Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

HOLY TRINITY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 11 th November 2002

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HOLY TRINITY C of E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Full inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Eagans Close Market Place East Finchley London

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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: Mrs S Duthie

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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 INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 25507 L Garner Registered inspector Science Geography Music The Foundation Stage What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

9970 J Acaster 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? Educational inclusion, including race equality

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23056 T Manzi Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology History Special educational needs English as an additional language 23494 D Whatson Team inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Bench Marque Limited National Westminster Bank Chambers Victoria Street Burnham-on-Sea Somerset TA8 1AN

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 4 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 9

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Holy Trinity Church of England Aided Primary School is an average sized school in East Finchley with 232 pupils from ages three to eleven. The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language, at 14 per cent, is higher than in most schools. Pupils are drawn from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, at least 15 different languages are spoken as the first language at home including Japanese, Greek, Turkish and Urdu, but only a small proportion of pupils are at the early stages of learning to speak English. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs and those with statements of special educational needs is broadly average. Around 14 per cent of pupils receive free school meals. Other evidence suggests that, if all who were eligible for free school meals claimed, then the total would be above average. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the nursery and reception class varies greatly from year to year but is typically below average. A significant number of pupils are from homes

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

where there are some aspects of social disadvantage. These pupils have below average social and language skills, particularly in speaking.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school with some outstanding features. With the excellent systems in place it has the potential to improve further. The majority of the pupils make very good progress and in national tests at the end of Year 6 in 2002 gained results that were above, or well above, standards compared with all schools and consistently well above compared with similar schools. Significant factors affecting progress are very effective teaching, very good pupil attitudes and behaviour and excellent leadership and management by the headteacher and the governing body. The school provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The leadership of the headteacher and the governing body is outstanding and the quality of teaching in the school is very good. • In the national tests in 2002 Year 6 pupils achieved standards that were well above the national average in English and science and above the national average in mathematics. • The school’s very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development helps them to have very good attitudes to their work and behave very well so they make very good progress in their personal development. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. • The school nursery provides an excellent start to children’s education because of the way it is organised and the outstanding quality of the teaching. • The school gives very good support to pupils in both their academic performance and their personal development. It has established an ethos in which everyone in the school community is valued and

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

all are committed to help children to achieve as well as they can. • The school has established very good relationships with the vast majority of parents and the local community and this supports the pupils’ progress and development.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The library provision, including the quality and range of books and the library environment. • The outdoor provision available for the reception pupils to meet the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum. • The role of some newly appointed curriculum co-ordinators who have not yet had the opportunities to monitor effectively the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. 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

Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 7 There has been very good improvement since the school was last inspected in March 1998. The four issues for action identified then have been addressed effectively.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

A scheme of work is now in place for information and communication technology (ICT), and there are now much better standards in this subject. The quality and range of learning opportunities provided by the curriculum is now very good. A whole-school approach to assessment to guide planning has been fully implemented in English and mathematics and work has started in the other subjects. The school now meets its statutory requirements to provide information in the school prospectus and for governors to issue an annual report to parents. Systems for tracking the performance of staff are operating well.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Standards in English, mathematics and science are better than they were. Standards in ICT are much better than they were previously. The pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are also much improved. Many aspects of the building, especially pupils’ toilets, have been significantly improved. The leadership and management of the school from the headteacher and governing body are of a much higher quality than before and so is the quality of teaching. Most parents are now very happy with the education their children receive.

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

In the 2002 national tests overall standards by the end of Key Stage 1 were below average for seven- year-olds compared with all schools and average compared with similar schools. By the end of Key Stage 2 standards in 2002 were well above the national average for eleven-year-olds in English and science and above average in mathematics, compared with similar schools they were well above average in all three subjects. The rate of progress in results in the last five years has kept up with the national picture. Since 1999 standards in all three subjects have been consistently above average compared with all schools, apart from a slight dip in 2001. This represents very good progress by pupils from their time of entry into school.

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STANDARDS

Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Higher attaining pupils achieve very well as shown by the above average proportion of pupils who attain the higher levels in national tests for seven- and eleven-year-olds. Pupils with English as an additional language also make good progress in their learning. Standards in ICT are average overall and pupils achieve satisfactorily.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are very enthusiastic and eagerly join in activities and discussions during lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons, around the school and in the playground. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 8 Personal development and relationships Very good. The school makes very good provision to encourage personal development and there are excellent relationships between adults and children throughout the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance levels matched the national average in the last school year although in previous years they have been well above.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are particularly strong because of the positive school ethos apparent in school. All pupils are valued.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is very good overall throughout the school, nearly all the teaching is good or very good and a significant percentage is excellent. A strong feature of the teaching is the way the needs of all pupils are recognised and generally met very well. Teachers manage their classes very well. The excellent relationships throughout the school mean that pupils appreciate what is being offered to them in lessons and respond very positively and enthusiastically.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teaching observed in the nursery is outstanding so pupils get a very good start to their education. The oldest pupils, in Year 6, are also challenged particularly well and the high quality teaching enables them to achieve very well.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teaching of English and mathematics is very good and the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented very well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The curricular provision is enriched by an excellent extra- curricular programme and the effective use of visits and visitors.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils’ needs are identified quickly and clear individual targets are set and reviewed frequently.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. The pupils are supported well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The very good provision for pupils’ personal development makes a very positive contribution to their very good attitudes and behaviour.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils very well. The excellent relationships mean that teachers and other staff know the pupils very well and encourage their personal as well as academic development. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 9 The school works very well with parents and encourages them to contribute to many aspects of its life. The high attendance at the parents’ meetings and their positive attitudes, as revealed by the very positive response to the parents’ questionnaires, show how they value this partnership.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and involves his staff well in decisions about taking the school forward. All staff share the vision for the future to improve even further the standards the pupils achieve. The role of some new curriculum co-ordinators is not fully developed.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very supportive of the school and its mission to raise standards. Governors bring great enthusiasm and skill to their role and are closely involved in many aspects of school life. They fulfil their responsibilities extremely well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its performance very well. Annual reviews and constant monitoring of the school improvement plan quickly identify problems, and measures are taken to rectify them. The school recognises that the means of evaluating standards in some subjects need to be improved.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources This is done very well with both the school management and governors well aware of the need to get best value from the money it received and spent.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • Their children are taught very well and so make good progress in their work. • Their children are expected to work hard in school and that they get an appropriate amount of work to do at home. The school does a good job in helping their children to become more mature. • They are well informed about how their children are doing at school and think that the school staff are easy to talk to if they want to discuss any aspects of their children’s work. They feel that the school works closely with parents. • The school is very well led and managed. • Most believe that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside the classroom. • A few parents feel that more activities should be provided after school. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 10 The inspection team agrees with all the positive comments made by parents. Inspectors do not agree with those parents who feel that more activities should be provided after school. A broad programme is

