Trinity Church School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 13(4) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires special measures.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Strengthen teaching, learning and assessment in the early years by ensuring that adults make better use of what they know children can do and understand so that children who have complex special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities, and who may also be disadvantaged, make accelerated progress.
• Improve the quality of leadership and management so that:
  • the work of middle leaders is further developed, especially their ability to support improvements in key stage 1 and in the early years
  • pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding in modern foreign languages are as equally well developed as they are in other areas of the curriculum
  • communication with parents is further improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The executive headteacher, with her steely drive for improvement, has motivated a team of dedicated leaders to transform all aspects of the school’s work. Many parents commented that the school has transformed since the previous inspection.
• Leaders have created a culture of high expectations so that there are no barriers to pupils’ success. Leaders have rectified previous shortcomings.
• At the heart of leaders’ work lies an accurate and robust system of assessment. Leaders have improved ways of checking how well pupils are learning. They collect a wide range of evidence about the achievement of different pupil groups and use it to provide accurate and flexible support for most pupils who need it. Such finely tuned support has improved the outcomes of pupils.
• The pupil premium is well targeted at pupils eligible for it. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils’ academic outcomes are improving at a quicker rate than other pupils. In addition, support to improve attendance and punctuality has been successful.
• Leaders have ensured that the sport premium has been used effectively. The numbers who take part in sporting activities have increased.
• Leaders make effective use of the funding for pupils who have (SEN) and/or disabilities to promote strong achievement. The SEN leader forms particularly helpful partnerships with external agencies and follows advice closely to make necessary adaptations to the curriculum and the school environment. As a result, these pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and are fully included in the range of activities so that they thrive. However, leaders do not yet consistently ensure that staff in the early years are precise in matching activities to support children with complex needs to catch up quickly.
• The support provided by the multi-academy trust, The Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership, has been crucial to the rapid improvement at Trinity. Initially, this involved the recruitment of staff and governors. Subsequently, the trust has supplied a wealth of training and coaching opportunities to develop staff and governors. Close work with other schools has ensured that teachers’ assessment is accurate.
• Leaders manage staff performance well. Although there have been a number of changes in staff, senior leaders have sustained a focus on improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Leaders provide helpful advice to teachers. As a result, staff are ready to take on additional responsibilities as middle leaders. The work of middle leaders has paid dividends in raising standards. However, middle leaders do not yet have enough influence across all key stages and subjects, for example in modern foreign languages and writing in key stage 1.
• Leaders have created an ethos where pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is at the centre of the school’s work. Pupils are curious about their world and ready to take their place in the community. Pupils work together constructively and develop a good sense of their own cultural heritage as well as learning about other cultures and faiths. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• Leaders have implemented a carefully designed curriculum. As a result, pupils have a good knowledge across most subjects. Learning outside of the classroom is now built into the curriculum. Pupils undertake local studies and participate in trips that support their learning. However, the approach to teaching modern foreign languages is not yet fully effective and pupils’ learning in this subject is not strong.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a robust understanding of their statutory duties and discharge them effectively. They make good use of probing questions to check the rate of improvement to all aspects of the school’s work. Their work has made a valuable contribution to improving the school’s performance. Governors undertake a wide range of first-hand evidence-gathering activities. As a result, they have a precise understanding of school improvement. They have been rigorous in ensuring that leaders deal with underperformance in line with school policies.
• Governors have challenged senior leaders to improve communication with parents. This is reflected in the high proportion of parents who would recommend the school. However, governors and leaders recognise that there is still more to do to secure the confidence of a small minority of families who have witnessed so much change to the school in a short time.
• Governors demonstrate considerable skill in analysing pupils’ progress information. Consequently, they understand the impact that additional funding is having, and they manage finances well.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. All leaders, including governors, place a strong emphasis on pupils’ welfare.
• There is culture of vigilance across the school. Concerns are followed up as a matter of urgency and record keeping is accurate. In addition, leaders’ close work with external agencies ensures that pupils and their families receive the support that they require in a timely manner.
• Pupils report feeling safe in school and feel confident to share concerns with staff if they have any worries. The curriculum provides help to pupils in understanding how to keep themselves healthy and safe. Almost all parents agree that their child is safe in school.
• All staff keep updated with their training and are aware of local issues which could pose a risk to pupils at the school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment has vastly improved since 2016. The increasing impact of teaching over time is evident in current pupils’ personal development and academic outcomes. Pupils take great pride in their work and are making speedy progress.
• Teaching staff speak highly of the support from senior leaders in strengthening their practice. Excellent professional relationships ensure that teaching staff are confident to ask for advice. Consequently, teaching staff at all career stages continually refine their practice to meet pupils’ needs well.
• Teachers’ knowledge of their pupils is strong. They make good use of systems to check on what pupils know, can do and understand to provide activities to challenge and support pupils’ needs. Consequently, current pupils make good progress to reach standards of attainment at least in line with the national average across the school.
• Teachers’ secure subject knowledge helps them to match work well to pupils’ needs. Teachers model subject-specific technical vocabulary well. Teaching often provides pupils with memorable experiences that enthuse them. For example, when studying the circulatory system, after researching the heart, pupils in Year 6 dissected and labelled the parts of an animal heart.
• Teachers instil a love of reading in pupils. The wise choice of texts ignites pupils’ zeal for reading. Pupils talk enthusiastically about their favourite authors and genres. In addition, the use of whole-class texts and teachers’ astute questioning supports pupils’ ability to use sophisticated skills of inference and deduction.
• The teaching of phonics in the early years and key stage 1 gives pupils the skills that they need to sound out words for reading accurately.
• Teaching staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Consequently, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes towards their learning. They take pride in their work, setting it out with care. Work in books reflects marked improvements to their handwriting and spelling.
• Teachers deploy teaching assistants effectively. There is a noticeable impact of teaching assistants on pupils’ learning. Teachers and teaching assistants work seamlessly to support pupils. ‘Catch up’ and ‘keep up’ sessions help pupils of all abilities to make the progress that they need in writing and mathematics in particular.
• Teaching is characterised by a high degree of challenge. In mathematics, for example, teachers make sure that pupils’ basic mathematical knowledge is firmly rooted so that all pupils, regardless of ability or age, are able to apply reasoning to problem solve. In history, pupils quickly develop the skills that allow them to make informed responses to historical questions.
• The teaching of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities has seen the greatest rate of improvement. Seamless links between pupils’ one-to-one and small group support and what they do in whole-class sessions has resulted in speedier progress for these individuals. In particular, teaching staff provide high-quality support for pupils who have complex needs and have an education, health and care plan.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The school is a safe place to be. The school successfully promotes physical and emotional well-being through, for example, the personal, social and health education programme and the use of the primary sports premium. Pupils say there is no bullying.
• Pupils are confident learners who value their education. Current pupils’ positive attitudes have contributed to their often rapid progress. In addition, pupils take great pride in their learning as can be seen in the presentation of their work and the high participation rates in homework.
• Teachers are highly effective at building pupils’ resilience. Pupils want to learn. They are eager to share their ideas and enjoy being challenged in class.
• Breakfast and after school clubs are well attended and provide a sociable and healthy start and end to the school day. Leaders have created a calm and nurturing environment for pupils. Breakfast and healthy snacks are much appreciated by pupils. In addition, support with homework activities and bespoke one-to-one support helps pupils to keep on track in their learning.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Strong relationships and leaders’ high aspirations are key to the school’s success in securing a positive and purposeful learning environment.
• Pupils conduct themselves well at the school. Incidents of poor behaviour in lessons are extremely rare. Consequently, classrooms are calm havens of learning. Pupils’ behaviour at lunch and breaktimes is also good. They cooperate with one another well and demonstrate respect for others.
• Pupils enjoy taking responsibility and are justifiably proud of the good contribution that they make to the running of the school. For example, the school council promotes safer parking around the school through its introduction of a ‘parking charter’. In addition, the school’s E-Team has recently run an event celebrating ‘Our Unique Families’.
• Pupils know how to keep safe in different situations, including when online. Visitors to the school and regular assemblies reinforce important messages and give pupils opportunities to discuss concerns in a safe environment. In addition, pupils told inspectors how they value the ‘Rainbow Room’ as a place to go to speak with an adult if they have worries.
• The rate of attendance has risen, especially for disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. A series of successful initiatives implemented by leaders has resulted in attendance above the national average.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The legacy of previously inadequate teaching has been eliminated. Current pupils now achieve well across all phases of the school. The school’s systematic approach to tackling pupils’ historic underperformance has resulted in rapid improvement in outcomes. The quality of pupils’ work in books, learning in lessons, and the school’s own assessment information for current pupils, all provide evidence of the improvement in standards across the school.
• Historically, both pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 6 have been poor. This is chiefly because this relatively small cohort has a number of pupils whose progress scores were very negative. These negative outliers had a disproportionate effect on the overall average performance score. In addition, poor assessment practice in the school in the past means that the information from the point at which progress was measured is not robust.
• In 2017, the proportion of pupils at the end of Year 6 who attained the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined was in line with the national average, a rise of 32 percentage points from the previous year.
• Year 1 phonics outcomes in 2017 were in line with the national average. The improved teaching of phonics in the early years means that more pupils joined Year 1 with the necessary phonics skills and knowledge. Consequently, a greater proportion of current Year 1 pupils compared to last year are demonstrating that they have met the expected standard in phonics.
• Standards of spelling, grammar and punctuation have shown a marked improvement. Pupils are secure in their knowledge of accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar. They use these skills to refine and improve their independent writing in line with the school’s policy.
• Teachers provide the most able pupils with activities that engage and challenge them to think deeply. Consequently, current most-able pupils achieve well. In addition, increasingly more of the previously low- and average-attaining pupils are reaching the higher standards. This is particularly so in reading.
• Outcomes in Year 2 in 2017 were well below the national average. This Year group has now caught up. Despite the low starting points for many of the current Year 2, pupils’ work and teacher assessment show outcomes that pupils are back on track to reach the standards expected for their age. However, work in books shows that pupils’ progress in writing is not as marked. In common with many other year groups, the number of pupils reaching a high standard in reading is above the national average.
• Work in current pupils’ books across the school shows that most pupils make consistently strong progress in reading, writing and mathematics. Outcomes in most year groups reflect that pupils have the necessary skills and knowledge expected for their age.
• Pupils’ writing is equally well developed in subjects such as science and history as it is in English. Pupils’ science and topic books reflect their good understanding of concepts, places and times. Despite the drive for improvement in English and mathematics, effective teaching is leading to good gains in pupils’ acquisition of knowledge across a breadth of curriculum areas. Pupils’ subject knowledge is weakest in modern foreign languages.
• The attainment and progress of disadvantaged pupils continues to rise. Differences between outcomes for these pupils and others with similar starting points are diminishing and have been eradicated for the most able.
• Across the last year, pupils’ progress in Year 6 has been consistently strong and often rapid. Any inaccuracies of assessment practices when these pupils were further down the school have been ironed out. As a result, current pupils are being well prepared for their next stage of education.

Early years provision Good

• Leaders’ significant investment to make the early years a vibrant and stimulating environment has paid dividends. Children are excited by learning and enjoy the wealth of activities available. Numbers on roll are rising. In 2017, the number of children who left the early years ready for Year 1 was higher than the national average.
• A significant number of children have speech, language and communication difficulties on entry to the Nursery and Reception. Adults’ well-established routines and strong positive relationships help children who struggle to manage their behaviour and feelings to settle quickly despite their difficulties. However, on occasions, adults are not precise enough in their match of activities. Consequently, disadvantaged children who also have SEN and/or disabilities do not catch up quickly enough.
• Children behave well. They use resources purposefully and move freely and safely around the extensive early years’ area. They typically demonstrate resilience and sustain their concentration in a range of activities. Children respond well when adults prompt them to listen.
• Phonics is taught well and has contributed to improving outcomes in phonics by the end of Year 1. Teaching staff make effective use of nursery rhymes and songs to develop children’s early listening, language and communication skills.
• Teachers’ increased confidence and competence have raised expectations of what children can achieve. Teaching staff create activities for children to use and apply their developing literacy and numeracy throughout the day. By the end of the Reception Year, children are generally confident to write several sentences independently.
• Safeguarding arrangements for the early years are effective. Well-established routines and thorough risk assessments ensure that children are safe and well cared for.
• Leaders have successfully gained the confidence of parents. Parents are overwhelmingly positive about their child’s start to school and they value the opportunities that they get to contribute to their child’s learning journey.

School details

Unique reference number 136804 Local authority Bath and North East Somerset Inspection number 10048269 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 Academy sponsor-led 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 195 Appropriate authority The local governing body Chair Claire Hudson Executive headteacher Michelle Parsons Telephone number 01761 438 650 Website Email address www.trinitychurchschool.com office@trinitychurchschool.com Date of previous inspection 25–26 April 2016

Information about this school

• Trinity is a smaller than average-sized school. There is one class per year group.
• There have been considerable changes in the school’s staffing since the school opened.
• The school became part of the Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership in June 2016. The trust was formed in 2013 and its work is overseen by a board of directors. The trust is responsible for eight primary schools and three secondary schools across three local authorities in the south west region. When its predecessor school the Academy of Trinity Church of England VC Primary School was last inspected, it was found to be inadequate and was placed in special measures.
• The vast majority of pupils are White British and nearly all pupils speak English as their first language.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support by the pupil premium is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who receive special educational needs support and those who have a special educational needs statement or an educational health and care plan is above the national average.
• The school runs a breakfast and after school club.
• The school’s Nursery ‘Acorns’ provides spaces for up to 30 children aged three and four.
• In 2017, the school did not meet the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed pupils’ learning in visits to lessons across the school. Most visits were carried out jointly with senior leaders.
• The inspection team worked in close partnership with leaders to review pupils’ progress and provision over time.
• Inspectors talked with groups of pupils to seek their views about the school. Inspectors also listened to the views of many pupils during lessons, breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors listened to pupils read.
• Meetings were held with the chief executive officer, the executive headteacher, deputy headteacher and middle leaders in the school. An inspector met with representatives of the local governing body.
• Inspectors scrutinised a number of school documents, including: the school’s action plans; the school’s view of its own performance; pupils’ performance information; governors’ minutes; records relating to behaviour; checks on teaching and learning; pupils’ attendance information and a range of safeguarding records.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, at lunchtimes and breaktimes, and around the school.
• An inspector visited breakfast club.
• Inspectors considered 104 responses to the online survey, Parent View, as well as 30 free-text responses from parents. Inspectors also talked to parents during the inspection to seek their views of the school and education that their children receive. Inspectors also met with a range of staff to gather their views and also considered 24 responses from the online staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Tracy Hannon, lead inspector Faye Bertham

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector