Trinity CofE Primary School

Trinity CofE Primary School Inspection report

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130931 Unique Reference Number Shropshire Local Authority 315662 Inspection number 12 July 2007 Inspection date Andrew Reid HMI 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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Primary Type of school Voluntary controlled School category 4 °11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 140 School

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The governing body Appropriate authority Tracey Bishton Chair Martin Pye Headteacher 11 October 2004 Date of previous school inspection Ford School address Shrewsbury SY5 9LG

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01743 850227 Telephone number 01743 850239 Fax number

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4-11 Age group 12 July 2007 Inspection date 315662 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 one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school was opened following the closure of three local schools 11 years ago. It is smaller than most primary schools. The pupils come from a wide rural area, with about half arriving by bus or car. About a fifth travel from outside the designated catchment area. Pupils are admitted to the Reception class in September and January; their attainment on entry fluctuates from year to year but is broadly average overall. The proportions of the pupils who are entitled to free school meals, who are from black or minority ethnic groups, and who speak English as an additional language are very low. The proportion of pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average and four have statements of special educational need.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007

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Grade: 2

This is a good school where pupils are valued and where they flourish. Good teaching and outstanding curricular provision enable them to achieve well. The pupils make a good start in the Reception class, and go on to reach standards which are above average overall in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science by the end of Year 6. They also achieve good standards in the non-core subjects. However, the pace of the pupils' progress varies across the school. They make considerable gains in Years 5 and 6, but in other years in Key Stage 2 their progress is uneven. There are particular strengths in the teaching in the Reception and Year 5 and 6 classes, but the expectations and pace of some of the teaching, while satisfactory, could be more challenging. The many additional activities offered to the pupils contribute significantly to their enjoyment of school. Their attendance rate is excellent and they have a positive attitude to the school

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Grade: 2

and to each other. The pupils are well cared for, guided and supported. They grow in confidence and develop as people who make an excellent contribution to their community and are well equipped to do so. However, their understanding of the diversity of modern British society is limited. The school is very well led. It has the will to improve further, and good capacity to do so. Governors support the school well and monitor its performance satisfactorily, although they do not scrutinise the trends in its performance as closely as they could. The school has excellent links with parents, seeks and acts upon their views and commands a high level of support from them. Parents particularly appreciate the quality and approachability of the staff, and the wide range of activities offered. As one said, 'This is a great school, and I have seen it go from strength to strength. There is always a lot going on. Every year there

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise further the standards attained by the pupils by ensuring that they make consistently good progress as they move through the school. ■ Disseminate the strong features of the teaching so that they are reflected in all classes.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Do more to promote the pupils' understanding of the diversity of modern Britain.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Develop the governors' role in monitoring the school's performance.

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Grade: 2

The pupils achieve well, and standards are above average overall. At the Foundation Stage, in the Reception class, children make good progress in all areas of learning and particularly in their personal, social and emotional development. The levels of attainment reached by the end of the Reception Year have fluctuated over recent years but among the current group most are achieving and many exceeding what is expected of their age group. At Key Stage 1, the pupils continue to make generally good progress. The results achieved in the statutory Year 2 tests have been consistently above average in recent years, although in 2007 few reached the higher Level 3. At Key Stage 2, the pupils' progress is good overall, although it is uneven across the key stage, with the greatest gains being made in Years 5 and 6. The results achieved in the national Year 4 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007

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Grade: 2

6 tests have fluctuated over the past five years. In 2006, they were significantly above the national performance overall, with a particularly good performance in science. Early results indicate that standards in 2007, though a little lower, have been broadly maintained. The standards being attained by the current Year 5 are high and the school has rightly set more challenging targets for the results to be achieved in 2008. The pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities generally make good progress, benefiting from the school's support and its inclusive philosophy. However, more still needs to be done to ensure that progress is consistently good or better for all the pupils through the school. A strong feature of the school's work is the pupils' performance in subjects other than the core of English, mathematics and science. The good standards evident in the non-core areas are fostered by the school's participation in a network of schools which has helped it to establish

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Grade: 2

high expectations and rigorous assessment arrangements. Particularly good work in design and technology and art was on display, and a project involving the use of recycled textiles has won a national award. Music is strongly encouraged, and the pupils sing well. They engage enthusiastically and well in physical education.