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

offered. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. In the 2002 national tests for eleven-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 2, pupils’ results in English and science were well above the national average and in mathematics they were above average. In comparison with similar schools, standards were well above average in all three subjects. The percentage of pupils achieving higher than the expected level was double the national average in English, average in mathematics and well above average in science. This shows that the higher attaining pupils are being taught well and achieve very good standards. Apart from a slight dip in 2001, when standards generally matched national averages, standards in all three subjects have been consistently above average since 1999. The rate of improvement in test results in the last five years has kept up with that taking place nationally.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the 2002 tests for seven-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 1, results in reading, writing and mathematics were below the national average but, generally, in line with those of similar schools. The percentage of pupils achieving higher than expected results was above average in reading and writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. Pupils enter school with levels of achievement covering a wide range. Some have social and language skills above those normally expected, but many have less well- developed skills. Overall, children’s attainment on entry to school is below that of most children of their age. Because of the high quality provision, especially the teaching, all pupils make very good progress from the time they enter to the time they leave school. Higher achieving pupils generally go on to achieve results well above average and pupils who start school below the expected level often reach average national standards.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Evidence of very good progress the pupils make is also visible in the work they currently do.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Standards are above average in English, mathematics and science by Year 6. In other subjects standards are mainly at expected levels except for music and physical education where they are above average. Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language achieve well. These pupils make very good progress in relation to their prior knowledge and understanding. The school’s investment in additional staff is paying dividends. The school sets challenging targets for pupils and these are met effectively. Boys and girls achieve equally well.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Pupils’ attitudes to the school and their work are very good overall. Pupils behave very well and their personal development is very good. The quality of their relationships is excellent.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupils show great affection for their school. Almost all parents report that their children like school, and seven out of ten say that children like the school very much. It is a friendly place, with lots to do, and the lessons and activities are interesting. Teachers are helpful and pupils feel that they are encouraged and listened to. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 12 Consequently almost all lessons are characterised by good learning habits and purposeful attention. Pupils are often seen enjoying working together in pairs or larger groups for example, to pool ideas. Such groupings encourage every pupil to make his or her contribution within the overall objectives of lessons. The school includes all pupils in its activities, evidenced by very good progress by those with special educational needs. The excellent relationships between pupils from widely different ethnic minorities are particularly strong features of the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Behaviour overall is very good. Pupils are very polite. They generally show good self- restraint and move around the school in a very orderly way. Assemblies are respected as special occasions. Behaviour at breaks and lunchtimes is both appropriate and sensible. Behaviour in lessons is generally very good. No pupils have been excluded from the school in the last year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Personal development is very good. The pupils enjoy the many opportunities they have to be helpful such as by keeping the school tidy and well organised. From the time they start school, pupils are encouraged to think for themselves, to tidy things up, and to take pleasure from sharing with others. Consequently they play and work very well together throughout the school. Teams of pupils set out and put away whatever is needed for assemblies and they tidy up in the hall after lunch. They show thoughtfulness and care, and an increasing appreciation of others. All staff set most conscientious examples of friendly respect and concern, and pupils readily reflect these values.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attendance is broadly in line with the national average. This is the same as the last inspection but shows a small decline from 2000. The school has analysed well the reasons for this. Lateness is not a significant problem and unauthorised absence is very small.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the last inspection. Throughout the school it is very good. This is the main reason why pupils make very good progress and achieve high standards by the time they leave school. Teachers plan their lessons very well, they assess effectively what pupils learn during lessons and sometimes revise future lessons to cover work that pupils did not understand fully the first time they did it. Teachers use homework very well to consolidate what is learned in lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. Teaching is particularly strong in the nursery. The nursery gives children an outstanding start to their education. All the observations of lessons judged teaching to be excellent. The teaching in the Year 6 class is characterised by a particularly challenging teaching approach which encourages pupils to extend their knowledge. Throughout the school, teaching is good or better in 96 per cent of lessons seen. In over half the lessons it is either very good or excellent. This is an extremely positive picture.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. A consistent strength in lessons is the very good class management. Pupils are quite clear about what they are to do and how they should behave. The excellent relationships between pupils and their teachers and support staff are also key factors in the effective learning that occurs. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 13 14. Many lessons are delivered in an imaginative way that captures pupils’ interest and enables them to learn effectively. Literacy and numeracy lessons are taught well with the planning for the national strategies providing a good framework for the work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teachers develop very good relationships with their pupils and plan work to match their needs. In the best lessons learning is made fun; pupils gain confidence and are willing to try things out for themselves. Pupils with special educational needs are included in all classroom activities and teacher assistants are used very well. Generally teachers ask these pupils suitably challenging questions, listen carefully to their answers and give them the right amount of praise. As a result pupils make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Pupils with English as an additional language also benefit from the very good teaching the school provides. They are well supported in both class lessons or when withdrawn for small group work. Teachers and teacher assistants include activities for those pupils who have limited skills in English and use pictures and gesture effectively to help them understand. A translation service is also provided by the local education authority should the need arise. Subject specific language is regularly identified in teachers planning and is appropriately explained and used in lessons so that all pupils, but especially those learning English as an additional language, understand key concepts and can maximize their learning.

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PUPILS?

17. The curriculum has a good breadth and balance and closely reflects the school’s ethos. This is a great improvement since the last inspection when the curriculum was judged to be lacking both breadth and balance.

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PUPILS?

18. The curriculum is very stimulating and well structured. It ensures the pursuit of high achievement and provides interesting and relevant learning experiences. The quality of curriculum planning is very good. Written policy statements for all subjects are of a high quality and very clear. Appropriate schemes of work are very well established; recently introduced national guidance for the teaching of many subjects, such as geography and history, have been carefully adapted to meet the needs and interests of pupils. The subject guidance these give to teachers in subjects are notably better than at the time of the last inspection. Wherever possible, meaningful links are made between subjects. For example, in a Year 5 topic on the Ancient Greeks the pupils write play scripts in the style of the Ancient Greeks and used textiles from their work in design and technology to develop a scene from the Labour of Hercules in a history

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PUPILS?

lesson. The curriculum co-ordinator monitors the curriculum and time allocation well, modifying and adapting as and when necessary.

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PUPILS?

19. The school has worked very hard to implement both the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies successfully, and this has had a very considerable impact on standards. Pupils’ literacy skills are frequently used in other subjects and this enhances pupils’ learning. In history, for example, the Year 3 literacy work has been linked to finding information from fiction and non-fiction about the Second World War and writing in science which gives instructions. Numeracy skills are used well in other subjects, especially in data handling in ICT, and in measuring in design and technology and science.

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PUPILS?

20. Overall, the school provides an excellent range of extra-curricular activities. After- school clubs are an integral part of its life. The quality and range of sports activities Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 14 offered are excellent and many pupils take part. There is a very good range of competitive games both within the school and involving other schools. Pupils participate in many musical events and extend their skills through the good range of musical tuition on offer. There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in drama events; the pupils speak enthusiastically about both past and forthcoming school productions. The school regularly provides ways to stimulate pupils' appreciation of art through visits to many of the major galleries in central London. There is a comprehensive range of visits out of school organised to link appropriately with many of the class themes and topics pupils study. A high level of visitors to the school also

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PUPILS?

enhances the curriculum, for example, there have been visits from local artists and the members of the emergency services and representatives from local religious groups.

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PUPILS?

21. The school is very effective in ensuring that its curriculum is socially inclusive. All pupils, irrespective of age, ability, ethnic background or need, are involved in all aspects of school life. For example, pupils with special educational needs are rarely withdrawn from whole-class activities, but when they are, their work is very closely matched to what their peers do. Pupils' needs are fully considered in curriculum planning to safeguard their learning experiences. For example the achievement of boys relative to girls at the school is being addressed with specific strategies aimed at developing boys’ interests in reading and writing.

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PUPILS?

22. Overall, provision for personal, social and health education is very good. Lessons in personal education are very good. Some excellent lessons on personal development occur in Year 6 and there are high quality displays on why teasing can hurt in Year 5. Aspects of healthy living are regularly included in lessons, such as the care of teeth in Year 3, and through physical education and special weeks and days devoted to themes such as FITT Day (Fun in Tracksuit and Trainers).

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PUPILS?

23. The school works very hard to prepare pupils for citizenship and adult life through many opportunities for them to develop maturity and responsibility. Pupils also increasingly become aware of the different needs of people in their local community and further afield, for example, through the study of Kenya in Year 2. The school regularly provides health education instruction for pupils, for example raising their awareness about drugs misuse. The governing body has also decided to include sex education in the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

24. A very significant contribution to pupils' learning is made by the positive links with the community. For example, pupils have participated as samba dancers and musicians in a local street festival. The school very regularly brings the community into the school to broaden pupils' understanding of the world. Very effective use is made of links with local sports clubs, commerce and industry. For example, local cricket and football clubs coach pupils at the school and staff from the head office of a major company regularly come into school to hear pupils read and assist in lessons in the computer suite.

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PUPILS?

25. The school has very good relationships with other educational institutions. There is a good level of contact with local providers of education for very young children. Productive links with local beacon schools have provided a source of inspiration for work in literacy and the Foundation Stage. The school also has very good links with local teacher training institutions, and with other local schools, especially through a wide range of sporting events. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 15 26. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is very good, better than reported at the last inspection. A notice on the stairs saying ‘No one can do everything but everyone can do something’ is central to the school’s strong ethos. All pupils are valued and their self-esteem developed. This is a fully inclusive school where pupils’ and their backgrounds are valued. In lessons pupils’ own

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PUPILS?

contributions are sought and their self-esteem developed. The headteacher has a clear vision of how the school should be cultivating pupils’ personal development. Through his own example, he emphasises and promotes the joy of life and qualities such as ‘trying our best’ and understanding ‘how we can help one another’.

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PUPILS?

27. Spiritual awareness is promoted very well in assemblies through music, visual presentations, stories and moments of reflection and prayer. During these assemblies the views of pupils of all ages are sought and the youngest pupils are sufficiently confident to contribute answers in front of the whole school. The daily act of worship is considered an essential part of school life. All teachers attend and there is a weekly ‘bright idea’ for pupils to consider and think about, such as ‘A good friend can be trusted’. A good curriculum has been developed to support pupils’ personal, social and health education. During ‘circle time’ in Year 2, pupils watched and waited for each other during their ‘blast off’ game when they expressed a range of thoughts and feelings. They were overjoyed when they realised that everyone managed to take part. Pupils are encouraged to develop a sense of wonder in poetry. This was

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PUPILS?

successfully done, for example, when Year 5 pupils listened in a hushed silence to the teacher’s very good reading of a poem. In an excellent Year 6 lesson about ‘can I value myself and how do people value me?’ pupils worked extremely hard. They needed to be told not to be too hard on themselves. The pupils avidly undertook the task whilst the teacher monitored and gave encouraging comments such as ‘what a lovely thing to say’.

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PUPILS?

28. The very good provision for pupils’ moral and social development impacts successfully on their development. Pupils behave very well both in class and around the school, even during ‘wet playtime’. They are polite and courteous. There is a core of three school rules/rights and to these each class adds its own rules. By devising these rules the pupils learn to know the difference between right and wrong. Pupils are given many opportunities to monitor that rules are obeyed, for instance by checking the way that other pupils leave the hall after assembly and by awarding points for good behaviour. The school provides many resources and activities for playtimes so that pupils have plenty to do to keep them happy and busy either by playing co-operative games, or if they choose, playing on their own. Older pupils help younger ones, acting as ‘reading buddies’ and by working in the infants area during ‘wet playtimes’. Older pupils are also given opportunities to mature and develop

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PUPILS?

socially through residential visits and by taking part regularly in competitive sports.

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PUPILS?

29. The school develops pupils’ cultural understanding very well. Visits are made to contrasting localities in Britain and a range of different cultural traditions are taught, often by using the experiences of both pupils and parents. Festivals from other religions, such as Diwali, are celebrated in assemblies and displays. Stories from various countries are used in class assemblies to challenge assumptions about racial stereotypes. All pupils often take the tube to visit places of interest in London such as galleries and museums. They take part in local carnivals and recently performed the samba. The traditional British culture is also celebrated by having visits from expert performers such as the National Folk Dancing Association. Pupils learned maypole dancing and square dancing. Overall pupils are given a rich cultural diet. Pupils whose parents come from other countries and do not speak English as their first

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PUPILS?

language are confident and pleased to talk about their experiences. The cultural Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 16 curriculum is also enriched by visitors, such as the Japanese teachers, who will visit shortly to demonstrate origami, calligraphy and Japanese food.

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PUPILS?

30. Pupils with special educational needs are given equal access to the school’s very good curriculum. Teacher assistants are used very well and often take note of their achievements and difficulties. Pupils have the correct amount of help as specified in their statements of special educational needs.

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PUPILS?

31. When pupils are withdrawn from class the teachers are careful to ensure that they do not consistently miss the experiences that their classmates are enjoying. For instance, pupils are withdrawn for extra literacy after the whole-class start to the literacy hour.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. This is a very caring and inclusive school. It is extremely successful in monitoring and eliminating any oppressive behaviour. Arrangements for pupils’ welfare and for child protection are very good. The school is very effective in providing educational support and guidance. Based on very good assessment procedures and alertness, pupils’ academic performance and personal development are very well promoted and monitored. This represents very good progress since the previous inspection when assessment, in particular, was inconsistent across the school and not well used.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Pupils feel secure and valued. This is mainly because of the friendly personal care and interest shown by the staff on a daily basis, but it is reinforced by valuing and displaying of pupils’ achievements, the consistently high expectations set and not least by considerable improvements made to the school’s premises. Teachers know their pupils very well, and encourage them to be confident, to enjoy themselves and to give of their best.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The school has a range of very comprehensive and modern policies for the pupils’ welfare, backed by appropriate knowledge and systems to ensure these are used. Supervision is effective at all times. The kindly services of the office, and nearby first- aid room, are readily on hand. A recent professional audit of the school’s health and safety and risk assessment procedures revealed few areas needing attention, and these have been addressed. Child protection arrangements are in place and are very effective.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school promotes and monitors attendance very carefully. For instance, the headteacher examines each class register more than once each half term, commenting upon how well it is maintained and indicating those pupils whose attendance needs to be watched. Teachers are expected to, and do, note down the time of arrival for all lateness so that these matters can be, and are, documented to parents where necessary. Extraordinary absences are appropriately referred to the education welfare service.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school takes care to manage behaviour very well for it recognises this area is crucial to its whole effectiveness. Its good policies are uniformly applied by all teachers, who often add some negotiated class rules to the basic few. Teaching consistently holds the interest of pupils, and teachers’ relationships with them are often excellent. Classroom management is effective. Out of lessons, the school is a cohesive community and older pupils help younger ones. Members of the school council are very well aware of their responsibilities towards making the school a better place and making representations should anything appear amiss. Because of the Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 17 school’s values and management, unkindly or oppressive behaviour is, rightly, not regarded by the pupils as of particular concern. All pupils, from whatever ethnic background, relate well to one another.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Personal support and guidance is very good. From the moment they arrive at the nursery children are treated as individuals and encouraged very effectively to grow in confidence and ability. Parents praise the care taken in the subsequent induction process into the main school. Teachers throughout the school are very successful in building upon their informal evaluations of pupils and encouraging them to develop as responsible, aware and active individuals.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress are very good and consistently applied across the whole school. Assessment information is used very well to inform curriculum development and teachers’ planning and to maximise pupil achievement. This is a very good improvement upon the findings of the last inspection when there was no coherent strategy and assessment information was underused.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Assessment procedures in English and mathematics are very well established. The results of annual tests in these two subjects are computerised and regularly analysed. This enables the school to have a very accurate record and detailed analysis of the progress of different groups of pupils. Both teachers and curriculum co-ordinators use this information very well to assist in the planning of their lessons as well as for curriculum development. These formal assessments are very well supported by assessments made by learning support assistants, the termly moderation of pupils’ written work and assessments in mathematics when class topics or themes are completed. Although the school monitors pupils’ reading, this is not as robust as it is in other areas.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Based on the information gathered, challenging predictions are made about the performance of each pupil for the end of each year in each key stage. This is used extremely well not only as part of the school’s strategy to manage its performance, but also to identify both groups and individuals who may need extra support in order to maximise their achievement. Each pupil has termly targets for English and mathematics and these are shared with their parents. Year 6 pupils also have one-to- one interviews with their class teacher to discuss their performance and what they need to do to improve upon it, which is an initiative not widely developed in primary schools.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. In science, teachers assess pupils’ work against criteria and levels of the National Curriculum. A comprehensive method of assessing pupils’ performance in ICT was trialled by the co-ordinator last year, and is shortly to be used by all class teachers. In all other subjects, the pupils are usually assessed at the end of a topic or block of work. This is done carefully against specific learning objectives and is well used by teachers to adapt their future planning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. In nearly all subjects, except mathematics, there are portfolios of work that act as useful tools by which co-ordinators monitor the coverage of their subjects, but very few of these have yet been extended to include the levelling of work.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Pupils with special educational needs are cared for equally as well as other pupils. They are valued and expected to reach their full potential. Teachers often make sure that they work in mixed-ability groups so that they learn from their classmates, and this is effective. Displays of their work, and the very good ethos of the school enhance the self-esteem of these pupils. As a result they talk confidently and easily. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 18 Discussion with them reveals that pupils are happy at school and on the rare occasion when others are unkind they know that they can talk to their teacher and that it will be sorted out. They are assessed well. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have clear targets for the pupils and suggest ways in which they can be met. They are helpful to teachers, and pupils can measure their success and so increase in self- confidence. The school is also careful to distinguish between special educational

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

needs and early understanding of English. For instance one pupil has been identified as being particularly good at mathematics. Pupils with English as an additional language benefit from the assessment systems in place because all pupils are judged on the progress they have made from where they were when they entered the school. The school is also careful to distinguish between pupils’ language needs, and their abilities in other subjects, such as science and mathematics, so that their language competence doesn’t hold them back.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school’s partnership with parents and carers is very effective. The school communicates in a friendly manner, frequently and openly. As a result most parents feel involved, and make a very effective impact on its work. Many parents and carers are noticeably enthusiastic about the school’s qualities, and rightly remark on the widespread improvements over the last few years.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Overall, parents have a much higher opinion of the school than they did at the time of the previous inspection. This time the pre-inspection meeting was much better attended. Almost half the parental community returned the inspection questionnaires. Except for questions on homework and activities outside lessons, more than half of those replying have indicated strong approval for what the school is currently doing. Very few express criticisms, though when they do, individuals present strong views about particular incidents. The small number of parents commenting on homework provision tend to think too much is given. Inspectors do not agree with this view and consider that the work given to do at home makes a valuable contribution to the progress made by many pupils. Those expressing doubts about the extra-curricular arrangements are mostly parents with younger children where fewer opportunities do

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

occur. Overwhelmingly, however, parents and carers express great satisfaction with the school’s qualities, and the inspection team agrees with their views.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The school provides parents with a good deal of information in a variety of ways. In the nursery, for example, parents can readily see the stimulating ethos presented to their children. Many notices and pictures explain what nursery education is about including its goals, and how parents can help at home, even in the smallest ways to lead their children to think and achieve for themselves, such as the discipline of dressing. The school’s prospectus is a good quality document, effectively supplemented by material to update it. Newsletters keep parents and pupils in touch with events. To ensure the news gets through, the pupils hear the contents each week before they are entrusted to take the newsletters home.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. To keep parents informed about their children’s progress, consultation meetings are held each term. More than nine in ten parents and carers usually attend these. Academic reports at the end of the year are written to a good standard, being perceptive and lively. Reporting what each pupil can do across the full range of subjects occurs. The school has interesting plans to move the comprehensive written report earlier into the year and to report in the summer on progress made towards targets previously set. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 19 48. All parents and carers are made to feel very welcome in the school. They are invited in to ‘meet the teacher’ afternoons, and every term the school makes a feature of some aspect of the curriculum, such as a maths week, or a health and sports week. This programme regularly helps to inform parents as well as their children about what is being taught. Above all, led by the example of the headteacher, staff throughout the

