Trinity Academy Newcastle Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by:
  • ensuring that teachers have high expectations of how pupils’ work is presented
  • ensuring that teachers identify and support pupils so that they are able to rectify the mistakes in their writing.
• Continue to increase the range of qualifications and vocational courses on offer for pupils in key stage 4.
• Continue to develop strategies to improve pupils’ attendance.
• Reduce further the number of pupils who are on part-time timetables across the school.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The headteacher and senior leaders have created a culture of kindness and care, matched with high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils respond well to these expectations and try hard to improve their behaviour and work well in lessons.
• Both school sites are extremely well presented. For example, displays are pristine and leaders ensure that learning resources are of the highest quality. This investment in the building and resources gives a clear message to pupils that leaders care about their education.
• The capacity of the senior leadership team has increased due to a number of recent appointments. All members of the leadership team share a common vision. They hold high aspirations for improving the school further.
• Middle leaders are passionate about their subject areas and share senior leaders’ ambitions for improvement. They have a shared focus for pupils of all ability levels to leave school with good qualifications.
• Leaders invest in high-quality professional development for staff. Staff value the opportunities they receive and can describe the impact training has had on the quality of their teaching.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced. Since the last inspection, leaders have extended the number of subjects on offer to key stage 4 pupils. This provides pupils with a wider choice of academic and vocational courses. Leaders are keen to further develop the course offer to improve attendance rates for key stage 4 pupils.
• Staff foster pupils’ moral, social and cultural development very well. British values are at the heart of the school’s work. The values of respect and tolerance feature in assemblies, displays and in discussions between staff and pupils. Pupils told inspectors how they support each other and spread ‘kindness like confetti’ around the school.
• Pupils in key stage 4 have opportunities to undertake work experience. Pupils often excel in a work placement setting. For some pupils, this has led to employment opportunities when they leave school. The on-site farm and school dog allow pupils to gain a sense of responsibility in caring for others.
• The headteacher and senior leaders work tirelessly to support pupils and their families. Leaders plan regular events for parents and carers to inform and consult with them on the work and developments of the school. As a result, parents hold the school in high regard.
• Leaders closely monitor the attendance of pupils. They are aware that pupils’ attendance in key stages 3 and 4 is still too low. They continue to make improvements to the curriculum and the school’s reward system to ensure that rates of attendance improve.

Governance of the school

• Governors are fully committed to improving the school further. They provide effective challenge to school leaders.
• Governors are highly ambitious for the school. With the support of the chief executive officer of the trust, they have invested in new leadership and teaching posts to strengthen the school’s capacity for further improvements.
• Governors have a strong understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They meet with senior leaders regularly to review important aspects of the school’s work. Their support and challenge ensure that pupils continue to make good progress across all key stages.

Safeguarding

• There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Consequently, the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• The designated safeguarding leader works closely with the local authority’s ‘early help’ team to ensure that pupils and their families receive the support they need.
• Records relating to the recruitment checks made on staff and visitors are comprehensive and meet legal requirements.
• All staff receive regular and high-quality safeguarding training including training on child sexual exploitation, and the ‘Prevent’ duty. Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities in keeping children safe. They keep detailed records and act swiftly when they have any concerns about a pupil.
• Parents agree that their children are well cared for in school. One parent’s comment reflected the views of many: ‘Staff have not only helped support my child in school but support us as a whole family.’
• Leaders ensure that the wider curriculum teaches pupils about staying safe. As a result, pupils know how to keep themselves safe when out of school and online.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Leaders have developed an effective assessment system that tracks pupils’ progress from when they join the school. Teachers use assessment information well to plan activities matched to the needs of pupils. Pupils know their own targets and what to do to improve their work. Pupils work hard in lessons. They are motivated by the effective rewards system.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and application to their learning. Teachers use rich, academic language. Pupils learn new words and talk with confidence when answering questions.
• Leaders and teachers place a high importance on the development of pupils’ reading skills. Although some pupils are reluctant to read, teachers creatively use contemporary and classic texts to promote pupils’ enjoyment and confidence in their reading. As a result, pupils typically volunteer to read out loud and are proud of their success.
• In mathematics lessons, pupils are set a number of challenges. They are supported well to complete activities at a pace that is right for them. Pupils have access to practical equipment and learning aids to support their mathematical development. As a result, pupils make good progress in mathematics across all key stages.
• Pupils in key stage 2 display exceptional levels of concentration and interest in their work. For example, in a mathematics lesson, pupils were intrigued to learn about a new multiplication challenge and set about their work with vigour and focus.
• Parents are happy with the communication they receive from the school about their child’s progress. A number of parents, in response to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, commented positively about the school’s new online system to support homework.
• The majority of pupils find writing challenging. Teachers are aware of this and use a number of strategies to encourage pupils’ extended writing skills. However, in key stages 3 and 4, pupils’ work is untidy. Common mistakes in spelling, punctuation and grammar are not addressed consistently by teachers. Pupils do not make the same progress in writing as they do in reading.

