Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, NW3

HOLY TRINITY CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 1 st – 4 th December 2003

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HOLY TRINITY CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Holy Trinity CE Primary 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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HOLY TRINITY CE 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 CE Primary School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Primary School category: Voluntary Aided Age range of pupils: 4-11 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 171

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Trinity Walk Maresfield Gardens London Postcode: NW3 5SQ

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 0207 435 9089 Fax number: 0207 435 7701

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Dr D Hill

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Holy Trinity CE Primary School has 171 pupils on roll, aged 4 to 11 years, and the average class size is 25. It serves an inner-city community in Camden, London. Many pupils come from very disadvantaged home backgrounds and an above average number are in receipt of a free school meal. The building dates from 1890 and is surrounded by small but interesting hard-surface play areas. At the time of the inspection, there were 12 children under five in the reception class. The attainment of children at the start of school is below average. About 30 per cent of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs of which a fifth of these receive support from outside agencies. Currently, four of these pupils have a statement of special educational need. A very large proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

23219 Phil Mann Lead inspector Mathematics, Information and communication technology, Art and design, Design and technology, Music, Physical education 9468 John Arscott Lay inspector 31525 Sue O’Sullivan Team inspector English as an additional language, English, Geography, History 32142 Beryl Richmond Team inspector Special educational needs, The Foundation Stage, Science

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: Altecq Education Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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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 CE Primary School

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 9

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 14

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

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OVERALL EVALUATION

This is a good and effective school where all pupils achieve well. The school creates a very positive atmosphere for learning. Considerable attention is placed on the care and welfare of the pupils and good teaching ensures basic skills in literacy and numeracy are taught well. The new headteacher provides good leadership and with an effective governing body continues to ensure that the school is managed very well in accordance within its highly structured but flexible procedures. Given the low starting point of many pupils, the standards being achieved and the level of resources available, the school provides good value for money.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • The levels of achievement for all pupils are good in many subjects and especially in basic skills. • Standards in English are below average by the ages of seven and eleven. • The attitudes and behaviour of pupils are very good and all are inspired to learn. • The provision for children in the reception class is good and continues to be improved. • Teaching is good and a strong sense of teamwork and purpose exists amongst all staff. • The range of learning opportunities is good and effective links are made between subjects. • The care and welfare of all pupils are very good. • The school has established very good links with parents and its wider community. • Good leadership and very good management ensure continual school improvement. • Overall pupil attendance remains at well below average levels despite the school’s sterling efforts to improve the situation.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Improvement since the time of the previous inspection has been very good and notable achievements have been in the quality of accommodation, assessment procedures and the implementation of very good management structures.

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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 English E C E D mathematics E B D B science E A B B 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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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Levels of achievement are good in all areas of learning for all pupils, including those children in the reception class and standards are average overall by the end of the juniors. Inspection findings mainly reflect the results for 2003 where standards are judged to be below average in English for seven and eleven-year-olds but average in mathematics and science. Standards are judged to be above average for eleven-year-olds in design and technology and music. A very large proportion of the pupils speak English as an additional language and a high proportion of pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register. These factors have a strong influence on the overall standards achieved. About a quarter of pupils either enter the school or leave within any school year and this factor also adversely influences the overall standards achieved by pupils. However, despite these factors the rate of pupil achievement is good because teaching is good or better in many lessons

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

and a strong emphasis is placed on teaching literacy and numeracy skills.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

A very positive ethos for learning has been established within the school and, as a result, all pupils work hard because learning meets their needs. The school promotes very good relationships, Holy Trinity CE Primary School including racial harmony and because of this, all pupils work and play in an environment free from bullying, racism and other forms of harassment. Most pupils behave very well in lessons, the playground and around the school because they are clear about what is expected of them. Those whose behaviour is not always as good respond very well to the clear code of conduct. The school prepares pupils well for life in a culturally diverse society with the result that they are confident about themselves and their own abilities.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and contributes positively to the achievement of all pupils.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

Teaching is good with a high proportion being very good . Levels of subject expertise are good and very positive relationships are established within all classes. A strong emphasis is placed on teaching literacy skills and pupil progress is monitored well. This information is used satisfactorily to plan learning for all pupils but sometimes an absence of a sharp focus in its use limits the overall potential levels of achievement.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The overall curriculum is good. The school provides a wide range of worthwhile and interesting opportunities for its pupils to learn both during and outside the school day. Subjects, such as history and design and technology are taught effectively through specific blocks of time and teachers plan good links between other subjects. Pupils who have special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language are fully included in the work of each class. The quality of extra support from teaching assistants is good. However, there are insufficient assistants to support fully the identified needs of all pupils to raise standards further. The school ensures that pupils have the relevant personal, social and health education to enable them to develop into effective learners and responsible young people. The curriculum is evaluated and improved on a regular basis to ensure that time and resources are used effectively according to the pupils’ needs.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The newly-appointed headteacher is providing good leadership and clear educational direction for the school. She exhibits a strong sense of purpose and high expectations for pupils and staff. Team building is a strength. The headteacher is providing a very good role model for staff and pupils. This is a very inclusive school, in part due to this good leadership. Day-to-day management is very good and comprehensive guidance for all staff ensures that good practice is further built on. Significant improvement has been achieved since the previous inspection in many aspects of the school’s work and the capacity for further development is good. Strategic planning is good and is shared well with governors. Governance of the school is good . The governing body monitors the work of the school effectively and is well aware of its strengths and areas for further improvement. All governors display a profound interest and concern for the well being of the school community and have worked hard to

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents: The majority of parents have very positive perceptions of what the school stands for and how well the school looks after their children. Parents correctly identify that their children are very happy at the school because it has such a very welcoming atmosphere and very friendly staff. They also recognise how good attitudes and good behaviour contribute to the good progress their children make at the school. Parents acknowledge that the school tries very hard to provide parents with good practical advice on how best they can help their children at home. A small proportion of parents consider there are insufficient teaching assistants. The inspectors endorse this view, and judge that this deficiency has most impact on the support for children with English as an additional language.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Pupils: There is an overwhelming atmosphere of love for the school and the teachers. Pupils are very happy to be at school, to enjoy the learning experience, to be amongst friends, and to feel safe Holy Trinity CE Primary School and secure. They have a genuine trust and confidence that the school will protect and care for them. They know that the school respects and values them and listens to their views.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • continue to raise standards in literacy; • improve the level of pupil attendance;

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

and, to meet statutory requirements: • there are no issues to address. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

All pupils achieve well as they progress through the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are below average in English at seven and eleven but pupil achievement in literacy skills is good. Standards are at least average in all other subjects and above average in design and technology and music. • Pupils for whom English is an additional language achieve well and make good progress in learning English and in other subjects. • Assessment information is used to identify pupils’ needs and monitor progress but sometimes targets for improvement lack a sharp focus.

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 13.2 (15.6) 15.7 (15.8) writing 13.2 (14.4) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 13.7 (16.1) 16.3 (16.3) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results English 23.3 (26.7) 26.8 (27.0) Mathematics 25.8 (27.6) 26.8 (26.7) Science 27.7 (30.5) 28.6 (28.5) There were 26 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

1. The results in the 2003 national tests for eleven-year-olds are well below average in English and below average in mathematics and science. When these results are compared with schools of similar circumstances and based on prior attainment at seven, they are average in English; they are well above average in mathematics and science. The results of pupils in Year 2 taking the 2003 national tests are well below average in reading, writing and mathematics when compared to schools nationally. When compared to schools with similar circumstances using free school meals data, standards are average for reading, above average in writing but below average for mathematics. Inspection findings reflect these results where standards are judged to be below average in English for seven- and eleven-year-olds but average in mathematics. Standards are judged to be average for eleven-year-olds in science and above

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Commentary

2. The inspection notes that a very large proportion of the pupils speak English as an additional language. A high proportion of pupils are also on the school’s special educational needs register. These factors have a strong influence on the overall standards achieved. About a quarter of pupils either enter the school or leave within any school year. This factor also Holy Trinity CE Primary School adversely influences the overall standards achieved by pupils and fluctuations year on year are common. For example, when five pupils with very underdeveloped spoken English who entered the school during Year 5 and Year 6 are discounted from the 2003 tests, the results are much better.

