Burnley Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Burnley Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' attitudes to school reflect its strong Christian values. Pupils know and understand the importance of the school's vision, 'Growing and learning through Christ in faith, family and friendship'. This vision is at the heart of all the school does.

Pupils enjoy school. They are happy and safe. They meet staff's very high expectations of behaviour.

They are polite and courteous to each other and adults. Relationships are positive. Pupils respect and welcome diversity in their school community.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or ...disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life. Pupils said that little or no bullying takes place in school. They explained that staff take bullying seriously.

Leaders deal with bullying effectively.

Pupils are committed to their learning, take pride in their work and want to do well. They work hard because they know teachers have high expectations of them.

Older pupils enjoy taking on leadership roles in school as ambassadors for different elements of school life. There are many roles as ambassadors for faith, sport and leadership across the school.

Parents and carers speak positively about the school and its leadership.

They appreciate the inclusive nature of the school and its family feel.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with SEND. Leaders ensure all pupils enjoy a rich and broad curriculum and achieve well.

For example, pupils enjoy learning not only about their town but also about the wider world. Leaders have identified the essential knowledge in each subject and the order in which they want pupils to learn it. They make sure that pupils with SEND get the support and resources they need to give them access to the full curriculum.

The well-devised curriculum in Reception ensures that children achieve well across all areas of learning. Nevertheless, in some parts of the curriculum, leaders have not identified links between what children learn in the early years and what they will learn in key stage 1. Consequently, teachers in key stage 1 sometimes cannot build on pupils' prior learning effectively enough.

Most pupils are helped to make links between new learning and what they already know. Learning often includes opportunities to revisit previous knowledge. This helps pupils remember more over time.

Teachers use assessment effectively to let pupils know what they do well and how they could improve. However, in some subjects, leaders have not ensured that the curriculum identifies clear enough end points. As a result, sometimes teachers do not have high enough expectations of what pupils should achieve.

The teaching of reading is a priority. Leaders have put reading at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils enjoy reading and being read to.

All staff are trained well in the teaching of phonics. Children in the early years have an excellent start with early reading. Children and pupils who need support to learn to read have extra help so they can catch up quickly.

Pupils throughout the school enjoy reading a wide range of books. They appreciate the choices available to them in the library and class.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons and outside class is extremely good.

Staff manage behaviour well.

There is a broad range of opportunities to encourage pupils' wider development. These include opportunities to play instruments, perform in drama, take part in a wide variety of sporting activities and study outside the school day.

Pupils support many local charities and learn the importance of community and citizenship.

Trips and visitors to the school also enrich the experience of pupils. Leaders want pupils to know about the rich history and range of opportunities available in their local town.

They work to broaden pupils' understanding of the wider world by teaching them about inspirational figures. Children learn about tolerance, respect and understanding. This helps them to be prepared for life in modern Britain.

Staff feel valued and supported by leaders. They say leaders are highly supportive of their well-being, working hard to reduce their workload. Leaders are respected by staff, who recognise how committed leaders are to the school and its community.

Governors know the school well. They use their combined knowledge and skills effectively to challenge leaders. They make appropriate checks on the quality of education and safeguarding.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a strong culture of vigilance to ensure that pupils are safe from harm. Staff receive regular training and understand the systems for recording and reporting any concerns.

There are robust systems for the safer recruitment of adults who work in the school.

Leaders quickly identify pupils and families in need of additional support. They work effectively with outside professional agencies to ensure that pupils stay safe.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, both in person and online. Learning about staying safe is built into the curriculum. Leaders also invite other agencies, such as the police, to come into the school.

Leaders provide extra opportunities through assemblies and visits to enable pupils to learn how to stay safe. Pupils know how to report anything that may worry or concern them.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum does not identify end points clearly enough.

This means that some pupils do not make as much progress through the curriculum as they should because teachers' expectations are not high enough. Leaders should ensure that teachers know exactly what pupils should know and remember and by when so that pupils achieve well in all subjects. ? Leaders have not made sure that the curriculum in the early years is linked clearly enough to the curriculum which pupils follow in key stage 1.

As a result, at times, pupils are unable to build on what they already know. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum allows all pupils in key stage 1 to link new knowledge to what they have learned in the early years.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2013.