Trinity Christian School
Inspection report
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This inspection was carried out under section 162 (A) of the Education Act 2002 as amended. Bridge Schools Inspectorate (BSI) has been approved by the Secretary of State in the Department for Education (DfE) to undertake inspections in designated independent schools within membership of the Christian Schools Trust (CST) or the Association of Muslim Schools UK (AMSUK).
DfE number: 357/6000
Association: CST
Date of inspection: 5th - 8th July 2010
Lead Inspector: Mrs M A Buckingham
Team inspectors: Mrs J Purnell, Mr A Rehman
Age range of pupils: 3-16 years
Number on roll: 106
Full-time: 55 boys 51 girls
Part-time: 4 boys 3 girls
Number of pupils witha statement of special educational need: 1
Proprietor: Trinity School Trust
Head teacher: Mr M Stewart
Address of school: Birbeck Street
Stalybridge
Cheshire
SK15 1SH
Telephone number: 0161 3030674
Email: m.stewart@trinityteachers.co.uk
The purpose and scope of the inspection
The main purpose of the inspection is twofold. It is to advise the DfE whether the school continues to meet the requirements for registration, and to determine whether the school’s religious ethos continues to meet the expectations of its association. Ofsted monitors the work of independent inspectorates, including a sample of inspections, and you can find the latest evaluation of the work of The Bridge Schools Inspectorate on the Ofsted website.
Information about the school
Trinity Christian School was established in 1978 as a school with a religious character and is open to pupils from both Christian and non-Christian families. At the time of the inspection, pupils from Christian families attended 30 different churches while nearly a half of the pupils came from non-Christian families. The school aims ‘to provide a Christian education by approaching the curriculum, teaching, discipline and school organisation from a Biblical standpoint’ and it seeks ‘to subject the whole life of the school to the demands of God’s word’. Pupils are aged 3 to 16 years and travel to school from areas in and around Stalybridge and Aston-under-Lyne in Tameside. The primary school site, which caters for pupils in Key Stages 1 and 2 as well as the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), occupies a Victorian school building. This is about fifteen minutes walk from the secondary school site, which provides for Key Stages 3 and 4, in a similar type of building. Over a number of years the governors have been planning to bring the school together on the secondary site, including a new primary building. The school was last inspected by Ofsted in 2007.
Evaluation of the school
Trinity Christian School successfully achieves its aims. The Christian ethos and Biblical standpoint are reflected within the curriculum and guide the policies and organisation. A strength of the school rests in its teachers and staff who give much energy into caring for all the pupils as individuals, and have their welfare and well-being at the forefront of everything they do. Consequently, pupils are well cared for and procedures for welfare, health and safety are good. From an early age, pupils flourish in the supportive family atmosphere and the excellent relationships. Pupils say they enjoy school and their behaviour is excellent. Pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development is good and their cultural development is outstanding. The broad curriculum, together with much good teaching throughout the school ensures pupils enjoy their learning and make progress. The EYFS provides a good start and meets the requirements except for the level of some staff qualifications. Parents are very supportive of the school and the encouragement given to their children. Several spoke movingly of how extremely pleased they were at the difference the school had made to their children’s attitude to, and enjoyment of school and gains in self-confidence after having had difficulties at previous schools.
The governor’s plans to move the EYFS and Key Stages 1 and 2 from the primary school site onto the secondary site have not yet been achieved. They are expecting this to happen by the end of the year so they can overcome the limitations of the premises, particularly at the primary site. Currently, the primary accommodation does not meet the regulation for the provision of staff lavatories. On both sites, the requirement for facilities for pupils who may be ill at school is not met.
The senior management of the school is currently undertaking a substantial review of the school’s provision including the curriculum, assessment procedures and how pupils learn. The head teacher and deputy head teacher are diligent and focused in identifying these priorities clearly in the school improvement plan.
Quality of education
The curriculum policy is firmly based on the school’s Christian foundation and a Biblical perspective. The curriculum is broad across all key stages and includes literacy and mathematics, as well as scientific, creative and aesthetic, physical, technological and practical areas of learning. The curriculum and its planning enable pupils across the school to make progress.