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Commentary

3. Children enter the reception class with levels of attainment that are below average overall. Some children are learning English, whilst others speak confidently and well. They achieve well in the reception class because the quality of teaching and learning is always at least good. A range of interesting and relevant activities are planned effectively to meet the children’s needs. As a result, all children make good progress overall, but particularly in their social and personal skills.

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Commentary

4. Despite high levels of pupil mobility and wide variations in the attainment of pupils when admitted into the school, the rates of pupil achievement, including those of average and above- average ability, are good because: • teaching is good or better in many lessons; • a strong emphasis is placed on teaching literacy and numeracy skills; • classroom relationships are very positive and all pupils have very positive attitudes towards their learning; • learning is relevant to pupils’ needs and their efforts are fully recognised by staff.

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Commentary

5. Pupils for whom English is an additional language achieve well and make good progress in learning English and in other subjects. The standards of pupils in Years 1 and 2 are below average, partly because their lack of English is a constraint on their learning. In Years 3 to 6, pupils achieve as good standards as their peers. By the age of eleven, their standards in mathematics and science, and in some aspects of English, are in line with national averages. In writing, their standards are still below average.

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Commentary

6. Over 80 per cent of pupils are of minority ethnic origin. The great majority achieve standards that are as high as those of their peers. Their progress and achievement are good. There is no evidence of significant difference between the achievement of different ethnic groups.

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Commentary

7. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well overall and very good procedures have been put in place to monitor their progress. The standards these pupils attain are below those expected for the pupils’ ages but they are satisfactory in relation to the pupils’ identified needs and targets. These targets are clear, specific, achievable and suitably challenging. In the main, progress towards these targets is good. However, sometimes these targets lack a sharp focus and are too general in nature and therefore limiting the potential rates of achievement possible.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ attitudes to their work and towards others in the school are very good . Pupils’ behaviour is very good. Pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is very good and their spiritual development is good .

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Main strengths and areas for improvement

• Children in the reception class quickly develop positive attitudes and good working habits. • The school stimulates in pupils a desire to learn and their interest in school life is very good. • The school engenders in pupils a willingness to be enterprising and to take responsibility. • Relationships are very good because the school promotes very good relationships, including racial harmony, and pupils work and play in an environment free from bullying, racism and other forms of harassment. • Pupils are confident and have good self-esteem. • Pupils’ behaviour is very good in lessons, the playground and assemblies because they are clear about the rules for behaviour and the consequences. Holy Trinity CE Primary School • Pupils' overall attendance is unsatisfactory. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

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Commentary

8. Children in the reception class make good progress in their personal and social development because the teaching team have high expectations about their attitudes and behaviour. They understand well how to promote children’s social skills and self-esteem and set high expectations for listening, being helpful and being responsible, which all children try hard to achieve.

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Commentary

9. The vast majority of pupils have very good attitudes to their work and to all aspects of school life. They participate very well in various interesting opportunities offered to them during the school day and in after-school clubs. Parents think that the school reinforces well the attitudes and values taught at home.

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Commentary

10. Staff give pupils good opportunities to take responsibility and pupils are keen to do this. Two pupils represent each class on the school council and have been involved in helping to plan the building developments for the new toilets. Other opportunities occur on a daily basis when pupils contribute well to the success of the school, for instance, by helping with chairs and other equipment for assembly.

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Commentary

11. Staff model good relationships very well for pupils and consequently relationships throughout the school are very good. Because the work of pupils with special educational needs is always valued, this encourages them to try harder. These pupils respond particularly well to dedicated and well-trained support staff. The school is a racially harmonious community where the diversity of pupils and staff is valued. The school deals quickly with any problems that arise. At the parents’ meeting, parents confirmed that bullying incidents are rare and restricted to name calling rather than physical violence.

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Commentary

12. Teachers give pupils many opportunities to speak, for instance, in partner work and to explain in whole-class sessions. Consequently, most pupils are confident when speaking to visitors. They are proud of their work and their school.

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Commentary

13. Standards of behaviour throughout the school are very good. In the vast majority of lessons observed, staff managed pupils very well resulting in very good standards of behaviour. The school is an orderly community. Pupils listen well, take turns well and move about the school sensibly. They are polite and respectful, holding doors open and being pleasant to visitors. Most pupils with special educational needs behave well in lessons and at break times. Teaching assistants play an important role in developing appropriate attitudes in some pupils who find it difficult to adhere to the expectations for behaviour in class. This is done well, without interruption to the class and with little loss of time for the pupils concerned. Pupils who find it hard to behave co-operatively have behaviour targets and try hard to achieve them. They have extra support and ‘a listening ear’ in the learning mentor. From discussions with pupils, it

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Commentary

is clear that they value greatly the work that she does with them. Pupils, who have had difficulties in the past with their behaviour but have managed to overcome them well, now work with younger pupils to help them establish good working habits and build successful relationships with other people.

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Commentary

14. The school develops pupils morally, socially and culturally very well. There is a clear code of behaviour on display in classrooms and shared with parents. The positive results are seen in pupils’ attitudes and behaviour throughout the school day. Staff plan very good opportunities to develop pupils’ social skills. In lessons, pupils discuss their tasks and work in pairs and groups. They develop a social conscience by contributing to fund-raising events. The school prepares pupils well for life in a culturally diverse society. The school has a good range of multicultural resources. Pupils benefit greatly from learning about other cultures from other pupils and their teachers. Pupils understand that all cultures have differences and similarities. Pupils born in Britain know that their Muslim friends live a different life in our British culture than their parents and grandparents may have done in the past. Pupils who are new to life in Britain

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Commentary

are learning well about the customs and culture of Britain. This good development of Holy Trinity CE Primary School understanding and knowledge contributes significantly to racial harmony at the school. Staff appreciate the good support that parents give in this area by working in school with pupils and in other ways. The school develops pupils spiritually well, particularly in terms of developing enquiring and questioning minds. The school meets the statutory requirements with respect to the daily act of collective worship. However, there is not always enough opportunity for pupils to reflect in assemblies.

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Commentary

15. The levels of both authorised and unauthorised absences are well below the national averages. Part of the problem is that the school has a high proportion of transient refugees who are not familiar with the procedures and expectations of attendance at schools in the United Kingdom. However, the most significant contribution to the high level of authorised absences is the extended visits that many pupils make to their country of ethnic origin. For example, in the last summer term these visits accounted for 42 per cent of the total absences. Teachers manage daily registration well. A relatively small number of pupils are responsible for the majority of the entries in the late book. The school's systems for urging parents to make sure their children attend school regularly and on time are very good, but unfortunately the family circumstances of some parents and carers prevent them from responding positively. The school is doing all it

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Commentary

can to improve attendance and is extremely well supported by the education welfare officer.

