Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

Inspection Report Holy Trinity CofE Primary School

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105488 Unique Reference Number Manchester Local Authority 287236 Inspection number 12 °13 December 2006 Inspection dates Delia Hiscock Reporting inspector

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

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Capstan Street School address Primary Type of school Blackley, Manchester Voluntary controlled School category Lancashire M9 4DU 3 °11 Age range of pupils 0161 2051216 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 0161 2050699 Fax number 212 Number on roll (school) Fr P Stamp Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Laura Jeffrey Headteacher 10 February 2003 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287236 12 °13 December 2006 3°11 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 two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school serves an inner city population which has considerable social and economic disadvantage and in which there has been significant demographic change in recent years. Half of all the pupils are eligible for free school meals. The attainment of children when they start school is well below average for children of their age and the proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is broadly average. Almost half of all the pupils are of minority ethnic heritage, many of whom speak English as an additional language. There are twenty different first languages spoken. The proportion of pupils joining the school at other than the usual times is quite high in some year groups.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Grade: 2

This effective school provides good value for money. It has improved well since the previous inspection and has adapted very well to meet the needs of the many pupils and cultures new to the school. During a three year period of considerable change, attendance has improved dramatically and is good. The pupils want to come to school, they achieve well and they enjoy their lessons. Many of their parents and families get involved in what is going on too. This is because the school is welcoming. It listens and responds sensitively, and provides very effective pastoral care and support for the pupils. This helps them to overcome any personal difficulties, or any barriers to understanding they might have. Because the school is successful in fulfilling its aims, the pupils feel valued and motivated as they learn, and older ones are becoming increasingly adept at judging for themselves what they have learned. With the

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Grade: 2

consistently good teaching in Key Stage 2 in particular, the school has halted the pattern of low achievement in the past and considerably improved standards to above average in English. To bring this about, the headteacher and the deputy headteacher have made effective use of outside expertise and of the resources available to them, but above all, they have developed a strong team of leaders at all levels, who work very well together. Importantly, they have greatly improved attainment and achievement throughout Key Stage 2. These strengths are enabling the school to build on its successes for the next round of improvements. Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) has improved since the previous inspection, though more slowly, and the pupils' skills are as expected for their age. However, although attainment has improved slightly in science, pupils in Key Stage 2 have too few practical activities to deepen their

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Grade: 2

understanding of ideas. This is why standards have remained well below average. The children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development in their Nursery and Reception years, and children are working towards the expected learning goals by the end of their Reception Year. Although they make outstanding progress in Year 1, where the transition activities are very good, standards remain well below average because teaching in Key Stage 1 is uneven in quality. The curriculum is designed well and with basic skills in mind, to widen the pupils' experiences and to equip them with the relevant skills and knowledge they need to make informed choices in the future, whatever additional or different needs they bring with them to school. Pupils say that the school listens to what they have to say and helps them to become sensible and mature. Because of this, they grow in confidence and self-esteem as they realise that they are succeeding.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Give pupils in Key Stage 2 more investigative and practical experiences in science so as to raise standards. • Improve the quality and consistency of teaching in KS1, to match that of the best. 2 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Grade: 2

Standards in 2005 were well below average by the end of Year 6, even though there were considerable improvements brought about in English. The school has halted and turned about the four year pattern of low standards. Children start in the Nursery with well below average levels of development and some speak no English at home. They make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development throughout the Foundation Stage and satisfactory progress in the other areas of learning. Innovative developments and outstanding teaching at the start of Year 1 mean that children are now developing new skills rapidly and effectively. However, this rate of progress is not consistently sustained in reading, writing and mathematics. Progress is satisfactory throughout the rest of the key stage. Throughout Key Stage 2 the pupils, including those with learning difficulties, and those who join the school with little or no spoken English, now make very good progress

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Grade: 2

in English and mathematics. This is why attainment has improved since 2005 and continues to be robust. Well below average standards in mathematics in past years have been improved also. The tests of 2006, the school's information, and pupils' work throughout Key Stage 2 demonstrate that attainment improved for the second consecutive year. In 2006, the school exceeded its targets for performance in English and in mathematics. Standards in science were well below average. This is because there is not enough opportunity to learn through practical activities to foster greater understanding.

