Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School Inspection report

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100622 Unique Reference Number Lambeth Local Authority 323318 Inspection number 29–30 January 2009 Inspection dates Natalia Power Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The registered childcare, managed by the governing body, was inspected under section 49 of the Childcare Act 2006.

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Primary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 4–11 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 404 School (total) 0 Government funded early education provision for children aged 3 to the end of the EYFS 0 Childcare provision for children aged 0 to 3 years The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Jim Maddox Chair Mr Lascelles Haughton Headteacher 6 December 2005 Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous funded early education inspection Not previously inspected Date of previous childcare inspection Upper Tulse Hill School address London SW2 2RL 020 8674 9051 Telephone number 020 8674 6782 Fax number

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4–11 Age group 29–30 January 2009 Inspection dates 323318 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. 2 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This primary school is larger than average and its roll is increasing. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is well above the national average. Most pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, mainly from Black Caribbean and Black African heritages. Almost one in three have first languages other than English, most commonly Yoruba and Twi. An average proportion of pupils have learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Of these, pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties form the largest group. Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage from a wide variety of pre-school providers. The school has achieved Healthy School and Basic Skills 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 Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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Grade: 3

Holy Trinity provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. It is popular with parents, because, in the words of one, it equips their children with 'values and skills to become useful members of the community'. The good moral, social and cultural development of pupils, and their outstanding spiritual development, based on strong Christian principles, lead them to treat one another considerately and thoughtfully. The school works in effective partnership with two local churches and with a range of care agencies to ensure pupils' well-being. Pupils are confident and friendly to one another and to adults. This good personal development is seen in their good behaviour in lessons and around the school. Over the last few years there has been rapid staff turnover, and few teachers and managers who took part in the last inspection remain in post. This has had some impact on standards, which show a slight recent decline, while remaining broadly average. Pupils from all ethnic

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Grade: 3

backgrounds make adequate progress throughout their time at school and their achievement is satisfactory. This reflects satisfactory teaching and learning. Though there are examples of good and even outstanding teaching, the quality of teaching varies across the school. Work is not always successfully matched to the needs of individual pupils. This means that sometimes the more able pupils are not given enough challenge to encourage them to aim high, so that their progress temporarily slows. Pupils with speech, language and communication difficulties and those with first languages other than English are well supported and make progress in line with others. The quality of marking and academic guidance offered to pupils is uneven. Some pupils have clear targets to help them improve the quality of their work. Many, however, are not clearly informed about what they need to do to reach the next level. Pupils particularly enjoy music and art and these subjects are strengths of the school's curriculum.

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Grade: 3

They are fortunate in the exciting range of clubs, residential trips and visits to places of interest that are available, and the well-attended 'family assemblies' offer pupils the chance to shine in singing and dancing. The curriculum provides satisfactorily for pupils' basic literacy and numeracy. The recent introduction of a creative curriculum, linking themes and topics, is beginning to increase pupils' fluency in writing, but is not yet sufficiently developed to have a good overall impact on pupils' learning. The school is led and managed satisfactorily. All members of the leadership team share the headteacher's vision for improving the school. Self-evaluation has clearly identified what needs to be done, and the improvement plan correctly identifies the main improvement priorities. However, the aspiration to 'make teaching 100% good or better' is not matched by a sufficiently rigorous programme of classroom monitoring to ensure that quality is consistently raised. The

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Grade: 3

school has made effective improvements since the last inspection, for example in raising attendance, and has a satisfactory capacity to improve.

