Elsecar Holy Trinity CofE Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher and executive headteacher are driving forward improvements. Through accurate monitoring, they are well informed to build on strengths and tackle weaknesses across the school. Their strong leadership has been crucial in improving the quality of teaching and pupils' outcomes.

Senior leaders have built a strong team of skilled and committed staff who place pupils at the heart of what they do. Senior and middle leaders' determination and commitment have successfully led to the improvement in teaching and outcomes, particularly at the end of key stage 2. Leaders are making sure that new systems are fully embedded so that improvements co...ntinue and are sustained.

Teachers receive bespoke professional development and have increasingly high expectations of what pupils can achieve. As a result, teaching and learning are good. Pupils make good progress from their starting points to reach expected standards.

However, not enough pupils, including the most able, make accelerated progress to reach the higher standards, especially in writing at the end of Year 6 and mathematics at the end of Year 2. Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, make good progress from their starting points. Most teachers plan learning to meet the needs of most pupils.

However, the level of challenge for pupils is inconsistent and as a result, not all groups of pupils learn as effectively as they could. Pupils enjoy learning and attend well. They value the friendly and inclusive ethos in the school.

Pupils play well together and work cooperatively in lessons. Pupils' behaviour in lessons and across the school is good. Staff have high expectations of how pupils should behave and are consistent in their behaviour management.

Provision in early years for children currently in the school is good. Children make a good start to their education from different starting points, in an engaging, busy, safe and happy environment. However, not enough most-able children exceed the early learning goals.

Leaders' work to develop pupils' personal development and welfare is good. Pupils have access to a rich and varied curriculum which is rooted in the school's distinctive Christian character and linked to the local context.

Information about this school

Elsecar Holy Trinity Church of England (CofE) Primary Academy is part of the Pride Multi-Academy Trust.

The school joined the trust and became an academy on 1 October 2015. When its predecessor school, Elsecar Holy Trinity CofE Voluntary Aided Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require special measures. The work of the trust is overseen by a board of trustees.

Some responsibilities are delegated to the local academy board. The trust is responsible for two primary schools. Since the school became an academy, there have been changes to staffing and leadership.

The headteacher joined the school in September 2016 on secondment and was appointed permanently in post in January 2017. The school is also supported by an interim executive headteacher from the multi-academy trust, on a part-time basis. The multi-academy trust provides a range of support to continuously develop school leadership and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

For example, the part-time executive headteacher and specialist leaders of education provide targeted support. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is in line with the national average.

Currently, there are no pupils in school who have an education, health and care plan. As a Church of England school, Elsecar Holy Trinity CofE Primary Academy was inspected in October 2017 under section 48 of the Education Act 2005 and received an overall grade of good. The school operates a breakfast club.

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