Planning across the key stages makes helpful use of National Curriculum materials and mostly makes explicit reference to the Christian ethos. In the primary school the current revision of schemes of work is providing a more detailed and coordinated approach to planning. Medium term plans clearly identify the skills, as well as the knowledge to be learnt which inform lesson plans. This provides a useful structure for teaching and learning. In Key Stages 3 and 4 written planning varies in detail. Long term plans all give a broad overview but some medium term planning is limited to topics to be covered rather than clearly identifying what pupils will learn. The school recognises the variations and is currently reviewing curriculum planning which has been identified as a priority in the school improvement plan.
The EYFS pupils have a good start with the required six areas of learning. In Key Stages 1 and 2, a strong emphasis is given to literacy and numeracy using the latest national primary guidance and these areas have an appropriate allocation of time. Other aspects of the curriculum are covered within a themed approach in ‘project’ time, which is carefully planned over a two year cycle within mixed age classes and effectively integrates the Christian ethos. For example, God’s Great Globe project incorporates aspects of geographical knowledge. Teachers often plan imaginative and engaging activities to help pupils learn, for example, practical activity with investigation and drama. Themed days, such as the Victorian day when pupils dressed in Victorian costumes are greatly enjoyed and help them to understand life at that time. On occasion, teachers use ICT effectively as a resource to support pupils’ understanding.
The breath of curriculum continues into Key Stages 3 and 4. The subjects of the National Curriculum continue as the basis for the curriculum, including French, aspects of design and technology and home economics. ‘Foundation Studies’ provide a Bible based course in Key Stage 3 to help pupils grow in their Christian faith. To complement this, at Key Stage 4 the ‘World View’ course effectively gives pupils a broader perspective of other cultures and peoples. Subject teachers have access to ICT within the graphics room and the well equipped ICT suite. Opportunities to use ICT as a tool for learning are not always identified within the planning.
Pupils start their Key Stage 4 studies in the second half of the summer term while in Year 9. All pupils follow courses working towards GCSE in English (language and/or literature according to ability), mathematics, science, physical education (PE) and general studies. The school works hard to provide subject options to meet the needs and aptitudes of the pupils. Subject options change year on year due to the availability of staff and resources, inevitably constraining what might be offered. Currently, Year 10 options for GCSE include religious education (RE), history, art, French, food and nutrition, graphics, child development and ICT. Supportive self study time enables pupils to work individually, with teacher guidance, on a subject they particularly wish to study, for example, psychology. Arrangements can also be made for pupils to attend more vocational courses for part of the week at a local college. As a result, the curriculum remains commendably broad for pupils.
Provision for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is taught within the Christian ethos of the school and can be traced clearly across the curriculum, for example, within science and PE, and at Key Stages 3 and 4 in general studies. Educational visits linked to topics extend pupils learning. There is a satisfactory range of after-school activities in the secondary school such as a gardening club, music and drama. Key Stage 4 pupils are able to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Some parents in the pre-inspection questionnaires commented that they would like their children to have more extra-curricular opportunities.
The identification and support for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) is good. Pupils have individual education plans that are regularly reviewed with parents. Class teachers have this information to aid their planning. Several parents whose children need extra support spoke very positively of how the school helped increase their children’s self-confidence and progress both academically and personally. The requirements of the statement for the pupil with special education needs are carefully followed. The school has rightly identified the need to further develop strategies for the more able, gifted and talented pupils and to ensure that they are sufficiently challenged and make commensurate progress.
Careers education is well established. Work experience is well organised in collaboration with Tameside Education and Business partnership and pupils meet with Connexions advisers. They have opportunities to visit local college open days and the majority of pupils go on to further education college or sixth forms. Together with their good personal development, pupils are well equipped to move on to the next stage of their education and well prepared for the future.