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Commentary

Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%) Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 7.8 School data 1.4 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

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 31 White – any other White background 25 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 6 1 Mixed – White and Black African 6 Mixed – White and Asian 8 Mixed – any other mixed background 8 Asian or Asian British – Indian 3 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 9 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 9 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 12 Black or Black British – Caribbean 14 1 Black or Black British – African 27 Black or Black British – any other Black background 2 Chinese 3 Any other ethnic group 3 No ethnic group recorded 5 Holy Trinity CE Primary School The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall and contributes positively to the achievement of all pupils.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good with nearly a half of lessons being very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The expertise of teachers is good in many subjects. Literacy and numeracy lessons are taught well and all pupils are achieving well in basic skills. • The teaching of children in the reception class is consistently good or better. • Teachers’ planning is good overall and effective links have been made between subjects to make learning relevant and interesting. • A very positive ethos for learning has been established and very positive relationships exist between all staff and pupils. • Very good procedures for assessment have been put in place but the information gained is not always being used effectively to target work closely to the needs of all pupils. • The support for pupils for whom English is an additional language is good. • Good levels of support are provided for pupils with special educational needs. • Resources are used well to support teaching and learning but sometimes information and

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Main strengths and weaknesses

communication technology (ICT) activities are not effectively matched to the current class lesson.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 35 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 15 (43%) 12 (34%) 8 (23%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%) 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

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Commentary

16. The expertise of teachers is good in many subjects and this is particularly so in English, mathematics, ICT and music. As a result, teachers introduce lessons with confidence and use subject specific vocabulary well to improve the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This use of new vocabulary provides good opportunities for pupils of whom English is an additional language to develop their own speaking and listening skills. Music is taught particularly well by a part-time specialist teacher and, as a result, all pupils are making good progress in their music making skills. Teachers use computers with confidence to support learning in several subjects. For instance, the skills needed to compile a multi-media presentation about Britain in the Second World War had clearly been taught effectively to pupils in Year 6 and confirmed by the high-quality presentations shared with the class during inspection. Literacy and numeracy

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Commentary

lessons are taught well because the principles of the national strategies are being employed to good effect to structure lessons accordingly. As a result, all pupils are achieving well in these basic skills.

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Commentary

17. The teaching of children in the reception class is consistently good or better. This is a considerable improvement on the findings of the previous inspection when it was unsatisfactory and a key issue. The teacher plans a range of interesting and relevant activities to meet the children’s needs. The children make good progress overall, but particularly in their Holy Trinity CE Primary School social and personal skills. The staff are very good role models for the children and manage them well.

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Commentary

18. The quality of teachers’ planning in the infants and juniors is good overall and consistent in format for all classes. This ensures that despite the high mobility of staff within the school, continuity in planning is maintained. Effective links have also been made between subjects to make learning relevant and interesting with some subjects, such as design and technology and history being taught in short but intensive blocks of time. This enables all pupils to become thoroughly engrossed in the current topics and achievement is good as a result.

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Commentary

19. All staff contribute to the very positive ethos for learning that has been established. As a result, very positive relationships exist between all staff and pupils. Teachers manage the behaviour of pupils very well in many lessons and high expectations are set. All pupils, even those who can sometimes be quite challenging, respond very well to this and keenly apply themselves to the tasks set. All pupils value being part of class discussions and raise their hands to make contributions and answer the teachers’ questions. There were many examples observed during the inspection of pupils working co-operatively together; for example, either on the computer, on a gymnastics mat or in mathematics lessons. This is because all staff place a strong emphasis on practical activities within a climate of trust and responsibility. This is a significant strength of the school and clearly has a very positive impact on the pupils’ learning

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Commentary

20. Overall, very good procedures for assessment have been put in place to monitor pupils’ progress in all subjects being taught. This is very effectively backed up by detailed summative records of the achievement of all individual pupils in ICT format. Both senior staff and teachers use this information well to monitor the progress of pupils overtime. This is combined with good marking and regular reviews of the pupils’ finished workbooks as a means of monitoring standards. This very good practice is not yet being fully reflected in how the information gained is used to target work even more closely on the needs of all pupils. It is recognised by inspectors that teachers have already identified this aspect of their work as an area for improvement and some are already starting to use assessment information effectively to set targets for pupils.

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Commentary

21. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. This is because pupils have been accurately assessed using outside agency support and their individual education plans are targeted carefully to help them learn. Most teachers use a wide range of successful strategies to motivate, involve and challenge pupils, and regularly monitor the progress pupils are making towards achieving their targets. Records are well maintained and regularly updated. The effectiveness of teaching assistants’ work varies when they are working with individuals, groups and the whole class. For example, some sit with pupils who need extra support when the class teacher is teaching the whole class, to repeat questions, give extra resource support and encourage, but this is not the case in all classes. Teachers and teaching assistants work together well as teams.

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Commentary

22. Good levels of support for pupils for whom English is an additional language is provided in classes. This ensures that all pupils are fully included in the work of their class. Teachers provide additional support by grouping pupils according to their ability so as to provide appropriate work for all pupils. Those pupils for whom English is an additional language but who are competent in English benefit well from this approach. Pupils at an early stage of learning English work in small groups and are well supported by class assistants and teachers. Volunteers also make a valuable contribution by helping pupils. The assessment of pupils’ progress in learning English is carried out informally on a regular basis, and formally at termly and annual meetings. The lack of detailed language targets for pupils makes this assessment less effective than it might be. Holy Trinity CE Primary School 23. Teachers are good at using a wide range of resources to support their teaching. This is

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Commentary

particularly so in Year 2 mathematics lessons where the teacher is very adept at using visual aids to support the teaching of new concepts, such as time. Even though the allocation of learning support assistants is not enough to meet the needs of the very high numbers of pupils who speak English as an additional language, teachers make good use of their services in lessons. Good lines of communication have been established between teachers and support staff and the sense of teamwork is strong in all classes. All learning support assistants contribute very positively to the quality of learning within the school and are often seen playing with the pupils in the playground or helping them in lessons. They make a very positive contribution to the teaching of pupils with special educational needs. The absence of a computer suite restricts the teaching of ICT skills to a whole class. The current strategy of

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Commentary

allocating the several laptops available to Year 5 does enable new skills to be taught effectively to all pupils in this class. However, this good practice is not repeated in other classes and even though new ICT skills are being taught regularly, pupils in these classes are only able to practise them in rotation during lessons for other subjects. Consequently, pupils miss out on learning in other subjects at this time because ICT activities are not effectively matched to the current class lesson.

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The curriculum

The overall curriculum is good. Very good extra-curricular provision enriches the curriculum well. The accommodation is satisfactory . Staffing is good . Resources are good .

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Main strengths and areas for improvement

• The school plans a wide variety of interesting activities that are meaningful to the pupils. • It has developed its curriculum well to meet the specific needs of its pupils. • The provision for children in the reception class is good and has improved significantly since the previous inspection. • The organisation of the ICT curriculum is inappropriate. • The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The provision for pupils with English as an additional language is good. • The provision for personal, health and sex education is good. • All pupils have equal access to the curriculum.

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Commentary

24. The curriculum is broadly based and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The quality and range of learning activities are good. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy have had a positive impact in raising pupils’ standards. The curriculum is enriched well by a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, arts, music, breakfast and homework clubs. A range of visits that support many subjects make learning more interesting and meaningful for pupils. For example, pupils have been to the Science Museum, the mosque in Regents Park, Kew Gardens and Sutton House. Most subjects, apart from English, mathematics, physical education and ICT, are organised into blocks of work where pupils complete, for instance, a design and technology project over a period of a few weeks. This has proved effective in allowing pupils to develop knowledge and understanding and to build on

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Commentary

existing skills over a relatively short period of time. Meaningful cross-curricular links are made between subjects. For instance, in a Year 6 personal, social and health education lesson, pupils referred to notes they had made in an earlier lesson and were going on to use drama in the next lesson to explain some of the decisions they had taken in this lesson.