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Grade: 2

Benefiting from the school's good provision, the pupils' personal development is good and their well-being is assured. Their attendance is excellent and they enjoy what the school offers, talking enthusiastically about the range of activities which they can undertake and the stimulus of literacy and mathematics sessions. They show a good understanding of the importance of being healthy and safe, and are developing well the skills that they will need to be successful in the future. Their positive attitude to others in the school community is an outstanding feature, evidenced particularly in a range of initiatives taken by the school council, and overall their social development is very good. As several pupils indicated during the inspection, they 'look out for each other'. They also play an active role in maintaining the school's status as an 'eco-school', handing admonitory 'red cards' to those who leave lights on unnecessarily, and

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Grade: 2

checking that paper is recycled. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. The school fosters the pupils' spiritual and moral development well, creating an atmosphere of trust in which they are confident to share their experiences and ideas and express personal views. The school's values are clearly presented and well understood by the pupils. The pupils' cultural development is nurtured through music, art and the humanities, but understanding of the diversity of modern Britain is not well developed and the school could do more to promote it.

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Grade: 2

The overall quality of the teaching is good, with particular strengths in Reception and in the Year 5 and 6 class. In the latter class, the questioning and interaction with the pupils are outstanding. The lessons are generally well planned, with attention given to the varying needs of individual pupils, and the pupils are managed well. Much of the marking is good, but it is not consistently helpful in promoting the pupils' progress, and the expectations and pace of some of the teaching, while satisfactory, could be more challenging. The teaching assistants 5 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007 provide generally good support. However, to improve further, the teaching and support could focus more precisely and consistently on the outcomes to be achieved by each pupil each lesson.

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Grade: 1

The school offers a broad curriculum, enhanced by many additional activities: in this respect, its provision is outstanding. Literacy and numeracy receive suitable emphasis and investigative work is well developed in science. The curriculum in the non-core subjects is notably strong, with good provision in ICT, design and technology, and elsewhere. The school is showing considerable enterprise in building links with secondary schools and using their expertise to provide challenging work for the older pupils. Parents are rightly appreciative of the range of additional activities offered, through clubs, residential experiences and outings. The school recently mounted a production of 'The Lion King'. One class was making a pilgrimage to local monastic sites on the day of the inspection.

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Grade: 2

The pupils are well cared for, guided and supported. The arrangements for the induction of Reception pupils are very good, with good links with pre-school providers. The school has clear values and a strong ethos that respects and includes all the pupils, gives them scope to express themselves and take initiatives in a safe environment, and enables them to grow in confidence. The pupils' progress is monitored satisfactorily and is promoted through individual target-setting; however, this is not done consistently in all classes across the school and is an area for further improvement.

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Grade: 2

The school is led and managed well. The leadership of the headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, is highly effective. A clear vision for the school's development is generally reflected appropriately in the school development plan, although greater emphasis could be given to improving further the academic progress made by the pupils. The school has a good understanding of its performance, based on analysis of data and monitoring of the quality of teaching, including by video, and scrutiny of the pupils' work. Its self-evaluation is accurate and actions to secure improvement, for example, in writing, have had a positive impact. The school has good capacity to improve further and ° rightly ° it aspires to do so. Suitably challenging targets have been set for 2008. Resources are managed well and suitable care is taken over new appointments to the staff. A strong ethos of teamwork and empowerment of all members of its community is a feature of the school's work.

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Grade: 2

The governing body is active and involved, and ensures that the school meets statutory requirements and uses its resources well. Monitoring of the school's performance by governors is satisfactory but they do not, for example, scrutinise sufficiently closely the trends in the outcomes achieved by the pupils or in the parents' views. Although they perform their role well overall, in these respects there is room for further development. 6 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007 .

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Grade: 2

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007

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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? 2 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? 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 behaviour of learners 1 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 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?

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. 8 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007

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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? 9 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

13 July 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Trinity Church of England Primary School, Ford, Shrewsbury SY5 9LG Thank you for your welcome when I inspected your school on Thursday 12 July. I very much enjoyed my visit. Thank you for telling me about your work and all the other things you do at school. You are taught and looked after well. The school gives you interesting work to do and organises some excellent clubs and other activities. You make good progress in your work, grow in confidence and want to contribute to your community. I especially liked the way you look out for each other and accept responsibility. Your school knows where it is going and how it wants to improve in the future. It is a good school and, with your help, it can become even better. Your teachers will try to make sure that you learn as much as you can in every lesson, right through the school; if you do that, I think you will be able to achieve even better results by the time you leave. I would also like you to

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

learn more about the different people who live in Britain today. I have also asked the governors to get more involved in checking the work of the school. Thank you again and my best wishes for the future. Yours sincerely Andrew Reid Her Majesty's Inspector 10 of 10 Inspection Report: Trinity CofE Primary School, 12 July 2007

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