Margate, Holy Trinity and St John's Church of England Primary School

STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English E E E D mathematics E E E D science E E E E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 2.

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PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 2 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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PRIMARY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Controlled Age range of pupils: 4–11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 405

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: St John’s Road Margate Kent Postcode: CT9 1LU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: (01843) 223237 Fax number: (01843) 230875

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of Chair of Governors: Mr M Sandum

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 March 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

• This is a large primary school: currently there are 408 on roll, all but two of whom attend full-time. • The socio-economic circumstances of the area surrounding the school are significantly disadvantaged. Although free school meal data place the school in the 8 to 20 per cent bracket, there is convincing evidence to show that eligibility is just short of 50 per cent. • Attainment on entry to the school has declined in recent years from above to below average. • The school is heavily over-subscribed: typically, more than 100 applications for 60 places. • Most pupils are white British and a small number are from ethnic minority groups. Two are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. • Mobility is quite high. In the last year 20 pupils joined (4.7 per cent) and 42 left (10 per cent) at other than the usual times. • Six pupils are in public care and one is a refugee/asylum seeker.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

• The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is well above the national average. Of those with more severe need, there are pupils with moderate learning difficulties; social, emotional or behavioural difficulties; physical disability; dyslexia; speech or communication problems and other medical conditions. The school provides additional support for more than 50 per cent of its pupils. • The school holds the Activemark Gold Award (2003) and Investors in People Award (2002). Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

25470 J Morley Lead inspector English Art and design Personal, social and health education and citizenship Special educational needs English as an additional language 9386 A Mundy Lay inspector 26292 H Mundy Team inspector Geography History Music The Foundation Stage 32574 J Hobden Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Design and technology 32475 N Butt Team inspector Mathematics Physical education Religious education

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 29

Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 6

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school provides a satisfactory quality of education but has serious weaknesses . It also has some significant strengths. Key among these is the extent to which it is inclusive, and the high level of care it offers. The pupils grow into courteous, thoughtful, well-behaved young people, who are visibly eager to learn. There are two key weaknesses. Firstly, although attainment on entry to the school has declined sharply in recent years, standards are too low - average at the last inspection but well below average now. Secondly, too little is expected of some pupils. However, following the recent resignation of the headteacher, the acting headteacher is showing that he can reverse this downward trend. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Too many pupils of average capability or above do not achieve the standards they should. • Pupils behave very well and are eager to learn but, for some, too little is expected of them. • Those with additional (including special) educational needs benefit from dedicated provision. • Exemplary expectations of pupils’ conduct lead to commendable personal qualities. • The quality of teaching and learning is monitored with insufficient rigour and frequency. • Assessment is not used well enough to raise standards. • The school has forged very strong links with parents and supports families very well. • The school’s attractiveness is enhanced by displays of high quality.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school has made unsatisfactory, progress since the last inspection. Standards in English, mathematics, science and music have fallen although, as a result of a satisfactory response to the key issues from the last inspection, those in information and communication technology (ICT), design and technology and religious education have improved. Following a period of decline, the very high standards of pupils’ conduct have been restored and provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved. Under the recently appointed senior management team, the school has the capacity to improve.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

English E E E D mathematics E E E D science E E E D Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Overall, achievement is satisfactory although there are some significant weak areas to address. Attainment on entry to the school has declined over recent years: from above to below average. By the end of the Reception Year too few children attain the standards in relation to the goals they are expected to reach, particularly in language, literacy and communication. The same limited progress continues through Years 1 to 6 because, although the pupils who receive additional support (over 50 per cent of the school) achieve satisfactorily and occasionally well, too many of the remainder do not achieve well enough. Currently, standards are well below average in English and mathematics throughout the school, and below average in science. Additionally, in Year 2, standards in ICT are well below average and those in design and technology, history and music are below. Those in art and design, physical education and religious education meet expectations throughout the school.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 7 Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are very good. This is a credit to the dedication of the acting headteacher and staff. Attendance and punctuality are satisfactory.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education is satisfactory. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory , with key strengths in classroom discipline and genuine warmth of relationships. However, teachers often expect too little of many of their pupils. In addition, time keeping is sometimes not good enough: lesson time is lost through slow pace, late starts and premature finishing. The school assesses pupils well but this information is not being used successfully to raise standards. The curriculum is sound but little in it is innovative. Each subject has an appropriate amount of teaching and learning time. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. There is a good range of activities outside the school day and the school is very successful in including all of its pupils in what is on offer.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership and management are unsatisfactory. However, the acting headteacher has very successfully re-established pupils’ conduct and eagerness to learn, and has restored staff morale. Both had been at low ebb . He manages a highly efficient organisation. The need to improve standards in literacy and numeracy are now key priorities in the school’s improvement plan. The acting deputy headteacher oversees very good provision for pupils with a wide range of emotional, physical and academic special needs. Her work, together with that of the headteacher, underpins the school’s secure and caring environment. Governance is satisfactory. Governors are knowledgeable about the strengths of the school but have been unable to hold it to account, as they have not been well enough informed about its weaknesses. They fulfil their statutory duties.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents think highly of the school. Inspectors agree with some of their views but do not agree that teaching is good or that all pupils achieve well. Pupils like school and enjoy very good relationships with their teachers and with other adults .

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Improve standards in literacy, numeracy and science across the school (including Reception). • Raise teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve. • Use assessment productively to raise standards. • Monitor teaching and learning with increased rigour and frequency so that it contributes to improved teaching and higher standards across the school. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Standards in the 2003 national tests were well below average. Trends in the school’s results are below the national trend for both Year 2 and Year 6. Achievement is satisfactory overall, although some pupils of average or above average capability underachieve.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attainment on entry has declined significantly since the last inspection. This – and a number of other factors - has impacted negatively on standards. As a result they are too low in English, mathematics and science. • The school now has the capacity to raise standards. • Standards have improved in those subjects where they were unsatisfactory at the last inspection.

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Commentary

1. Standards in English, mathematics and science are not good enough and the school knows and acknowledges this. While it has urgent issues to address, its current position should be set clearly in context: • Data show very clearly that children’s attainment on entry to the school has declined year- on-year since 1999 (when it was above average) to being below. • The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals has risen significantly and is now just below 50 per cent. • Pupil mobility is high and there is very clear evidence of significant numbers of pupils arriving, staying a few months, and then going again. This disrupts classes. • Pupils who have spent all their primary years at this school achieve better than those who have not. • The school has been through a lengthy, unsettled period resulting from the illness of the previous long serving headteacher. • Evidence from governors and staff all indicates that the acting headteacher has already

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Commentary

been successful in restoring staff morale, as well as pupils’ conduct and eagerness to learn. Inspectors agree that this prioritisation was logical and necessary in paving the way for improvement in standards.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

Standards in: School results National results reading 13.4 (13.7) 15.7 (15.8) writing 11.7 (11.6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 14.8 (14.7) 16.3 (16.5)