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Commentary

25. The curriculum for the children in the reception class is good. The teacher plans a wide range of appropriate activities to enable the children to learn effectively. A new appropriate policy for this stage of learning was agreed at the beginning of this school year. It is being effectively implemented and the practice of it evaluated regularly. Planning documents are still being developed to identify more clearly the areas of learning. Holy Trinity CE Primary School 26. In some lessons, pupils are working on the class computer on programs that do not relate to the lesson being taught to the rest of the class. Consequently, they are missing lessons on other subjects. The school has adopted this approach because it does not have an ICT suite and does not have the space for one. The laptop computers are not being used effectively enough throughout the school to address this problem. Consequently, although achievement in

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Commentary

ICT is satisfactory, it is not as good as it could be.

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Commentary

27. The provision for pupils with special educational needs effectively meets the various needs of individual pupils so that they are fully involved in lessons. This is because the extra adult support they receive enables them to succeed. However, there are not enough teaching assistants for each class to have this support. In addition, some teachers plan easier tasks for these pupils so that they can complete them on their own and consequently improve their ability to work independently. However, in some lessons they are asked to do a similar task to other pupils, which is not always appropriate. The provision outlined in pupils’ Statements of Special Educational Need is fully in place and are reviewed annually in line with the Code of Practice 1 guidance. Good systems ensure that these pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life.

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Commentary

28. Pupils for whom English is an additional language and pupils from minority ethnic groups experience the same curriculum as all pupils. In addition, the school provides extra-curricular activities, such as the Gospel Singing group and the Albanian club to enrich their experience. Signs in a variety of languages and display relating to pupils’ countries of origin celebrate the school’s ethnic diversity. There are good resources to support pupils, including dual-language books in eleven different languages spoken by pupils.

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Commentary

29. The school includes good personal, health and social education covering sex education and drugs awareness to older pupils, ‘Circle Time’ 2 and citizenship. The school is currently reviewing this provision in order to improve it further.

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Commentary

30. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory. There is a lack of space both inside and outside the building and pupils still have to go outside to the toilet block. However, the school is bright, attractively decorated and clean. Careful planning of the effective use of space has ensured that the maximum possible use of the space has been made. The outside areas have been carefully planned, contain tubs of plants, useful playground markings, and have covered areas and useful resources. Staffing is good, with some of the teachers coming from overseas bringing a cultural wealth of expertise to the school. Teaching staff levels are satisfactory. However, because of local and school funding constraints there are not enough teaching assistants to provide good levels of support for pupils with behavioural, educational and language difficulties, ensuring that they are included in all learning and enabling the teachers to

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Commentary

meet their needs effectively. Resources are in good condition, well organised and relevant to the needs of the pupils.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

Health and safety provision and practice in the school are both very good . Pupils’ progress is monitored exceptionally well , and the school is very good at listening to the concerns and aspirations expressed by its pupils.

p.17

Care, guidance and support

1 Code of Practice – this gives practical advice to schools and local education authorities about their responsibilities, duties and tasks to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs receive the most appropriate help and support to further their learning and personal development. This is a statutory duty under the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001. 2 During Circle Time pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. It is agreed by all pupils that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and therefore pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference of interruption from other children. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Staff know and understand the needs of pupils in their care very well. • The overall procedures for pastoral care, safety and welfare of pupils are good. • The quality and use of pupils’ personal records are excellent. • Very good links have been established with other support agencies. • Relationships between pupils and staff are very good. • The school places very high value on pupils’ views.

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Commentary

31. The school provides very high quality pastoral care for all its pupils, including those for whom English is an additional language and those of minority ethnic origin. Their personal development is good and they are fully involved in the life of the school. The accumulation of a very detailed ‘data set’ about the progress and background of each child is integrated into normal school routines. This comprehensive source of information enables teachers to make informed judgements about the support and guidance that each child needs. The school monitors these records extremely thoroughly in order to establish trends and identify where barriers to learning exist. Through the very effective efforts of the specialist learning mentor, the school tries to look deeper into the real reasons behind these barriers, rather than just providing additional remedial support. Procedures for child protection, safety and welfare are

p.18

Commentary

very firmly established and are known to all the staff. The procedures for monitoring pupils on the child protection register are very good. The school invites representatives from the police and fire service to teach children how to protect themselves and others. The school works very closely with several welfare agencies to resolve a wide range of sensitive social and health issues brought to the school by the children and their families.

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Commentary

32. The daily practice of health and safety in the school is very good. A rigorous risk assessment is undertaken at regular intervals and involves senior staff and governors. The school monitors and reviews safe working procedures regularly and arrangements for dealing with accidents are clearly set out. The provision for first aid and supervision at mealtimes is very good.

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Commentary

33. The friendly atmosphere and devoted staff conspire to capture the trust and respect of the pupils, and this in turn results in the most delightful relationships between pupils and staff. Friendship, tolerance and co-operation thrive in this warm climate.

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Commentary

34. The school encourages all pupils to take an active part in the school council. All the pupils know that the staff will listen to their views and this gives many pupils the confidence to voice their opinions in public. The principle of publicly celebrating achievement is well established and extends beyond the academic to all school activities, including attendance.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school enjoys very good links with parents and tries very hard to teach parents how they can make a significant contribution to the attainment and progress of their children. The school has good links with the community and very good induction and transfer arrangements with other schools in the area.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school ensures that parents are kept very well informed about standards and progress. • The school seeks and values parents’ views. • The partnership between parents of pupils with special educational needs and the school is good. • The school works with the community to enrich the curriculum for its pupils. • Very good induction and transfer procedures to and from the school have been developed. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

p.18

Commentary

35. Since the previous inspection, the school has been constantly looking for ways to improve relationships with parents. The school has been so successful that a very good relationship now exists with all parents, including those of pupils of all ethnic groups and with those whose home language is not English. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. For example, pupils' annual reports show that teacher have a very good knowledge of each child's learning and include detailed targets for pupils' improvement. The prospectus is an outstanding example of clear, concise writing beautifully packaged and presented. The overall perception by parents that this is a very happy school is fully justified. Most of the parents are comfortable about what they understand is being taught at school. The school tries hard to help and guide parents on the best ways to help their children at home. For example, a specialist was brought

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Commentary

in to run a six-week course on parenting skills. The school also runs an extremely successful course that involves parents working in the classroom. The evaluation reports written by these parents testify to this success. The school responds very well to parents’ suggestions and concerns.

p.19

Commentary

36. A positive and constructive partnership exists between the school and parents of pupils with special educational needs. The school is quick to inform parents at an early stage in the process of planning work for these pupils and good levels of discussion take place with teachers about individual education plans. Most parents respond well to this and attend a discussion about the support planned for their child. Parents are fully involved at the annual review meetings and links between home and school are regular and constructive. As a result, parents are made aware of what they can also do to help their child make good progress.