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Grade: 2

The personal development and well-being of pupils are good, as is the pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Relationships are positive and harmonious, and the school embraces the wealth of the many cultures, world languages and heritages that the pupils bring to the school, including many newly arrived in Britain. Behaviour is good and the pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to each other and to their lessons. This is because, for the most part, there is no time for distractions and learning grabs their attention. The pupils feel safe and free from any instances of oppressive behaviour and say that the few instances of misbehaviour are dealt with immediately. Attendance has improved dramatically and is good, because pupils want to come to school. Parents and families get involved in many of the activities each week, also this is one of the reasons why the pupils help out so well themselves, not

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Grade: 2

only in fulfilling their responsibilities through the school council and playground buddies, but also in the wider community by supporting charities and recycling events, for example. Older pupils become very able in their gymnastic skills, enjoy exercise and equally, they know what it is to lead a healthy lifestyle; just a few choose not to follow the school's good advice. They also know how to avoid potential dangers they might encounter in their lives. Their good achievement in their basic skills and competent computer skills prepare them well for their future economic needs. 3 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Grade: 2

The good quality of teaching and learning enables pupils to make good progress. Shared and effective planning, strong behaviour management, very good relationships, a rigorous pace to learning and an improved use of assessment are the important features of teaching that accelerate learning. Staff development and the use of new technology have helped the teachers to make lessons engaging and interesting. These are matched well to teachers' high expectations of what the pupils can do. Teaching assistants and additional teaching sessions help many pupils to catch up or to consolidate their learning, particularly those pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the pupils who are in the early stages of acquiring spoken English. These extra sessions are powerful in moving them on at a good rate. The pupils enjoy most of their lessons, and are becoming increasingly aware of what they and their

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Grade: 2

classmates have learned. Sometimes, in KS1 in particular, the pace is slower than needed and the activities are not as well matched to pupils' needs so as to enable all pupils to move on quickly enough.

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Grade: 2

Above all, the emphasis on English and mathematics meets pupils' needs well, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and the pupils who are in the early stages of learning spoken English. This key feature has improved standards and achievement and there are plenty of good opportunities for the pupils to use their literacy and numeracy skills in different subjects. Together with other links between subjects, these are helping to deepen learning. Equally, some developments in the Foundation Stage and exciting developments in Year 1 are beginning to make the pupils' learning better matched to their early needs. Good provision for personal, social, and health education encourages the pupils' understanding of the choices they are faced with. Equally, some excellent features of physical education, the good range of extra-curricular activities and plenty of visits and visitors develop skills for life,

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Grade: 2

enrich ideas and widen experiences. However, in science, activities in Key Stage 2 are not practical enough to make learning as interesting as other subjects.

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Grade: 2

The school is very successful in fulfilling its mission statement of 'offering its pupils a caring, and supportive environment.' Very good pastoral care and support for the well-being of the pupils is central to the school's purpose and faith. All the procedures for safeguarding pupils are in place. Taken together, this is why the pupils' personal development and well-being are good. Equally, the school has good procedures in place for judging how much pupils have learned and uses the information well to plan 4 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006 additional work to boost their progress where needed. Pupils know what they are learning and older ones know what they need to do to improve their work, although there is less awareness of what they might aim towards.

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Grade: 2

The good leadership of the headteacher has built a clear vision for the future of the school that matches the needs of the school community, its pupils and families. This is why many parents and volunteers help in the school, and are very supportive of the school. With the effective support of the deputy headteacher, she has brought about sustainable improvements in standards and achievement by enabling and encouraging leaders at all levels to lead developments for themselves. They have become skilled subject managers who make a positive difference in the subjects they manage, and recognise well what they need to do next to make further improvements. In just six months, following a subject visit by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors, the school has made good strides forward in developing provision for design technology. The school has tackled successfully the most important issues to bring this about.

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Grade: 2

There is a huge improvement in attendance, staff have high expectations of the pupils, teamwork is strong and the shared approaches they have developed, work for their pupils. At the heart of this work, evaluation is uncompromisingly accurate in identifying weaknesses, though cautious in assessing the impact. They rightly feel that pupils in Key Stage 2 could achieve more in science, and that developments in the Foundation Stage have yet to pay dividend Nevertheless, monitoring of the pupils' progress is effective and takes good account of the findings to bring about further improvement in achievement, and of the pupils who enter late into Key Stage 2, in particular. Governance is competent, is very involved with the life of the school, and serves the school wisely. The school has a good capacity to move forward. 5 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 3 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 2 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you so much for chatting with us when we visited your school. We really enjoyed listening to what you had to say. This letter is to tell you that we found your school to be a good one. This is because the staff think such a lot about you and they all try to make sure that you all do well in whatever you are learning, including those of you who are new to the school. This is one of the things that help you to work together so well. We found that you learn best when lessons are lively, fascinating and you get really involved in what's going on! We have asked the school to: • help those of you in Key Stage 2 to learn even better (with lots of practical lessons!) in science • help some of you in Key Stage 1 to make a bit faster progress in reading, writing and mathematics. You older pupils could try to learn even faster by asking some of your own interesting questions then working out how to find answers. Investigating scientific questions will help you to learn

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

more for yourself and is a really important skill for life. We could see that you know a lot about how to keep safe and healthy and that some of you eat sensibly. We also found your floor gymnastic work super - well done! Keep up your good work, look after each other, and good luck for the future! 9 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 °13 December 2006

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