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

There were 55 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

2. The table above shows that, in 2003, the Year 2 test results in reading, writing and mathematics were well below the national average. The standards of the current Year 2 pupils are well below national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. The Year 6 table (below) also shows standards that were well below the national averages in the three subjects tested. The same pertains currently in English and mathematics. Standards in science are currently below average in Year 2 and Year 6. The school sets reasonably challenging targets, given that Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 9 it needs to build on such low standards. However, in 2003 it fell a little short of meeting them in English, and significantly short in mathematics.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

Standards in: School results National results English 24.3 (24.4) 26.8 (27.0) mathematics 24.6 (24.0) 26.8 (26.7) science 25.9 (26.0) 28.6 (28.3) There were 61 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

3. Children in Reception classes do not achieve well enough in some area of learning, although they achieve satisfactorily or well in others. Their personal development is good, but their development in language, literacy and communication is unsatisfactory. Provision for their mathematical and physical development and for their knowledge and understanding of the world is satisfactory. Overall, most children transfer to Year 1 with good personal and social skills. However, their literacy skills are unnecessarily low and children fall short of the goals they are expected to reach in other areas of learning because there is an insufficient proportion of good quality teaching to boost their attainment from their below average start.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

4. These low standards continue through Years 1 to 6, again because the proportion of teaching that is of good quality is too small to raise attainment. However, the very good ‘additional’ support on offer to more than half of the pupils in the school enables these pupils to make progress that is sound overall and occasionally good. This means that underachievement relates predominantly to pupils of average or above average capability. It happens little by little throughout the school and, by Year 6, produces the well below average standards that have dogged the school for the past three years. It applies equally to boys and girls.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

5. At the last inspection standards in English, mathematics and science met national expectations. All have now declined. The school was charged with improving standards in ICT, design and technology and religious education. It has done this successfully: standards in design and technology and in religious education now meet expectations throughout the school, and ICT standards meet national expectations by Year 6. However, Year 2 standards in ICT are below those expected because pupils have too few experiences. In 1998, standards in music were judged to be very good in Year 2. They now fall below expectations. Overall, however, pupils’ attainment in subjects other than English, mathematics and science is generally better than it is in these core areas: evidence of the school’s commitment to a broad curriculum.

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Standards in national tests at the end of Year 6 – average point scores in 2003

6. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is at least satisfactory. However, the nub of the underachievement for too many other pupils is the legacy of low academic expectation of pupils by the leaders and managers of the school and by teachers on a day-to- day basis. The acting headteacher has set the foundations for improvements in standards. A clear acknowledgement from him, from the acting deputy headteacher and from the governors of the school that there is much to be done bodes well for the future.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils have very good attitudes to learning, and their behaviour is equally good. Pupils’ personal development is very good because the school provides very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. Behaviour and personal development maintain the high standards noted during the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 10 • Pupils are very sociable in lessons and informal activities. • Relationships are very good between pupils, and between pupils and staff. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 11 • International and multicultural contacts are underdeveloped. • Pupils readily accept responsibility and work well in groups.

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Commentary

7. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They are thoughtful and mutually respectful, and are rarely involved in disputes. They have no concerns about bullying. Behaviour is usually very good in classrooms, although lessons are very occasionally disrupted because teachers fail to implement the school’s behaviour policy. During the inspection, when pupils in Year 4 walked to a nearby school for the deaf, their behaviour was very good on the journey, and was excellent during their dance lesson with deaf children. Children in the Foundation Stage listen very carefully to adults, and confidently respond to questions and instructions. Their behaviour is always at least very good, and is often excellent. The school does not yet make full use of pupils’ very good behaviour and attitudes to work to secure good levels of achievement.

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Commentary

8. Attendance is satisfactory, and is slightly above the national average for primary schools. Although most pupils arrive punctually each day, teachers’ lateness to classrooms sometimes delays the start of lessons. Procedures for monitoring attendance are good, but do not specifically require families to be contacted over unexplained absence. The computer-based registration system conforms to legal requirements.

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Commentary

9. The school very successfully develops pupils’ personal qualities and social achievements. Pupils and staff celebrate Christian values in joyous singing lessons, and in formal assemblies. During the inspection, children in the Reception classes discussed and understood the feelings of characters in their storybooks. Pupils in all year groups are very aware of the needs of others. Each year they raise significant amounts of money for local and national charities.

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Commentary

10. Very good relationships between adults and pupils promote strong moral values in all year groups. A very good programme for personal, social and health education guides pupils in understanding and applying concepts of right and wrong. They rarely need reminding of the behaviour rules agreed for classrooms. They are co-operative, friendly and respectful to their peers and teachers, and are relaxed and adept with visitors. No pupil has been excluded in the current school year. (Hence, no table of data is included in this report.)

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Commentary

11. In all year groups, boys and girls work and play amicably together. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 help to lead lunchtime activities for younger pupils, making sure that all have opportunities for play or conversation. Additionally, pupils in Year 6 manage the school office at lunchtime, and help to supervise the dining hall and the lost property boxes. Numerous sets of heavy double doors restrict access through the complex corridors of the school building. In exemplary displays of teamwork, large and small groups of pupils collaborate when opening and closing these doors to maintain quick and quiet progress through the school.

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Commentary

12. Pupils have good understanding of western culture, and are respectful of other cultures. They enjoy consistent links with a school in Germany, but their multi-cultural and multi-ethnic experiences are limited.

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Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.5 School data 0.2 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 12

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The overall quality of education is satisfactory but there are key weaknesses in teaching. The curriculum is sound, pupils are well cared for and the partnership with parents is strong.

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Teaching and learning

The overall quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory, but there are fewer lessons that are good or very good than at the last inspection. The school has plenty of good assessment information but does not use it well enough to raise attainment.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers maintain very good discipline in their classrooms. • Relationships with pupils are delightfully warm and caring. • Specific help for pupils with additional educational needs is very good. • Over several years, teachers have been given an inaccurate picture of the quality of their work. • Time is not used well enough and teachers often expect too little of pupils. • Assessment data are not used to check that pupils are making enough progress.

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Commentary

13. Although teachers work hard, the overall quality of teaching and learning is only satisfactory. This is because, over time, their work has not been monitored with sufficient rigour or frequency, and monitoring reports show that they have (often wrongly) been led to believe that their teaching was of a better standard than was the case. Hence it is not the case that there are weaknesses in teaching that cannot be remedied. Rather, there is a legacy of inaccurate understanding, both by senior managers and teachers, of what characterises good teaching and of what, for example, separates a good lesson from one that is satisfactory, or from one that is very good. This impacts on learning in all subjects, but particularly in English and mathematics.

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Commentary

14. There are several key strengths leading to sound achievement for the majority of pupils. The level and quality of support that this school provides – led in particular by the special educational needs co-ordinator, and the family liaison officer – is of high quality. It results in pupils being happy to come to school, very well behaved and eager to learn. The discipline in classrooms is good, often very good. This has been hard earned because a significant proportion of pupils present their teachers with challenging behaviour. The way such behaviour is managed is testament to the teachers’ skill and dedication. Furthermore, there is tangible warmth in relationships and this is extremely successful in creating the harmonious atmosphere evident in all classrooms. Pupils are now clearly ready to be challenged.

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Commentary

15. Those who receive additional support of some kind – and this accounts for more than half of the pupils in the school - make sound progress overall. Some achieve well. They benefit from very good whole-school provision and from the outstanding range of support on offer to them. For example, the Fizzy Club (to help pupils with their co-ordination and dexterity skills), SALT (to help with speech and language) and small group literacy sessions out of the classroom often enable pupils who find learning difficult to achieve well and to enjoy higher self-esteem. Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 51 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 13 16. Achievement for other pupils, however, is variable. Too many do not achieve well enough because teachers’ academic expectations of them are too low. This emanates from a longstanding view, and one reiterated by a number of staff during the inspection, that pupils’ current achievement is all that can be expected. This is not the case. The new senior management team is beginning to effectively challenge the view. The school’s very good work on behaviour, relationships and support for those pupils who need it provides a stable platform ready to be exploited by more challenging teaching.

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Commentary

17. Various issues associated with the use of time impact on what pupils learn. While this is not widespread practice, it is unacceptably frequent. For example: • lessons sometimes begin late because teachers are tardy in bringing their classes in from the playground; • getting changed from physical education takes young children too long; • clearing up in practical lessons such as design and technology starts too early; • teaching assistants are sometimes inactive while the teacher works with the full class; • the pace of some lessons is slow.

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Commentary

18. Sessions of ‘child-initiated learning’ permeate the timetable for Reception age children. While this is most acceptable in principle, resources often fail to engage children and staff do not always provide the structure that would make the sessions worthwhile. Writing opportunities are limited, particularly in one class, and Year 1 teachers find themselves building on attainment that is unnecessarily and unacceptably low. This poor start is never made up.

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Commentary

19. Some teachers ensure that pupils’ targets in literacy and numeracy have a high profile in lessons. This was certainly the case in a Year 5 literacy lesson and is beneficial as pupils can share, with their teacher, responsibility for the progress they make. However, targets are not such an integral part of the majority of lessons.

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Commentary

20. The school has plenty of assessment data at its fingertips and knows about the attainment of pupils. However, it does not do enough to compare current with past attainment to find out how much progress pupils have made. Consequently, teachers are insufficiently aware of the amount of progress that pupils should make over a year and have inadequate information about how much progress they do make. In the past they have not been held clearly accountable for this ‘value-added’ aspect of their work, as there has been no objective and measurable link with their annual performance management. Teachers’ marking and the use they make of the ‘wind-up’ session at the end of lessons are insufficiently focused on pushing pupils’ learning forward. Taking a whole-school perspective, setting targets for the attainment of pupils (across a key stage, a year group, a class or a group within a class) lacks challenge

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Commentary

to help raise pupils’ standards. The acting headteacher accepts that more rigour is required.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is appropriate to the needs and abilities of the pupils. The school’s accommodation and resources are good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is strong provision for personal, social and health education. • Provision for additional (including special) educational needs is very good. • The curriculum provides equality of access for all groups of pupils. • There is a wide range of opportunities for enrichment both inside and outside school. • Outdoor play facilities are limited. • There is a lack of accommodation for pupils with physical and medical needs. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 14

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Commentary

21. The school provides a suitable curriculum, which meets the needs of all pupils from Reception to Year 6, regardless of their abilities, background or ethnic group. It is aspects of teaching and assessment (detailed in the teaching section of the report) that limit its effectiveness. There is a strong emphasis on personal and social education through a number of enrichment activities as well as during lessons. In lessons, the teaching and support staff consistently reinforce the emphases on the ethos and climate for learning.

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Commentary

22. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are followed and the rest of the curriculum is taught through the use of nationally produced schemes of work. These have been modified to take account of the stages of development of the pupils at the school. Additional Literacy Support (ALS) and other programmes are used with the aim of raising standards for the identified groups of pupils. Teachers’ planning is consistent, effective and thorough and is monitored by the acting headteacher. There is an appropriate match of staff qualifications and experience to the curriculum. Learning support assistants are deployed satisfactorily. Although the curriculum itself is sound, the school does not prepare pupils well enough for the next stage in their education because teaching limits full development of pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills.

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Commentary

23. The school operates a very good additional educational needs (AEN) programme. This supports pupils on its special educational needs register and a significant number of others. Overall, more than half the pupils in the school receive specific help of some kind. For example, some have medical needs that require daily/occasional attention, or just a watching brief. Others are from different faiths or from different ethnic backgrounds and the school is careful to welcome them and to include them in its Christian ethos while respecting their own heritage. The ‘additional’ element also includes two pupils who are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. Provision for these young children is sensitive as well as practical: their classrooms, for example, have special places for messages from their parents and there is some labelling in their home language. Gifted and talented pupils are

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Commentary

included so that their needs can be met, in music for example. Finally, ‘additional’ also includes a significant number of pupils – close to 50 – who are considered to be least well supported at home. These – as do all pupils in the school – routinely receive warmth and smiles from their teachers. In addition, however, the school’s family liaison officer (FLO) works with their families in a range of imaginative and effective ways to make their lives – and those of their children - more settled. Her work, and that of the additional educational needs co-ordinator are real strengths of the school.

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Commentary

24. Within this AEN programme is provision for pupils with special educational needs. It is as impressive as AEN itself because the spectrum of support has been intelligently compiled to target pupils’ needs most specifically. For example, Fizzy sessions are run for pupils with poor co-ordination or dexterity. SALT sessions support a large number of pupils who have some weakness with speech and language. There are small group sessions that support difficulties with, for example, phonics, and the school runs the three national literacy support programmes: ‘early, ‘additional’ and ‘further’.

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Commentary

25. Overall, this very good AEN provision defines the school’s commitment to inclusion. Every pupil’s needs are covered and the result is an equal opportunity to learn and make progress. Considering the large numbers of pupils involved, this is a huge but successfully executed task by both the AEN co-ordinator and the FLO.

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Commentary

26. Good use is made of visitors to the school and of links with local organisations. Visits to local places of interest are a regular feature of school life but there are relatively few visits to places further afield. The exception to this is an arrangement with a school in Germany with which exchange visits have taken place. The pupils also perform at venues outside the school, for Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 15 example at the Winter Gardens Music Festival. Pupils benefit from a good range of after- school clubs including breakfast club, ‘Fizzy’ Club (for pupils with physical difficulties), and mathematics and computer clubs. All are well attended.

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Commentary

27. The school’s accommodation is good. There is adequate space for all the activities carried out and it is appropriately deployed for each age group. The school is set in stimulating, landscaped grounds, with good use made of changes in levels. A number of smaller spaces are appropriately furnished to support group and specialist activities. The classrooms are semi-open-plan and, in some cases, the noise from passing classes can disrupt work in them. The large hard playground is used for games but pupils need to use a grass field at a nearby school in order to play football.

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Commentary

28. There are adequate facilities for pupils with disabilities, for example a stair lift on the one stairway in the main school, but currently no facilities for pupils with physical or medical needs. There are plans to adapt an existing room for this purpose. The computer network functions well and is kept well maintained by two part-time technicians.

