Holy Trinity Catholic Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further develop strategies to secure increased progress and attainment by:
  • ensuring that remaining gaps in learning are bridged
  • making sure that pupils have more opportunities to apply and consolidate new learning
  • planning learning that stretches and challenges pupils, particularly the most able.
• Ensure that pupils’ attendance continues to improve.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders and governors have worked effectively together to analyse the school’s strengths and areas for development. They set priorities for improvement and establish secure ways of working to make sure that the school improves further. They monitor their progress towards key priorities well. When necessary, leaders reframe plans and adjust priorities to ensure continual improvement.
• Leaders and governors have shown real skill in bringing about considerable change in ways of working since the last inspection. There is an ambitious culture for improvement across the school. Communication is a strength of the leadership team.
• Having experienced a dip in results in 2016, outcomes are now good. For example, the Year 1 phonics check is in line with the national average and key stage 1 reading is approaching the national average. Key stage 2 reading and mathematics have also improved towards the national average.
• Leaders at all levels know the school well. They have carried out a detailed analysis of results from 2016 and 2017. Leaders focus precisely on the strategies to bring about further improvement to pupils’ outcomes.
• While school leaders are reflective, they are also outward facing. They seek regular ongoing training for staff and encourage the sharing of good practice at every opportunity. For example, leaders have effectively improved the teaching of phonics, and outcomes are now in line with the national average.
• Leaders have also trained staff to carry out analyses of assessment information. Teachers now use assessment information increasingly well to plan teaching that addresses specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.
• Leaders have worked with staff to make appropriate revisions to the curriculum revisions. For example, leaders have improved the teaching of reading and mathematics. More recently, leaders have focused on improving further pupils’ writing across the school.
• Leaders have developed a rich and balanced curriculum that captures pupils’ interest and contributes to their good progress.
• Leaders have established plentiful links with external providers such as the Garston Local History Society, Everton Football Club, the National Literacy Trust and Liverpool Everyman Theatre to enhance the curriculum further. The Garston local history project, for example, helps pupils to understand the history and culture of their local area. Pupils whose families have moved into the area from across the world have found this particularly useful. Pupils have created a high-quality resource that is going to be of value to the community for the foreseeable future.
• Leaders have put in place a new scheme to encourage reading for pleasure. Parents have commented that their children are now reading more and more at home. This development is having a very positive effect on pupils’ learning and progress right across the school.
• Leaders ensure that there are appropriate support programmes in place to assist pupils who are in danger of falling behind in their learning. These are highly effective.
• All staff encourage pupils to access online learning to extend their classroom learning. Other extension activities given to pupils include the real-life application of classroom work, for instance in the form of recipes. Pupils enjoy this type of learning.
• Leaders recognise that they need to provide more activities that stretch the most able pupils both within the classroom and through additional activities. Current opportunities include mathematics workshops at a local primary school. These workshops increasingly help the most able mathematicians to make good progress in their learning.
• Leaders have developed good systems to manage pupils’ transition between year groups and between schools. For instance, leaders ensure an effective end-of-year class hand-over system. They also have the ‘Transition Forum’ that is extremely successful in supporting older pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities to move to high school.
• The use of funding and resources to support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is well matched to the needs of individuals.
• Provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is managed effectively, enabling them to have full access to the curriculum and thrive. Careful recruitment and training of staff mean that adult support for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is strong. Links with professional partners bring expertise to the school, including training for staff and targeted support for pupils. This leads to pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities making good progress in their learning.
• Leaders use the pupil premium effectively to support disadvantaged pupils across the school. The differences between the attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils have diminished.
• Leaders use the physical education (PE) and sports premium funding successfully to make a significant contribution towards the cost of specialist sports provision. The school is a member of Liverpool School Sports Partnership. Specialist coaches and a sports apprentice work alongside school staff to develop teachers’ capacity to teach PE. They provide expert coaching to the pupils. They run after-school clubs and lead teams of pupils involved in competitive events, which have involved over half of the pupils from the school. More than three quarters of pupils attend after-school sports clubs. The funding contributes to the costs of participating in a variety of competitions. The school has gained a nationally recognised award in celebration of its excellent sporting provision.
• Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the promotion of British values have a strong place in the school. For instance, democracy is alive through the pupil council. Pupil representatives take part in the Liverpool schools youth parliament each year. Pupils are heavily involved in charity work, which ties in closely to the school’s Christian ethos.

Governance of the school

• The governing body ensures that it carries out annual skills audits. When the governing body recruits new governors, they must have the skills needed to fulfil the role.
• The governing body is proactive in engaging with training from a range of relevant providers. As a result, governance is sharp. Governors hold leaders to account. This can be seen in the minutes of governors’ meetings. Governors use their questions to probe leaders about the quality of education that the school provides.
• Governors have a secure knowledge of the use of additional funding to support different groups of pupils. They use the school’s internal information well to establish how effectively leaders meet the needs of pupils, for example SEN and disadvantaged pupils. All governors have access to the school’s assessment information and other data. They have all undergone up-to-date training in the analysis of school information.
• Governors plan carefully to ensure that they build and develop leadership capacity at all levels.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff and governors are appropriately trained. Staff access updates through online training as well as in workshops. Procedures are in place to support any pupils where there are concerns. Pupils know that, should it be necessary, they can speak with an adult and they will be listened to and taken seriously.
• Leaders and governors are alert to the challenges of radicalisation and extremism. Staff and governors are up to date with their training, are aware of the issues and are vigilant.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teams of staff work together to develop and implement new strategies to raise achievement across the school, such as staff’s work on extending pupils’ use of vocabulary. The effect of these new ways of working can be seen in pupils’ day-to-day work. As a result, pupils make much stronger progress.
• Teachers have strong, respectful relationships with their classes. Teaching is effective and helps pupils to learn well.
• Teachers identify gaps in learning and adapt activities to address shortcomings, for instance by changing a task to consolidate previous learning or by involving the pupil in appropriately targeted support programmes.
• Additional adults are used effectively to support learners at all levels so that they can build on prior learning and make good progress from their starting points. This is particularly effective in supporting pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities. Adults ensure that pupils understand the tasks set, and they offer help when needed.
• The teaching of reading is good across the school. Teachers put a sharp focus on basic skills. The school has purchased new books that are interesting and challenging. There is a real love of reading among the pupils. Teachers encourage pupils to read more at home, including using modern technology.
• The teaching of writing has improved and is now good. There is an emphasis on exploring language and writing styles before creating a new piece of writing. There are many opportunities for pupils to create extended pieces of writing across the curriculum. Pupils present their work well in exercise books. There is a focus, from the earliest days, on developing neat handwriting.
• The teaching of mathematics is good. Teachers ensure that pupils have regular opportunities to apply their mathematical skills to problems and investigations. Pupils have access to a wide range of resources to help them to develop mathematical ideas and to support their learning.
• In line with school policy, teachers and support staff give pupils helpful comments on how to improve their work and make good progress. Occasionally, pupils have fewer opportunities to apply new learning, so they make less progress.
• Teachers base their planning on regular assessments. They plan lessons to build on prior learning. However, sometimes teachers do not identify when pupils need further support or challenge as lessons progress. This slows some pupils’ learning and progress.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils are respectful, confident and secure. They are proud of their school and their work, and are happy to talk about their learning.
• Pupils, especially the older pupils, enjoy taking responsibility for helping the school run smoothly. For example, they take on additional responsibilities as playground buddies and as members of the pupil council. Pupils also take responsibilities outside the school, for example as members of the Liverpool schools’ parliament.
• Pupils enjoy their time in school and they have good attitudes to learning. They have good social skills and strong moral values. This is because they are encouraged to talk about many issues and develop a good level of understanding of the differing cultural backgrounds of members of the school community.
• There are many opportunities for pupils to develop spiritual, moral, social and cultural awareness. The school has a strong personal, social and health education programme that effectively supports pupils’ wider development.
• Pupils are polite and relate well to each other, staff and visitors. They demonstrate secure knowledge of other ways of life and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Pastoral support for pupils is strong. The learning mentor liaises with parents as well as addressing the needs of individual pupils. Many pupils benefit from the daily breakfast club, which gives them a good start to the day. They also benefit from the interesting range of after-school activities that develop their self-confidence.
