Holy Trinity CofE Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Holy Trinity CofE Junior School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have created a caring school ethos which everyone at Holy Trinity values and understands. Acting with integrity, treating others with dignity and growing in confidence are at the heart of everything the school has to offer.

Pupils enjoy coming to school.

They said there were many things they liked about it, from seeing their friends and teachers to their enjoyable lessons where they learn new things. Pupils were especially keen to explain that teachers are very respectful, helpful and kind.

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or ...disabilities (SEND), benefit from a well-thought-out curriculum.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations for all pupils. Pupils work hard to meet these. Those who need additional support to do this receive it promptly.

All pupils achieve well.

Pupils are confident in articulating their learning and do so with enthusiasm. Their learning is enriched through a variety of ways, such as educational trips, choir, concerts and workshops.

Pupils behave well in and around the school. They know the school rules well. The 'reflect and repair' sessions help pupils to think about their behaviour.

The playground is a happy place where pupils engage in a range of activities. Bullying happens sometimes but is dealt with swiftly and effectively. There is a worry box in each of the classrooms where pupils can post their concerns, which teachers address.

Pupils are safe in this school.

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

Leaders have adeptly developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND. It is well sequenced, with ideas and concepts taught in a logical order.

In most curriculum areas, leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Their design of the curriculum helps pupils to revise previous learning and make connections between their knowledge. For example, in mathematics, they regularly go over key mathematical concepts and skills that they have been taught.

This helps pupils to develop a strong understanding of the subject. They have well-planned opportunities to apply their understanding in different contexts, including real-life situations. Teaching enables pupils to make connections between what they learn in different aspects of the curriculum.

While the curriculum is designed and taught with rigour overall, in a small number of subjects, these strengths are not consistently embedded. For example, in art, leaders are at the early stages of designing the curriculum. As a result, pupils experience a curriculum that is not as effective as it could be in increasing their knowledge.

Teachers have a good understanding of leaders' curriculum thinking. Overall, they make sure that pupils are taught the subjects well. Teachers make good use of their checks on pupils' understanding to ensure that pupils have securely learned what was taught.

They swiftly identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and offer support in a timely manner.

Reading is given a high priority. The agreed approach to the teaching of reading is implemented consistently well across all year groups.

This results in pupils successfully developing their fluency and comprehension. Pupils read a wide range of texts that are high quality and diverse. Pupils with SEND access the same high-quality texts as their classmates.

Leaders use effective systems to identify pupils who are falling behind with their reading. Adults are highly skilled at supporting pupils. They encourage pupils to apply their phonic knowledge to decode unfamiliar words.

A small proportion of pupils need more help with phonics, and they are identified promptly. They are given additional support to become fluent and confident readers and practise with books that contain sounds that they know. Pupils said that they enjoy reading.

They know the importance of reading in helping them learn well in English and other subjects.

Leaders and teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils demonstrate strong attitudes to learning.

They remain focused on the task at hand. Teachers quickly bring pupils back to focus on their learning when the need arises.

Leaders provide many opportunities to support pupils' wider development.

Pupils are given roles and responsibilities, both in school and beyond. These are planned to help them to develop into young leaders and contribute to the wider community. For example, pupils proudly take on roles such as prefects and members of Trinity Council and also take part in raising funds for charities.

Leaders swiftly identify the needs of pupils with SEND. They put in place bespoke support according to their needs. Teachers adapt their teaching strategies well to enable these pupils to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Consequently, they achieve well.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They are highly appreciative of leaders' and governors' efforts to reduce workload and maintain a good work–life balance.

Staff value the pastoral support they receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a high priority in this school.

Leaders have put in place robust systems to keep pupils safe, including those pupils who may be especially vulnerable. Staff are well trained. They know how to spot changes to pupils' behaviour and circumstances, and raise concerns should they need to.

Leaders work closely with external agencies and make appropriate referrals to support pupils and their families.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. For example, they learn how to keep themselves safe online.

Leaders complete the necessary pre-employment checks to make sure that adults in the school are suitable to work with pupils.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small number of foundation subjects, the overall strengths in the curriculum are not consistently established. For example, in art, leaders are still working out what pupils need to know and by when.

In these very few subjects, this affects how well pupils remember knowledge. Where this is the case, leaders should continue their work to strengthen the curriculum, including, where needed, being clear about what pupils need to learn and in what order so that pupils build up their knowledge securely.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.