Holy Trinity Catholic and Church of England School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Newly appointed leaders are bringing about much-needed change at this inclusive and welcoming school. Many aspects are now improving.

A new behaviour policy has recently been introduced. Lessons are calm and pupils benefit from stable routines. There is work to do to improve the behaviour of some older pupils and reduce the number of suspensions they receive.

Some pupils do not attend school as well as they should. They miss out on important learning.

The quality of curriculum planning is variable.

Primary pupils develop the knowledge they need as their curriculum is well planned. However, there is a lack of ambition for what some older pupils can ac...hieve. Leaders' and teachers' expectations for pupils have not been high enough in the past.

Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

Younger pupils know that trusted adults would quickly address any concerns they have about bullying. Older pupils are less confident about reporting their concerns.

There are a number of opportunities for pupils to take part in a range of trips and extra-curricular activities. Pupil leaders speak eloquently and with pride about their school. Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer, particularly those related to sport.

At the time of the inspection, some pupils were practising for the next musical, 'Matilda'.

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

The quality of education that pupils receive is variable. In some subjects, primary and secondary subject leaders work closely together to plan the curriculum.

Where the curriculum has been carefully planned, pupils' journey through the school is seamless. They flourish from the ambitious learning experiences that teachers provide. However, in some subjects at key stages 3 and 4, curriculum planning does not always build on the strengths of the primary curriculum.

Some teachers are not clear about the skills and knowledge that pupils need to learn. In these subjects, secondary-phase pupils are less engaged in their learning and gaps in their knowledge have developed.

In the early years, children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported by caring staff who meet children's needs well.

Across the school, where pupils with SEND need adaptations to their curriculum, this is done sensitively and effectively without lowering ambition. However, a few support plans and other SEND documentation are not always completed sufficiently well. Leadership vacancies have contributed to this.

New leaders are taking rapid steps to address any variability.

Children in nursery get off to a flying start. They quickly build strong relationships with others and adapt enthusiastically to the routines.

Reception-age children continue to flourish as they are taught well to read by skilled staff. Children benefit from the carefully planned curriculum and are well prepared for their next steps.

Older pupils who are at the earliest stage of learning to read are not sufficiently supported to become fluent readers.

Staff helping these pupils do not have the knowledge or training to help them with gaps in their phonic knowledge. These pupils do not make the necessary progress in their reading.

Leaders have sought the views of parents, pupils and staff when developing the new behaviour policy.

Although new, there are early indications that it is having an impact. Lessons seen by inspectors were calm. However, some staff are not consistently implementing the new policy.

Pupils recognise this and some are frustrated by it. Where older pupils do not attend school sufficiently often, they miss vital learning and struggle to catch up. This impacts on the progress they make.

The new behaviour policy aims to encourage pupils to be in school through increasing their motivation to do so. It is too early to see the impact of the new policy.

Leaders have recently strengthened the personal, social and health education (PSHE) in the secondary phase.

Older pupils now receive regular lessons on a range of important topics. Pupils receive careers advice to help them make informed decisions about their next steps. Currently, some key stage 4 pupils do not have much knowledge about world religions beyond those that they study for GCSE religious education.

Their knowledge of fundamental British values is similarly fragile. As a result, some pupils are not able to draw on this knowledge to help them in acting respectfully towards others.

The local governing body has a wealth of experience and expertise.

Governors support and challenge leaders to assure themselves that school leaders are taking the right decisions at the right time, with the best interests of pupils in mind.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff receive regular safeguarding updates and information.

They know the safeguarding risks that pupils face and the signs that suggest that pupils may be at risk of harm. Staff report any concerns swiftly and leaders ensure that appropriate referrals to other safeguarding partners and external agencies are made.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy.

This is woven through their subject and PSHE lessons. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe when online, and to report any concerns they may have.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, teachers do not have absolute clarity of what to teach and how to teach it.

As a result, some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not ready for new content. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum planning clearly sets out the knowledge that pupils should be taught. ? Older pupils who are still at the early stages of learning to read are not provided with the support they need to enable them to become fluent readers.

This is because intervention strategies do not focus on gaps in pupils' phonic knowledge. Staff supporting these pupils do not have sufficient knowledge of phonic strategies. Leaders should ensure that all staff providing reading interventions for the weakest readers have the training and support to deliver a phonics-based approach.

• Some secondary-age pupils do not meet leaders' high expectations for behaviour. Rates of suspensions remain too high. Some staff are not consistently implementing the behaviour policy.

Leaders should ensure that all staff implement the new behaviour policy consistently and that pupils are well supported to make better behaviour choices. ? Some older pupils do not attend school sufficiently well. Persistent absence remains high.

These pupils miss important learning and there are gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should closely monitor the impact of strategies to improve attendance and take suitable action to ensure regular attendance for all pupils. ? Some older pupils do not have a strong knowledge of some aspects of the PSHE curriculum.

Their knowledge of some world religions and fundamental British values is fragile. This is because the pupils do not regularly return to important knowledge often enough to be able to retain it in their long-term memory. Leaders should ensure that the new PSHE curriculum provides pupils with the opportunity to regularly revisit the key knowledge that leaders have identified, so that pupils remember this knowledge over time.