• Pupils know the difference between bullying and falling out. Assemblies and workshops have helped them to understand how to address these issues. Pupils know that staff will help quickly if issues need to be addressed. This year, the pupils decided that instead of holding an ‘anti-bullying week’ in school they would hold a ‘friendship week’ instead.
• Pupils told inspectors that staff look after them well and that they feel safe at school. They have been taught about healthy lifestyles and many of the potential dangers of modern life.
• The school is rigorous in its approach to internet safety. It helps families to make sure that children are safe when they are online at home. Leaders send information leaflets and run ‘safer internet’ workshops for parents. Pupils are clear about how to keep themselves safe when using the internet.
• Parents are very happy with the school. They value leaders’ regular communication and updates and they are happy with their children’s progress.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• The school is an orderly, well-cared-for environment. Teachers have high expectations of pupil behaviour and apply the behaviour policy consistently. Pupils understand what is right and what is wrong.
• Most pupils respond promptly to staff instructions and move quickly from one activity to another. For example, pupils are prompt when returning to class after break so that little learning time is lost.
• Pupils present their work neatly. They are usually attentive in class and happy to get on with their learning.
• Good attendance is a high priority for the school. There are many incentives for regular attendance. The actions taken by leaders to build links with families have improved whole-school attendance, which is now better than the national average. When circumstances warrant it, families are helped to get pupils to school. However, despite these improvements, persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils is still too high.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Historically, the school achieved standards in national tests that were broadly in line with national benchmarks. The school experienced low standards and progress in 2016 because it was not able to address changes to the curriculum and assessment methods quickly enough. Subsequently, swift actions taken by leaders brought improvements in most national outcomes in 2017.
• In 2017, there was a big improvement in the Year 1 phonics check result. Leaders’ effective deployment of additional staffing to address this aspect of the reading strategy achieved great success. This result is now in line with the national average for the first time.
• In key stage 1 in 2017, outcomes in reading moved much closer to the national, although there is still more to do to improve writing and mathematics. Nevertheless, from their different starting points, pupils made good progress across key stage 1.
• After a dip in key stage 2 results in 2016, there were big improvements in 2017. Both reading and mathematics were at the national average and writing moved closer to the national average. There was a big improvement in the proportion of pupils making expected progress in reading and mathematics. The difference between outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils diminished greatly, especially in reading.
• Teachers assess pupils regularly. They check the accuracy of their standards against other schools in the local area and across the city. The school’s assessment information indicates that current pupils are making at least expected progress from their starting points across reading, writing and mathematics. Many are making accelerated progress. Scrutiny of class workbooks for a range of subjects and most of the learning seen in lessons confirm that progress is good across the range of subjects.
• In 2016/17, the school had a sharp focus on improving reading and mathematics. The outcome of this can clearly be seen in the end-of-year school assessment information, with a higher proportion of pupils in nearly every class reaching age-related expectations or above for reading. The focus in mathematics is to ensure that pupils fully understand mathematical concepts in order to solve problems. Where pupils are identified as having gaps in their mathematical knowledge, various support programmes are used to address their needs. This is highly effective and is having the desired effect on current pupils’ progress in mathematics.
• Having focused on reading and mathematics in 2016/17, leaders decided to prioritise the development of writing during 2017/18. The school’s autumn-term assessment information shows that very small numbers of pupils are now making less-than-expected progress in writing.
• The school’s assessment information shows that in most year groups the difference between the attainment of disadvantaged and non-disadvantaged pupils has diminished.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities typically make good progress because staff are aware of their needs and adapt learning to ensure that they can access the work. Staff provide effective individualised programmes of support where needed. Nearly all SEN pupils are making good progress from their own starting points.

Early years provision Good

• More than half of pupils enter school with skills and knowledge that are below or well below what is typical for their age. The school supports some children who have been assessed as requiring a place in special school. By the end of the early years, 60% achieved a good level of development in 2017. The children make good progress. Most are ready for learning in Year 1.
• The difference between the progress and attainment made by disadvantaged children and others has improved in the early years. However, there is still more to do to ensure that some pupils are fully ready for the demands of key stage 1.
• Teaching in the early years is good. Routines are quickly established. Adults are skilled at creating opportunities to develop children’s use of language. A blend of direct teaching and opportunities to work alone is used. The children make choices about their learning activities. They enjoy exploring learning activities and solving problems.
• Staff are alert to the individual. They prompt children to think about their learning. Teachers use additional adults effectively to support the needs of the children and to support and stimulate learning. Staff provide activities that allow children to be successful learners.
• Phonics is taught well. Children have opportunities to reinforce their knowledge of the letters and sounds they have used in activities throughout the provision.
• The early years leader has been in post for two years. She has a clear vision, with basic skills and routines being taught from the earliest stages. The early years leader has brought about significant changes to improve the provision. She has a committed team who have an accurate understanding of the strengths of the early years and who know what still needs to be developed.
• The separate Nursery and Reception classrooms share a central resource area and outdoor provision. The environment is light and airy. It is well resourced both indoors and outdoors and provides an effective learning environment that stimulates children’s learning. There is a focus on developing children’s gross and fine motor control. This gives children many opportunities to explore basic skills such as mark-making and pencil grip.
• The school has developed strong links with other local providers and with external agencies. For example, a speech and language therapist visits regularly to work with children and to guide staff with planning appropriate follow-up activities.
• Staff use an electronic system to record their observations, which are then used to build children’s progress files and assessment information. Children also have record books of evidence to support their progress.
• There is a close partnership with parents. Additional funding is used to provide workshops that provide parents with insight into how they can support their child’s learning. In some cases, individualised support is given to help parents with aspects of child development.
• Staff communicate frequently with parents. A range of electronic messages, including the school’s ‘Parents App’, supplement face-to-face informal discussions and more formal meetings. Parents are actively involved in the assessment of their child.
• Behaviour is good. The behaviour policy is applied consistently. Adults make sure that children learn rules and routines that support learning from the earliest days. As a result, children are happy and secure and go about their activities sensibly.
• Children have many opportunities to develop their social skills and their self-esteem. They share resources and cooperate well. Positive relationships between children and staff help the children to go about their learning with confidence.
• Welfare requirements are met. Staffing levels are good. Children’s needs are well provided for. Safeguarding is a priority. School policies extend through early years. Procedures are implemented effectively. Children are safe.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 104635 Liverpool 10037771 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 259 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Mr Chris Tosh Mrs Helen Raley-Williams Telephone number 0151 427 7466 Website Email address www.holytrinitycatholicprimaryschool.co.uk holytrinity-ao@holytrinity.liverpool.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 2–3 October 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of most specified information on its website; however, information relating to the governing board is in downloadable documents, rather than directly on the website in ‘readily accessible’ format.
• The school is above the current government floor standards and is above the Department for Education’s coasting definition.
• The school is an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors spoke with parents as they brought their children to school. They reviewed the comments of 17 parents, 41 pupils and 18 staff made through the Ofsted online surveys.
• Inspectors observed teaching and carried out learning walks in class, around the school building and on the playgrounds. Some of the observations were made jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors observed pupils during break and lunchtime. Inspectors attended two assemblies.
• Meetings were held regularly with senior leaders. Inspectors also held discussions with members of the governing board, with a group of middle leaders, with various other post-holders and with non-teaching staff.
• Inspectors all met informally with pupils during break and lunchtime. Inspectors held formal meetings with groups of pupils. An inspector listened to a group of pupils reading.
• The lead inspector met with a representative of the local authority and a representative of the diocese.
• Inspectors considered a range of information about the school, including attendance records, the school’s website, a range of reports about the progress being made by the school, the school’s development plan and self-evaluation documents. Governing body minutes were examined. In addition, school policies and records about the care and progress of pupils were considered.
• An inspector considered the procedures for making checks on the suitability of staff, checked the single central record and scrutinised records about safeguarding and associated policies and procedures.

Inspection team

Linda Griffiths, lead inspector Jamie Jardine Barbara Dutton Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector