Holy Trinity Church of England (Aided) School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish at this warm and nurturing school. They know that their teachers have absolute confidence in them, saying, 'They believe in us, so we can do it.'

As one parent put it, 'The school's passion for every child and their individual needs is incredible and the school has a real sense of community.' Pupils embrace learning and achieve exceptionally well across subjects.

The school community is vibrant and positive.

Pupils know each other well and have warm relationships with staff. At playtimes, pupils happily create games and make sure that no one is left out. Around school, they behave extremely responsibly and respectfully.

Older pupils ...are strong role models, who frequently support and help younger pupils.

An extensive range of enrichment activities, such as residential visits, allow pupils to develop their resilience and independence. Opportunities for pupils to apply subjects beyond the classroom are woven very skilfully into the curriculum.

Pupils love the wide range of clubs run before and after school, such as gardening and chess. They benefit immensely from the many opportunities they have to understand more about the world around them. For example, pupils organise and run fundraising events to raise money for national charities linked to their local community.

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

The school's curriculum design is ambitious and highly effective. Important knowledge is carefully organised so that pupils develop high levels of understanding. They draw on links made between subjects expertly, which deepens their explanations of concepts and ideas further.

A sharp focus on identifying and meeting the needs of individuals, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and the small number of disadvantaged pupils, means pupils achieve highly. This is reflected in the strong 2023 national test results in reading and mathematics.

Pupils' progress in writing was not at the high levels of reading and mathematics in national tests in 2023.

Leaders responded quickly to this and have refined fully the writing curriculum. Consequently, current pupils write fluently and richly for different purposes. The teaching of reading is exceptional.

The curriculum draws on a diverse range of texts so that pupils read widely and learn how to think about a story or piece of writing from different perspectives. For pupils who struggle with reading, superbly designed daily reading catch-up sessions help them to become confident and fluent readers.

Teachers have expert knowledge, which they use to develop pupils' subject specific vocabulary.

Pupils express precisely their views and explain their thinking during class discussions. Staff routinely check pupils' understanding using well-considered questions and address aspects where pupils' thinking is incorrect. Highly astute adaptations to activities help pupils with SEND to achieve the same ambitious depth of understanding as others.

Behaviour is exemplary across the school. Pupils have highly positive attitudes to learning. They present their work with pride and consistently complete activities to a high standard.

Pupils approach new learning keenly and attentively listen to teachers' explanations. Pupils feel comfortable to share their thinking even when they are not sure if they are right, because they understand that this is an important part of learning. Around school, pupils are considerate and kind.

When playing, they treat the school's equipment respectfully and make sure that they share it.The provision for pupils' personal development is exceptional. Pupils benefit from very well-considered opportunities outside of the curriculum.

Pupils learn the skills of effective leadership through roles, such as school ambassadors and eco-warriors. As a result, pupils become confident and resilient citizens. Through the curriculum, pupils also gain an in-depth knowledge of current issues, such as diversity and equality.

Pupils display a deep understanding of diversity and equality through the way that they embrace each other's differences.The school carefully identifies further improvements and takes a considered approach to making sure changes are fully embedded. This includes being mindful of any potential impact on staff workload.

Staff feel that this positively impacts their well-being, so that they can focus sharply on teaching. Governors have an accurate oversight of the school's work, which they use to support and challenge leaders extremely effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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