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Commentary

29. Resources for learning are generally of a good quality, and are well organised, clearly labelled and accessible. There are some shortcomings in resourcing for some curriculum areas, particularly in the control element of ICT. The governors take a close interest in curriculum provision and have met for discussions with subject leaders.

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Care, guidance and support

Good procedures ensure high quality child protection, health and safety. The school provides good support, advice and guidance for pupils, and consistently monitors their personal development. Provision in each of these areas has maintained the standard noted during the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The caring environment has a positive effect on the standards that pupils achieve. • The headteacher is responsible for child protection. He is very caring and experienced. • Teachers and other adults know the pupils well, and respond quickly to their needs. • The school makes very good provision for counselling pupils of all ages.

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Commentary

30. Care is very good for children in the Foundation Stage, where staff are attentive at all times. Teachers and support staff have a good understanding of the school’s procedures for child protection, although training has been neglected during the management uncertainties of the past two years. Midday assistants provide good care at lunchtime in the dining hall and playground. Two members of staff are fully qualified in first aid. The school’s health and safety policy is based on the local authority’s recommended policy, including procedures for risk assessments and ensuring the safety of pupils on site and during out-of-school visits. The governors and staff have not yet agreed a policy on the use of physical control for pupils with behavioural difficulties. Frequent fire alarm practices ensure that the complex building can quickly be evacuated. The school and grounds are commendably clean and well maintained,

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Commentary

and present no apparent risk to health and safety.

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Commentary

31. Pupils in all year groups are relaxed and happy in the school community. Breakfast Club offers a warm welcome each day, and other clubs, including table tennis and ballet, provide interesting and developmental after-school activities. Pupils receive very good individual care and support from the headteacher and staff, with additional social skills input from visiting members of the Primary Intervention Project team. A professional counsellor is available at weekly ‘Talk Time’ sessions. Pupils may attend informally, or may be referred to the counsellor by their teachers. Procedures for monitoring pupils' personal development are satisfactory. Teachers and other adults have good knowledge and understanding of Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 16 individuals, although much of the information is not formally recorded. However, teachers’ very good knowledge of pupils in Year 6 enables the school to provide individual transition

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Commentary

programmes supporting transfer to secondary schools.

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Commentary

32. A School Council has been elected, and the first meeting is pending. A pupils’ playground committee has an annual budget of £1000, and considerable influence over the purchase of playground equipment. Pupils complete occasional questionnaires about school life. The senior management team considers their responses, and some are implemented.

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Commentary

33. Pupils in all year groups enthusiastically collect classroom points for achievement, effort and good behaviour. Sustained good work and personal qualities are rewarded with certificates and badges at weekly celebration assemblies.

p.17

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents, and satisfactory links with the local community and with other schools. Each of these aspects maintains the standard noted during the previous inspection.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides very good information for parents. • Families and pupils benefit from exceptional social outreach.

p.17

Commentary

34. Parents' views were very positive at the pre-inspection meeting. In most responses to the pre- inspection questionnaire, parents overestimated the quality of teaching in the school. While some teaching is of good quality, it is satisfactory overall, and is sometimes unsatisfactory. A significant number of questionnaire responses indicated parents’ concerns about bullying. Inspectors looked closely at pupils’ relationships, and concluded that the school appropriately deals with any bullying. In addition, pupils generally have no concerns about physical conflict or bullying. They know that the school’s rigorous anti-bullying policy quickly identifies and counters occasional incidents.

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Commentary

35. Parents have good access to Foundation Stage staff, and communication is good. The school’s dynamic Family Liaison Officer is fully aware of high levels of deprivation among some families. Her practical advice, based on wide knowledge of government and local agencies, reduces the stress on families and enables them better to support their children’s learning. Her work dovetails extremely well with that of the special needs co-ordinator, who oversees final AEN provision. Some parents and friends of the school provide valuable help in lessons to groups of pupils and to individuals. Wherever possible, parents’ skills and interests are used to develop the curriculum. The Parent–Teacher Association organises popular social and fund-raising events, and contributes significantly each year to the school budget. Recently, the association purchased classroom furniture and computers, and has agreed to

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Commentary

36. Parents in all year groups receive good outlines of the curriculum planned for each term. At two consultation evenings each year, they have adequate time to review their children’s progress, and discuss future targets. Annual written reports to parents are of good quality, including adequate detail of what their children know and can do in all subjects. They give clear, easily understood, targets for improvement. Newsletters from the school are informative about events, personalities and important dates. The prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents, 2003, conform to legal requirements and contain much useful additional information.

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Commentary

37. The school makes satisfactory use of community resources. On alternate years, pupils in Year 6 enjoy a residential visit to Germany. Pupils visit local places of interest, and major Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 17 regional attractions at Chatham, Dover and Canterbury. The school has relatively few individual visitors from the community. A local business partnership provides reading support for pupils in Year 3, and Christian ministers participate in assemblies. A good relationship is established with the local church, and the minister is a frequent and welcome visitor. The school is occasionally involved in local events, including an art competition and a lantern parade.

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Commentary

38. Satisfactory links are established with neighbouring schools. Some collaborative science and ICT projects are arranged with secondary schools, and specialist secondary teachers occasionally teach at Holy Trinity. Each year, student teachers and secondary school students benefit from effective mentoring, and make a valuable contribution to school life.

p.18

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are unsatisfactory. Governance is satisfactory.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A ‘climate for learning’ has been successfully re-established by the acting headteacher. • Leaders are successful in their commitment to running a fully inclusive school. • Governors are very supportive and know the strengths of the school well but are not well informed about its weaknesses. • Systems for monitoring the quality of teaching and learning are ineffective. • The present school improvement plan lacks rigour in raising standards.

p.18

Commentary

39. Since the last inspection, the quality of leadership and management in the school has declined. This is due to a period of instability brought about by the long absence of the previous headteacher. The present acting headteacher has not had time to make an impact on standards in the school. However, staff and governors agree that he has already successfully restored staff morale and re-established pupils’ exemplary conduct, good manners and eagerness to learn. These were necessary first steps in securing an environment conducive to learning and, as such, were sensible priorities In addition, a good deal of documentation has been developed and day-to-day routines are now well established. The acting headteacher’s organisation is impressive. Furthermore, he is very ably supported by the acting deputy headteacher. There is an atmosphere of shared confidence about the school’s future direction.

p.18

Commentary

40. A considerable strength is the level of care and security given to pupils, and the effective systems to promote their personal development. The school is truly inclusive and values all pupils as individuals. Extra help is available for pupils with physical and emotional needs. This creates a strong ethos and a happy school. The spacious accommodation and attractive displays make it a stimulating learning environment. A key issue from the previous inspection report was to make raising pupils’ attainment central to the school improvement plan. The present plan refers clearly to the need to raise standards. However, it does not yet focus sufficiently on raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve or show what steps need to be taken to monitor rigorously the quality of teaching and learning. The new senior management team has the understanding and the capacity to introduce the necessary

p.18

Commentary

41. The governing body has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and has provided support and continuity through a period of upheaval. Governors take their responsibilities seriously and ensure that all statutory requirements are met. Until now, they have not had

p.18

Commentary

sufficient information about the school’s weaknesses to challenge the continuing low Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 18 standards. Teachers are not held to account for the progress of the pupils in their classes. This means that the school’s progress in general is weaker than that of other schools.