Overall, teaching is good throughout the school. Lessons have a clear purpose and pupils, in most cases know what the lesson is about and what they are expected to learn. Lessons proceed at a good pace and resources are of a quality and sufficiency to help pupils learn. There is very good rapport between pupils and teachers as the number of pupils in each class is small. Teachers are well informed about individual pupils’ strengths and needs so they are able to give individuals direct support so they make steady progress in lessons. Teachers generally use this knowledge for future planning. In some lessons, abler pupils are not given opportunities to do more challenging work than others in the class. The questioning is not clearly focussed and does not always require abler pupils to give extended answers. Consequently, their progress is reduced. When opportunities arise, for group or paired work, pupils readily work well together; they have positive attitudes to their work and enjoy their learning. One pupil wrote in the questionnaire ‘I love this school and I think it is a good place to learn and have faith in God’. Teaching assistants are used effectively in lessons, mainly to help those pupils with learning difficulties who require additional support. By the end of Key Stage 4 the pupils have made steady progress. The number of pupils in each age group is very small which makes national comparisons difficult. In 2009 GSCE results show that pupils achieved 69% A* - C in line with the national average. While some individual pupils achieve higher grades in some subjects the school is focusing on further developing the quality of learning and assessment as a means of improving achievement.
Regular assessments are well established in each key stage and occur throughout the year. A useful range of standardised tests in literacy and numeracy and reading allow teachers to compare pupils’ performance with that of pupils nationally. Teachers often use this assessment to inform planning. For example, in the Year 3 and 4 class English assessment results have identified specific gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding and this information has been incorporated into the following week’s planning. Some teachers are setting targets for pupils that are informed by assessment. In Year 7, for example, pupils have specific targets written at the front of their English books. These are directly related to previous assessment and focus on what needs to be improved. This use of assessment information is not consistently practised throughout the school. Careful records are providing a great deal of information and ways are being considered to utilise it more precisely. The school is rightly looking to see how assessments might be used more systematically, over time throughout the key stages to build a profile of pupils’ attainment. The recently reviewed marking policy gives useful guidance on purposes and practice of marking. While marking is generally encouraging, clear advice to pupils on how to improve their work is not consistently provided. The school has identified assessment as an area for further development in the school improvement plan.
Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils
The spiritual, moral and social development of pupils is good and their cultural development is outstanding.
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The pupils’ good spiritual development is underpinned by the school’s clear commitment to Bible-based learning. All pupils engage in a daily Bible time in their classes. In addition, the primary school, including EYFS pupils, worship together in a joint assembly each week. The assembly observed was a very lively and enthusiastic time of praise and worship where pupils had opportunities to pray in their own words and make their own contributions. Pupils were fully engaged and confident in expressing their love for God. In the secondary school, pupils pray and worship together in Bible time and house assemblies, but they are not always fully involved, for example, in leading prayers. Lessons are often taught from a specifically Christian perspective, giving further opportunities for pupils to develop spiritually. For example, in a Year 8 foreign language lesson a Bible text was read out in French, and in an ICT lesson in the same year group, a biblical world view was discussed in relation to use of the internet and in particular to cyber bullying. However, lessons are not always systematically planned to weave the Christian ethos into specific subjects; as a result, some opportunities for spiritual development are missed.
The pupils’ moral development is good. From the youngest age, pupils are taught to respect each other and are celebrated as unique and special individuals. The behaviour of pupils is excellent both within lessons and around the school. Pupils are well mannered, confident, considerate and enthusiastic. Teachers encourage good behaviour through praise. On the rare occasions when they have to use correction, pupils respond well to it, with even the youngest pupils being aware of what needs to be done to make amends. Pupils are encouraged to say sorry and to think about what they have done wrong.
The pupils’ good social development is strongly fostered by the experience of working in a cohesive and caring community. They enjoy being in school and appreciate that their teachers, as one of the older pupils commented, ‘want us to do well, because they care for us.’ Pupils are proud of the contributions they are able to make to the school. The school council, which is made up of democratically elected year group representatives, is particularly effective in enabling pupils to take the initiative in bringing positive change to their school. For example, fruit was recently introduced to the tuck shop following a request by the school council to promote healthy eating practices.
The pupils’ cultural development is outstanding. In the primary school, pupils are given a strong sense of their own faith and a pride in their own cultures. In the secondary school, there is a very effective scheme of work called ‘World Views’ that develops the pupils’ awareness of other cultures, beliefs and religions. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own thinking, to explore their own faith and to respect and value the opinions of others. The citizenship course in Key Stage 3 and general studies at Key Stage 4 both provide the pupils with knowledge of public institutions and services in England. They benefit from regular contact with visitors to the school, for example, when a South African visitor recently brought them different food to try, and when a Hindu parent talked to them about her beliefs.
Welfare, health and safety of pupils
The school’s provision for the welfare, health and safety of its pupils is good. Policies make reference to faith values and reflect Biblical teachings. Pupils feel well cared for and safe, which is a result of the positive rapport with staff and pastoral care that they receive at the school. Pupils know who to go to if there are incidents of bullying or injury. Staff are well deployed to ensure the pupils’ safety and pupils are supervised effectively. Thorough risk assessments take place regularly and any potential hazards are logged and dealt with in a timely manner. Fire drills are regular and pupils are aware of what to do when there is a fire. The school fulfils its duties under the Disability Discrimination Act. The procedures are in place regarding child protection and safeguarding and these meet requirements.
Pupils’ behaviour is excellent; they are well-mannered towards teachers and welcoming and polite to each other and adults. The school raises awareness of healthy eating and living and pupils understand the importance of healthy lifestyles. The pupils are encouraged to bring healthier lunches. PE sessions enable pupils to be healthy by having various activities such as football and other sports and exercises in line with the curriculum.
Parents feel that their children are safe and well cared for in school. ‘I feel fortunate to have a lovely, stable and secure environment for my children to attend,’ was just one of the positive comments received from the parents’ questionnaires.
Suitability of the proprietor and staff
An effective system is in place that methodically records the necessary checks carried out on staff for their suitability to work with children. The school secretary is diligent in keeping files and has devised a useful checklist of all the requirements so they are thoroughly recorded. A single central register is in place.
School’s premises and accommodation
The school is based on two sites both in Victorian school buildings from another era of education. Despite the limitation and difficulties of maintaining the primary school buildings, staff make good use of the accommodation available to provide attractive and imaginative spaces for pupils to learn. Display brightens classrooms, the hall and corridors reflecting Biblical stories attractive to younger pupils. The secondary school building is clean and tidy and here too, displays celebrate pupils’ achievements, for example, their high quality art work. Subject displays in classrooms support pupils’ learning, as well as stimulating their interest. A well-equipped ICT room, art room, science laboratory and small library area support the curriculum and pupils’ learning. The ICT room is available for staff to use other than for ICT lessons; this use is developing. The school has no workshop for design and technology and has created an area for home economics at the back of a classroom, also used for graphics and child development lessons. This provision is adequate but the school is aware of the shortcomings of this very limited space for food preparation. The specialist class teacher has a good awareness of the hygiene implications, with regular risk assessments and careful organisation of classes to ensure safe working. A reassessment of layout of this area is required to make the space more effective for pupils to use.
Currently, on neither of the sites is there a suitable place that meets requirements for pupils who may be ill at school. In the primary building while there are sufficient lavatories for the number of pupils; there are no separate facilities from pupils for male teachers. This does not meet requirements for separate staff facilities.
Outside areas on both sites provide hard surface play space that pupils enjoy using for active games. As part of their learning, pupils of all ages are encouraged to plant flowers and vegetable in tubs and small beds to enhance the environment. At the secondary school the school council have set up a gardening club. A flower bed is blooming and pupils have created, in a confined space, an attractive quiet area with a seat and tubs of flowers and herbs, which they hope to use in their cooking.
Provision of information for parents, carers and others
A suitable range of information is available to parents and offered to prospective pupils and their parents through the prospectus and website. The Christian ethos is made explicit. A number of policies are available upon request and other key policies such as the curriculum, staffing, safeguarding and the complaints procedure can be found on the website and in the prospectus. In this way the school is meeting the requirements for the provision of information. There are regular opportunities for parents to discuss their children’s education with teachers at parents meetings and they receive two reports each year. Half way through the year an interim report gives targets and helpful advice on personal development but the targets are often too general and not always subject specific. An end of year report usefully highlights the progress of pupils to date.
Procedures for handling complaints
The school has a policy with procedures in place for handling complaints which meet the requirements in full. The handling of complaints is guided by the Christian approach to dealing with concerns. There have been no formal complaints during the last year.
Effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage
The EYFS class consists of nine pupils aged 3-4, two of whom are full time and four pupils aged 4-5. In addition, there are currently two Year 1 pupils working alongside the older EYFS pupils.
The provision is good. The curriculum covers all six areas of the EYFS with a focus on play-based activities. Teaching assistants are well deployed by the lead practitioner who briefs the team and assigns responsibilities each evening for the next day. The setting is well organised and carefully structured to ensure individual pupils’ learning needs are met. There is a good balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities. The pupils are enthusiastic and independent learners and confidently make their way around the activities during the day. Pupils come into school eagerly and are welcomed by their teachers, who work hard to create a stimulating and colourful environment, which promotes learning. Although the actual building is not ideal for the purpose every effort has been made to make the very best use of the space available and an attractive place in which pupils can learn.
The EYFS is very competently led and managed by the lead practitioner who is a full time nursery nurse and who is ably assisted in delivering the curriculum by two part-time teaching assistants. The setting benefits from regular monitoring visits by members of the EYFS team from the local authority. All three staff have attended early years courses to extend their professional development. However, currently neither of the two teaching assistants holds the required full and relevant qualifications, although both have expressed interest in acquiring them.
The outdoor space, although relatively small, is well utilised and many activities take place outdoors. For example, pupils engaged in a very interactive outdoor numeracy lesson which progressed into a physical development lesson, as teachers confidently responded to the interests of the pupils and demonstrated skill in bringing out more than one learning outcome from a single activity. The outdoor space has also been used by the pupils to plant flowers, which was part of their project on plants. In addition, the pupils enjoy regular trips to the local park, to experience the ‘wonder of creation’ and also to be made aware of road safety issues and have further opportunities for physical development. The class teacher does a daily risk assessment of the setting to ensure that hazards are kept to a minimum. Pupils are happy and know that they are safe and are well cared for by a committed and loving staff.
Outcomes for pupils are good. Their behaviour is outstanding. Pupils are taught in a loving, caring environment where good relationships flourish. .All pupils, even the very youngest, are encouraged to come and read to a staff member. This serves to develop in pupils a love for books and sets a firm foundation for the future. Assessment procedures are thorough and accurate. The teacher carries out regular assessments of her pupils based on observations of them engaged in child-initiated activities and on her own professional judgement. A good range of anecdotal, photographic and observational evidence is gathered, in line with EYFS guidance. Assessments are carefully documented in the pupil profiles, which are kept in attractive files labelled ‘Wonderful Me’, showing the value given to unique individuals. Pupils make good progress in all areas of learning and are on track to reach their early learning goals by the time that they leave the EYFS.
Compliance with the regulations
The school meets almost all of the regulations for registration and the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.
In order to meet fully the regulations in standard 5, the school’s premises and accommodation, the school must:
- provide separate lavatory facilities for male staff on the primary school site (Regulation 5(k))
- provide appropriate facilities on both sites for pupils who are ill at school (Regulation 5(l))
In order to comply with the welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the school must:
- ensure that staff in the EYFS have the required level of qualifications and there are sufficient suitably qualified staff at each session.
Meeting the expectations of CST
The school’s religious ethos continues to meet the expectations of CST
What the school could do to improve further
As part of future development the school might wish to consider:
- further incorporating ICT as a tool for learning more widely across the curriculum
- ensuring that the abler pupils are more consistently challenged.