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Grade: 3

The effective programme of home and nursery visits helps children to settle in quickly to the well-organised and welcoming Reception classes. Children are engaged by the well-planned activities, and this enables them to make swift gains in social skills, independence and confidence. Safeguarding procedures are secure. The effective provision for children's welfare 4 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009 is reflected in a parent's comment, 'My child feels valued and safe.' When they join the school, children's skills are below expectations for their age, particularly in aspects of literacy and mathematics. During their time in Reception they make satisfactory progress from their starting points. Teaching is satisfactory. While activities are carefully planned to meet children's needs, opportunities to develop language through dialogue are sometimes missed. Sometimes adults

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Grade: 3

direct the learning too much, and this limits children's opportunities to think for themselves. The Early Years Foundation Stage is led satisfactorily. The newly appointed coordinator has a good view of what needs to be achieved. However, the planned changes have had insufficient time to impact on the children's standards.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Monitor the quality of teaching rigorously to ensure that all teaching is consistently good or better. ■ Ensure that work is consistently matched to pupils' different capabilities and that it provides sufficient challenge for more able pupils. ■ Improve marking and target-setting, so that all pupils know what they need to do to improve their work. A small proportion of the schools whose overall effectiveness is judged satisfactory but which have areas of underperformance will receive a monitoring visit by an Ofsted inspector before their next section 5 inspection.

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Grade: 3

Pupils make satisfactory progress, with standards remaining below expected levels at the end of Year 6. In tests taken at the end of Year 2, there was a slight decline from 2007 to 2008 in reading and mathematics, but writing held up well. In 2007 Year 6 pupils achieved in line with the average in national tests. In 2008 Year 6 pupils' standards were slightly lower, but pupils nevertheless achieved in line with their starting points at the end of Year 2. The proportion gaining the highest level declined from 2007 to 2008. Pupils from all ethnic heritages, those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language make progress in line with others.

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Grade: 2

Pupils show their enjoyment of learning by their good attendance. Overall their moral, social and cultural development is good, and pupils follow rules and guidelines well. Their spiritual development is particularly strong. In assemblies pupils show their care for those less fortunate than themselves by offering practical help and volunteering to pray for them. They respect one another's values. One pupil summed up the outstanding spiritual quality of pupils' development in the words, 'We are all one in this school'. Pupils adopt healthy lifestyles and possess a good understanding of the importance of healthy diets and taking regular exercise. Behaviour is generally good, though pupils report that the restricted playground space occasionally leads to fights. Pupils, particularly the older ones, take on additional responsibilities such as helping younger ones in the playground. School Council members have been effective in setting up a

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Grade: 2

'healthy eating tuck-shop' and providing extra playground equipment. Pupils make a good contribution to the community. They use the excellent music tuition they receive to perform in locations such as Southwark Cathedral. The satisfactory progress that pupils are making in 5 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009 acquiring mathematical and literacy skills prepares pupils adequately for their future economic well-being.

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Grade: 3

Teachers have warm relationships with pupils and manage their behaviour well. Teaching assistants give good support to pupils with additional needs, to help them to keep up with the pace of work. Teachers are confident in their use of information and communication technology (ICT) and use interactive whiteboards to engage and motivate pupils to learn. However, there are variations in the quality of teaching. In the best lessons teachers are highly skilled in structuring the learning so that pupils are challenged to learn and use new skills. In one mathematics lesson seen, the teacher formed two teams and each team tested the other. This introduction of a competitive element excited the pupils and raised the achievement of all. Overall, however, pupils do not always do as well as they possibly can, because some teachers do not use the assessment information available to them effectively enough to tailor work

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Grade: 3

precisely to their needs. Consequently some pupils sometimes find the work too easy and lose concentration, while others struggle. Examination of pupils' workbooks shows that different teachers expect different amounts of work from pupils. Some expect pupils to write fluently and at length, and these pupils accomplish work of a higher standard than others from whom less is expected.

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Grade: 3

The curriculum satisfactorily enables pupils to learn basic literacy and numeracy. Curriculum planning is detailed, and there is a well-designed cross-curricular framework which incorporates the revised literacy framework. However, the framework is not consistently used, so there is variation of provision from class to class. ICT is used well in classes to support learning across the curriculum, and this is beginning to raise achievement, particularly of boys. High-quality provision in music enriches the curriculum and enables large numbers of children to play musical instruments and to take part in performances. Good provision for art enables pupils to develop skills using a wide range of different materials. The curriculum is enriched further by a variety of after school clubs and a programme of visits, including residential trips for pupils in Years 4 and 6.

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Grade: 3

Parents and pupils are generally positive in their views of the school, and appreciate the provision of regular newsletters. Pupils say they feel safe, secure and well cared for. The school's strong commitment to improving attendance by following up absences effectively has dramatically reduced the number of persistent absentees. Vulnerable pupils are supported well. The learning coach effectively helps pupils to build up their self-esteem. Good support is provided by outside agencies, such as the attendance officer and the educational psychologist. Child protection procedures are in place and meet statutory requirements. While playground incidents are recorded by teaching assistants in individual incident books, there is no central record of these incidents to enable the school to have an overview of which classes and age groups are most 6 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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Grade: 3

affected. Satisfactory procedures have been established to ensure a smooth transition to the next stage of pupils' education. Most teachers mark pupils' work carefully, and comment supportively on what pupils have done well. However, marking does not consistently offer pupils guidance on how they can improve their work. Where personal targets are provided, they are not always followed up to ensure that pupils have met them. Consequently pupils are not always clear about what they need to do to improve.

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Grade: 3

Leaders, managers and governors share a vision to improve the school. They rightly place most emphasis on raising standards, and their tracking of the progress of pupils is sound. Leaders and managers know which groups are doing well and which are not doing as well as they would like. Too little is done, however, to ensure that teachers use this information consistently to match work to the varying needs of pupils. Leaders and governors have a good understanding of the strengths of their school and what needs to be done. However, the programme to raise the quality of teaching lacks urgency. Monitoring visits to classrooms are insufficiently used to drive up the quality of teaching and learning, and points for improvement are not followed up with sufficient rigour. Leaders are successful in linking with schools in the UK and overseas to make pupils aware of the world around them. They are successful, too, in creating an inclusive school, in which

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Grade: 3

discrimination has no place and where pupils develop good personal qualities. 7 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009 .

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Grade: 3

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 Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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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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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? 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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EYFS?

3 How well do children in the EYFS achieve? How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the children in the EYFS? 3 How effectively are children in the EYFS helped to learn and develop? 2 How effectively is the welfare of children in the EYFS promoted? 3 How effectively is provision in the EYFS led and managed?

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Achievement and standards

3 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 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 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 Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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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 The extent to which 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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learners' needs?

How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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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 3 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? 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 Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

12 February 2009 Dear Pupils Inspection of Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School,London,SW2 2RL You may remember that three inspectors recently visited your school. We began by being shown round by the head girl and head boy, and their pride in the school was echoed by many of you. We were impressed by how polite and friendly you all were, coming up to us willingly to tell us what you most enjoyed about your learning. Your school is helping you to develop into healthy, confident young people who learn about the world and respect the values of others. Your school provides you with a satisfactory education. You are fortunate to have exciting opportunities to perform your music and dance to parents and to the community, and to accomplish creative artwork. The adults take you on many visits and trips, which broaden your understanding of the world around you. We know you like helping others, and your school

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

council members have thought of good ways of improving pupils' health, such as a fruit tuck shop. The adults take good care of you and help you to make satisfactory progress in your learning. We have asked them to provide work which always gives each of you the right level of challenge, and which helps those of you who find work easy to aim for the top levels. We have asked those in charge to visit more lessons to make sure you are all working as hard as possible. We want your teachers to make sure you all know how to improve your work. You can help by playing your part in checking your targets carefully and making sure you reach them all. Your head girl and head boy told us how ambitious they are for your school. They told us that they want it to go 'from good to great'. We know from talking to your headteacher and all the other adults that they share your ambition. If all of you work hard and aim to be 'star of the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

week', not just for one week but for many, I am sure it will not be long before your 'great expectations' come true. Yours faithfully Natalia Power Lead Inspector 11 of 11 Inspection Report: Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School, 29–30 January 2009

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