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 confident, polite and respectful. They welcome visitors to the school and are keen to discuss their learning. Pupils have a strong understanding of the school’s ethos of kindness, honesty and care. This is evident in their positive relationships with staff and with each other.
• Staff supervise pupils effectively during social times. The pastoral team works with staff to ensure that any difficult behaviour is dealt with swiftly and positively. Pupils say that staff are available to discuss any worries or concerns that they may have. Pupils feel safe in school because staff are always there to support them.
• The vast majority of pupils arrive early to school and attend morning clubs. Clubs include sports, computing, art and a breakfast club. Pupils enjoy the clubs. As a result, the start of the day is calm and orderly, and pupils are ready to learn.
• Leaders have identified that lunchtimes and the start of afternoon lessons are particularly difficult times emotionally for many pupils. Leaders have reduced the length of lunchtime break and introduced an afternoon tutor time to help pupils settle down to learning.
• The curriculum provides extensive opportunities for pupils to learn about how to keep safe. Pupils spoke to inspectors about the work they had undertaken on drugs and alcohol and e-safety. Pupils also spoke positively about the support they receive for their emotional well-being.
• Pupils’ attendance remains below the national average. To improve this, leaders have introduced a new rewards system and stringent monitoring procedures. Although relatively recent, the new initiatives are beginning to improve rates of attendance.
• Prior to joining Trinity School, some pupils have experienced long periods of time out of school. The school uses part-time placements, alongside alternative providers, to support these pupils effectively in increasing their overall engagement in learning.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Most pupils’ behaviour improves throughout their time at the school. Pupils respond well to the ‘Power of Choice’ rewards system. They describe it as a fair system and explained to inspectors the range of activities they can choose from if they do well.
• Pupils’ movement around the school is orderly and calm. During the inspection, pupils undertook an unannounced fire evacuation. All pupils quietly and calmly left and re-entered the building, listening to and adhering to school leaders’ instructions.
• No pupils have been permanently excluded from school in the last four years and fixed-term exclusions are low. All staff are trained in de-escalation techniques to manage inappropriate or challenging behaviour. This training, combined with the school’s ethos of kindness and care, mean that incidents leading to physical restraint are extremely low.
• Incidents of bullying are rare. Pupils told inspectors that bullying is not tolerated by staff and ‘is dealt with straight away’.
• Behaviour in morning lessons is of a high standard. In the afternoons, there are more incidents of low-level disruption. However, staff deal with these effectively and these incidents have little impact on the learning of others.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Most pupils in key stages 2, 3 and 4 make good progress from their low starting points, especially in English and Mathematics. This is in part because leaders set challenging targets for pupils’ progress. Some pupils in key stage 2 are starting to catch up and attain the standards expected nationally for their age in English.
• Pupils’ progress in writing is not as strong as their progress in reading. Leaders are aware of this and have identified this as a continued area for improvement.
• In mathematics, most pupils make good progress from their different starting points. Teachers have an accurate picture of each pupil’s strengths and areas that they need help with. Teachers match work to the needs of pupils accordingly.
• Some pupils attend alternative provision placements to study subjects such as hairdressing and barbering. The placements are enabling pupils to engage in full-time education, and to achieve worthwhile qualifications to assist them when they leave school.
• Pupils leave school with a range of qualifications including GCSEs and functional skills. Leaders have recently reviewed the qualifications available to pupils to ensure that they meet the entry requirements for local colleges and apprenticeships. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training.
• In Years 10 and 11, pupils travel to and from school independently. Leaders have identified that for some of these pupils attendance and progress declines. Leaders are tackling this issue by changing the curriculum at key stage 4, offering a wider range of academic and vocational courses to better interest pupils.

School details

Unique reference number 141865 Local authority Newcastle upon Tyne Inspection number 10053770 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Special – SEMH School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Academy special converter 7 to 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 161 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Peter Carter Bill Curley (Executive Headteacher) Mark Flint (Headteacher) Telephone number 01912 986 950 Website Email address www.trinity.newcastle.sch.uk admin.central@trinity.newcastle.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 7 February 2018

Information about this school

• Trinity Academy Newcastle became an academy on 4 March 2015.
• The academy trust is a company limited by guarantee and an exempt charity. The trustees of Trinity Academy Newcastle are also the directors of the Charitable Company.
• The school is part of a multi-academy trust with Solutions Academy, and one private limited company, Trinity Post-16 Solutions Ltd.
• The school received a short inspection in February 2018. This was the first short inspection since the school converted to an academy.
• The school makes provision for pupils who have social, emotional and mental health needs as described in the special educational needs code of practice. Pupils may also have associated needs in the areas of cognition/learning and communication and interaction (autistic spectrum disorder and/or speech and language difficulties).
• The school is organised across two sites: Deneview, which caters for pupils aged 7 to 11 and Oakfield, which caters for pupils aged 11 to 16.
• The majority of pupils are from White British families. All pupils have an education, health and care plan, and a small number are looked after by the local authority.
• Over three quarters of pupils are disadvantaged and qualify for support through the pupil premium grant.
• The school uses the following alternative provision placements: Stepney Bank Stables, ALD Hair, Beauty and Barbering Training Academy, NUDGE Education Limited and NACRO Newcastle.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning accompanied by senior leaders across a wide range of lessons and learning activities at both the Deneview and Oakfield sites.
• Pupils’ written work was evaluated during lessons and during a scrutiny of work in pupils’ books.
• Inspectors observed pupils’ conduct while they were arriving at school, as well as during break and lunchtimes.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils both informally and formally.
• Inspectors met with several parents.
• Inspectors met with the chief executive of the multi-academy trust, the headteacher, and senior and middle leaders. Inspectors also met with the chair of the governing body and three members of the board of trustees.
• An inspector visited a pupil on work experience placement.
• A wide range of documentation was scrutinised, including the school’s self-evaluation report, the school development plan, minutes of trustee meetings, records of the monitoring of teaching, and information relating to pupils’ attendance and achievement. Safeguarding documents and records relating to behaviour were also examined.
• Inspectors considered the 39 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, including 11 free-text comments. Inspectors also took into account the 20 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and the 52 responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire.

Inspection team

Berni Moorcroft, lead inspector Diane Reynard Tricia Stevens

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector