Trinity Primary School

Inspection Report Trinity Primary School

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116686 Unique Reference Number Herefordshire LEA 279873 Inspection number 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005 Inspection dates Julia Coop RISP Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Barricombe Drive School address Primary Type of school Moor Farm Community School category Hereford, Herefordshire HR4 0NU 4 to 11 Age range of pupils

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01432 266268 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01432 266803 Fax number 524 Number on roll Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Doug Lowe Headteacher 2 October 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 279873 29 November 2005 - 4 to 11 30 November 2005 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Trinity Primary is a large school serving a disadvantaged area. It has extended school status and provides before and after school care. The number of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is average. The school has a unit and resource base for pupils with physical disabilities and visual impairments. As a result, the number of pupils with statements of special educational needs is well above average. Almost all pupils are of White British origin. There are a small number of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds a few of whom are at the early stages of learning English. Occasionally, the school educates children from Traveller families. The school has been awarded Investor in People status and has gained a Football Association Charter Mark.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Trinity Primary School, 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school that it provides a sound education for its pupils. It provides satisfactory value for money. The school is very welcoming to all pupils, especially those who need some extra support and those with complex medical needs. The atmosphere around the school and the climate for learning in the classrooms are good. The school works effectively with other schools and organisations. All pupils are well cared for and enjoy their education. From the moment they join the reception class, a high priority is given to developing children’s personal, social and language skills. By the time they start in Year 1, children have made good progress because they are taught well, but they are still behind in all areas of learning. In Years 1 to 6, pupils make satisfactory progress. By Year 6, standards are average. However, boys do not achieve as well as girls in writing and more able pupils are not achieving the standards

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Grade: 3

that they should in mathematics in Years 1 and 2. Pupils with learning disabilities and difficulties make good progress throughout the school. The quality of the curriculum and teaching is satisfactory. However, the checks made on teaching and learning are not rigorous enough to ensure the quality is consistent and challenging. The leadership and management of the school are satisfactory. The school has a wealth of data about pupils’ progress and the standards they achieve but this information has not been used sufficiently well to improve pupils’ achievements. Satisfactory progress has been made since the last inspection. The school development plan is focused on the right areas for improvement and the school has satisfactory capacity to improve.

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What the school should do to improve further

•improve achievement overall and particularly for boys in writing and the more able pupils in mathematics in Years 1 and 2 •make better use of information about pupils’ achievements to improve their rate of progress •ensure there is more rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning.

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Grade: 3

Children start in the reception classes with low levels of ability, particularly in their personal and social development and their language skills. Effective provision ensures that children make good progress in developing their basic skills. However, most do not reach the expected standards by the time they start in Year 1. Standards at the end of Year 2 are below average and gradually improve so that by the end of Year 6, standards are average. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall in Years 1 to 6 but some could be doing better in some subjects. In Year 6, standards in mathematics have improved this year, but more able pupils could be stretched more in this subject, especially in Years 1 and 2. Across the school, boys do not achieve as well as girls in writing. During the inspection, some boys confirmed that they find imaginative writing more difficult. The school recognises this and has taken action, but it is too soon to

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Grade: 3

have had any impact on their achievement. The school did not reach the challenging 2 Inspection Report: Trinity Primary School, 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005 targets it set for pupils’ performance in national tests in 2005. Fewer pupils than expected reached the higher levels because the school did not use the data it has about progress and attainment carefully enough to inform teaching and make sure that these pupils did as well as they should have done. Pupils with more complex medical needs, those new to speaking English and those with learning disabilities and difficulties benefit from good quality individual support, make good progress and achieve well.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy school and consider that ‘teachers are kind and lessons are fun.’ They behave well and work hard. Pupils who start with unsatisfactory attitudes to school quickly become keen learners and blossom because of the sensitive support they receive. Pupils feel secure and, know how to keep safe. They are polite and well mannered to visitors. Attendance is good, although a very small number do not have a good attendance record and as a result, do not achieve as well as they should. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. Through learning about a different value, such as ‘peace’, each month, they learn to respect each other. Pupils happily celebrate each other’s achievements in praise assemblies. They develop a good understanding of a range of faiths and cultures and their own place in the world. The school promotes healthy lifestyles well. Pupils talk knowledgeably about how

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Grade: 2

healthy food and exercise helps their concentration and strength. Older pupils confidently take the initiative in lessons and around school. They take part in a range of community activities and work hard to raise funds for those less fortunate than themselves. There is a very active school council which pupils feel enables them to make a positive contribution to school life. Their suggestions have helped in many ways, for example, improving playtimes by introducing new equipment and activities. By Year 6, pupils are self-assured learners and have appropriate skills to help them in later life.

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Grade: 3

Some teaching is good, especially in the reception classes and in some classes in other year groups, but the quality is not consistent. In all classes, relationships are good and staff have high expectations about behaviour so that pupils are keen to learn and try hard. Resources, visits, visitors and interactive whiteboards are used well to make learning interesting. In most classes, the aims of each lesson are explained carefully to the pupils so that they are clear about what they are about to learn. Teachers plan carefully for those pupils who have specific learning needs. These pupils are well 3 Inspection Report: Trinity Primary School, 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005 supported by teaching assistants and specialist staff so they make good progress towards their individual targets. In the best lessons, teachers have high expectations. Activities are interesting and engage the pupils well. Some teachers are trying to make writing more interesting,

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Grade: 3

especially for boys, but this is not the case in all classes. Where this was most successful, the teacher linked English with history. A boy acted in the role of a Tudor character. Pupils asked him questions and they took notes. This not only grabbed everyone’s interest but helped them to write a good quality report. The lesson was videoed to help the teacher check on each pupil’s response and help plan the next lesson. However, not all teachers use the information they have about pupils’ attainment carefully enough. As a result, work is sometimes not challenging enough and in some classes, especially in mathematics in Years 1 and 2, too little is expected of pupils.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum is broad and balanced. The school takes advantage of the local area to enliven learning in subjects such as geography and history. Lessons are made more exciting by linking subjects together. There is a rich tradition of taking pupils out of the school to make learning more interesting and also of inviting a range of visitors in. These events can be very exciting. During the inspection, the ex-Status Quo drummer organised 300 pupils to play percussion together. Everyone not only learned a great deal but thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. There have been improvements to information and communication technology (ICT) provision and the development of basic literacy and numeracy skills but there is room for further development to support better learning, particularly in writing. Although the curriculum has been well adapted to meet the needs of pupils who need extra support, this is not the case for the more

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Grade: 3

capable pupils. The range of extra-curricular activities is very good and contributes well to personal development.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care is a strength, as shown by the headteacher’s commitment to providing extended care for the pupils. Parents are right to consider that this is a caring school. They appreciate the staff’s care and pupils feel well supported. There are rigorous child protection procedures and all members of staff know what to do if they feel a child is at risk. Staff are vigilant about monitoring behaviour. Incidents of unkind behaviour are rare, but dealt with swiftly. There is a strong commitment to educating vulnerable children. Effective links with parents, carers and support agencies ensure that pupils’ needs are well understood and action plans are well matched to the individual child. The support of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities and those with more complex medical needs is good. Specialist equipment and care facilities ensure that these children’s needs are well met and they are not made to feel any

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Grade: 2

different from other pupils. With the development of target setting and effective marking, pupils are becoming aware of what they need to do to improve. However, 4 Inspection Report: Trinity Primary School, 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005 the use of information about pupils’ academic progress needs to be more robust to make sure that all achieve as well as they should.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher is a strong pastoral leader. His commitment, shared by the senior management team, to ensuring the well-being of all pupils, whatever their background or particular need, is excellent. There are some good review systems which have involved the whole staff in identifying priorities for improvement and information from a new computer system is beginning to sharpen the focus upon pupils’ achievement. However, although a start has been made, information about trends in standards and the achievement of different year groups and different groups of pupils is not yet being used carefully enough to shape school development. In addition, some teachers are not clear about what progress pupils are expected to make each year. As a result, although the school development plan is targeted at the right general areas, the rate of pupil progress remains inconsistent. Observation of lessons has helped in shaping

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Grade: 3

plans for improvement. However, there is no systematic drive to improve the quality of teaching through sharing best practice and highlighting the areas to work on. Everyday management is very good. This large, complex organisation runs smoothly and staff morale is good. Links with other institutions are good, resulting in a number of benefits to the pupils such as specialist PE teaching and staff training. The views of parents and other stakeholders have been sought and acted upon. Together with the start that has been made on improving information on pupils’ progress, this means that the capacity to improve is satisfactory. 5 Inspection Report: Trinity Primary School, 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Trinity Primary School, 29 November 2005 to 30 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA 2 The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 2 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams NA Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form NA Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Trinity Primary School Barricombe Drive Moor Farm Hereford HR40NU 1 December 2005 Dear Children Thank you very much for making us so welcome in your school and talking to us about yourselves and your work. We really enjoyed visiting your school and finding out about how you learn. We would like to tell you what we found out: •We think you behave well and are polite and friendly. •We were very pleased to see how kind you are to each other and how caring you are. •We think that you must have a good time in all the clubs the school provides and the many visits you make. •We were pleased that you know how to keep healthy and stay safe. Keep it up. •We know that the staff are really kind and look after you. •We think that the reception class teachers make learning very interesting so that when you start school you learn well. We have asked the teachers to find ways to make Trinity an even better school. We hope that

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

you will help them. The most important things are: •Make sure that activities in mathematicss are more challenging for some of you and that your progress improves steadily in every year in the school. •Help boys to do better in writing. •Make sure that all of your lessons are good. We hope that you will keep trying hard in lessons and that you will enjoy learning for a long time yet. Have a lovely Christmas. Yours sincerely Julia Coop Lead Inspector

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