Holy Trinity Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and parents speak positively about improved expectations for pupils' behaviour since the arrival of the new headteacher. Reward systems ensure that pupils who behave well get noticed and are given praise. Pupils feel happy and safe.

Parents share this view. When problems occur, staff address them quickly. The new pastoral team supports those pupils needing to improve their behaviour well.

Incidents of unkind behaviour have reduced dramatically. Pupils say that bullying does not happen.

Pupils learn well in some subjects such as English, mathematics and science.

However, the curriculum plans for many subjects have been newly implemented or have... not yet started. This restricts the breadth of the curriculum.

The school is inclusive.

Parents speak positively of the support the school gives their children. Families of new pupils feel particularly welcome. Pupils trust staff and know that there is always an adult that they can turn to if they need to talk.

Pupils know the school's values. These reflect the Christian ethos and the wider values of British society. Pupils are currently reflecting on the value 'compassion' and understand its importance.

Leaders ensure there is a wide range of extra-curricular activities to support pupils in developing their talents and interests, including a school orchestra.

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

The school has had four headteachers during the past 14 months. Recent leaders have identified the key areas that need to be improved.

They have prioritised improving the behaviour of pupils and safeguarding. For example, they have created a pastoral support team to help with social and emotional needs. This has improved behaviour and significantly reduced the number of suspensions.

Leaders have designed an effective curriculum for English, mathematics and science. They have carefully broken down the important content into small steps of learning in these subjects. Teachers know precisely what is to be taught and when.

They present subject matter clearly. Teachers revisit important content, which helps pupils remember this over time.

Reading is at the heart of the school's curriculum.

The focus on class reading books promotes a love of reading. The curriculum begins in the Reception Year. The order in which pupils and children learn sounds has been carefully set out.

Leaders check what pupils learning before they move on. Most pupils master the sounds that they need to decode words. However, some pupils who need extra help do not practise their reading sufficiently to develop their fluency.

Teachers have not identified this through their checking. Consequently, teaching is not precise enough to help these pupils catch up quickly.Children in the early years get off to a strong start.

The Reception class is a calm and purposeful place to learn. Well-established routines help children to feel secure and to behave well. The teaching they receive builds knowledge that prepares them well for key stage 1.

Learning activities provide a wide range of engaging experiences. For example, the woods are used to develop children's understanding of the stories they have read through role play and art.

For many subjects, the redesign of the curriculum is at an early stage.

Pupils do not experience a curriculum that is sufficiently broad and balanced. They do not build their knowledge well over time. Leaders do not understand what pupils know and can do.

As a result, learning is not adapted to meet pupils' needs.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as others. In some parts of English and mathematics, learning is adapted to ensure that these pupils learn well.

However, some pupils with SEND do not develop strong fluency in reading because teaching is not precise enough for their needs.

Pupils' personal development is carefully planned. The school provides high-quality pastoral support.

Pupils understand what a healthy relationship is. They know how to keep themselves physically healthy. Pupils understand democracy through electing the school council.

They have meaningful opportunities to develop their leadership skills through the school council, for example planning the school library.

Staff workload has increased as they address a legacy of issues. However, staff see the benefits that the changes are bringing to pupils and feel valued by leaders for their work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Positive relationships are at the heart of the school's safeguarding culture. Leaders set out practices that build trust so that pupils are confident and willing to talk about worries or concerns.

Pupils feel safe, and bullying behaviour is addressed effectively. They know about healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe online.

Leaders ensure that staff are knowledgeable about safeguarding issues.

They have appropriate systems in place to ensure that issues are recorded and reported in a timely manner. Leaders know when to escalate concerns and work closely with appropriate external agencies to keep pupils safe. Leaders ensure appropriate checks are made when recruiting staff.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The teaching and assessment of some pupils' early reading, including those with SEND, is not accurate enough. This slows pupils' ability to learn to read fluently. Leaders need to ensure that assement is effective to enable them to understand pupils' phonic knowledge and to adapt learning as appropriate.

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not ambitious or sequenced well. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge over time. Leaders need to ensure that curriculum design is ambitious and sets out clearly what pupils need to know and when.

• Assessment is not effective in identifying what pupils know and can do in the foundation subjects. As a result, leaders and teachers are unable to adapt learning to meet pupils' needs. Leaders need to put in place effective assessment systems to understand pupils' knowledge and to determine future learning.