the school’s strengths and weaknesses very well, but are also clear about what needs to be done to put things right. This is manifest in the way in which improvements have been brought about in the infants and provides a good example of how the school applies the principles of best value. Comparing results of national tests and assessments at seven with the national picture and similar schools, it was clear that the pupils were not attaining well enough. The school’s own monitoring indicated what needed to change, but they also consulted widely to identify best

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

practice when their initial strategies to raise standards proved not to be focused enough. This increased commitment to high standards is beginning to show through in the latest test results and in the way in which the staff work as a team, analysing what works well and what doesn’t and adapting their methods accordingly.

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governing body have all contributed well to improved standards of teaching and learning

4. The role of the subject co-ordinator, whilst satisfactory overall, has not developed as well as the school would have wished, although in English, science, ICT and special Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 14 educational needs the school has effective models of leadership and management that can extend to all other subjects and aspects. Time has already been built into the school budget in the last year to enable co-ordinators to develop policies and schemes of work and to monitor planning. With the appointment of new staff and the reallocation of several responsibilities, the school is poised to extend the role to enable all co-ordinators to have a good grasp of the quality of teaching and learning in their subject and a clear picture of the standards and progress made by pupils as they move through the school.

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

5. The school places a very high priority on developing pupils’ basic skills and has rightly put a significant emphasis on ensuring that pupils acquire the right tools in order to communicate clearly and to use language with increasing fluency to express their thinking and their imagination. Although most children attend nursery before they join the school, the majority struggle to express themselves clearly when they start in reception, relying on single words, gestures and simple phrases to make themselves understood. By the time they move onto secondary school, all children have made at least good progress and many have made enormous strides. Impressively, boys achieve as well as girls and show equal interest in reading, writing and drama.

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

6. Standards of writing, in particular, are high when compared with the national picture, and when compared with similar schools they are very high. From an early age, the school builds on pupils’ ability to manipulate tools and encourages a consistent approach to letter formation through regular handwriting lessons. More children than is usual have already developed a regularly formed cursive style by the age of seven, with a small number having developed a mature style for their age. By the age of eleven, pupils write for a range of purposes and audiences, drawing on an ever- widening vocabulary and showing themselves capable of subtlety in the choice and positioning of words.

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

7. From the very start, teachers set out to widen pupils’ horizons by offering them stimulating contexts for learning. Pupils in Year 4 were fascinated to see two of their classmates dressed up in costumes that the rich would have worn in Tudor times and intrigued to learn that underwear is a relatively recent addition to the wardrobe. Of equal importance in raising standards in writing has been the emphasis placed on oral work and in particular the use of drama, both in lessons and in the well-attended drama club. Year 6 pupils showed their ability to give and take suggestions from each other when working on an improvisation of the story of Pyramus and Thisbe as part of their study of a Midsummer Night’s Dream. They proved themselves equal to the task, finding just the right language, tone and expression whether playing the part of a young lover or a scolding parent. The more able pupils also rose to the challenge of devising

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

dialogue that reflected speech patterns and vocabulary of Elizabethan times, no mean feat!

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

8. The school’s results are directly attributable to the implementation of the national literacy strategy, led by a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic co-ordinator and a very good improvement plan for under-attaining pupils. In addition, high quality assessment processes ensure that teachers have a very good understanding of individual pupils’ strengths and weaknesses as well as a very good grasp of those aspects of teaching and the curriculum that they need to improve. As teachers have gained in confidence, they have tailored the strategy and their organisation to capitalise on what works best for their pupils; for example, the introduction of ‘Booster’ classes for infant pupils who were close to achieving the next level.

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

9. The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. All staff show great sensitivity in bringing out the best in these pupils, but are also firm in their Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 15 expectations. Whether supported in class or working in a group with pupils of similar ability, almost all pupils are eager to work hard and strive to do their best. High quality teaching in mixed-age withdrawal groups in the juniors leads to some pupils making rapid gains in learning and attaining expected levels by the age of eleven, and the rest making solidly good progress both in lessons and over time. Because the school keeps the attainment of all its pupils under individual scrutiny, the progress of the few pupils who speak English in addition to their home language is comparable with their peers, whatever their ability.

