Triple Crown Centre

Inspection of Triple Crown Centre Lode Lane, Solihull, West Midlands B91 2HW

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good 12–13 December 2019

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What is it like to attend this school?

The Triple Crown Centre provides for pupils who are unable to attend mainstream schools because of medical reasons. Many had ceased to attend their former schools. Staff care for pupils exceptionally well. As they settle into the school, pupils begin to enjoy learning again. They are happy and feel safe. They attend regularly and achieve good academic qualifications. The school provides pupils with a fresh start in education. It prepares them well for future life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The headteacher ensures that expectations of pupils are high. Pupils study a broad range of subjects that are taught well by subject specialists. Pupils join the school throughout the year. Teachers make sure they find out what pupils know when they arrive. Teachers then carefully plan each pupil’s learning so that their knowledge and skills grow throughout the time they spend in the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are excellent. Staff know their pupils well, including their specific needs. They are alert to the signs that pupils might need extra support at any time. Bullying is very rare in the school. When it happens, staff deal with it quickly. Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. They are considerate of each other and keen to learn.

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better?

This is a school that is clear about its purpose. Its aims are to reengage pupils in learning, to give them a fresh start in education and to prepare them for their next steps in life. It is very successful in achieving these aims.

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better?

The school has a clear academic focus. All pupils study English, mathematics, science, history, art and music. Older pupils also study health and social care. Pupils’ learning in these subjects is planned well. Their knowledge builds from year to year and they achieve impressive results in GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11. Teachers use assessment very effectively. They find out what pupils already know when they join the school. They ensure that teaching fills in any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. Academic expectations are high and the work that pupils complete is demanding.

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better?

Staff recognise that pupils’ wider development is as important as their academic progress. All pupils enjoy high-quality personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Here, pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Careers education is a strength of the school. A careers adviser provides pupils with regular advice. An ‘enterprise adviser’ from a local business helps to develop links with employers. In the last three years, all pupils who left Year 11 moved on to appropriate education or training.

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better?

Two areas of the curriculum are currently less well planned than the rest. The school has no clear plan or strategy to encourage pupils to be physically active. Similarly, teaching does not develop pupils’ understanding of different religious beliefs as well 12–13 December 2019

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One key reason why pupils thrive in the school is the high-quality care and support that staff provide for them. Members of staff understand pupils’ individual needs very well. Teachers take these into account when planning learning. Achievement mentors meet with pupils each day. They build close relationships with parents.

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Many pupils have a history of poor attendance at their previous school. Carefully planned transition and strong pastoral care ensure that pupils settle into the school quickly. Improvement in attendance is dramatic for many pupils. Pupils enjoy coming to school, their behaviour is excellent and they become committed and keen learners. For many pupils, the school transforms their lives.

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The school is very well led. Staff value the headteacher’s clear guidance and direction. They are committed to providing each pupil with the best possible education. Staff are trained well in many areas. For example, leaders provide excellent training in safeguarding and in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, the training that teachers receive in their specialisms varies in quality between subjects.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school has a very strong culture of safeguarding. All staff are clear about the part they play in keeping pupils safe. Because leaders understand the specific risks their pupils face, they provide detailed and focused training for staff. Staff are quick to spot when pupils need extra help. The school has strong relationships with many outside agencies. It uses these well to ensure that pupils get the support they need, when they need it.

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Safeguarding

Governors carry out their duties diligently. They regularly check that safeguarding arrangements are effective and fit for purpose.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ learning is well planned and organised in almost all areas. In academic subjects, the curriculum builds well from year to year so that pupils’ knowledge and understanding build sequentially towards GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11. Similarly, leaders plan most other aspects of the wider curriculum, such as PSHE and careers education, extremely well. However, two areas of the curriculum are less well planned and thought through. These are pupils’ physical activity and their understanding of people’s different religious beliefs. Physical activity is not encouraged in a systematic way. Neither is pupils’ understanding of different religions developed thoroughly. Leaders should ensure that these two areas of the curriculum are as well organised as the other subjects taught in the 12–13 December 2019

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school.  Staff are provided with a wide array of high-quality training in many areas, including safeguarding and SEND. However, the quality of ongoing subject-specific development for teachers is more variable. Most teachers are the sole teacher of their subject in the school. Despite their best efforts, some teachers struggle to make subject-specific links with colleagues in other schools. Leaders should ensure that all teachers are able to access high-quality, subject-specific continuing professional development.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 12–13 December 2019

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School details

Inspection number 10058501 Type of school Pupil referral unit

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School details

Appropriate authority The local authority

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School details

Chair of the management committee Jonathan Sheridan

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School details

Website www.triple-crown.solihull.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 6 March 2018

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Information about this school

 The school has not undergone any significant changes since its last inspection.  No pupils attend alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 We met with the headteacher, who is also the designated safeguarding lead. The lead inspector met with the school’s special educational needs coordinator, the chair of the management committee and a representative from the local authority.  We talked to many pupils about their learning and their attitudes to, and opinions about, school. We observed pupils at breaktime and lunchtime and as they moved around the school. We visited morning tutor times and an assembly.  We scrutinised several documents, including those relating to safeguarding and child protection. We checked that the single central record contained all required information.  The views of parents and carers were taken into account by considering the two written responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire. We also 12–13 December 2019

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considered questionnaires completed by parents at a recent parents’ evening.  As part of this inspection, we paid particular attention to English, mathematics, art and PSHE education. In these subjects, we visited lessons, scrutinised pupils’ work and spoke with teachers and pupils.

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Inspection team

Alun Williams, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Keay Her Majesty’s Inspector 12–13 December 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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