Holy Trinity Rosehill CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School

Inspection Report Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School

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131251 Unique Reference Number Stockton-on-Tees Local Authority 295452 Inspection number 23 °24 November 2006 Inspection dates Andrew Scott 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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Upsall Grove School address Primary Type of school Fairfield, Stockton-on-Tees Voluntary aided School category TS19 7QU 3 °11 Age range of pupils 01642 581239 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01642 581239 Fax number 416 Number on roll (school) Mr Malcolm Robinson Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Mr David Bellett Headteacher Not previously inspected Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 295452 23 °24 November 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. Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school was formed in April 2006, an amalgamation of Rosehill Infant School and Holy Trinity Junior School. It caters for pupils from a suburban district of Stockton-on-Tees in which socio-economic conditions are broadly average. Pupils come predominantly from White British families; a small percentage of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds but only a very small number are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is average. The headteacher of the new school was the headteacher of the junior school.

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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 Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006

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Grade: 1

Holy Trinity Rosehill Primary School is what schools should be like. It typifies the best in education and offers outstanding provision for its pupils. Inspectors know exactly why parents praise the wonderful atmosphere within this Church school, where pupils are richly valued, highly challenged, sensitively supported and, as a result, extremely successful in their work and personal development. The amalgamation of the two schools has been managed skilfully and smoothly. This is a tribute not only to the highly effective leadership of the headteacher and governors, but also to the very positive attitudes of all staff and pupils. It is this cohesive energy that ensures pupils respect teachers and work so hard. Teaching is outstanding because teachers are knowledgeable, enthusiastic and clear in their expectations. They plan adeptly and set work that is challenging and stimulating for all pupils. A varied and

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Grade: 1

extensive curriculum is supported by excellent resources that guide and motivate pupils. As one Year 6 pupil said, ‘We have kind teachers and a lot of electronics to help us.’ It is no surprise, therefore, that standards have been consistently high in the two separate schools in recent years. In 2006, standards by Year 6 were very high in all subjects and school assessments indicate that they will be very similar in 2007. Children enter the Nursery with average skills and abilities and make outstanding progress throughout the school. By the end of the Reception year, nearly all children achieve their expected goals and many exceed them. Similarly, by the end of Year 2, pupils reach standards that are at least above average. Pupils also achieve extremely well in other subjects, notably information and communication technology (ICT) and art and design. The school takes great care of its pupils. Formal systems are watertight and there are

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Grade: 1

constant activities to reinforce safety awareness, such as the visit of the Fire Prevention Team. The pastoral care is second to none. Indeed, it is just part and parcel of the school’s ethos. Each pupil is valuable and treated accordingly. Even the tiniest graze from a playtime fall merits close scrutiny and a visit to the first aid box. Yet staff do not cosset pupils. They encourage self-reliance and self-discipline so successfully that pupils do not need supervision all the time to work and carry out duties. Consequently, pupils become very responsible members of the school and the wider community. During part of the inspection, for example, Year 5 pupils were out planting trees in the locality. Pupils embrace a safe and healthy lifestyle wholeheartedly and look after one another like siblings. All in all, they are extremely well prepared for life ahead. Inspectors agree with the parents’ plaudits. ‘It is a wonderful school with great learning

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Grade: 1

opportunities,’ one said. The headteacher is the unsung hero and an outstanding role model. His shrewd appointments of staff, his quiet expectation of high standards and his provision for professional development result in a happy, highly skilled and empowered workforce. Senior staff play a full part in the school’s work and are increasingly influential in their areas of responsibility. Although there are a few minor 2 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006 wrinkles to iron out, this new school is clearly in an excellent position to develop further and offers outstanding value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• There are no significant issues that the school needs to address.

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Grade: 1

The achievement of all pupils is outstanding. When children enter the school, their attainment is broadly typical for their age. The children make outstanding progress and, by the end of the Reception year, almost all achieve the goals set for their learning, and many exceed them. Pupils continue to make excellent progress throughout the school. At the end of Year 2, they achieve standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are at least above average and, by Year 6, their standards are very high in English, mathematics and science. A poetic description of dawn by a Year 6 pupil as when night ‘dances back over the hills, back to her star palace under the mist of the moon’, exemplifies their abilities. There is little difference between the achievements of boys and girls. The school has rightly recognised that achievement at the higher levels in writing could be slightly higher and has already begun to improve teaching strategies and vary pupils’

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Grade: 1

experiences of writing. Pupils reach high standards in other subjects, especially ICT and art and design, and this adds to their overall success. All pupils, including those from ethnic minorities and more able pupils, achieve equally well. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities make excellent progress because of the effective way their needs are identified and the high level of well-targeted support they receive.

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Grade: 1

Personal development and well-being are outstanding. Pupils are a credit to the school and their families. They develop into mature, thoughtful and polite individuals and take responsibility in their stride, whether working in groups by themselves on a piece of drama or looking after younger pupils. This was typified by a wry and affectionate comment about younger pupils by an older pupil on duty in the playground, who said, ‘Apart from “attacking” the buddies, they’re little angels’. Pupils’ behaviour is of a high standard, frequently immaculate, and this enables them to sustain great concentration in lessons. They clearly love their school, respect their teachers and all other adults, and the high attendance figures reflect this. In addition, they lead a very healthy lifestyle. They enjoy, for example, the gym clubs before school and relish the value of the wholesome meals at lunchtime. They play an important part

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Grade: 1

in the school community through their work on the school council and know that comments in their questionnaires are valued and acted upon. 3 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006 They take part in many activities with the church and local community. They are especially knowledgeable about the wider world and its variety of cultures and faiths. Pupils entered fully into the spirit of the Hanukkah Day that took place during the inspection. They readily reflect on issues in assemblies such as mutual respect and are very appreciative of art and music. The prayer room and quiet corners are wonderful resources for them to use whenever they need a moment to reflect. All such opportunities enhance their self-esteem. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is, therefore, outstanding.

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Grade: 1

Teaching and learning are outstanding. Teachers are very knowledgeable and have high expectations of their pupils. A whole school approach to planning, based on scrupulous systems of assessment, meets the needs of pupils of all abilities accurately. Skilful questioning probes and extends pupils’ understanding of their work, and requires them to keep concentrating throughout the lesson. Lessons are productive and harmonious and, as a result, pupils thrive and make rapid progress in their learning. Teachers use imaginative methods to challenge and inspire their pupils. The use of ICT is exceptional. Its use is precisely judged to motivate pupils, as in a very good numeracy lesson where two dimensional images became three dimensional ‘objects’ and helped pupils understand mathematical nets. In Year 6, standards in boys’ writing has risen because of their work on an animated film. Occasionally, teachers do not

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Grade: 1

present new learning skilfully, so pupils lose interest and the pace of learning drops. Teaching assistants make a very important contribution to pupils’ learning. They are very well briefed and work with teachers and pupils in a seamless partnership, enabling pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities in particular to make excellent progress.

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Grade: 1

The outstanding curriculum is a major influence on pupil’s achievement and personal development. The school has an understandably strong emphasis on literacy, numeracy and science and promotes basic skills deftly through other subjects. All subjects, including Spanish, are celebrated in their own right and the rich provision ensures that pupils excel, for example, in ICT and art and design. Extensive cultural activity broadens pupils’ horizons greatly, boosts their general knowledge and raises their self-esteem. Regular success in a national language competition has enabled individual pupils to visit Lapland, Malawi and, shortly, Tanzania and share their experiences upon return. The excellent inclusion in the school means that the curriculum benefits all pupils equally. Pupils with learning difficulties have challenging learning plans and receive excellent support in lessons. Similarly, pupils with special gifts and talents prosper.

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Grade: 1

The buildings are stimulating not least because pupils’ work is skilfully celebrated in 4 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006 stylish displays. The capacious and professional-looking ICT suite and the growing wealth of resources help pupils develop skills, such as editing animation. The libraries are bright, crammed with interesting books and inspiring places to learn.

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Grade: 1

The quality of the care, guidance and support the school provides for its pupils is outstanding. It is especially reflected in its very caring Christian ethos and the very good relationships throughout the school. The school rightly regards this aspect of its work as crucial to how well pupils achieve. A strong partnership among teachers, support staff, parents, the church community and outside agencies ensure pupils’ well being. All procedures for safeguarding pupils are secure and the environment is very well-supervised and organised. The school has excellent systems for monitoring pupils’ progress. Teachers know, therefore, if extra help is required, pinpoint any weaknesses and swiftly respond to them. Therefore, pupils feel very well supported and are able to work to the best of their abilities. They know their individual targets and what they need to do in order to improve.

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Grade: 1

The leadership and management of the school are outstanding. The intelligent, creative and resolute leadership of the headteacher provides the driving force that not only assures the school’s high performance but also guarantees its consistency. He is an excellent role model and enables staff to develop extremely well professionally. Leadership is very corporate as a result; the senior managers are very efficient and play a full role in the school’s development. The shared vision for the school is extremely clear and an admirable one in that it champions academic success whilst producing mature, considerate and knowledgeable pupils. The school has an excellent view of itself. It is well aware of its strengths and weaknesses through rigorous monitoring and regular communication at all levels. Any identified shortcomings are robustly analysed so that action plans are put swiftly in place to resolve them. For example, the school knows that a few parents feel they are

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Grade: 1

not consulted enough and it is already investigating a new kind of questionnaire. Governance is of a high standard, especially in ensuring the quality of provision and setting challenging targets for the headteacher. The amalgamation has been a singular success, a tribute both to the skills of management and the professional integrity of all staff. Excellent mechanisms, such as assessment for learning, have been put in place to cement the union and increase standards further. In view of the combined skills of staff, the high level of care, the right priorities and astute leadership, the school has outstanding capacity to become even better. 5 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006 .

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Grade: 1

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 Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 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? 1 The quality and standards in the Foundation Stage 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

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

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The behaviour of learners 1 The attendance of learners 1 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 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?

1 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 Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 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 Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Holy Trinity Rosehill CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School Upsall Grove Fairfield Stockton-on-Tees TS19 7QU 24 November 2006 Dear pupils I am writing to thank you for all your help during the inspection of the school. My colleagues and I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you all. Your opinions were very valuable for us to get to know your school properly. We think your school is excellent, a special place where you achieve extremely well in your work and also become mature, kind and very well-rounded individuals. We were very impressed that your two schools became one so easily and we know that you played your full part in that. The wonderful relationships between the younger and older pupils show that very clearly. We were also impressed with your very healthy lifestyle, outstanding behaviour and exceptional attitudes to work. The standards of your work are very high especially in the important subjects of English,

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

mathematics, science and ICT. You are right to respect your teachers and teaching assistants because they are very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and also have high expectations of you. The high quality of your handwriting and artwork are clear examples of how well you respond. The rich opportunities that teachers provide, like your Hanukkah Day and links with The Sage, make sure that you have fine skills and knowledge. Teachers also keep a close eye on your progress, make sure that you continue to achieve very well and provide excellent advice about how to become even better in your work. You have an excellent headteacher. He makes the school what is it - a happy, vibrant and successful place. He is helped very well by all the staff and governors to keep your school in outstanding condition. There is very little your school needs to do to improve but we hope that you will all do your best to make sure that the school stays as good as it is now, if not better.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

We wish you every success for the future. Yours sincerely Andrew Scott Lead Inspector 9 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Rosehill C of E Voluntary Aided Primary School, 23 °24 November 2006

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