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Commentary

37. Pupils' learning is considerably enhanced as a result of many links with the community. The school regularly brings the community into the school to broaden pupils' understanding of the world, with visits from the school nurse, the emergency services and the local theatre group. The school also works hard to encourage visits from representatives of other cultures and religions. Good use is made of links with commerce, such as local businesses and charitable institutions, including the Philological Society. Pupils' personal development and sense of citizenship is improved as a result of the strong links with the community.

p.19

Commentary

38. On the whole, the school has good links with other schools. The school has particularly good induction arrangements for pupils entering the school to meet the demands of a very high proportion of incoming children with English as an additional language. The school uses the PSHE curriculum to boost pupils’ self-esteem and confidence to prepare them for a smooth transition to secondary school. Pupils visit local secondary schools and ex-pupils return to the school to tell of their experiences in secondary school. The school also hosts community service placements from University College School and enjoys the opportunity to use sporting and ICT facilities at the nearby South Hampstead High School.

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is good and the management of the school is very good.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher gives a strong educational direction to the school. • The governance of the school is good. • Day-to-day management is very good. • The provision for those who speak English as an additional language is managed well. • Management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. • The leadership of governors, headteacher and key staff is clearly focused on raising the standards and achievement of pupils. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

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Commentary

39. The newly-appointed headteacher provides good leadership for all. She has a clear vision for the school and a strong sense of purpose in achieving it. Her expectations of staff and pupils are high and she provides them with a very good role model. She has already made an impact on the school and is successfully building a strong staff team. The school is very inclusive and this is part of the shared vision of headteacher, governors and senior staff.

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Commentary

40. The governors are very committed to the school. They are well aware of its strengths and where it needs to improve. The governing body regularly monitors the work of the school and takes a keen interest in enabling it to improve. They have worked hard, with the school, to improve the accommodation and to maintain the fabric of the Victorian building. Financial management is good. The governors and the headteacher have taken timely and effective action to resolve the budget deficit caused by unexpected changes to the overall budget allocation in 2003-2004.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 670,447 Balance from previous year 14,245 Total expenditure 688,815 Balance carried forward to the next (4,123) Expenditure per pupil 3,743

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

41. The management of the school is very good. The headteacher and acting deputy headteacher implement the established procedures very well. The school runs very smoothly on a day-to- day basis. There is regular monitoring of the performance of staff, including teaching assistants, and comprehensive guidance ensures that good practice is further extended. There is a strong commitment to staff development. The procedures for the induction and support of staff new to the school, and for newly-qualified teachers, are very good. The recruitment and retention of staff in this inner-city area is difficult but these have, nevertheless, been well managed. Due to budget restrictions, there are not enough teaching assistants to meet fully the identified needs of all pupils. Current assistants are well deployed and make a significant contribution to pupils’ achievement. Financial and resource management are good

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

and the principles of best value are applied well.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

42. The leadership and management of the support for pupils for whom English is an additional language and of minority ethnic groups are good. The school makes good use of the funding available to support as many pupils as possible to achieve well. Provision for pupils for whom English is an additional language has improved well since the previous inspection.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

43. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides good leadership. She ensures that all pupils have been accurately assessed, using outside agencies regularly at the termly ‘SEN Surgery’ and at other times when necessary, and that pupils have relevant achievable targets. She works very closely with all colleagues and regularly monitors the use made of individual education plans. The new school policy for special educational needs fully reflects the 2001 Code of Practice for special educational needs. Unfortunately the school does not have sufficient resources, especially staffing, to fully meet the needs of this large group of pupils but through the dedication of staff their rate of achievement is not adversely affected.

p.20

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

44. The governors, headteacher and staff share a clear vision of making the school as inclusive and welcoming as possible. Over 80 per cent of pupils come from ethnic minority groups and over two thirds speak English as an additional language. The school is very successful in overcoming these barriers to raising achievement. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

p.20

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and has improved well since the last inspection.

p.21

Commentary

45. When children enter the reception class, their levels of attainment are below average overall. Some children are learning English, whilst others speak confidently and well. They achieve well in the reception class because the quality of teaching and learning is always at least good . The teacher plans a range of interesting and relevant activities to meet the children’s needs. The children make good progress overall, but particularly in their social and personal skills. Staff are very good role models for the children and manage them well. There is a good ratio of adults to children to ensure that children’s needs are met. The leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are good. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and has a clear vision about the development of this stage of learning. She has recently taken on the role and has achieved a great deal in a short space of time.

p.21

Commentary

46. The curriculum planned for the children is much improved but the documentation still needs some adjustment to ensure that the headings tally with the areas of learning in the Foundation Stage. Planning documents are displayed both inside and outside the classroom for easy reference by both staff and parents. The children benefit from an interesting and exciting outside area. There is a good range of equipment there and children have access to the larger playground on a regular basis so that they have an opportunity to run around. Assessment systems are very good and used well by the teaching team to address children’s needs well. The teaching team work effectively with parents whom they value as key partners in the children’s education. Parents are invited to evaluate curriculum sessions that the school holds so that improvements can be made where necessary. Parents value the detailed notes that

p.21

Commentary

the teacher writes in their children’s reading records and also the effective way that word lists are sent home for children to learn.

p.21

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.21

Main strengths and areas for improvement

• Children are in line to achieve expected goals by the end of the reception year. • Children are happy and want to come to school because staff work hard at establishing very good relationships with them. • Children clearly understand what is expected of them in terms of behaviour. • Children are encouraged to choose activities, share and cooperate.

p.21

Commentary

47. Children settle into the reception class well because there are established routines, a consistent approach to behaviour management and plenty of interesting things for them to do and to learn. Even those children who found starting school difficult at the beginning of term now come to school happily and behave very well. Planned activities encourage children to play and cooperate together from the start. The children are friendly and share equipment without making a fuss. They choose activities for themselves and the staff help and encourage them in this respect. The children’s behaviour was consistently very good. They listen well, speak to each other and adults in an appropriate way, enjoy playing together in the outside area Holy Trinity CE Primary School with enthusiasm, curiosity and imagination and participate very well in everything that their teacher has planned for them.

p.21

Communication, Language and Literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are encouraged to develop their speaking and listening skills through role-play. • Adults do not always ask or encourage children to repeat words that are new to them or that they are not confident using.

p.22

Commentary

48. Children’s language skills range from very low to above average when they enter reception class. Children’s listening skills develop quickly as adults talk to them and use simple questioning techniques, which encourage the children to respond. Some children lack confidence in speaking and pronunciation and vocabulary are poor. However, some children speak more confidently. The teacher clearly identifies the specific vocabulary being taught in lessons and this is usually reinforced well by her and the teaching assistant. In lessons, children enjoy listening to the texts being read to them, like the non-fiction book on puppets. Some children are keen to volunteer their own questions without being prompted and the class teacher values them well. There is a good emphasis on learning letter sounds and names both in planned sessions and when opportunities arise. Very detailed records of children’s progress

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Commentary

are kept. Although some pupils do not achieve the expected goals at the end of the reception year, their attainment is just below what is expected. Overall children make good progress during the time they spend in the reception class because many of them had low attainment when they started school.

p.22

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good.

p.22

Main strengths and areas for improvement

• The teacher plans a wide range of interesting activities to support learning. • Most children achieve well and are in line to reach the expected goal at the end of the reception year.

p.22

Commentary

49. The teacher plans a good range of interesting activities to promote mathematical understanding. There are many resources and displays to help children learn, like number lines, puzzles and number tracks. There is a good emphasis on modelling the specific mathematical language to be learnt and encouraging the children to use it. Children participate in good practical activities to develop their understanding of comparing measurements. For example, they used the sand tray to see whether objects were heavier or lighter than each other. Other children were developing precise skills, like pencil control, by drawing longer and shorter objects. The teaching team use both planned opportunities and opportunities when they arise well to encourage children to count. Children achieve well in mathematical development and by the time they are in Year 1, most achieve the standard expected for their age.

p.22

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is good.

p.22

Main strengths and areas for improvement

Holy Trinity CE Primary School • Teachers provide a good range of activities to enable children to learn about the world around them. • Good use is made of ICT to promote learning.

p.23

Commentary

50. Most children start in the reception class with below average attainment in this area and although they achieve well, the progress of some is affected by their below average skills in language. This means that when they start Year 1, some are still below average overall in this area of learning. The teacher plans a good range of interesting activities to stimulate children’s interest and enhance their understanding. Children were learning about different kinds of puppets and were given opportunities to work collaboratively to make a puppet theatre, to make their own puppets and to devise their own puppet show using puppets that the teacher had provided. The teacher plans well for the use of ICT to enhance children’s learning. Children’s keyboard skills indicate that they are confident for their age in using computers. Teachers plan good opportunities through role-play, for instance in the outdoor area, when children built a

p.23

Commentary

home for a dinosaur using waffle bricks. The outside play area for the children is organised well to promote children’s curiosity and enquiry skills. The children are extremely proficient at clearing away the equipment after use. All of them cheerfully helped.

p.23

Physical development

Provision in physical development is good.

p.23

Main strengths and areas for development

• Children achieve well and reach the expected goals at the end of the reception year. • Good use is made of the small outside area. • Good opportunities are planned to develop more precise skills, like cutting with scissors and writing with a pencil. • The teacher plans and teaches very well physical education sessions in the hall. • Children need to learn to fold their own clothes neatly ready to put on again at the end of the lesson.

p.23

Commentary

51. There are good planned opportunities for the children to play outside and to participate in activities that contribute well to their physical development. For example, children play with push buggies and have the opportunity to use large construction equipment to build structures associated with their imaginative play. The outside area is small but well equipped. The school recognises that these children need to have a larger space to play in and consequently there are regular planned times for the reception children to play in the main playground.

p.23

Commentary

52. The teacher plans good and regular opportunities to develop manipulative skills. Children are achieving well in this area.

p.23

Commentary

53. The physical education session in the hall was well taught. The children were learning to march, skip, jump and hop by taking part in relay races and other activities. All children were fully involved in the lesson. The teacher skilfully provided the necessary challenge and support to keep all the children interested. The teaching assistant spent all this session getting the children’s clothes ready for them to put on afterwards. This was not a good use of her time and did not contribute well to children’s personal development and independence.

p.23

Creative development

Provision in creative development is satisfactory.

p.23

Main strengths and areas for improvement

Holy Trinity CE Primary School • Children are learning to sing well because of dedicated music sessions every week and regular opportunities to sing in lessons. • The reception teacher has identified this area of the curriculum as a priority for development.

p.24

Commentary

54. At the end of the reception year, most children’s attainment is just below that expected for their age. A specialist teacher teaches children music once a week. This well taught session contributes well to children’s creative development. Opportunities are often taken for children to sing a song that relates to the work they are doing and for them to listen to music. There was very little creative work in the analysis of work, although children have been given the opportunity to paint. Good opportunities are given for children to develop their imaginations through role-play both inside and outside the classroom.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards in speaking and listening, and in reading are average. • Standards in writing are below average. • Pupils’ achievement is good. • The teaching is good. • The leadership and management of English and literacy are very good.

p.24

Commentary

55. The standards achieved in English in national tests in 2003 at the ages of seven and eleven were below national averages. They were well below in the number of pupils who achieved the higher Level 3 at the age of seven and Level 5 at the age of eleven. The standards were in line with those of schools with a similar pupil intake. The standards observed on inspection are in line with national expectations by the ages of seven and eleven in speaking and listening, and in reading. In writing, they are below national expectations. Over the last three years, standards in English have fluctuated considerably because of the high levels of pupil mobility and wide variations in the attainment of pupils when they are admitted into the school. However, standards were particularly good for eleven-year-olds at the end in the year 2002.

p.24

Commentary

56. Pupils’ progress and achievement in English are good in all classes. Over two thirds of pupils already speak at least one other language. Many speak two or three languages. For all these pupils, English is an additional language that they have to learn in order to achieve in all subjects. The great majority make good progress in English and in other subjects. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

p.24

Commentary

57. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very good. In lessons, they listen carefully to their teachers and to each other. They are very keen to contribute ideas and opinions, when the whole class works together. They work particularly well with their ‘talk partners’ and this helps them to articulate their thinking and to develop their fluency in speaking. They are confident in speaking to the whole class and in assemblies.

p.24

Commentary

58. Pupils read regularly and teachers and assistants monitor their steady progress carefully. Pupils enjoy books, both fiction and non-fiction. They talk about events and characters with interest. They are developing well their understanding of how writers use words in different kinds of text, including stories, poems, newspaper accounts and personal narratives. Holy Trinity CE Primary School 59. This understanding is reinforced by their written work, in English and in other subjects. Pupils’ handwriting is developing well and their skills of presentation are improved by the drafting, editing and final presentation of written work in their writers’ workshops. By Year 2, most pupils write complete sentences using capital letters and full stops correctly. They are beginning to choose adjectives for their own purposes. In Years 3 to 6, pupils extend their vocabulary and their knowledge of grammar to write fiction in a variety of formats, including film scripts and

p.24

Commentary

acrostic poems, and in factual accounts, for example of the Gunpowder Plot and Guy Fawkes. They use their skills in many other subjects and this contributes to their good achievement overall.

p.25

Commentary

60. Pupils are learning well because the teaching is good. There is consistently good teaching of literacy skills by all teachers. Some of the teaching is very good and provides a very good model for less experienced teachers. All teachers use the objectives and strategies of the National Literacy Strategy effectively. Pupils are familiar with class routines in English and respond to these very well. They work hard and enjoy their work. They take pride in their work and its presentation, for example through using computers. Teachers have very good subject knowledge and have high expectations of their pupils’ work and behaviour. They use a wide range of activities and stimuli to give pupils opportunities to practise and develop skills and understanding. Resources are good and are well used.

p.25

Commentary

61. The leadership of the subject co-ordinator is very good. She supports a strong team of committed teachers and assistants and provides very good induction for newly-qualified teachers and those who are new to the school. Curriculum innovation in English is creative and contributes to the professional development of all. The management of the subject is also very good. Teaching strategies are shared and used consistently. The monitoring and support of teachers are very good. The use of assessment data to plan for overall targets is very good. Sometimes, the definition of learning objectives needs to be more specific. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good.

p.25

Literacy across the curriculum

62. The school embeds the teaching of literacy in all subjects. Teachers consciously develop pupils’ skills in speaking, reading and writing in many lessons. They teach pupils to use the specialist vocabulary for each subject. For example, in design and technology in Year 6, pupils’ evaluation of their models drew well on the technical language involved. In a Year 3 English lesson, pupils read a text on ancient Egypt and then wrote clear definitions of words such as ‘archaeology’, ‘pyramids’ and ‘mummies’. Teachers provide many opportunities for pupils to discuss ideas and share opinions and these support the development of pupils’ oral skills.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

Provision for the development of mathematical skills is good overall and all pupils achieve well.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are average at seven and 11 and achievement is good across the school. • The quality of teaching is good overall, with some of it being very good. • Assessment is satisfactory but the use of information is still underdeveloped. • The subject is led and managed well.

p.25

Commentary

63. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well across the school because of consistently good teaching. As a result, standards are currently average for pupils aged seven and 11 and best in number work. Standards in national tests however have fluctuated over the last few years and were particularly good in 2002. This is primarily because of the high levels of pupil mobility in and out of the school and the ability of pupils when they start in the different year groups. Teachers Holy Trinity CE Primary School provide good levels of challenge for the more-able pupils, with tasks effectively matched to their ability and further extension activities in lessons. A major contributory factor is the pupils’ very good attitudes to learning and most pupils persevere with set tasks or fully contribute to teacher led discussion and learning activities.