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents make a very considerable impact on the work of the school. Parents are very welcome to help in school and many do so. For example, during ‘Book Week’, parents came to school to tell the story of ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’ in various languages. Almost a dozen parental volunteers help in the school and others also assist with visits. Many parents and carers contribute well to their children’s learning. Relationships and general resources are much improved through work and support of the flourishing parent teacher association. Through a questionnaire issued by the school, parents have been instrumental in contributing to the homework section of the school’s improvement plan. The elected parent governors play a major part in formulating strategic decisions, in monitoring, and in holding the school to account.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The system for contacting parents of pupils with special educational needs is well established. Parents are invited to attend annual reviews of their children’s progress and are involved in the reviews of their children’s education programmes. They are aware of their children’s targets and how they can help.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The leadership of the headteacher is outstanding and he is very well supported by a highly motivated, hard-working and skilful governing body. The school is committed to the professional development of all staff and encourages staff to move on to obtain promotion or further experience. This means that there is some change in staffing most years and three classes are presently taught by inexperienced teachers. However the effective systems set up by the headteacher and governors mean that new teachers, and other staff, are given very good support and fit in to the school routines and ethos very well. The excellent relationships throughout the school are the result of everyone knowing what is expected of them and an understanding that everyone is a valued member of the school community.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher is at the heart of the school, establishing and maintaining its caring atmosphere and its aim for high attainment. He is committed to maintaining the high standards achieved by pupils and recognises the areas that can be further improved. He has a high level of concern for each pupil’s wellbeing. He communicates these values and priorities very well and has succeeded in securing a high level of commitment from a very hardworking staff.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The senior management team makes a good contribution to planning and evaluating change and gives good support to the headteacher. The deputy headteacher is involved appropriately in much of the day-to-day routine management of the school.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The governing body is a highly effective one. Governors are very supportive of the school. They are very aware of, and fulfil, their responsibilities and their legal obligations. They bring a wide range of skills and experience which benefits the school. Many are closely linked to aspects of school life, such as financial management, special educational needs and English as an additional language. All subject areas have a delegated governor. The ethos created in school is such that governors and teachers work well together, each knowing their own responsibilities. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 20 Teachers report to governors on developments in their subjects and governors are quite clear that the management of the subject is the teachers’ responsibility. Parents appreciate the way the teacher governors are approachable and can help with their questions or minor problems. Governors have a clear view of the strengths of the

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school and the areas which need to be developed.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school has a very strong commitment towards pupils with special educational needs and their inclusion in all activities. A full-time special educational needs co- ordinator has recently been appointed. She monitors progress and helps the teachers plan work to match needs. Very good management has ensured that appropriate appointments of staff have been made to make sure that special educational needs is given a high priority and that the overall quality of the teaching of it is very good. The special educational needs co-ordinator has organised the assessments and records of the special educational needs pupils’ needs very well. Individual education programmes are precise and identify short-term measurable targets. Consequently they are helpful to teachers and also help the pupils see that they are improving. The school’s special needs register is up-to-date and is well kept. The new regulations or

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

‘Code of Practice’ is followed. Special help is either increased or withdrawn appropriately when areas of need are identified or pupils make enough progress. Outside specialist agencies give good support to the school . The special educational needs co-ordinator has a good knowledge of special needs pupils and their families. The school is sufficiently flexible and can alter its timetable as new pupils arrive part way through the year so that support matches need.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The overall number of staff and their range of teaching qualifications and experiences are well matched to the present number on roll. There is a good number of well- trained support staff who add considerably to pupils’ learning and the improvement of standards. Although there has been a high turnover of staff in recent years with many staff securing promotion elsewhere, the school uses effective recruitment strategies to maintain staffing levels. Very strong systems and procedures also ensure that pupils’ education is barely disrupted and standards are maintained. Teamwork is a very significant feature of the school and staff support each other very well. Teachers and co-ordinators have well-developed job descriptions and these are used well to evaluate how they carry out their role. The management of the provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language is very effective.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. Overall the accommodation is generally satisfactory for delivering the National Curriculum. It has been improved considerably since the last inspection, particularly the nursery play area. The school is now bright and attractive and every space is well used. However, there are several areas which still need to be developed. For the Foundation Stage there is no dedicated play area for the reception class. The reception and nursery classes are separated which makes it more difficult for them to work collaboratively. The school library is upstairs. It is too small for whole-class lessons on library skills and despite recent spending it has too few non-fiction books.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school employs very well-embedded strategic thinking into managing its resources. Its improvement plan cycle sensibly links together what the school aims to achieve with decisions concerning the allocation of resources. For example, the finance and buildings committee holds a joint meeting with the curriculum committee to examine the financial implications arising from identified curricular priorities before separately considering the budget as a whole and making a recommendation to the governing body. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 21 59. The school deliberately uses the services of the local education authority to provide hands-on financial support and advice and this ensures a professional and dedicated service, allowing school management to concentrate upon educational matters. Consequently financial operations are very efficiently handled. Curriculum managers are responsible for handling their own budgets. Monitoring reports are made available

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

to the headteacher and the chair of finance at least monthly and official reviews are undertaken by the finance committee twice termly. A recent audit report into the school’s financial systems brought only a few minor points to attention, and these have all been addressed. The school’s overall outcomes suggest that the strategic use of its funds is very good.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. Best value principles are understood and applied very well. Governors received training in cost effectiveness and best value a year ago. The need to compare, consult, challenge and compete is endemic to the school’s approach to its work, and these principles are applied hand-in-hand with a lively and entrepreneurial attitude to researching and obtaining additional resources. Both pupils and parents are canvassed for their opinions. A sharp eye is maintained on educational standards, both nationally and as compared with the school’s different year groups. Internal analysis is used to monitor outcomes with, for instance, educational inclusion in mind. Competition does not merely extend to obtaining alternative quotations, it even includes a scheme promoted by the parent teacher association for advertising the school and at the same time bringing in an income!

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

61. The governors, headteacher and staff should further improve standards by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improving the library provision in school by: • improving the range and quality of reference books; • considering the location of the library to make it more accessible to Key Stage 1 pupils and to make it possible to teach whole classes; • Improving pupils’ library referencing skills.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Looking to provide an outdoor play area for the reception class pupils in the Foundation Stage.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Continuing to develop the management skills of curriculum co-ordinators, in particular by providing training and monitoring opportunities for newly appointed staff. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 39

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

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 two percentage points..

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 13 189

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 26

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 60

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 70

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 23 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 - 24

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 12 17 29

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 10 9 10 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 16

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 83 (70) 79 (67) 90 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 9 10 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 16 15

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 79 (70) 90 (73) 8 3(93) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.24

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 12 16 28

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 12 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 14 14

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 89 (75) 89 (71) 93 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 12 11 12 Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls 13 14 14

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 89 (75) 89 (71) 93 (93) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 16 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 2 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 10 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 6 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9 Financial year 2001/2002

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total income 630,228

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 629,256

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 105 Expenditure per pupil 2590

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 20,434

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 21,406

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 26 Total aggregate hours worked per week 35 ‘

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 59 36 3 1 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 66 30 1 0 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 53 3 2 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 61 34 2 0 4

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 71 25 2 1 2

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 29 2 0 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 38 4 1 3

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 64 32 0 0 4 Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 27 The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 34 2 0 6

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 38 39 8 0 15

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

62. A number of children begin nursery with immature skills in personal and social development. The high quality of teaching and support means that they make good gains in developing their confidence and self-esteem. Children are thrilled to receive the praise, ‘brilliant’ and ‘well done!’ They are proud of the displays that are well planned and give them and their parents a record of what they achieve. They are given many opportunities to show independence and accept responsibilities. For example, a child commented that ‘The car is wet from the rain!’ as she went outside to play. The teacher could have dried it herself but instead asked, ‘So what do you want to do about that?’ The child thought and said, ‘I’ll go and get a towel and dry it’. This is one example of the high quality teaching which is a feature of a nursery where children are challenged to work out answers for themselves and therefore develop

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

well personally. Routines for putting things away are well established both in the nursery and reception class, and this gives responsibility to children which helps their development.

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

63. Children in both classes play and work together well, whether supervised or not. They share equipment well and are beginning to understand the rules of a group. For example, a child riding the car on the road track in nursery stopped when another child held up the red stop circle. Adults provide very good role models, working closely as a team. Often humour and role-play are used effectively to make learning fun and more memorable. Pupils are rapidly learning what it is like to belong to a caring community. At the end of sessions, work is examined, discussed and applauded which enables the children to develop socially in a positive manner.

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

64. There is a wide range of speaking and listening skills in both the nursery and the reception class. However, almost all children make good progress in developing these skills because of the high quality of teaching. This means that most attain the standards required by the early learning goals by the end of the Foundation Stage. Some children answer in single words while others use extended sentences. In the nursery children develop both their speaking and their listening skills when they are taken on walks around the areas next to the school. One walk was a ‘listening walk’ but this also involved a good deal of talking! Children sang ‘we like listening’ as they walked but listened carefully as they stopped along the way. ‘I can hear the leaves in the trees’, ‘Is that because of the wind?’, ‘Yes’. Nearer to school children stopped again and listened to the noises from the Key Stage 1 playtime, ‘I can hear the

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

65. Children in both classes use a good range of language skills when answering questions. Responding to teachers’ prompts they whisper or shout their answers to Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 28 questions. Reception children talk about what they think will happen next in a story about a lost teddy bear and many speak in complete sentences. Nursery children listen carefully about ‘Spot the Dog’s Birthday’ and as the other animals are found make appropriate sounds, for example ‘hiss’ for the snake. Children are given many opportunities to look at books. They have stories well read to them by teachers, support staff and parents. They have many opportunities to talk about the books they are given and parents are given good advice on how to help their children read in the work that is sent home.

