Holy Trinity CofE (C) Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that aspects of the school's work may not be as strong as at the time of the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Holy Trinity is a multicultural school where everyone is welcomed with open arms. The school's values of love, honesty, forgiveness, dedication and courage capture the school's aspirations for all pupils. Staff are kind and caring.

Staff set high expectations for how pupils should behave. They make sure that pupils meet these expectations during lessons. Pupils are polite and respectful.

They know whom to talk t...o if they have a worry. Pupils feel happy and safe.

The curriculum is enriched by visits to a space centre as part of a science topic and to a national war memorial as part of a history topic.

Staff have devised opportunities for pupils to take part in by the time they reach Year 6. These include camping, canoeing and visiting a beach. Pupils in Year 5 and Year 6 take part in a biannual outdoor learning residential trip.

Inclusive extra-curricular activities include cooking, football and dance. Pupils especially value a culture club, where they share their home customs, language and national dress with others.

Pupils are taught how to be active citizens in their local community by donating food to a local charity.

They fundraise for national charities to increase awareness of homelessness.

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

Standards in phonics, writing and mathematics have been low. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are not supported effectively.

Some staff do not teach the curriculum consistently, and pupils' work is sometimes of a poor quality. While the school knows how to secure necessary improvements, until recently actions have been too slow to address these issues sufficiently. As a result, pupils' achievement is variable across several elements of the curriculum.

Reading is prioritised. Staff are well trained to teach phonics. This is taught every day to all pupils.

Appropriate checks on pupils' phonics knowledge take place. Pupils who need to keep up with their peers are supported appropriately. An enjoyment of reading is encouraged.

Pupils have recently visited a local library to listen to stories being read and to a local bookshop to purchase new books. By the end of Year 2, most pupils are reading with increased fluency.

Many subjects include learning that builds on what pupils know and can do.

Staff check pupils' understanding of their learning and notice most mistakes. In some subjects, pupils can explain how what they have learned previously is helping them now. The school's approach to supporting pupils at the early stages of writing is not being delivered consistently well.

Some pupils are unable to form letters, spell or write sentences at an age-appropriate level. This affects their ability to write with fluency.

The mathematics curriculum is not consistently taught well.

Pupils learn basic number facts and are becoming increasingly confident when practising written calculation methods. However, opportunities for some pupils to develop problem-solving and reasoning skills are limited. This inhibits opportunities for pupils to use and apply their number knowledge in meaningful ways.

As a result, pupils only learn a superficial understanding of mathematical concepts over time.

Staff in the early years are nurturing and caring. The environment is inviting and engaging.

Staff have rightly identified that physical development is an area that children need more support with as they start school. They provide lots of interesting opportunities for children to develop their fine motor skills. These include using whisks to mix food and tweezers to pick up pom-poms.

As a result, children are developing these skills well.

The school has useful systems to help it identify pupils with SEND swiftly. For example, support is sought early from external agencies to get helpful advice.

The school provides training for staff to support their knowledge about how to support pupils with SEND. However, this has not led to effective, consistent support for some pupils with SEND. Staff do not consistently use adaptions that enable some pupils with SEND to learn the curriculum.

For example, sometimes pupils with SEND are expected to complete work that is not matched well to their needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve variably.

Pupils learn about fundamental British values, such as tolerance and respect.

Pupils have visited different places of worship to learn about a range of faiths and beliefs. They are tolerant and accepting of these. Pupils understand the fairness of democracy and apply this knowledge by voting for school councillors.

They value taking on responsibilities, such as being 'wellbeing warriors', who support pupils with their well-being and mental health.Governors know their roles and responsibilities well. They understand that pupil outcomes need to be improved in some subjects.

Governors are supportive and hold leaders to account appropriately. Staff say that their well-being is supported, and that their workload is well managed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's approach to supporting pupils at the early stages of writing is not being delivered consistently well. This means that some pupils are not being supported to form letters, spell and write sentences as well as they should. The school should make sure that the expected approach to teaching writing is applied by all staff.

• Despite the school identifying that more opportunities to develop reasoning and problem-solving are needed, more work is required. A lack of practice is preventing some pupils from increasing their understanding of mathematical concepts. The school should provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning and problem-solving skills in mathematics.

• The school's approaches to providing effective support for pupils with SEND are not applied consistently. This means that some pupils with SEND are not supported well enough to enable them to learn the curriculum effectively. The school should ensure that all staff use individualised adaptations consistently to support pupils with SEND to achieve well.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in October 2015.