p.25

Commentary

64. The quality of teaching is good overall, with much of it being very good. All teachers plan lessons that are consistent with nationally-recommended good practice. Introductory sessions are used well in all lessons to provide all pupils with good opportunities to practice their mental arithmetic skills. The main learning intentions are always effectively shared with pupils so that they know exactly what is expected of them. Number work is taught particularly well and resources, such as number sticks or other visual aids, are used to illustrate new concepts. Lessons are brisk, well organised and support assistants are used effectively to support the learning of pupils with special educational needs. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are provided with good opportunities to learn new vocabulary because many teachers use ‘flashcards’ to display new words and questions are carefully phrased to match

p.26

Commentary

the ability of these pupils. Very good lessons in both Years 2 and 6 fully exemplified this good practice and resources were used particularly well in Year 2 to support the pupils’ reading of analogue and digital clocks.

p.26

Commentary

65. Satisfactory procedures have been put in place to record and assess pupils’ rate of progress. Some teachers are making very good use of sessions at the end of lessons to assess the pupils’ understanding of newly learnt concepts but this good practice is not fully established across the school. As a result, not all teachers are in a strong position to use assessment information effectively to further move pupils on in their learning through carefully focused target setting.

p.26

Commentary

66. The subject is led and managed well. The newly appointed co-ordinator has a clear vision for future developments of the subject. Opportunities have been taken to monitor the quality of teaching and learning within the school, so building on the good practice put in place by her predecessor.

p.26

Mathematics across the curriculum

67. Opportunities for the development of mathematical skills are satisfactorily incorporated into the teaching of other subjects. This includes good use of data handling in ICT and the effective measurement of temperatures in science experiments.

p.26

Main strengths and areas for improvement

• Pupils achieve well. • Standards in National Curriculum tests are average and there has been sustained improvement over time. • There is a good emphasis on the investigative strand of this subject. • There is a good emphasis on the use of specific scientific language.

p.26

Commentary

68. As the inspection took place relatively early in the school year, there was very little work done by pupils in Year 2 to be analysed. However, evidence from the work available and discussions with pupils indicate that standards are average. In the 2003 teacher assessments for Year 2, about one fifth of pupils attained the higher Level 3 and all pupils attained at least Level 2. As most of these pupils started school with below average understanding of the world about them, and below average language skills, this indicates that their achievement is good. In 2003, pupils in Year 6 achieved average results when compared with schools nationally and above Holy Trinity CE Primary School average results when compared with those of pupils in similar schools. About a third of pupils achieved the higher Level 5. These results also indicate good achievement. The school carries out a thorough analysis of test results and identifies areas that it needs to focus on. As a result

p.26

Commentary

of good teaching, that includes an emphasis on the investigative strand of science and an insistence on the use of the correct scientific vocabulary, pupils in Year 6 are now in line to achieve at least the expected standards by the end of the year. These pupils have achieved well during their time in school, as most of them started school with below average attainment.

p.27

Commentary

69. No judgement can be made about teaching and learning in lessons in science because only two lessons were seen in the same class in Year 4. This was because the school adopts a blocked approach to teaching this subject. This means that it is taught intensively over a short period of time instead of being taught less frequently over a longer period of time. The only class with a science focus during the inspection was Year 4. In this year group, two non- consecutive lessons were observed. This demonstrated well how pupils were developing their knowledge and understanding of the skeleton and investigative skills over a short period of time. Teaching was satisfactory because the teacher had planned and resourced her lessons well but she needed to place more emphasis on asking more challenging questions to develop vocabulary. From discussions with pupils in Years 2 and 6, it is clear that they have been

p.27

Commentary

taught well because they have good knowledge and understanding of the scientific concepts they have been learning. They explain well why investigations have been set up in certain ways and know about the importance of fair testing. In Year 6, pupils with a range of different prior attainment explained well how their teacher enabled them all to learn effectively by taking account of the different ways that they learn. All the pupils were able to contribute well to the discussion and it was evident that not only are they learning well but they are enjoying the subject. They said that they really enjoy the frequent opportunities planned for them to investigate.

p.27

Commentary

70. There has been a sustained improvement since the last inspection, with results in both Year 2 and Year 6 improving well.

p.27

Commentary

71. The leadership and management of science are good. The new co-ordinator is enthusiastic about the subject and has already implemented some important developments with regard to the planning of the science curriculum and resourcing. Assessment systems relate to the QCA units of work and there is no tracking of pupils’ progress in place for science. She has already analysed pupils’ work and given feedback to teachers but has not had the opportunity to observe teaching and learning in lessons.

p.27

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision is satisfactory and standards are average at seven and eleven years.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are average at seven and eleven and pupils’ achievement is good. • Laptops are used effectively in Year 5 to boost pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding. • Sometimes pupils miss out on work in other subjects when practising skills during these lessons. • The new co-ordinator is building further on the previous good leadership and management of the subject. • ICT is used well to support learning in other subjects, such as history, mathematics and art.

p.27

Commentary

72. Judgements on standards achieved are based on the observation of some teaching in Years 5 and 6, the analysis of pupils’ work and observation of pupils working in pairs on the computers during lessons. Levels of achievement are good despite the limitations posed by the building to teach skills to a whole class in a designated suite. All pupils display very positive attitudes to Holy Trinity CE Primary School learning and cooperate very well with a partner at the computers. Good teaching is ensuring that pupils in Year 6 are able to independently compile a multi-media presentation linking slides, text and sound to illustrate their small group research on aspects of the Second World War. During the inspection they confidently operated a laptop linked to a multi-media projector for the benefit of their class as a conclusion to this class history project. Pupils in the infants are working at expected levels in their use of the computer to build sentences using selected

p.27

Commentary

words and phrases and create pictures. They confidently use the mouse to navigate around the program and select functions on the tool bars to obtain a printed copy of their work.

p.28

Commentary

73. The school has chosen to allocate eight laptops to the Year 5 class to provide daily opportunities to boost skills, knowledge and understanding of these pupils in readiness for more advanced work in Year 6. This represents effective use of these resources within the constraints imposed by the limited space available for a designated teaching area for the school. As a result, these pupils are making good progress in the development of their confidence and expertise, as seen in a good lesson on using spreadsheets to collect and analyse data. This flexible approach using the laptops is currently limited to Year 5 but the subject co-ordinator has recognised the potential of increasing the number of machines further and planning for their use more systematically in blocks of time across the school.

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Commentary

74. Sometimes pupils miss out on work in other subjects when practising skills during these lessons. This currently occurs in all classes except Year 5 because teachers have used the Internet linked computer work-station in these classes to teach new skills to the whole class in preparation for pairs of pupils to practise in other lessons during the week. This practice provides satisfactory opportunities for pupils to practise their newly learnt skills in ICT but means that they miss out on learning in subjects, such as history or mathematics. This has been recognised by the school and measures are being taken to resolve the issue with the investment of more laptops and a review of current organisation of the planned learning activities.

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Commentary

75. The new co-ordinator is building further on the previous good leadership and management of the subject. She has a clear vision of what needs to be done next and how resources can be best used to ensure that ICT skills are taught effectively with minimum impact on the teaching of other subjects. A new assessment system has recently been introduced which will provide a good means of measuring the progress pupils make as they move through the school.