p.18

Commentary

42. Many subject co-ordinators are new to their posts and have not had time to influence standards. The exceptions to this are ICT and religious education, where well-established co- ordinators have overseen improvements in attainment. Leadership and management are unsatisfactory in the Foundation Stage, because expectations are too low and timetabling does not give a clear overview of the time allocated weekly to each area of learning.

p.19

Commentary

43. Throughout the school, little effective monitoring of teaching and learning takes place. A barrier to learning is low expectations by teachers of what pupils can achieve. They have been too quick to find excuses for poor performance, rather than to examine what is actually going on in classrooms. However, an aid to learning is the positive climate created in the school. This suggests that improvement could take place rapidly given an effective strategy to raise standards.

p.19

Commentary

44. The school is moderately funded and makes appropriate use of its resources. For example, in recent years more teaching assistants have been employed to support pupils. The school’s finance officer efficiently runs the day-to-day management of finances. She prepares informative reports for the acting headteacher and governors. This year, owing to long periods of sickness, the supply budget is greatly overspent. Best value principles are applied in using resources, and the school provides satisfactory value for money, bearing in mind how well it cares for its pupils. During the absence – and prior to the resignation – of the headteacher, the acting headteacher has been cautious about spending surplus funds. This accounts for the current surplus.

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 1 019 570 Balance from previous year 40 577 Total expenditure 998 167 Balance carried forward to the next 61 980

p.19

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

45. The additional needs register names more than half of the pupils in the school and running it so efficiently is a huge undertaking. The work of the additional educational needs co-ordinator is outstanding and the school’s family liaison officer supports her very well. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 19

p.19

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision is satisfactory overall, but has deteriorated since the previous inspection. In the absence of formal data about children’s attainment on entry to the Foundation Stage, the judgement of below average attainment is based upon entry profiles from nurseries, Foundation Stage profiles, and discussions with teachers and children, lesson observations and analysis of children’s work. The school has identified speech and language difficulties in 37 per cent of the 60 children currently in two Reception classes. Provision is good for children with special educational needs and English as an additional language. However, few children are likely to achieve all the Early Learning Goals by the end of their Reception Year, and they are consequently disadvantaged when entering Year 1. A significant proportion of children underachieve, particularly in communication, language and literacy. Aspects of teaching in one class are unsatisfactory. In both classes, teachers gather assessment

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

information, but do not use it to improve teaching and learning.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

As no teaching was seen in Knowledge and Understanding of the World no judgement can be made about the quality of provision. Judgements are based upon conversations with children and staff, and analysis of work on display. Achievement appears to be satisfactory overall but a below average start means that the majority of children still fall short of the Early Learning Goals. In one class, children know the names of spring flowers. In both classes, they recall a recent visit to a fire station, and know that an adult would dial 999 to call the fire brigade. In one class, they know that school fire extinguishers are similar to the extinguishers used by firefighters. Children are skilled in using construction sets, and their complex models are easily identified as fire engines, helicopters and robots. However, child-initiated activities fail to extend learning and too few activities are directly

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

linked to science, history and geography to prepare children for the Year 1 curriculum. During the inspection, computer programs supported learning in mathematical development and communication, language and literacy. Children had good control of programs, but staff failed to monitor computer use.

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

No overall judgement can be made about Creative Development because no planned activities were seen in drawing, painting and collage. During the inspection, children listened attentively to music in Foundation Stage assemblies, and described their peaceful feelings. A child of average attainment identified a tinkling sound as a piano. In child-initiated activities, staff did not intervene sufficiently to ensure learning outcomes from the children’s use of musical instruments. Imaginative play is satisfactory. Children enjoy dressing as fire fighters, but limited equipment restricts activities in their fire station.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children quickly develop Christian values. • Children’s attitudes and behaviour are always very good, and are sometimes excellent. • Some activities do not extend children’s learning.

p.20

Commentary

46. Teaching and learning are good overall in this area of learning. Children achieve well and many exceed the Early Learning Goals. Children enjoy coming to school. Good induction settles them quickly into the Reception classes, where they are happy, friendly and very well behaved. During the inspection, in a whole-school assembly, their behaviour was exemplary, although the theme was suited to much older children. In a Foundation Stage assembly, Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 20 where the theme was suited to their ages, they explored feelings of happiness and sadness, and followed the teacher’s guidance when praying and reflecting. Children receive very good individual care and support from all adults. Their concentration is good, although tasks set for them are often repetitious, and teachers do not monitor participation. Many activities are not linked closely enough to the Stepping Stones or the Early Learning Goals. Children’s social

p.20

Commentary

skills are good. Relationships are very good because children learn from staff the importance of speaking calmly and quietly.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Too many activities are inadequately planned. • Children’s writing skills are well below average for their age.

p.21

Commentary

47. Teaching and learning are unsatisfactory. Achievement is unsatisfactory overall and few children meet the Early Learning Goals. Children’s vocabulary is limited, but they speak confidently and ask sensible questions. During the inspection, when listening to the story of The Enormous Turnip they asked the meanings of heave and tug . They listen carefully to adults, and to each other, and retain some of their learning, but cannot discuss their experiences fluently. Phonics teaching is satisfactory. However, teachers do not ensure that voluntary helpers say the sounds, rather than the names, of letters. All children recognise their own names. A few can recognise their friends’ names, and some familiar words in their reading books. In one class, the teacher’s assessment of reading is satisfactory. Children’s writing skills are poor, and many activities are without purpose. In creative activities they make

p.21

Commentary

patterns with coloured pens, but this skill is not linked to development of handwriting. Children form their letters incorrectly, and often write in an uncorrected mixture of capital and lower case letters. During the inspection, teaching assistants used capital letters when writing children’s names on finished work.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

This area of learning has no significant strengths or weaknesses.

p.21

Commentary

48. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Achievement is satisfactory overall, although their below average start means that the majority of children do not meet the Early Learning Goals. Children of average attainment count accurately to ten and understand ‘take away two’ and ‘ please give me two more’ . They recognise simple shapes, including square, circle and triangle. Higher-attaining children understand positional language. Mathematical development is not always integrated with other activities, and teachers fail to identify many opportunities for problem solving. For example, mathematics was not an option in the extended sessions of child-initiated activities. In a good mathematics lesson seen, children correctly sequenced numbered socks on a washing line. Good, open questions developed their mathematical understanding. For example, the teacher asked the class ‘Why have we left a space between seven and nine?’ In this fast-paced lesson, higher-attaining children

p.21

Commentary

sequenced socks from 11 to 20, while a skilful teaching assistant helped lower-attaining children make good progress. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 21

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

This area of learning has no significant strengths or weaknesses.

p.22

Commentary

49. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Achievement is satisfactory overall but a below average start means that the majority of children still fall short of the Early Learning Goals. During the inspection, in two satisfactory physical development lessons, all children made full use of the large space available in the school hall. Although they listened very carefully to their teachers’ instructions, progress in dance and drama was restricted because teachers accepted a limited range of movement, without exploring children’s own ideas for development. In the outdoor area, children balance skilfully on stilts and ride bicycles safely between obstacles. They walk unaided along a narrow beam. All children have good knowledge of foods related to healthy lifestyles. They know that, broadly, fruit is good and confectionery bad. Their fine motor skills are below average for their age, and teachers plan few activities in this

p.22

Commentary

area of learning. For example, during the inspection, children were not seen to use glue spreaders, clay tools or paintbrushes.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Listening skills are good, speaking skills are underdeveloped and writing skills are particularly poor. • More able pupils do not achieve satisfactorily. • Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory, and sometimes better, progress.

p.22

Commentary

50. Standards at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 are well below national expectations and the weakest aspect of pupils’ work is their writing. This represents a significant decline since the last inspection when standards met expectations throughout the school. However, there has also been a significant decline in pupils’ attainment on entry to the school.

p.22

Commentary

51. Pupils generally listen well to their teachers. This is established very well in the Reception classes and is built upon throughout the school. It is a good example of what pupils can achieve when expectations of them are high enough. Their speaking skills are below expectations. This is partly because they are limited when children join the school but is also because teaching opportunities are missed. For example, too often, teachers ask questions that usually require a one word or other simple answer. They do not routinely expect pupils to answer in sentences. In addition, best use is seldom made of ‘wind-up’ sessions at the end of lessons. For example, these do not have a clearly defined purpose in teachers’ planning and are not used to develop pupils’ skills in speaking to the whole class. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 22 52. Reading standards are below average. Although most pupils read competently, their

p.22

Commentary

understanding of what they read is more limited. A Year 6 pupil, for example, competently read a passage from a factual book but was very confused about the content. Most pupils – even the oldest – report that they take a book home on a daily basis. Looking at their reading diaries confirms the good support with reading that the vast majority of pupils get from their parents.

p.23

Commentary

53. Writing standards are poor. Paucity of opportunity to write in their Reception Year gets Year 1 pupils off to a particularly poor start. This is never recouped. Opportunities to write are spread across the curriculum, although the balance between those that are highly structured (by worksheets or a list of questions, for example) and those that are genuinely independent (the pupil, an idea, paper and pencil) disproportionately favours the former.

p.23

Commentary

54. The quality of most teaching and learning is sound: some is good but some is unsatisfactory. Overall provision is unsatisfactory because standards are too low and too little has yet been done to raise them. Raising literacy standards is a key priority of the school’s improvement plan but the list of intended action does not address the issue directly enough. However, the new senior management team has a sound grasp of the steps that will be necessary to raise standards but they have not had enough time to begin to do so.

p.23

Commentary

55. Pupils with special educational needs often match the progress of their more able peers because of the thoughtful and effective support they receive from initiatives to help with fine motor control (of a pencil), speech and basic literacy skills. Too little is expected of more able pupils.

p.23

Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. Subjects such as history, geography, science and religious education provide some support for the development of pupils’ writing skills. However, as too many writing opportunities are on worksheets or tables, or in the form of lists or answers to questions, they do not bring about the benefits they could. Overall, far too little writing is done ‘from scratch’.

p.23

MATHEMATICS

Provision in mathematics is unsatisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils can do. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good and they co-operate well together. • Monitoring procedures have not been effective in raising standards. • Marking does not show pupils how they can improve.

p.23

Commentary

57. Standards are well below average, as they were in the latest national tests. The achievement of most pupils is unsatisfactory because too much work for average and more able pupils is unchallenging and is not well matched to their abilities. Teachers have low expectations of what these pupils can do. There is an emphasis on number work at the expense of other areas of the curriculum such as shape and space and data handling.

p.23

Commentary

58. Teaching is satisfactory overall. Work with the whole class in mental arithmetic is largely successful. The pace of lessons is often too slow, and explanations unclear. In several lessons pupils were unsure what they were supposed to be doing once they had been set to work. This is because teachers do not regularly ask them to explain their answers, or to think carefully around a problem. Too much of the questioning demands simple yes or no answers. Groups of pupils have targets but are often unaware of what these are, or whether they have met them. Marking does not attempt to move pupils on in their thinking. In some year groups Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 23 little work is produced. More demands are made of pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 but by then it is too late to reverse the decline in standards. At the time of the last inspection, standards were in line with expectations, and so progress since then has been unsatisfactory. However, there

p.23

Commentary

has been a significant decline in the mathematical skills of children entering the school.

p.24

Commentary

59. The co-ordinators have launched many initiatives and work hard, but none of this activity has improved standards. In their action plan, the nineteenth priority is to monitor the quality of teaching and learning: it should be at the top of the list. Teachers are informed about areas of weakness in the curriculum but whether they do anything about them is not followed up. Work in books is not monitored rigorously enough. However, the new senior management team has a clear idea of the course of action necessary to raise standards.

p.24

Commentary

60. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. They participate enthusiastically in mental arithmetic sessions. When involved, they enjoy whole-class activities. For example, in one lesson, pupils stuck numbers on flats in a big book to show the postman where to go. In another, they placed multiples of two and three on a Venn diagram. They work hard and persevere, even when they do not understand what they are supposed to be doing.

p.24

Mathematics across the curriculum

61. There are few links with other subjects. Computers are used to practise computation, and occasionally to make graphs. There are elements of mathematics in science and design and technology, but no innovative or imaginative connections are made between this and other subjects.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good overall. • The subject is well resourced. • Standards have improved since last year. • The standards reached by the end of Year 6 are below those of similar schools. • There is insufficient challenge for some pupils.

p.24

Commentary

62. Results of the 2003 National Curriculum tests and Teacher Assessments show that standards are well below average in Years 2 and 6. This represents a decline since the satisfactory standards reported at the previous inspection. However, inspection evidence suggests that some good teaching in Years 3 to 6 has arrested this trend and achievement is now sound. The standards of the current Year 6 pupils have risen but are still below expectations.

p.24

Commentary

63. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 learn about the main processes of life and recognise and name the main parts of plants and animals. They sort plants, animals and materials into groups on the basis of simple features. They remember their investigation findings and some are able to explain their observations, for example what happened when an elastic band was stretched. In Year 4 pupils show some knowledge of the properties of magnets but cannot explain their behaviour. Year 5 pupils describe their investigations accurately and draw simple graphs to record their results. More able pupils are able to give reasons for these results. Pupils in Year 6 have learnt about how plants and animals are adapted to their environments. During a lesson on shadows, some more able pupils explained the change in length of shadows in terms of the earth’s movement through the day. In Years 3 to 6 pupils develop their investigative skills and

p.24

Commentary

their ability to describe how to make an investigation fair by changing only one variable at a time. They record their information using charts, diagrams and text, make predictions and seek Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 24 explanations for what they find but are not able to design their own investigations. Throughout the school, pupils use appropriate scientific language to describe events, phenomena and characteristics.

p.24

Commentary

64. Teaching is satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. There is a high proportion of good teaching in Years 3 to 6: this is because pupils are challenged and learn well. However, in some lessons activities were very narrowly focused and all pupils were given tasks at the same level. Consequently, some more able pupils were not sufficiently challenged or extended while some slower learners found the work too demanding. The need to address this has been recognised by the subject leader. Evidence from written work suggests that some pupils have been given tasks which were not well matched to their ability to understand them. For example, pupils in Year 2 drew diagrams of the inner ear. Some of the work seen has been marked with helpful comments to enable pupils to progress but this practice is not frequent enough or used to plan future teaching. A good range of resources is available for each topic studied and these were

p.25

Commentary

65. In several classrooms, stimulating displays on themes related to current science work provide reminders of the investigations pupils have carried out and give opportunities to share findings.

p.25

Commentary

66. The school takes part in a number of science-related projects locally such as the Pfizer Jamboree, Thanet Science Challenge and Science Days at local secondary schools, all of which contribute to pupils’ learning.

p.25

Commentary

67. Leadership in the subject is sound and the co-ordinator has carried out monitoring of the coverage of the curriculum to provide action points for improvement. Some of these have been addressed by training and by the provision of materials to help with teaching of the areas identified. Some re-writing of the schemes of work has been carried out in order to provide a better match to the pupils’ stages of development and a start has been made in using assessment to plan for teaching.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are ample computers in the ICT suite and in classrooms for the number of pupils on roll. • Teaching is good in Years 5 and 6. • ICT is used to enhance learning in the other subjects of the curriculum. • Expectations of pupils in Years 1 to 4 are too low.

p.25

Commentary

68. Pupils attain standards that are below average by the end of Year 2, indicating no improvement since the last inspection. However, the standards in Year 6 match national expectations and are an improvement on the unsatisfactory standards of 1998. Given these Year 6 standards, overall achievement is satisfactory. There is clear evidence in Year 6 of better computer skills than those previously reported. Additionally, pupils in Years 5 and 6 achieve well, especially considering attainment in Years 1 and 2. These younger pupils can open programs, select colours, shapes and text and enter simple text. They are not yet fully proficient in using the shift or enter keys. They enter a simple program of commands into a screen simulation of a programmable toy, learning how to control movements electronically. However, overall, they have too few experiences of, for example, presenting completed work in effective ways. In

p.25

Commentary

Years 3 and 4, pupils begin to explore simulations and control on screen. In Year 5 pupils use spreadsheets to create charts and graphs from data they have entered. Older pupils search the Internet for information and for images to feature in ‘PowerPoint’ presentations. These presentations are of a high standard and pupils are able to use advanced features such as Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 25 hyperlinks. Year 6 pupils also use a desktop publishing package to create newspaper pages. Pupils are not yet proficient at more advanced National Curriculum skills, such as creating more complex databases, and using advanced computer simulations to explore changes and effects. The school has electronic sensors for monitoring temperature and sound levels but does not have control equipment. This is compensated for by visits to a local secondary school.

p.25

Commentary

69. Teaching has improved since the last inspection. It is now satisfactory overall and good in Years 5 and 6. Opportunities for ICT use are identified in teachers’ long- and short-term plans in most subjects. Most teachers show adequate subject knowledge and ability to overcome any problems with the network.

p.26

Commentary

70. The well-equipped ICT suite and networked computers in classrooms provide pupils with a good level of computer access. In addition, some teachers use laptop computers that can be linked to the network. Equipment is well matched to pupils’ needs, including the use of special ‘early years’ keyboards in the Reception classes. Provision is being made to renew older equipment. The school has invested in data projectors, and these are used effectively. The subject is well managed and the subject leader gives sound leadership, having ensured completion of New Opportunities Fund training. The need to improve teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 is recognised.

p.26

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. The use of ICT across the curriculum is satisfactory. Pupils make use of computers to support their learning in literacy, numeracy, science, history and geography. Use of sensors in science is at an early stage of development but pupils can remember their use and describe why they were appropriate.

p.26

HUMANITIES

72. During the inspection, three history lessons were seen in the junior classes. No teaching of the younger pupils was seen. No geography was seen. Pupils in Years 2 and 6 discussed their history work with inspectors, and workbooks in all year groups were analysed. Because of this limited evidence, no overall judgements can be made about provision.

p.26

HUMANITIES

73. In a satisfactory history lesson seen in Year 6, pupils devised questions to evaluate social conditions in 1950s Britain. Their teacher had a good knowledge of the era, but the lesson was frequently disrupted by pupils who called out, and by general gossip while she was speaking. Pupils in Year 6 demonstrated good knowledge of the Second World War when speaking to inspectors, and they suggested a good variety of research sources, including CD-ROMs and the Internet. They knew the outcomes of the German invasion of Poland, and understood the meanings of blitz and prisoners of war . In a good lesson seen in Year 3, pupils knew that the burial site at Sutton Hoo contained many artefacts, but no direct evidence of bodies. They knew the reasons for the burial of artefacts, and guessed imaginatively that the owner of an axe might have been a lumberjack! In this lesson, although the teacher used her voice

p.26

HUMANITIES

expressively to stimulate discussion, a number of pupils were passive until taken into the playground to role-play an Anglo-Saxon ship burial. In a satisfactory lesson seen in Year 4, pupils had some knowledge of Greek gods, but could not recall their location on Mount Olympus. In pairs, they discussed proposals for modern gods, and found that many groups had agreed on the fundamentals of health, wealth and happiness. However, subsequent individual writing was generally brief and untidy, and much spelling was poor. Two higher- attaining pupils wrote neatly and with satisfactory detail. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 26 74. Written work in history and geography is unsatisfactory in Years 3 and 4, where pupils complete too many undemanding worksheets. In these year groups, some teachers have low expectations of pupils, and written work is not always matched to their needs. Written work

p.26

HUMANITIES

improves greatly in Years 5 and 6, where pupils have much more scope for extended writing. In Years 1 and 2, written work is poor in content and presentation. Teachers’ marking praises without enough discrimination, and does not improve the quality of pupils’ work. In discussion with inspectors, pupils in Year 2 had poor recall of history and geography topics.

p.27

HUMANITIES

75. The recently appointed co-ordinator for history and geography has adequate knowledge of both subjects, but has had few opportunities to monitor lessons, workbooks and teachers’ planning. Resources are satisfactory, but are not always fully used by teachers.

p.27

Religious education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards have improved throughout the school since the last inspection. • Relationships are good and this has a positive impact on learning. • In some lessons activities lack sufficient challenge or interest.

p.27

Commentary

76. Standards are now in line with the expectations of the agreed syllabus in Years 2 and 6, an improvement since the last inspection. This is because the quality of teaching has improved and the agreed syllabus is followed more closely. Achievement varies between poor and good, but overall is satisfactory. Relationships in most classes are positive and pupils are eager to learn. They recall things well that they have been taught previously. A lesson was observed in each year group. Three good lessons were seen, two satisfactory and one unsatisfactory. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. In the good lessons common features were a brisk pace, high expectations from the teacher, and tasks that were interesting and well matched to pupils’ abilities. For example, Year 2 pupils made Seder plates to commemorate the Jewish Passover festival. They were able to explain the significance of certain food items: ‘The herb

p.27

Commentary

is bitter because it reminds them of a bitter time’. Year 6 pupils considered the principles of social welfare that guide the Salvation Army. The teacher handled this discussion very sensitively. In the unsatisfactory lesson, class control was the main problem, brought about by unclear instruction and a dull task.

p.27

Commentary

77. The co-ordinators have worked hard to improve provision and have been largely successful, ensuring that monitoring takes place. This has led to additional training for staff, and written guidance for teachers based on the agreed syllabus. Resources are good.

p.27

CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

78. An overall judgement on provision in art and design is not possible as only two lessons were seen. The quality of teaching and learning in these lessons was satisfactory, as was the quality of the work that pupils produced. The work on display in classrooms was variable in quality but generally met national expectations. Better quality work was evident in some classrooms: work on fish and frogs in Year 4 and pastel work inspired by Picasso in Year 5. There was evidence of pupils learning about techniques used by other artists such as Paul Signac. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 27

p.27

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory .

p.28

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There is good integration with other areas of the curriculum. • Pupils complete a wide variety of tasks. • Curriculum planning does not always ensure that pupils’ knowledge and skills improve year on year.

p.28

Commentary

79. Standards at the end of Year 2 and at the end of Year 6 are at the levels expected. Achievement is sound. This is an improvement on those seen at the time of the last inspection.

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Commentary

80. Teaching and learning in the lessons seen varied from satisfactory to good, and was satisfactory overall. Pupils enjoy their work. They work productively and are encouraged to plan and modify their ideas as the work progresses. In a Year 3 lesson, pupils used balloons and pumps to operate features in a model monster. Although not all could understand the principles involved, they all made some progress. A wide variety of work is displayed around the school, including some good examples of work linking different curriculum areas. For example, some Year 5 pupils had written about Ancient Egypt and had created model boats to illustrate their work, while others had painted portraits of Tudor monarchs and combined these with fabrics into a 3D display. However, some work on creating scenes in boxes on display in Year 1 and Year 4 presented very similar tasks, indicating a lack of progression over three years. No work

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Commentary

in food technology was evident at the time of the inspection but resources for this are available and records of previous work suggest that attainment is sound.

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Commentary

81. A range of appropriate tools and materials is available but there are no dedicated areas for food technology. The recently appointed subject leader provides sound leadership in the subject and is building on the improvements brought about by the previous co-ordinator. She monitors planning in the subject and is working to improve assessment methods.

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Commentary

82. The school offers a sound curriculum in which appropriate links are made with subjects in other curriculum areas.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Singing is a strength of the school. • Extra curricular activities contribute well to provision. • The knowledgeable co-ordinator has few opportunities to raise standards.

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Commentary

83. Standards overall have deteriorated since the previous inspection, although singing is very good in all year groups. Carefully chosen songs reinforce Christian values and contribute significantly to pupils’ spiritual development. In a very good singing practice, led by the music co-ordinator, pupils in Years 3 and 5 demonstrated clear understanding of canon and ostinato. Class teachers and the headteacher were fully involved in this happy and very tuneful session. During the inspection, pupils in Years 5 and 6 rehearsed at Margate’s Winter Gardens for a Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 28 schools’ music festival. They cheerfully followed the conductor’s instructions in music and movement, and contributed fully to a spirited public performance.

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Commentary

84. Pupils have little knowledge of composers. In discussion with inspectors, pupils in Year 6 named Mozart, but could not name any other composer, or remember the title of any music selected by the headteacher to establish the atmosphere for assembly.

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Commentary

85. All music is taught in the school hall. Time is lost when pupils walk to and from the hall, and wait outside it for previous lessons to finish. Some teachers do not keep strictly to agreed timetables. During the inspection, good lessons were seen in Years 4 and 6. In the Year 4 lesson, led by the music co-ordinator, pupils used good technical vocabulary. They knew the meanings of pentatonic scale and drone . In groups, they played tuned and untuned instruments, closely following the musical beat in a recording of L’il ’liza Jane. Attainment was above national expectations, but the lesson plan did not include time for groups to evaluate their own work and the work of others. In the Year 6 lesson, the class successfully practised a two-part song. All pupils participated, and their diction and rhythm improved significantly in the limited time available.

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Commentary

86. Lessons seen in Years 1 and 2 were unsatisfactory. In both lessons, although teachers’ plans were good, inadequate subject knowledge limited pupils’ progress. For example, in the Year 1 lesson, pupils were not corrected when they struck percussion instruments with excessive force. Pace was slow in the Year 2 lesson, and pupils made little progress in understanding timbre, dynamics and tempo .

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Commentary

87. The co-ordinator has very good subject knowledge but has had no opportunity to monitor teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers’ good subject knowledge leads to clear instructions and explanations. • Pupils’ attitudes are positive and they co-operate well. • There are few opportunities for them to comment upon their own or others’ work.

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Commentary

88. Standards are in line with national expectations in Years 2 and 6, as they were at the time of the last inspection. Achievement is satisfactory. Pupils enjoy their lessons and enter enthusiastically into the activities. A full range of skills is taught. During the inspection, sessions in gymnastics, dance and games were observed, and a class went swimming. In 2003 the school was awarded the Activemark Gold Award in recognition of the variety and quality of experiences it offers pupils.

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Commentary

89. Teaching is satisfactory. Two good lessons were seen, in which the teachers’ subject knowledge ensured that all pupils made rapid progress. These lessons had pace and were well organised. Pupils worked together effectively in groups, in one case playing doubles with racquets. Year 1 pupils used the apparatus to balance on ‘points and patches’. In less effective lessons, pupils were given little flexibility to explore their own movements, or to comment upon their performance. Examples of good practice were not drawn to their attention to help them to improve. Organisation was untidy, with time wasted sorting out resources or putting up apparatus. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 29 90. The co-ordinator is new to the post. The subject is well organised. The school has a large hall and a gym. The heating system is very noisy in the gym, which makes teaching difficult, as it is

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Commentary

hard for teachers to make themselves heard, or to hear pupils.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

91. No lessons dedicated specifically to personal, social and health education and citizenship were seen and it is therefore not possible to comment on the overall quality of provision. However, pupils benefit significantly from the school’s very good routine, day-to-day work to support their personal and social development: it permeates all provision. It is underpinned by the support received by more than half of the pupils in the school, who are deemed to have additional educational needs. The high quality support – combined with a very caring school ethos and warmth in all relationships – helps pupils to manage the difficulties with which they are faced. Such is the success of the school’s work that pupils are thoughtful, caring, responsible and personable. They have all of the ingredients to enable them to learn and make swift progress. Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 30

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Inspection judgement Grade

The overall effectiveness of the school 4

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Inspection judgement Grade

How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 5 Value for money provided by the school 4

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2

Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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The quality of education provided by the school 4

The quality of teaching 4 How well pupils learn 4 The quality of assessment 5 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 4 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 3 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 4 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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The leadership and management of the school 5

The governance of the school 4 The leadership of the headteacher 5 The leadership of other key staff 5 Holy Trinity and St John’s Church of England Primary School - 31 The effectiveness of management 5

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The leadership and management of the school 5

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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