Small Leeds primary academy 'with a big heart' rated by Ofsted amid rebuild plans

Holy Trinity CofE Academy, Rothwell, located on Queensway, Rothwell, was rated good across all five inspected areas - the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision.

Part of the the Abbey Multi Academy Trust, the school recently saw planning approval granted for a new two-storey school to be built.

The inspection praised the school for its commitment to helping pupils thrive, with inspectors noting the “positive atmosphere and supportive environment.”

Ofsted said: “Holy Trinity is a small school with a big heart. It is a warm and welcoming place where pupils are happy and grow in confidence.

“Pupils enjoy learning and rise to meet the high expectations set by the school. Pupils are proud of their own achievements and celebrate the successes of others. They value working towards the ‘gold centre of the heart’ reward.”

The school has a “broad and ambitious curriculum.” It is progressive and helps pupils to build knowledge and gain important skills.

School leaders were commended for their “effective changes to the curriculum,” with these changes resulting in a “significant improvement” to pupils’ achievements.

Focusing on areas of potential further improvement, inspectors added: “In some newly revised subjects, assessment is underdeveloped. This means that subject leaders and teachers do not know if all pupils have learned the intended key knowledge.

“Some pupils do not secure accurate letter formation or writing fluency. This results in ongoing errors that hinder their ability to write effectively. The school should focus on teaching correct letter formation and provide more practice to improve handwriting fluency.”

The school’s emphasis on reading was also recognised, with shared reading activities helping to “develop a joy of reading.”

Holy Trinity was also praised for prioritising its support of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They work closely with specialist staff to “monitor what pupils have understood and where adaptations are needed.”

Headteacher Gemma Briggs said: “The report truly captures what makes Holy Trinity such a special and exciting place to learn.

“It clearly highlights the dedication and hard work of our staff, who ensure the very best outcomes for our children and families.”

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Holy Trinity CofE Academy, Rothwell is set to be rebuilt as part of the Government’s DfE School Rebuilding Programme. This will include new sports and play facilities.

The current school building is to remain open, while work is being carried out, before being demolished and replaced with new playing fields.