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ICT across the curriculum

76. Despite these organisational difficulties, teachers make good use of the Internet to encourage pupils to undertake research in history projects and other related activities. Pupils are also provided with good opportunities to use their numeracy skills through data-handling activities. Other opportunities are provided for pupils to create pieces of artwork, such as the good pictures in the style of Kandinsky by pupils in Year 5. The regular use of the City Learning Centre complements the provision for Year 6 pupils effectively.

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Geography and History

77. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement of the provision in history and geography. During the inspection, one lesson of history and one of geography were seen. A discussion was held with the subject co-ordinator and curricular planning and samples of pupils’ work, in books and on display, were analysed. Standards in history are average and below average in geography by the ages of seven and eleven. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory in both subjects. The leadership of curricular development is good as the school has revised its schemes of work in order to meet the needs of pupils better. There is now a Holy Trinity CE Primary School strong focus on the development of subject-specific skills. Cross-curricular work between literacy and history and geography is good. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

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Art and design

Provision in art and design is satisfactory .

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Commentary

78. Only two lessons could be seen during the inspection, one in Year 1 and one in Year 5. Pupils’ work in these lessons and on display around the school indicates that standards meet expectations for seven- and eleven-year-olds. Good links are made with other areas of the curriculum, such as ICT and history. Art also makes a good contribution to pupils’ understanding of other cultures. This is demonstrated clearly through paintings in the style of Australian aborigines to depict a journey. Skills are taught in a structured way and pupils are given satisfactory opportunities to use sketchbooks to experiment with a range of techniques.

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Design and technology

Provision is good and pupils achieve well across the school.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are average at seven and above average at eleven and pupils achieve well. Good improvements have been made since the previous inspection. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive and good attention to quality is clearly evident in their work. • Units of work are planned effectively and good links are made with other subjects. • The new co-ordinator is building further on the previous good leadership and management of the subject.

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Commentary

79. There were very few opportunities to observe lessons in design and technology during the inspection. Judgements are based on the observation of one lesson in Year 1, analysis of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work and discussions with pupils. The standards of pupils’ work are average at seven and above average at eleven. Pupils’ achievement is good across the school. Good improvements have been made since the previous inspection when the subject was identified as an area for improvement. All components of the subject are covered well year-by-year, resulting in Year 6 pupils being able to confidently design projects to specific design briefs. For instance, their designs of a model fairground ride to be powered by an electric motor are very detailed, clearly labelled and annotated with useful notes to indicate modifications. As a result of this good planning, the standards of model making are very high

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Commentary

and all pupils successfully built a working model to be displayed around the school. Detailed and reflective evaluations confirm that best practice is being ensured.

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Commentary

80. Detailed photographic records confirm that these good principles are being developed throughout the school. It is clearly evident within these images that pupils’ attitudes to learning are very positive and that all pupils are very proud of their work. Good attention is paid to quality with much attention to detail being established. This was particularly evident in a very good lesson for Year 1 pupils as they completed a mock up of their moving picture for inclusion in a class pop-up book. These young pupils carefully drew and cut out their moving picture to represent characters in the chosen story. Scissors were handled with care and holes punched to enable parts of the picture to move.

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Commentary

81. A strong feature of the subject is the undertaking of blocked units of design and technology work each term. Each unit of work is completed over a period of two to three weeks. This tactic ensures that the initial enthusiasm of the pupils is captured and maintained, making Holy Trinity CE Primary School learning relevant and exciting. Skills are developed rapidly and good links are made with other subjects.

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Commentary

82. Leadership and management continue to be good and the new co-ordinator is building further on the previous good practice developed since the previous inspection. A comprehensive portfolio of pupils’ work has been built up overtime to confirm and monitor the good standards being achieved. The new co-ordinator has a clear vision of any further improvements that can be made in the future. The quality of resources is good.

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Music

Provision is good and pupils achieve well.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupil achievement is good and standards are average at the end of both key stages because the quality of teaching and learning is consistently good. • Music makes a strong contribution to the spiritual and cultural development of pupils. • The subject is well led and managed and the quality and quantity of resources are good.

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Commentary

83. A part-time specialist teacher for music teaches all classes on a weekly basis. The quality of teaching and learning is consistently good or better because the teacher has good subject knowledge and she has very high expectations of what pupils can achieve. As a result, the achievement of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good. The achievement of pupils for whom English is an additional language is particularly good. The teacher emphasises any new subject specific vocabulary carefully during lessons and very good opportunities are provided for the development of listening skills. Good achievement is ensuring that standards are average at the end of both key stages. This is particularly so in singing at the end of the juniors where pupils sing two parts in ostinato and standards are above average. Many of these older pupils interpret a graphic notation to sing new songs, such

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Commentary

as ‘Yonder Come Day’. Younger pupils in Year 2 accurately mimic through song the little melodies that classmates have composed on a xylophone.

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Commentary

84. Music makes a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual and cultural development. All pupils clearly enjoy making music and their attitudes to learning are very good across the school. They sing with gusto and variation in volume to give a sense of emotion and expression to the songs sung. This is evident in both lessons and assemblies. The singing of an African American spiritual by Year 6 pupils is developing a good awareness of music within other cultures. Good termly planning ensures that this emphasis is reflected in lessons for all other year groups across the school.

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Commentary

85. Leadership and management of the subject is good and the part-time music teacher co- ordinates the subject well. Learning opportunities for all pupils are effectively planned through a comprehensive scheme of work. The quality and quantity of resources are good. A good range of instruments has been built up and this ensures that all pupils have many opportunities to use these instruments to make music over the school year.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is satisfactory .

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Commentary

86. Judgements are based on the observation of one gymnastics lesson for pupils in Year 3 and the observation of several basketball sessions taken by external coaches. Considerable Holy Trinity CE Primary School improvement has been made to the level of accommodation available since the previous inspection. This has been achieved through the effective use of the local church hall, good development of the small school playground for basketball and modification of the small school hall for indoor lessons.

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Commentary

87. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, with a good example of skilled gymnastics teaching for pupils in Year 3 in the church hall. In this lesson, the teacher displayed good levels of subject expertise, managed the behaviour of pupils very well and demonstrated new skills to these pupils with confidence and poise. As a result, all of these pupils responded with enthusiasm to the set tasks and levels of overall achievement were good.

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Commentary

88. Provision for swimming is satisfactory overall and all Year 3 pupils attend weekly lessons at a local pool. Despite a lack of green space at the school, the small playground is used effectively to provide opportunities for competitive games through the teaching of basketball and other small-sided games. A local sports development team effectively supports this programme by supplying external basketball coaches. Older pupils have opportunities to take part in adventurous activities by participating in residential trips. A good range of after-school clubs and activities further enrich the curriculum.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

89. Only two lessons were seen in this area of the school’s work and so no judgements are made about overall provision. The school places a high emphasis on pupils’ personal development. The programme for personal, social and health education is good and includes work on diet, health, sex, drugs and personal safety. This programme helps pupils gain confidence, interact successfully with other people and know how to have a healthy lifestyle. The school is currently evaluating and developing this curriculum to ensure that it is meeting the needs of its pupils. The school council is already working well. All pupils have the opportunity to contribute their views in class to their representatives. The work of the learning mentor contributes very well to this area of the school’s work because she models well how to resolve difficulties through discussion. Pupils are given the opportunity to become involved in peer mediation and are

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

encouraged to be friendly and helpful to other pupils at all times. Holy Trinity CE Primary School

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 3 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 2 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 4 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 2 Attendance 5 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 2 The quality of assessment 4 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 2 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 1 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 2 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 2

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

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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