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

10. Rigorous performance management and a high investment in professional development for support staff, as well as the teachers, have paid dividends. All staff have been energised by new approaches to teaching and have shown an increased enthusiasm and commitment to professional development. Most importantly, the national literacy strategy has raised their expectations of what can be achieved and given infant pupils confidence to ‘have a go’ when writing or reading unknown words and phrases, because they see themselves as readers and writers. As a consequence, the number of children reaching the higher levels has increased.

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speakers, readers and writers who achieve high standards at eleven

11. The push to raise standards in English is not confined to the literacy hour. All teachers identify specific subject vocabulary in all lesson plans, and work hard to increase pupils’ vocabulary so that they develop an interest in words and use them to describe with increasing accuracy, to structure their thoughts and to fire their imagination. Religious education, history and music all make valuable contributions and enable pupils to get more out of the subject as well as broadening their vocabulary and sharpening their powers of expression.

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

to pupils’ making very good progress in their personal development.

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

12. The school is working very successfully towards its aim of developing the pupils’ social skills so that they can ‘build relationships with other children and adults and be sensitive to the feelings and needs of others.’ Collective worship provides a clear sense of belonging to a caring and supportive school community through offering many opportunities for pupils to share social and emotional experiences. Every week pupils who have made especially noteworthy efforts, for example in learning to swim ten metres or having an improved attitude to schoolwork, are recognised by the rest of the school and rewarded. The pupils receiving the awards are justifiably pleased and proud, and the other pupils are pleased for them. The pupils sing hymns and songs with spirit and enjoy the humour in such songs as ‘I do like to be beside the seaside’, further adding to the feeling of belonging to the school family. Music lessons and

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

belonging to the choir motivate the pupils to perform together successfully as a group.

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

13. Prayers written by older pupils encourage them to reflect on events in their own lives, and what is important to them. The school provides a very good environment in which the pupils’ sense-of-self blossoms and they come to understand their own thoughts and feelings better, and increasingly consider those of others. An older pupil wrote in the ‘Biography of My Beloved Grandad’, ‘They met again and put the past behind them. He was happy he was a grandad and became very close to my mum.’ Pupils are not yet sufficiently involved in evaluating their own academic achievements but the high expectations of teachers in most classes foster the will to succeed and to do well. This was particularly evident in a Year 6 mathematics lesson where an interesting, but complex, task on probability enthused all the pupils to be curious about the outcome, and become determined to find the answer.

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

14. The care and consideration that pupils have for each other is shown in the ways that they move around school, work and chat together over lunch, and in school clubs, such as art club. School clubs are very well attended and the pupils work hard in them. Most pupils are very well behaved in all school situations and from the start of their time Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 16 in school quickly learn the difference between right and wrong due to the consistently fair and open way that they are treated by all staff.

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

15. A developing sense of responsibility is fostered increasingly as the pupils get older, for example when Year 2 pupils were considering how they, as citizens of Burnley, could help the town to be more attractive. Year 6 pupils took a wider view during their work on river studies and considered larger scale environmental issues, such as pollution and conservation. These pupils also dramatised sensitively but powerfully, in a religious education lesson, the difficulties of being a Christian and standing up for what you believe in. The ethos of the school stresses the expectation that all pupils will organise themselves and their learning, although opportunities for them to use their initiative are limited. Although there are no formal systems, such as a school council, for the pupils to make their views known, the school is highly successful in developing the necessary language and social skills and when one is formed the pupils will be well

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High quality provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development leads

16. Provision for the development of pupils’ cultural understanding is good. There are many planned opportunities that enable the pupils to understand their own culture. These include historical research into their own local community and comparisons in music lessons between modern rock music and Tudor instruments and sounds. English lessons use a range of stories, which introduce the pupils to their literary heritage from the start. Pupils are taught to respect other cultures, and the school was sensitive in explaining to its pupils the recent racial tensions in the town. The school has identified the need to expand the creative curriculum through offering more planned opportunities for expression in art and design, dance, and design and technology.

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all abilities making very good progress over time

17. The school uses a number of well-focused and manageable ways to enable them to analyse how well the pupils are doing and how well they learn in English, mathematics and science. The school is very well supported in this by the knowledgeable and committed governing body. The thoroughness and accuracy of these analyses ensure that the school managers can respond quickly and effectively to the needs of individual pupils and groups. They also help the headteacher and teachers to prepare whole school teaching plans for English, mathematics and science that better address the learning needs of all groups of pupils as they move through the school.

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all abilities making very good progress over time

18. The school employs a range of tests to establish the levels of learning that each pupil attains at important stages of their school life. It uses the results very well to measure each pupil’s progress, and thereby the effectiveness of the teaching. By comparing the results with national and local school statistics the school sets realistic and measurable targets for improving the pupils’ performance. In particular, targets to improve the pupils’ standards of mathematics at the age of seven, and writing by the age of eleven are being vigorously pursued. The inspection found that all groups of pupils make good progress in these subjects from year to year, and very good progress between entering the school in their reception year and leaving at age eleven. Despite this, the school is not complacent and continues to build on its successes so that its pupils do even better.

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all abilities making very good progress over time

19. The information gained from the close analysis of all available data, including teachers’ records, allows the school to identify any pupils who are not doing as well as expected, and to arrange for additional support, such as ‘Booster’ classes, for those pupils who are capable of attaining the next level with an extra push. Pupils who need extra individual support in order to learn more effectively, and those who need more challenging work in order to further stretch their thinking skills, are well catered for. Teachers plan their lessons carefully so that these needs are met, both in the purposes Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 17 of the learning and the activities provided. Skilful learning support staff are given good quality information by the teachers so that they provide the level of help needed, further ensuring that their pupils are successful in their learning. For example, as a result of

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all abilities making very good progress over time

the school identifying the need to base science lessons more firmly on practical enquiry a classroom assistant is employed to increase the amount of time spent on this aspect. Every pupil in the infant classes now has a weekly opportunity for good quality science exploration and investigation. As a result, standards have risen and, this year, for the first time, some pupils exceeded national expectations at age seven.

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targets for improvement

20. Teachers are consistent in making sure that their pupils understand what they are expected to learn by the end of each lesson and in reviewing how well they have achieved the objectives. For example, nothing was left to chance in a Year 6 lesson where the teacher elicited from the class just what they understood by ‘collaborate’ and ‘evaluate’. In so doing, she enabled them to understand the process of their learning as well as what they were intended to learn. In lesson plans, teachers are specific about what they expect to achieve from these plenary sessions and in the planning that special needs assistants follow key learning points are also identified for individual pupils. Both of these strategies ensure that staff and pupils alike remain focused. 21. Teachers’ marking is regular, honest, measured in its analysis and always encouraging, although in other respects practice varies too much. It is at its most useful in English,

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targets for improvement

mathematics and science, but there is not yet consistent practice across key stages, classes or even across subjects in the same class. At its best, strengths and weaknesses are identified, pertinent questions asked, and pupils of all abilities left with a clearer understanding of what they do well and where they need to improve.

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targets for improvement

22. The good practice initiated in science at Key Stage 1 is not apparent throughout Key Stage 2, where there is little annotation to suggest next steps or to engage pupils in a dialogue that will develop their ideas. In mathematics, the irregular practice in the infant classes of dating work and completing work on loose-leaf pages, rather than in a book, makes it almost impossible for either teachers or individual pupils to gain a sense of the amount of progress made in a given period, whereas marking in the juniors was set out against clear criteria of content, presentation and neatness.

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targets for improvement

23. In English, teachers are more consistent in their approach, which is at its best in Year 6 where comments are linked to clear criteria that are shared with the pupils. As well as identifying strengths and weakness, guidance is offered on how pupils can improve. However, whilst teachers are working hard to share their assessments with pupils, they are not involving them systematically in responding to their comments. They are not currently given a clear enough understanding of their achievements, the rate at which they are progressing and the ways in which they learn most effectively.

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targets for improvement

24. In developing a wide-ranging approach to self-evaluation, the school has been innovative in interviewing samples of both Year 2 and Year 6 pupils of different abilities to determine their attitudes to specific subjects, their own perceptions of how well they were succeeding and what helped them learn. This yielded valuable data that informed the school’s planning but also confirmed that the pupils have a keen, but not always accurate, sense of their own progress.

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targets for improvement

25. The school has not extended this successful practice to enable pupils to become skilled in analysing their successes or in setting targets for improvement. There is self- evaluation of performance in physical education and some art, but this is inconsistent and existing pockets of good practice are not developed in a coherent and helpful way. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 18 Pupils’ annual reports communicate clearly to parents, generally give a good indication of both standards and progress and set targets for improvement. However, neither parents nor pupils are given the opportunity to add their own perspective or to be involved in developing targets.

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consistent or helpful way

26. The data the school collects and analyses on pupils’ attainment in English, mathematics and science enable it to have a very clear idea of how well the pupils are learning, and to plan further action for improvement in these subjects. However, these procedures are not applied to the other subjects of the curriculum to the same extent and, consequently, teachers do not have such detailed knowledge of how well their pupils are doing. Because they know their pupils well, the teachers plan lessons that effectively support all groups of pupils, either though increased adult support, different activities or ways of recording what they have learned.

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consistent or helpful way

27. At the end of each school year the teachers highlight the level of every pupil’s attainment in every subject so that the next teacher knows how they match up to national expectations. Although this is important information, it gives the next teacher little measure of the rate at which each child has made progress throughout the year, where their strengths lie, and where they are experiencing problems. Each child takes through school a Portfolio of Progress into which they put termly examples of work. Although this consistently includes work in English and mathematics, there is no uniform approach to collecting work in other subjects. Much of the work is not annotated by the teachers for its significance and so opportunities are lost to chart pupils’ progress in any detail. Photographs taken of the pupils’ work in subjects where the result is less easy to collect, such as art and design, and design and technology

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consistent or helpful way

show that the pupils enjoy their work and are proud of what they achieve. However, lack of consistent annotation of the purposes of the work, and the standards attained, does not enable teachers to gauge progress throughout the school and their effectiveness is lessened.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to build on the very good practice that already exists in assessment and self- evaluation, the school should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Provide greater opportunities for pupils to be involved in analysing their work and in setting targets for improvement (Paras 21-25)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Implement manageable systems of assessing individual standards and progress in the non-core subjects (Paras 26-27) Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 21 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellen t Very good Good Satisfactor y Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Number 3 2 12 3 1 0 0 Percentag e 14 10 57 14 5 0 0

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than four percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 265 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 60 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs YR – Y6 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 56

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 7

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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 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 12

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 4.1 School data 0.3 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 20 National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 21

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 18 21 39

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

level 2 and above Girls 18 19 18 Total 31 35 34

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 79 (88) 90 (80) 87 (83) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

level 2 and above Girls 19 20 19 Total 32 35 34

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 82 (78) 90 (78) 87 (63) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2 (Year 6)

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2000 18 20 38

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

level 4 and above Girls 20 18 19 Total 33 33 35

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 87 (94) 87 (89) 92 (94) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (70) 72 (69) 85 (78)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

level 4 and above Girls 20 19 19 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 22 Total 33 34 34

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 87 (94) 89 (86) 89 (91) at NC level 4 or above National 70 (68) 72 (69) 79 (75) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

No of pupils Fixed period Permanen t Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 7 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 222 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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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.

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2000/0

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25.9

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Average class size 33 £ Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 48821

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 49088

p.22

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Total aggregate hours worked per week 143 Expenditure per pupil 1832

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y6

Balance brought forward from previous year FTE means full-time equivalent. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 23

p.22

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 24

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Percentage of responses in each category

Strongl y agree Tend to agree Tend to disagre e Strongly disagree Don’t know

p.24

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 61 31 2 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 49 39 4 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 25 49 10 6 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 39 16 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 25 2 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 67 25 2 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 31 53 8 4 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 47 45 0 4 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 47 43 0 0 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 23 49 16 4 6

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