Triple Crown Centre

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Miss Eleanor Clarke Headteacher Triple Crown Centre Lode Lane Solihull West Midlands B91 2HW

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Following my visit to the school on 6 March 2018 with Derek Barnes, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since Triple Crown Centre was judged to be good in March 2014.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. Based on the evidence gathered during this short inspection, I am of the opinion that the school has demonstrated strong practice and marked improvement in certain areas. This may indicate that the school is improving towards being outstanding. Therefore, I am recommending that the school’s next inspection be a section 5 inspection.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Rigorous monitoring and evaluation by you and your governors have ensured that teaching and learning have continued to improve. You and your staff have established a new range of tracking systems that ensure that all pupils, parents and carers, and staff are aware of the exceptional progress that pupils are making. Teachers are relentless in their drive to share progress with pupils in a purposeful and productive way which enables pupils to understand how they learn and why they are making progress. As a result of this, pupils at Triple Crown Centre are proud of their school and want to do well.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

You and your governing body have created a safe and welcoming environment which enables all pupils to feel secure and valued. Although outside space is limited you have provided first-class facilities for pupils to enjoy both physical and relaxation activities. You have put up football goals for games and a secure, sheltered pagoda where pupils can enjoy quiet times for reflection and relaxation. You are passionate about providing a curriculum that is purposeful and that suits the needs of all your pupils. For example, they are able to access vocational studies such as plumbing and carpentry in addition to GCSEs in English, mathematics, science, art, history and geography.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

You and your staff develop strong and positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to become confident, tenacious and resilient learners. Pupils show respect for adults, tolerance towards their peers and perseverance in their studies.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Since the last inspection, you and your governing body have responded with enthusiasm and determination to improve on the areas identified for development. All staff now follow the school’s marking guidance and ensure that they provide appropriate and informative feedback to pupils. Through your meticulous and accurate staff monitoring, and in the past, you have swiftly identified where additional support has been required and immediately provided the necessary support and strategies.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Progress is tracked termly by all subject teachers and your evidence shows that pupils are making exceptional progress from their different starting points. Teachers set challenging targets for all subjects to ensure that gaps in learning are identified and bridged effectively, with many older pupils celebrating their success of five GCSEs with strong passes. You offer a broad curriculum and have recently introduced additional option choices, which provide pupils with subject options based on their chosen career aspirations. You are ambitious for your pupils and provide valuable opportunities for them to develop their personal skills by arranging for them to be involved in community fundraising events. This encourages pupils to develop their understanding of their community and wider society. Leaders introduce new challenges by inviting local businesses into school to discuss apprenticeships. These initiatives are helping pupils reach their full potential.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Pupils are polite, well behaved and speak highly of the school and the support that they receive. They told inspectors that they ‘love to come to school’ and that they feel ‘it’s like being in a family.’ They respond well to the routines that you establish and demonstrate a positive attitude towards learning.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural aspects of learning are firmly embedded in your school. Leaders place a strong emphasis on the mental and physical well-being of all pupils by providing opportunities for them to learn academically and behaviourally to prepare them for adulthood. The personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is a vital and strong aspect of what you provide for your pupils as they learn about the reasons behind substance misuse, eating healthily and staying safe in the community and online. You timetable mentoring sessions twice weekly, which allows pupils the opportunity to share concerns and ideas on how to further improve their work and confidence. Pupils are firmly encouraged to share their social awareness through discussions in assemblies and lessons. You are passionate about ensuring that every pupil feels valued and confident enough to share their opinions,

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

and you place a strong emphasis on pupil voice in school. Parents are extremely appreciative of the work that you and your staff do with their children. All parents who completed the Ofsted survey, Parent View, said that they would recommend the school to other parents. A typical parent comment was ‘fantastic teaching but most of all they care’.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

There is a very strong safeguarding culture at Triple Crown Centre. You make sure that protecting pupils and keeping them safe are key priorities for everyone. You and the leadership team have made sure that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and take account of the needs of the pupils in this centre.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Pupils’ medical needs are well supported and checks on medication are in place. There are appropriate procedures to ensure that staff register all concerns. Senior leaders follow these up immediately. There are clear protocols for dealing with absences and pupils missing from school. When there have been safeguarding incidents, school leaders have followed the school’s own and the local authority’s procedures to the letter. You are extremely diligent and tenacious in following up concerns and making sure that pupils and their families receive the support they need. Records are detailed and thorough.

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Short inspection of Triple Crown Centre

Safeguarding training is regularly provided for all staff so that they know what to do and who to contact when they have any concerns. Throughout the school, pupils are taught about the potential risks and dangers they might face as they grow up. As a result, you raise pupils’ awareness of how to keep safe, including when they are online. Pupils said they feel safe and well looked after at school.

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Inspection findings

 In line with the school’s policy, teachers encourage pupils to self-assess their work after it has been marked. Pupils understand how to seek further help by asking their teachers or peers. Staff show pupils what they have done well and how to make it even better. You have developed a thorough monitoring system to check that pupils have opportunities to improve their work. Teachers show excellent subject knowledge and passion, which they coherently share with their pupils.  Pupils enjoy planning for charity events such as coffee mornings and Christmas jumper day and fundraising for Sport Relief. Members of the school council demonstrated immense pride when talking to inspectors about their work on larger projects such as organising football goal posts for the school grounds. Pupils feel that this encourages all pupils to take part in the games organised at breaktimes.  Through the valuable delivery of the PSHE and Certificate of Personal

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Inspection findings

Effectiveness curriculum, pupils are able to research projects in which they develop their financial and planning skills. They thrive on opportunities to explore the cost of renting homes and grocery shopping, and informed inspectors that they ‘like this work because it gives us things to do when we are grown up’.  Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain as you provide them with opportunities to attend local events where they sample work experiences. Older pupils are able to visit colleges and follow vocational studies. You provide focus days in school so that pupils can learn how to write a curriculum vitae and how to conduct themselves in an interview with confidence and clarity. As a result of these events, all pupils are accepted into the college that they choose.  Pupils usually leave school with a minimum of five GCSE passes, including English, mathematics and science. Although pupils are able to develop their

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Inspection findings

computing skills and physical skills through other areas of the curriculum, there are limited options for them to study these subjects in any greater depth.  You shared evidence that pupils continue to achieve well when they leave the nurturing environment of your school. You keep a track of their progress and destination by maintaining contact with local providers.  Leaders’ rewards policy motivates pupils to attend school. You celebrate good attendance with rewards. Your records clearly indicate the great progress that pupils have made, and you are relentless in tackling any persistent absences. You have effectively used additional funding to purchase additional support to address attendance concerns. The good use of these funds is evident in the improvements that pupils have made to their attendance.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that they:

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Next steps for the school

 provide opportunities for pupils to further develop their skills in physical education and computer science.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Solihull. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection I met with you, teaching staff and administration staff. I held discussions with one member of the governing body and a representative from the local authority. We also met with teachers and support staff who have curriculum and assessment responsibilities. The inspection team met with members of the school council. We visited every classroom as part of a learning walk and completed observations of learning in 11 classrooms. I took account of 11 responses recorded on Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. I also looked at your own analysis of parent questionnaires issued by the school.

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Information about the inspection

I considered a range of school information, including your self-evaluation and current school improvement plan. We discussed your assessment of pupils’ progress across the school, and staff shared with me evidence of the new assessment process. I evaluated safeguarding procedures, including policies, the single central register of checks on staff, staff files and a sample of safeguarding files. I looked at attendance and behaviour logs. I examined the school website.

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