Holy Trinity CofE Junior School

Holy Trinity CofE Junior School Inspection report

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102991 Unique Reference Number Sutton Local Authority 308186 Inspection number 15 °16 May 2008 Inspection dates Steven Hill 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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Junior Type of school Voluntary aided School category 7 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 357 School The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Raymond Cross Chair Mrs Shirley Gruffydd Headteacher 7 June 2004 Date of previous school inspection Bute Road School address Wallington SM6 8BZ 020 8647 7496 Telephone number 020 8669 1437 Fax number

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7-11 Age group 15 °16 May 2008 Inspection dates 308186 Inspection number .

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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

About three-quarters of pupils in this large junior school are of White British heritage, with the rest from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest groups are of Indian, other Asian or Black African origins. The proportion of pupils whose mother tongue is not English is rising, and is now above average, although none is at very early stages of speaking English. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties or disabilities is above average. The majority of these pupils have either speech and language problems, emotional and behavioural difficulties, or struggle with basic literacy or numeracy. There has been a high turnover of staff in the last few years, and the current headteacher started in September 2006. The school has achieved the Healthy Schools and Activemark awards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008

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Grade: 2

This is a good school. Strong leadership from the headteacher and senior managers, and good teamwork from staff, have led to significant improvements in the quality of education. Teaching and learning are now good, so pupils are achieving well throughout the school. Strong pastoral care ensures that pupils' individual needs are met well, so their personal development is good. Standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science are significantly above average at the end of Year 6, as they have been for several years. However, in most years, this just represented satisfactory achievement in relation to pupils' above-average starting points. Standards and progress were declining, largely because assessment systems, at a time of many changes in staffing, did not support teachers in matching work to pupils' needs. Vastly improved methods to check on how pupils are getting on, and hard work by staff to address any problems,

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Grade: 2

have halted this decline. In particular, a downturn in pupils' progress in mathematics was reversed. The current pupils in Year 6, who had fallen behind, are now reaching the standards they should in the light of their attainment at the end of Year 2. Pupils who struggle with basic skills, or who find conforming to expected standards of behaviour difficult, make good progress because they receive extra help that meets their particular needs. The school's good tracking shows that pupils who speak English as an additional language, whilst making satisfactory progress, are not all doing as well as their classmates. The school has identified that its existing systems were inadequate to support the increased number of such pupils, and is making changes in provision, and planning training for staff, to address this. There is a good curriculum, which supports pupils' progress in basic skills and their personal

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Grade: 2

development well. A wide variety of enrichment activities contributes to their enjoyment of school. Pupils are taught successfully how to keep safe and healthy, and join in exercise enthusiastically. They develop good collaborative skills through their many opportunities to work in pairs or in teams. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) are only average because, as the school has correctly identified, pupils do not have enough chance to practise their skills across the curriculum. Good and improving teaching is at the heart of better progress. Regular monitoring of lessons in the core subjects has provided feedback to colleagues, supporting them in improving their practice. This has led to new teachers providing more and more good lessons to their classes, and an increasing amount of outstanding teaching from more experienced staff. The monitoring of provision and progress by leaders of other subjects is beginning. However, it is at a relatively

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Grade: 2

early stage so they are not yet able to provide the same support for teaching and learning as their colleagues. Teachers make good use of the better information about pupils' progress to give them different work according to their individual needs. Relationships are good and pupils in Year 3 agreed that the best thing about the school was that 'Teachers are really nice...' and '...if we're stuck they'll help us'. High expectations ensure that behaviour is good, and pupils work hard and take a pride in their successes. Marking is of good quality and explains clearly to pupils how they can improve. Parents are very supportive of the school and, in particular, of the care and guidance provided for their children. Many praise the improvements made in the last two years by the new headteacher. However, a minority express concerns about bad behaviour earlier this year from a small number of pupils. Discussion with staff, and the school's records, show that this issue

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Grade: 2

4 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008 has been addressed well, making good use of outside agencies to help. The behaviour seen during the inspection was good, and sometimes excellent. Pupils are adamant that behaviour has improved, that bullying is rare, and that staff deal very quickly with any problems.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Accelerate the progress of pupils for whom English is an additional language, by providing suitable training for staff. ■ Improve standards in ICT by giving pupils more opportunities to practise their skills in subjects across the curriculum. ■ Implement plans to involve all subject leaders more in monitoring achievement and provision in their areas of responsibility.

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Grade: 2

Standards are above average. Achievement has risen and is now good throughout the school, after a period when progress was too variable between different classes and year groups. Standards in mathematics are rising because of the focus on this subject by staff. Pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities are making good progress because of the better tracking of their needs, and better support provided to them, particularly from skilled support staff. Staff have helped pupils with emotional problems to improve their behaviour, so that it does not affect their classmates' learning, and their own progress has also improved. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress.

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Grade: 2

Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their good attendance and in their enthusiasm. Pupils say that 'School is fun...' and 'Teachers are really helpful'. The vast majority of pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They have a good understanding of the school's system of rewards and sanctions which they accept as fair. They feel safe in school and are confident to turn to adults for help. Pupils are safety conscious and talk knowledgeably about healthy lifestyles. They increasing choosing healthy food options, enjoy sports and are contributing to plans for a 'walking bus'. Spiritual, moral and social and development is good and develops good habits for pupils' future lives. Cultural development is satisfactory and the school has identified the need for further development in multi-cultural aspects of pupils' learning. Pupils contribute well to the school community through a wide variety of responsibilities and an active school council. They take

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Grade: 2

great pride in the impact of their work, such as their contributions to the school's anti-bullying policy. Pupils work well in groups, have good basic skills and are well prepared for secondary school and their future beyond school.

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Grade: 2

Teaching and learning have improved in the last two years and continue to do so. A significant number of outstanding lessons were observed during the inspection, mostly in the older classes. Lessons are orderly, and well-established routines ensure a good pace to learning. Positive 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008 relationships mean that pupils are keen to please their teachers by working hard and behaving well. Pupils enjoy lessons because teachers give them interesting things to do and are good at making sure everyone is involved. Very good use is made of the skilled teaching assistants to help pupils who might otherwise struggle with their work to make progress. Teachers explain things well, often using the interactive whiteboards effectively to clarify things and make them more exciting. Teachers frequently get pupils to discuss work in pairs or undertake practical

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Grade: 2

work in teams, boosting both their social development and their speaking and listening skills. Occasionally, teachers do not match activities closely enough to all pupils' needs, or mistakes are not picked up and addressed early enough.

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Grade: 2

The personal, social and health education programme makes a strong contribution to pupils' personal development and well-being. It promotes healthy lifestyles and good safety awareness, for example through the cycling proficiency course for Year 6 pupils. Excellent provision for sports leads to regular success in competition. Responsible attitudes to the environment result from the school's work, in promoting recycling, for example. Provision for music and art is good. There is a wide variety of clubs, including sports, gardening and choir. The school has improved the geography curriculum, a weakness at the last inspection, and eliminated weak standards. Improvements to the mathematics curriculum have also raised standards. The school has identified a lack of opportunity for pupils to practise their ICT skills, and is revising the curriculum accordingly. The school collaborates effectively with the nearby infant school to ease pupils'

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Grade: 2

transition and ensure continuity in their learning. Through its links with a local grammar school, it provides a high quality enrichment programme in mathematics and science for more able pupils.

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Grade: 2

Pastoral care is strong because a high priority is placed on ensuring pupils' safety, welfare and happiness. A well-coordinated combination of outside agency support, internal monitoring and the work of class teachers and teaching assistants ensures that vulnerable pupils make similar progress to their peers. Academic guidance is good and detailed records of pupils' progress are kept. This ensures that support for pupils' individual needs is carefully targeted. Pupils are made aware of their individual learning targets and of what they need to do in order to be successful in lessons. Marking informs pupils what they need to do to improve their work and pupils say 'It encourages you to want to get it right.'

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Grade: 2

The headteacher and senior management team have the confidence of staff, governors, pupils and parents. They have acted with vision and resolve and are leading the school through a period of marked improvement. The thoughtful guidance of the headteacher has resulted in a strong team ethos among staff. The school's self-evaluation is good. It accurately identifies strengths and weaknesses and contributes well to securing improvement. The professional development of all staff is a priority and contributes well to raising standards. Pupils' individual 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008 performance is monitored carefully and analysed frequently, ensuring their needs are clearly identified and addressed promptly. The capacity to improve further is good. Governors know the schools' strengths and weaknesses and fulfil their responsibilities well. They act as 'critical friends' to the school and provide good support and appropriate challenge.

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Grade: 2

There are good opportunities for adults and pupils to express their views and opinions in order to have a positive influence on actions taken. A large majority of parents and pupils are strongly appreciative of the school's work. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 8 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008

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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? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

2 How well do learners achieve? 2 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 extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 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. 9 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008

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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 2 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 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? 10 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

27 May 2008 Dear Pupils Inspection of Holy Trinity CofE Junior School,Wallington,SM6 8BZ Thank you for your warm welcome when we visited your school. You told us that Holy Trinity is a good school and we agree. We thought you were very sensible and well behaved. We were pleased to see that you work hard in class to reach your targets. You work well in pairs or in teams, and this helps you to learn more. Your school council helps to make the school a happy place to be, and we were impressed to learn that you think it has helped to make behaviour better. You are making good progress because your teachers are good at helping you learn. One of the reasons for this is that some of them visit each other's classes to share ideas about how you can do even better. We have agreed with the school that all the teachers will have chances to do this in future. Recently, a lot more pupils who speak a different language from English

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

at home have joined the school. Because the staff keep a very careful eye on how everyone is getting on, they have realised that some of these pupils do not always make as much progress as the rest of you. We have agreed that their plan to give these pupils more help is a good one, and they are going to carry it out as soon as possible. In English, mathematics and science, you get to better standards than those we usually see. Your standards in ICT are more like those in other schools, and we have agreed with your teachers that it is important for you to practise using ICT more in other subjects. The adults are good at organising the school, looking after you and making sure you do well in your lessons. They are keen to make things even better, and we know you will help them by carrying on working hard, behaving well and trying particularly hard with using your ICT skills. I hope you all carry on enjoying school.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Yours sincerely Steven Hill Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity CofE Junior School, 15 °16 May 2008

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