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

66. From the outset, children are encouraged to use pens to record what they are doing. In nursery, the teacher encourages some boys, who normally do not like to sit and draw, to use pens by playing a game with them. They rolled objects, such as conkers down the outdoor slide and happily marked where each one finished. This is another example of the very imaginative teaching which is flexible enough to target particular groups or individuals. The milk cartons provided for the youngest children are marked with their names so children have to recognise either their name or its first letter as they sort their carton from the others. Again this reflects the philosophy of giving children the responsibility to solve problems and they learn well because of this.

p.28

Mathematical development

67. This is another area of learning which is very well taught. Mathematical understanding is encouraged from the first days in school. Staff are constantly asking children to count on and back. ‘Spot is two today, is this the correct number for him?’ ‘No that’s a three’. Reception children identify the long-, short- and middle-sized boots by looking at cut out shapes. Looking at numbers, patterns and measures are an integral part of their daily experiences, so most children achieve the standards expected of them by the time they move on to Key Stage 1. Children enjoy the mathematical challenges they are given because, often, they are part of the activities which they regard as ‘play’. Work is well matched to children’s abilities.

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

68. Children come into school with a wide range of experiences. Some have a good understanding of their environment, but most have a very limited knowledge of places outside their own street or residence. This means that, despite the high quality of teaching, many children do not achieve the standards expected by the end of the Foundation Stage. However, they all make good progress from their starting point. Teachers produce interesting activities to help children to make good progress, for example the nursery children have visited the local petrol station where they found their headteacher filling up his car! They have produced good quality and interesting work recording what they saw.

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

69. Children in both classes use the ‘mouse’ well when they work on the computer. Reception children ‘drag’ shapes around the screen and a nursery child uses the mouse to create an interesting picture using different colours and lines.

p.28

Physical development

70. The children in nursery have very good opportunities to develop their physical skills. They have a very good range of activities set out in their outdoor play area. These enable them to practise their skills by using different kinds of wheeled vehicles and develop their ball skills with many opportunities to throw and catch. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 29 71. Games and songs in groups often include hand and arm movements and, by following the movements of the teacher, children develop the way they move. Many pupils achieve the expected levels by the time they have reached the end of the reception year.

p.28

Physical development

72. The reception class children use the hall for physical education lessons but do not have free access to outdoor facilities to develop some skills, for example in climbing. The school recognises that this is an area they need to develop.

p.29

Creative development

73. Children in both the nursery and the reception class make good progress in this area. Children express themselves freely in a range of creative activities. Paint is applied freely and with good precision by many pupils. Nursery pupils use modelling materials well, adding other materials such as glitter shapes to finish of their models well.

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Creative development

74. Songs and nursery rhymes are often linked to other work being undertaken. Number sequences are learnt through songs and musical experiences are extended through very enthusiastic instrumental playing in the reception class.

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Creative development

75. The high quality of the teaching means that teachers think carefully about the way their classrooms are set out. When children are given a choice of the ‘activities’ they would like to do, all areas are well planned to ensure that children are ‘learning’ as they play. Both classes give children opportunities to play in the role of different characters and therefore develop their creative talents.

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ENGLISH

76. The standard of pupils’ work in English is broadly in line with the national average in Year 2 and above average in Year 6. The good, and sometimes very good, progress made by pupils is attributable to the good quality of teaching and the positive impact of the literacy hour, during which pupils are very well behaved and show very good attitudes. Standards in speaking and listening are below average when children start school, but improve well over time and are above average by Year 6. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make very good progress. This is because the school has invested substantially in providing extra staff to meet their needs. These pupils are fully included and enabled to participate in literacy lessons. There is no discernible difference in the attainment of boys and girls. There are good indications that the good all-round improvements will

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ENGLISH

continue and that the targets for eleven-year-old pupils in 2003 will be met.

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ENGLISH

77. The national test results for Year 2 pupils in 2002 were average when compared to similar schools but were below the national average. Results of the Year 6 tests were well above both the national average and the average for similar schools. Almost two thirds of these pupils scored the higher Level 5. The school’s challenging target was met. Many pupils made very good progress and had risen to the challenge that the school provided.

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ENGLISH

78. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils throughout the school to develop speaking and listening skills. They often excite pupils so that the pupils want to talk about what they know and have learned. A good example of this was seen in Year 1, where pupils were enthralled and excited by the postman visiting (the headteacher dressed up to re-enact the class book). The pupils were keen to answer questions and did so in several sentences. They re-told the story of the ‘Three Bears’ correctly. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 30 They also identified rhyme without being asked. In Year 2 one pupil played imaginatively with words. In a lesson about writing instructions he said ‘This is instructions about instructions’. In Year 6, the teacher’s questioning is skilful and results in the pupils giving good descriptions of ‘the vault’ described in ‘Moonfleet’. Teachers place an appropriate emphasis on teaching correct terminology, as in a

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ENGLISH

Year 1 design and technology lesson when the pupils learned the term ‘segment’ for part of a satsuma. Similarly, pupils in Year 6 used the detailed name of the type of glue that they used to join materials .

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ENGLISH

79. As pupils’ reading ability on entry to the school is generally below expectations, they do very well to attain above average standards by the time they leave the school. Infants progressively build upon their knowledge of sounds in words learned in reception and Year 1. Pupils have a real joy for reading and many parents give their children good support. Older pupils quote their favourite authors. Pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language quickly develop their knowledge and understanding of letter sounds owing to the good quality of the structured teaching that they experience. They are taught to tackle new and unfamiliar words and begin to understand the meaning of different words. Above average pupils demonstrate enjoyment and interest in reading. Pupils read with increasing fluency and accuracy, and older pupils can speak with first-hand knowledge of a range of

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ENGLISH

different authors. They give good reasons why they have favourites. However, their research skills are less well developed. The school library has too few non-fiction books. Generally the library is not inviting; it is not large enough for a class to be taught library skills and is a long way upstairs for the infant pupils to access. Despite this the older pupils are keen to find, and how to access, reference books by using the pages with the contents, indexes and blurb. One said, ‘I’d be very interested to find out about Table Mountain as I know nothing about it’. However, during the inspection the pupils could not find suitable books to answer questions about their favourite topics, as they were not there. School reading records are a good form of communication with parents. However, the records for the older pupils only show the number of books read. There is no analysis of the variety of books chosen, the appropriateness

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ENGLISH

of these books or the areas where pupils are having difficulties and need help to further improve.

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ENGLISH

80. The standard of writing for pupils in Key Stage 2 is above average. Pupils have made good progress so far this year. A good example of thoughtful writing in Year 6 is ‘I think that Treasure Island could be a dream or a nightmare depending on who you are’. In Year 5, pupils refine and improve their work to produce creative and imaginative descriptions such as, ‘Lightning is a deadly, yellow laser beam heading straight out of the universe’. Throughout the school, pupils are used to re-drafting and improving their work. One Year 6 boy described this as ‘reading over the work and choosing better words’. In Year 2 pupils tried to follow their own written instructions to make a CD player work. When a pupil’s instructions were unclear or a step had been missed out, the whole class was ready with suggestions to make the instructions foolproof. Pupils were happy to re-write their list of instructions. This was an

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ENGLISH

imaginative lesson, but so far this year the written work in the infant books lacks creativity. Pupils re-write stories in the correct sequence and re-write events from favourite books but no poetry is evident and the pupils’ stories lack a spark of imagination. However they are on track to produce writing of an average standard by the end of the year. Throughout the school presentation skills are good. Writing is neat and pupils take a pride in their work. Year 2 pupils are beginning to practise joined handwriting but are not using this in their general class work. In the juniors classes most pupils join their handwriting in all their work and it is generally well formed and easy to read. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 31 81. Standards of spelling and grammar, including punctuation, are varied. The improvement of spelling has been identified as a priority for this year. Consequently all pupils are given regular spelling homework and standards are improving. In Year 2,

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ENGLISH

most pupils spell simple words correctly and other words are phonetically plausible. By Year 6, pupils spell accurately difficult words learned for homework and use them effectively in their own writing.

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ENGLISH

82. The quality of teaching is consistently good throughout the school. Out of seven lessons seen, three were very good and four were good. Teachers generally have high expectations of what pupils should achieve. This is particularly so within the literacy hour. The way in which they use questioning to draw out meaning and develop pupils’ understanding is thoroughly effective. In a Year 6 lesson on writing detailed descriptions, pupils were forced to think, find good words and discover the underlying meaning in the text. They worked hard to describe the vault as ‘a hiding place for contraband’. At this point, the teacher issued a fresh challenge that motivated and engaged the pupils. This is typical of the way in which teachers establish good relationships in lessons. As a result, pupils are challenged to learn and they respond by working hard and productively, making good and often very good progress.

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ENGLISH

Generally, where pupils of different attainment are grouped together, teachers plan work that matches pupils’ abilities and teacher assistants are used very effectively. These assistants make a valuable contribution to pupils’ learning as does the special educational needs co-ordinator and the support teacher for pupils with English as an additional language. The below average pupils, including those with special educational needs, are well supported and as a result learn very well. When the teachers share the learning objectives for lessons with their pupils, the latter are clear about what they should know and do. The best teaching really engages the pupils’ interest. This happens frequently, for instance in Year 5 when the teacher read the poem so well that there was a hush in the class and all pupils were absorbed. Teachers are also good at judging pupils’ level of understanding and adapting their

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ENGLISH

83. The teaching of spelling is systematic. However, in Year 2 the long spelling lesson at the beginning of the week is rightly being reviewed. It is not sufficiently stimulating and does not capitalise on the opportunity the lesson could provide for pupils to talk and write about all the interesting things that they have done over the weekend.

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ENGLISH

84. For the majority of pupils throughout the school, there is a variety of writing tasks in the wider curriculum, such as recording in science and reporting in history. But the school’s promotion of literacy across the curriculum is more opportunist than deliberately planned. The school recognises that there is still work to be done on pupils practising and developing their literacy skills in other subjects.

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ENGLISH

85. The co-ordination of English is good. The co-ordinator has good subject knowledge and a secure understanding of the principles and intensions of the literacy hour. She carries out close supportive monitoring of planning and teaching in the junior classes through her additional responsibility for mentoring newly qualified teachers. As a result, teachers, many of whom are new to the school, use the literacy hour competently and productively. The co-ordinator brings energy and enthusiasm to the subject, for example by attending update courses, training staff to help them assess levels of work to raise teachers’ expectations and give them a secure base for their assessments. The writing assessments which are moderated each term confirm the good progress the pupils make. Optional standard assessments tests are used in the intervening years between Year 2 and Year 6, and the tabulated results are used to

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ENGLISH

Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 32 make individual targets for every pupil in reading and writing. This target setting guides further work in class. The co-ordinator enriches the curriculum by directing a whole- school drama production each year. However, owing to her own teaching commitment, there is limited opportunity for her to monitor the quality of teaching in the infant classes and the Foundation Stage.

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ENGLISH

86. Despite the shortcomings in the school library, the number and quality of books have improved after profitable liaison with the Schools’ Library Service and the school’s own investment of funds, but still needs strengthening.

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MATHEMATICS

87. Standards in mathematics, including numeracy, are average for seven-year-olds, and above average for eleven-year-olds as they were when the school was last inspected. The introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy, coupled with very good teaching and assessment procedures is having a beneficial impact on standards, so that by the end of the year test results for eleven year olds should be at least as good as those in 2002, and for seven-year-olds, could be even better.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Given their capabilities, all pupils, regardless of gender, ethnicity or competency in English, achieved well and some achieved very well. The results for the 2002 tests show that higher attaining pupils did not achieve as well in mathematics as in other subjects. Now this group of pupils is challenged by stimulating work and high quality teaching. The school is aware that contrary to the national trend, boys, especially at the age of eleven, do not always achieve as well as girls. By targeting boys with specific teaching strategies this imbalance is now being addressed effectively.

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MATHEMATICS

89. In Year 2, many higher attaining pupils have a good knowledge of number bonds and place value to 100, although few can solve problems using numbers to 1,000. Many other pupils, however, are less secure and require the use of apparatus in their number work and often concentrate on numbers less than 50 or 20. Most pupils know many of the properties of two- and three-dimensional shapes. High attainers measure accurately although some are not sure how to measure with a ruler. All pupils, however, have used their skills to measure different body parts such as wrists and ankles.

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MATHEMATICS

90. Pupils in Year 6 work out calculations in their heads quickly. In one ICT lesson, for example, pupils speedily checked the accuracy of their calculations on their spreadsheets. They have a very good understanding of place value and many pupils successfully identify clearly the value of digits in whole and decimal numbers. Most pupils understand fractions, decimals and percentages and have a firm grasp of their relationships. All have a secure understanding of area and perimeter; higher attaining pupils successfully use the standard formula to calculate these measurements. Pupils use and interpret a range of diagrams, pie charts and frequency graphs and regularly apply their mathematical knowledge to real-life problems, especially in relation to money and measurement. Pupils do not regularly carry out mathematical investigations but teacher’s planning indicates that some opportunities are provided.

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MATHEMATICS

91. The quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is at least good and usually very good. All teachers are very familiar and secure with the National Numeracy Strategy, which they apply very effectively. The three-part lesson structure is very well used and planning identifies clearly groups of pupils of different ability. Appropriate extension work is given for higher attaining pupils. Mathematical language is regularly used and carefully explained to help those learning English as an additional language Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 33 to gain the maximum from the lesson. The emphasis placed upon mathematical language, as seen in a Year 5 lesson, also encourages pupils to explain their work using the correct terminology. The teacher’s excellent questioning and descriptions not only captured most pupils’ interest, but also developed their knowledge and understanding of three-dimensional shapes. Oral and mental sessions are delivered

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MATHEMATICS

with enthusiasm. Because they are encouraged to solve problems on their own, pupils learn quickly and show good mental agility. For example, in a Year 4 lesson, pupils quickly became confident in using their mathematical ability calculating mentally the 50 per cent discount on many household items. In the main teaching activity the teachers manage pupils and resources efficiently. They use practical apparatus and provide relevant tasks that make pupils think hard. For example in a superb demonstration in Year 3, the teacher gave a very graphical and meaningful explanation on addition in pairs of five or ten that make 100, by using a metal rule, dots and a piece of fabric.

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MATHEMATICS

92. In all lessons, very good use is made of support staff. They are very well briefed and are actively engaged at every stage of the lesson. Whether they are working with an individual or a group, they make a considerable impact. Very good relationships, as when Year 6 pupils studied perimeter, allowed the challenging lesson to proceed at a good pace and pupils’ levels of concentration and participation were high. Many teachers assess pupils’ learning very well. For example, the Year 1 teacher realised that many pupils were confused about place value and therefore spent additional time effectively to reinforce pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Homework is regularly set; it is usually closely tied to topics covered in lessons and makes a positive contribution to the pupils’ learning.

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MATHEMATICS

93. In a very few instances, pupils are not challenged as well as the should be, such as in a Year 2 lesson, when the numbers they use are limited to below a hundred. Similarly, on rare occasions, although pupils are productive in their work, the level of noise causes a slight reduction in levels of concentration.

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MATHEMATICS

94. In all areas of the school, the pupils’ ability to use mathematics in other subjects is well developed. For example, pupils are involved in numerical work when drawing graphs and taking accurate measurements in science. In many, but not all classes, ICT is effectively planned to further develop pupils’ mathematical ability.

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MATHEMATICS

95. Teachers use informal observations and end-of-topic tests to assess pupils’ attainment. Pupils’ written targets are reviewed termly and shared with parents. The recording of both statutory and non-statutory tests results in a computerised system facilitates the very close tracking of pupils’ progress from year to year. The performance of individuals as well as different groups is carefully analysed to regularly review and modify the mathematics curriculum to maximise pupil achievement. For example, the setting of pupils into ability groups for part of the week has recently been extended from Years 5 and 6, to Year 4. However, unlike other subjects, there is no portfolio of work to either assist the co-ordinator in monitoring the curriculum or support other teachers in levelling pupils’ work, for example in investigations. The role of the co-ordinator has been strengthened since the last inspection and is good. As

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MATHEMATICS

she is the deputy headteacher, she regularly reviews teachers’ planning and observes lessons, acknowledging teachers’ strengths as well as offering them practical suggestions for improvement. There are many useful resources, especially in areas such as shape and measurement, but there are fewer smaller resources suitable to support pupils’ learning in numeracy. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 34

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SCIENCE

96. In the last national tests, the school’s results for eleven-year-old pupils were well above the national average and also well above those in similar schools.

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SCIENCE

97. Standards in science in the present Year 6 are on course to match those attained last year. Pupils are already achieving levels above those expected. The last teacher assessments for the Year 2 pupils showed that standards were below those expected. However, inspection evidence shows that standards are now much nearer the expected level and by the end of the school year the majority of pupils are likely to achieve levels that match the national average for seven-year-olds.

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SCIENCE

98. Year 6 pupils understand the ideas associated with gravity and the effects of the opposing forces of upthrust which can sometimes occur. They have experimented with various elastic bands and the way they stretch. They conclude that ‘the thicker the band the shorter the stretch …’. In a very effective lesson pupils worked well in small groups to investigate how beams of light from a torch act when they are shone into mirrors. Most groups recognised that the light would reflect from the mirror at the same angle as it hits the glass, other groups deepened their understanding by using up to four mirrors to guide the beam of light around a ‘course’ they had drawn on sheets of paper. This more advanced work was successful because the teacher realised that the original task was not challenging enough for some groups and so changed the objective for the lesson. This is just one example of the very good,

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SCIENCE

99. The emphasis on giving the pupils the opportunities to find out for themselves is a strength of the teaching of science. In a very good Year 3 lesson pupils tried to decide which of three magnets was the strongest to attract paper clips. They recognised that to make the test ‘fair’ they needed to keep all but one factor the same and to only change one. They changed only one magnet at a time and used the same kind of paper clips. By counting the number of paper clips each magnet picked up they knew that this was a good test of how ‘strong’ each magnet was.

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SCIENCE

100. Year 2 pupils worked at the level expected for their age when they experimented on various materials to see what happened when they pushed or pulled them. The lesson succeeded because the teacher was well prepared, had a good rapport with her class and the pupils enjoyed the practical nature of the task. They recorded their findings well, under headings such as, ‘What did we use?’ ‘What did we do?’ ‘What happened?’ They twisted a cardboard tube and found that it bent! They pulled cotton wool and found it came apart. They found that pushing play-dough formed it into new shapes.

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SCIENCE

101. Pupils are taught very well because, as well as the very good direct teaching of scientific information, there is a very good emphasis on letting pupils find out what happens, by experimenting and testing for themselves. This approach is successful in developing the pupils’ investigation skills so that they know that science can be very practical and not just about learning facts.

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SCIENCE

102. The newly appointed co-ordinator recognises that she needs to take a more active role in monitoring teaching and learning and that, although standards are very good, assessment procedures, though satisfactory, should be further developed. Pupils who have special educational needs and those with English as a second language Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 35 are given good support by the teaching assistants who explain clearly what is required in each lesson. Standards have improved since the last inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

103. Pupils’ standards of attainment at the end of Years 2 and 6 are in line with national expectations. Only one lesson was observed but there was much artwork on display in the school. These displays generally show great respect for pupils’ efforts, especially in the ‘art gallery’ where picture frames are used. Several classes also have very good displays which show pupils’ work to good effect. No comparisons can be made against the last inspection since no judgements on standards were made.

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ART AND DESIGN

104. Year 1 pupils produce self-portraits which are recognisable, bold and interesting using a variety of materials such as pastels and soft pencils. Good progress in portraiture is noted in the ‘art gallery’ where Year 3 pupils’ portraits in the style of a Jamaican artist are good and show an improvement since Year 1. Pupils note the position of facial features and apply soft pencil and charcoal well. Some pupils blend these for light and dark face colours. Pupils in Year 4 experiment with colour wash and layering and blending colours to produce their version of the work of the famous artist Franz Marc. Year 6 pupils paint in the style of ‘Rousseau’. They interpret the picture of ‘Exotic landscape with tiger’ rather than copying it, which is good. In other subjects pupils make observational drawings such as Ancient Egyptian artefacts and vases.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. The quality of teaching throughout the school is at least satisfactory, with some good features. In the one lesson seen in the infants, the teaching was good. Pupils were given a good range of materials and encouraged to think about their work. Good relationships were established and pupils with special educational needs were given good support. Generally lessons have suitable, sometimes challenging, content that encourages pupils to be inventive in their choice of material for collage and to pay careful attention to portrait studies. The teachers’ choice of activities for infants, such as collage, wax crayon work and paper weaving, appeals directly to them and imbues them with enthusiasm and enjoyment for the subject. Drawings of musical instruments in coloured pencils and charcoal are marked by bold outline and firm sweeps of colour. Junior pupils are encouraged to work well together to produce

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ART AND DESIGN

displays for the school hall. These activities and the range of materials provided promote positive attitudes to art, and systematically develop pupils’ skills. The school’s very good ethos encourages pupils to work well together and results in them producing an attractive banner in the style of stained glass windows to show ‘All Saints’.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. Co-ordination of the subject has promoted art and design in the curriculum effectively and has raised both teachers’ expectations and pupils’ standards of attainment. Knowledgeable and enthusiastic advice and encouragement is available to staff from the new co-ordinator. This will be particularly important for the many new members of staff. Assessment procedures are satisfactorily in place and used at the end of each unit of work. Resources are good. Accommodation, especially the grounds, is a source of inspiration for the subject. There are good cross-curricular links, especially history and music, but not enough use is yet made of ICT in class. No discernable difference in the attainment of boys and girls was observed. Different groups of pupils are fully included and enabled to participate in art and design work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

107. The school has maintained the satisfactory standards identified in the previous report. Since then, national planning guidelines have been successfully implemented. The Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 36 school recognises that some teachers are not confident with this subject but the structures that are in place are providing a good framework to support teachers. However, in one class there is good teaching that, in terms of confidence and expertise, could serve as an example to others. Only two lessons were observed, one in Year 1 and one in Year 6. Judgements are based on these lessons and the limited examples of pupils’ work and photographs.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. By the end of Year 6, pupils have been introduced to the full design process through making a range of products. Year 6 pupils are currently revising their joining techniques in preparation for designing a shelter or ’playhouse’ for the reception class. Despite their previous experiences of building and testing bridges they have difficulty in following the design brief of ‘joining two pieces of wood or straws’ and have forgotten that a triangle is a strong joint. However, their very good social skills and vocabulary result in the fact that they work very well together to try and test their joints and describe their glue specifically such as ‘PVA’. In Year 1 the pupils develop their observational skills very well when looking at different fruits, tasting these and judging whether the skin can be eaten or not. They are enthralled and extend their vocabulary by using the term ‘segments’ for satsumas and are introduced to the term ‘serrated

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

edge’ to describe the knife. They are well aware of safety precautions when cutting. In Year 2, pupils follow instructions to build wheeled vehicles. Whilst their final vehicles are not very well produced they use the correct term of ‘axle’ when labelling their drawings/plans. Pupils are very interested in this subject and undertake projects for homework. In Year 6, pupils have worked with their parents or grandparents to produce a wooden or cardboard illustration of a scientific discovery. One good example was of an apple falling upon a boy’s head to illustrate the discovery of gravity. In Year 5 a pupil constructed a good model of a Greek amphitheatre.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. Teaching throughout the school is satisfactory overall, but one lesson seen in the infants was excellent owing to the teacher’s enthusiasm and confidence with this subject. Learning was made fun and links with other subjects were very good. Pupils had previously worked in the computer suite to make pictures and labels for their work. They extended their vocabulary and learned about fruits from other countries. They smelt and tasted the fruits, making good links with science and the senses. Despite some additional training not all teachers are yet sufficiently confident in this subject. For instance, one teacher wrongly identified the type of wood being used. Pupils who are not fluent in English or who have special educational needs are given personal support and make good progress. Pupils’ attitudes are generally very good. They work co-operatively and with enthusiasm.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. This year the subject is led by the headteacher who has a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses throughout the school. Consequently the development of the subject is rightly a priority in the school development plan. The previous co- ordinator had a good vision for development built upon improving teachers’ expertise and resources within the school. The curriculum is to be reviewed so that pupils undertake new projects before they have forgotten what has been learned before. The subject remains adequately resourced but areas in need of improvement are the provision for food technology and cutting materials. Cooking currently takes place in the staff room where only two pupils can work at one time. Provision for cutting materials safely requires teachers to be inventive and extra vigilant. There are too few workbenches, bench hooks, clamps or good quality tools.

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GEOGRAPHY

Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 37 111. Standards throughout the school meet the expectations of the National Curriculum. No lessons were seen in Key Stage 1 but evidence from the work that had been done previously showed that pupils in Year 1 had conducted a survey of the traffic using the roads around the school. They recorded their findings and then proceeded to look at ways they could make the area safer. Year 1 pupils have followed the travels of ‘Barnaby Bear’ as he takes holidays with a number of the families in school. These pupils have also recorded what they have seen during their daily journey to school. Year 2 pupils have used stories from literature to contrast the area in the Western Isles off Scotland with their city environment. They have used atlases effectively to identify where these islands are and have produced large pictures showing the difference in the appearance of the Isle of Struay compared with East Finchley!

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GEOGRAPHY

112. In Key Stage 2 the quality of teaching is very good overall. These lessons are successful because of teachers’ good subject knowledge with good pace and enthusiasm shown. Year 6 pupils study the course of a river as it flows to the sea. They correctly identify features such as a tributary and the way the river ‘meanders’ as it approaches the sea. Year 5 pupils have linked their studies in geography with those they have done in science on evaporation of water. They use maps to identify weather features such as the very hot areas of the earth. One pupil wrote, ‘When it is very hot it evaporates so much water from the sea that it rains a lot when the clouds reach land’. Year 4 pupils accurately identify features on a map by using the symbols shown in the key.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Pupils who have special educational needs and those with English as a second language, are well supported and make good progress in their geographical knowledge. The subject is well managed.

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HISTORY

114. Standards in history attained by pupils aged seven and eleven meet national expectations. Pupils make satisfactory progress across the school. This is below the standard noted during the last inspection. Then, pupils aged eleven attained above average standards. Since then there have been several other demands upon the curriculum. Parents attending the ‘parents’ meeting’ noted that standards in history have fallen due to the other priorities.

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HISTORY

115. Because of the timetable arrangements only a Year 2 history lesson was observed. Judgements are also based on talking to Year 6 pupils and by examining pupils’ work across the school. The oldest pupils have a good recall of facts, dates and events such as the ‘Great Fire of London’. They also understand some of the differences between times in the past and modern times. They discuss and question whether evidence is a ‘primary or secondary’ source of information and are used to examining artefacts in order to gain information. They understand that things can be learned from what happened in the past and know that they can find information from various sources such as the Internet. They remember very well their many previous topics and are keen to talk about visits to museums and the ‘lectures’ that they have enjoyed. These pupils ‘like the Egyptians because they were organised’. Younger pupils create time lines of their own lives since they were babies. They compare

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HISTORY

objects used in the home today with those used in the past such as ‘flat irons’. They draw these and modern irons. As a result of a visit to the Toy Museum pupils drew an old bear and described it as ‘ragged and rough’. 116. Limited evidence suggests that teaching is satisfactory overall and for the older pupils it is sometimes good. In the lesson seen on ‘Remembrance Day’ the young pupils Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 38 responded thoughtfully to the teachers careful planning with comments such as, ‘it is to remind you of people who died in the Great War’. Another pupil stated that ‘we need to respect them’. Teachers’ subject knowledge is generally good and they are well prepared for lessons. Teachers use a good scheme of work which covers all aspects of the curriculum and is planned to interest their pupils.

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HISTORY

117. Currently the overall leadership of this subject is satisfactory. The co-ordinator is new but she has researched the subject well and has a good knowledge of what needs to be covered. She already understands many of the strengths and weaknesses within the school. This co-ordinator has plans to take the school forward when she is more experienced and has time to monitor the quality of teaching and planning. The good informal cross-curricular links with English, mathematics, geography and ICT are likely to be more effective when they are made more explicit. Visits are planned to continue to encourage pupils’ interest and first-hand experiences. Assessment of pupils’ work is good with teachers highlighting the pupils that are doing very well and those that need extra help. The scheme of work gives teachers sufficient help when planning their lessons.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

118. Standards in ICT have improved significantly since the last inspection and are broadly in line with expectations for pupils aged seven and eleven. All pupils make at least satisfactory progress due to the very significant improvements made to the resources and the teaching of the subject. There is no difference in standards between boys and girls or those from different ethnic groups.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

119. The computer suite, recently enlarged to accommodate a whole class, has had a very positive affect on standards. There is also now a good range of computers and peripherals, both in class and in the suite for pupils to use. Pupils regularly use the computer room and in many lessons, particularly in English and mathematics, teachers regularly use computers in their teaching. Recent training, as part of the national initiative to improve teacher confidence and expertise, has also had a positive impact. The co-ordinator has extended this training to include learning support staff who now make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

120. Pupils regularly have access to class-based computers as well as those networked in the suite. By the age of seven, pupils can collect data and put it into the computer to produce pie graphs on pupils’ favourite party food. They are able to organise information about living things on a decision tree as part of their science topic. They regularly use ‘clip art’ and ‘word art’ in their wordprocessing activities and have used a publishing program to record their experiences of visiting a central London art gallery.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

121. The eleven-year-olds work at average standards overall and sometimes they reach above average standards because of some excellent teaching. Pupils regularly combine text and graphics to create documents, for example in the programme for last year’s Christmas production and for class magazines. Many pupils extended some of their work to include multimedia presentations. At times their work is based on researching the Internet, for example to find Christmas card designs or information on their science topics on liquids, solids and gases. Pupils have experienced sending E-cards but do not regularly send these due to technical difficulties. When they were in Year 5, the current Year 6 pupils, in conjunction with the London Tourist Board, developed web pages for major tourist attractions. Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 39 122. Teaching is mainly good, sometimes very good, or excellent. Teachers have secure

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

subject knowledge necessary to develop pupils’ skills appropriately. This is a significant improvement upon the findings of the last inspection and is the result of recent training undertaken as part of a national initiative, as well as the support and encouragement of the co-ordinator. Pupils’ learning, in an excellent lesson in Year 6, was well above that normally expected because of the superbly planned lesson taught by a gifted practitioner. Of particular note was the exceptional clarity of her explanations and excellent relationships that engendered a superb learning environment. Similar traits are common in most other lessons observed, coupled with very good use of learning support assistants who ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make good progress. However, in a minority of lessons, the sequence of activities are not as well planned. In two lessons, although the teachers adjusted their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

teaching to having the whole class for a session in the computer room, not all opportunities were taken to maximise pupils’ learning. Some pupils finished earlier than others and they were not provided with very productive tasks to keep them highly focused.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

123. The co-ordination of the subject is very good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic and she has done much to improve pupils’ experiences in recent years. She has a good understanding of the subject’s strengths and weaknesses, for example the need to integrate the use of the enlarged suite into the teaching of literacy and numeracy lessons. However, she has had insufficient opportunities to directly observe the teaching of the subject by her colleagues. Pupils’ learning experiences over the course of their time at the school are very well planned and closely tied to end of topic assessments that assess pupils against key objectives. This form of assessment was trialled by the co-ordinator last year and is currently being adopted by the rest of the school. Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are regularly augmented by the use of computers and there have been imaginative uses of it in

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

other subjects. For example, pupils in Year 5 used graphic modelling to produce a picture similar to ‘La Vis’, by Matisse; they then compared the computer-generated picture with those produced by traditional methods. The school has an Internet policy and takes great care to prevent access to undesirable material.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

124. Improvements since the last inspection have been exceptional, in the words of the co- ordinator, ‘they have built the Taj Mahal’.

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MUSIC

125. Standards throughout the school meet, and in Key Stage 2 often exceed, national expectations. The high standards in Key Stage 2 are achieved because a specialist teacher is used and the quality of teaching, especially in singing lessons, is excellent.

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MUSIC

126. Very good teaching of a Year 1 class also produced above average achievement. In this lesson pupils sang very quietly and then loudly to the teacher’s instructions. She held her hands up for loud sound and down for quiet. Pupils watched very carefully and produced the desired effect. When the pupils are given various percussion instruments to use they do this very well. They identify and name the instruments and know that some are struck, like the North American drum; some are shaken and some are scraped. They sing the song ‘My God is so strong …’ and accompany each phrase with the appropriate percussion sounds, powerful or soft.

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MUSIC

127. The Key Stage 2 pupils are taught by specialist teachers who are not directly employed by the school. The teacher who gives singing lessons to all the classes in Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 40 the key stage provides an outstanding service. This results in a quality of singing from these pupils above that normally expected from pupils of this age.

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MUSIC

128. In a lesson for Year 5 pupils they started by doing a ‘singing yawn!’ This is a very effective strategy for pupils to ‘warm up’ their voices and made the songs they now sang more effective. The teacher demonstrated the songs skilfully and pupils followed with great interest and concentration. ‘What shall we do with the drunken sailor’ was developed into two-part singing, which pupils joined in with great enthusiasm. The results were very good. The class teacher and teaching support staff joined in with the pupils and are gaining very good training in the way to teach children to sing. Similar entertaining and educationally valuable sessions were given to all four year groups.

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MUSIC

129. The subject is managed well although the co-ordinator accepts that the specialist teachers who teach the subject in Key Stage 2 plan their own programmes of work. There has been very good progress since the last inspection especially in the standards achieved in singing. Music resources are good. There are enough percussion instruments available to enable all pupils to participate in lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. In the two lessons observed, one in Year 3 and the other in Year 5, standards in dance and games were above expectations for their age. There is no difference in standards between boys and girls. By the age of eleven, standards are well above expectations, especially when the great success that the school has achieved in many local sport events is taken into consideration. Improved standards since the last inspection are due to the school’s attempts to broaden the range of sporting experiences it offers as well as introducing a comprehensive and useful scheme of work that progressively develops pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding; an area in which they were criticised in the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Teaching in the Year 5 games lesson and in the Year 3 dance lesson were either excellent or very good. In the Year 5 lesson, the headteacher’s expectations were very high, and every minute was focused on developing skills, knowledge and understanding. In the Year 3 lesson, the teacher’s enthusiasm and confidence elicited an energetic and enthusiastic response from all pupils in the development of imaginative and well-controlled movements that related to different times of the day. Both teachers, but particularly the headteacher, have outstanding subject knowledge. Their meticulous planning and delivery included plenty of opportunities for discussion and evaluation, as well as very clear instructions and demonstrations. Because of this, all pupils were very aware of the importance and effects of exercise, were confident and articulate in their evaluations of other pupils’ performance, and used this

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

well to improve upon their own. All this built towards the progressive development of skills during the lesson. In the Year 5 lesson, pupils could deftly handle a rugby ball when working in pairs and when throwing the ball along a line of team players. This was done with a degree of confidence and control greater than that normally expected for pupils of this age.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. Pupils in Key Stage 2 learn to swim in Year 4, and then, if they have not achieved the required 25 metres, continue for a term in Year 5. By the time they leave school, all pupils can swim a minimum of 25 metres and many do much more.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. The co-ordination of the subject is excellent. The co-ordinator, currently the headteacher, leads by example and is one of the main reasons why both standards Holy Trinity C of E Primary School - 41 and teaching are so good. He has a very good understanding of the subject, and teachers’ strengths and weaknesses, and is planning to develop specific subject expertise in gymnastics. Pupils benefit from a large grassed field as well as a well- marked hard surface for outdoor games. However, although the hall is adequate for many pupils, it is too small for the older and larger pupils when they are confined to this space due to wet weather. There is a good range of games equipment, although the gymnastics equipment is old and worn. Pupils at the school have won several local sporting events and this has had a considerable impact on their personal development. There is an excellent range of extra-curricular sporting events in which

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

many pupils, especially the talented ones, participate and so further extend the skills they have learnt in lessons and several pupils have become involved in local youth teams. There are also very good contacts with local sports clubs and organisations, whose visits to the school do much to enthuse pupils as well as providing coaching opportunities.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

134. Improvements since the last inspection have been very good.

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