Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere

Inspection of a good school: Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere Erith Road, Belvedere, Kent DA17 6HT

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Outcome

Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trinity School has a strong, inclusive and caring ethos. Pupils are taught to be responsible, compassionate citizens. Pupils and staff are proud of their work that aims to make a difference to the local and global communities. For instance, pupils undertake projects on climate change and contribute to various charities. They have also become well-being ambassadors for local primary schools.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate opportunities to contribute to the running of the school. For example, they have helped leaders to revise the behaviour policy and code of conduct. Pupils chose ‘truthful, respectful, inclusive, neighbourly, innovative, tenacious and being yourself’, spelling out ‘Trinity’, as ways in which they can uphold the school’s values. Pupils enjoy school and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and know that staff protect them if there is any bullying. Pupils are confident there are adults in the school who will help with any concerns. Pupils, parents and carers appreciate the school’s care and its community feel. As one pupil said, it is a community of ‘social solidarity’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Teachers have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils know teachers are passionate about their subjects. This motivates pupils to try hard and to be ambitious about their futures. They are keen to learn, often asking insightful and curious questions.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is broad and ambitious, including in the sixth form. Leaders ensure that all pupils benefit from this curriculum so that they are well prepared for the next stage of their lives and learning. The sixth form offers students an impressive choice of pathways, including numerous A-level subjects and vocational courses.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

In all subjects, plans make clear what leaders want pupils to learn as well as when and how they should learn it. Leaders provide training so that teachers follow subject plans 5 and 6 October 2021

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effectively and make sure that pupils learn key facts and essential knowledge. Pupils build on this learning successfully and apply it to understand more complex ideas.

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However, some aspects of leaders’ plans, such as the teaching of subject-specific vocabulary and the development of pupils’ literacy, are not fully embedded. As a result, some pupils are less confident than others in their use and understanding of technical language.

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Leaders organise a range of activities that encourage pupils to read regularly and develop their reading skills. Examples include book club, reading in tutor time and library quizzes. Some of these activities were paused during the national lockdowns and have now begun again. Pupils are responding enthusiastically, with increasing numbers acquiring a love of reading.

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Leaders have systems in place to check on how well pupils achieve in different subjects. This helps teachers to identify gaps in pupils’ learning and adapt their teaching to pupils’ needs. Pupils appreciate how teachers are supporting them to make up for any learning missed during the pandemic. However, occasionally teachers do not use assessment of pupils’ learning to recognise swiftly enough when some pupils are falling behind.

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Pupils are positive about their learning and they take pride in their work. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is calm and respectful.

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Leaders and staff provide well for pupils’ wider development. Personal, social, health and economic education and citizenship lessons help pupils to learn about democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance. Pupils said that leaders and staff tackle all kinds of prejudice and bullying. Pupils value opportunities to develop leadership skills, such as taking on roles within the house system.

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Pupils like joining in with extra-curricular activities, such as trampolining, netball, basketball, football, drama and art. There are also visits and journeys to expand their horizons. Sixth-form students take part in relevant work experience. Leaders organise special events so that pupils of all ages have contact with employers and employees to learn about different careers.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive the right support so that they achieve well. They participate fully in all subjects and join in extra-curricular activities.

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Leaders, including governors and trustees, routinely focus on staff well-being. Staff said that they find leaders to be sensitive, supportive and empathetic. Staff workload is well managed. Responses to staff surveys show that staff are proud of the school. 5 and 6 October 2021

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders continually review the school’s safeguarding policy and ensure it is up to date. Leaders and staff identify pupils at risk and ensure that they receive the necessary help.

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Safeguarding

All pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Leaders and staff encourage pupils to raise any concerns they may have, including about harmful sexual behaviour. Staff participate in relevant training. They are aware of issues pupils may face and know how to respond to and manage any incidents. Staff make appropriate and well- documented checks when pupils leave the school.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders’ plans to improve pupils’ literacy and expand their vocabulary are not embedded. Occasionally, pupils do not grasp securely the meaning of vocabulary that they are taught. Leaders should ensure that teachers use subject plans and their recent training to help all pupils learn and remember subject-specific and technical terminology.  Occasionally, teachers do not use assessment procedures to check what pupils know and remember. This means that teachers do not identify gaps in pupils’ learning. Leaders should ensure that their assessment strategies are fully implemented and that teachers identify when pupils are falling behind and provide them with extra support.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2016. 5 and 6 October 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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 are the school and you are 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. 5 and 6 October 2021

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1091

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form

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 February 2016, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The current principal joined the school in 2016.  Leaders use one alternative, off-site educational provision.  The school has several links with local schools. The sixth form is part of a collaboration with one other secondary school.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the principal, the vice-principal, assistant principals, the chief executive officer, governors and trustees of the trust and spoke to staff at the 5 and 6 October 2021

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alternative provision.  Inspectors also met the careers leader, the special educational needs coordinator and the leader responsible for staff training.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with several groups of pupils. They also talked with staff and pupils around the school.  The inspection team reviewed the 55 pupil survey responses, 55 staff survey responses and 60 responses to Ofsted Parent View, including written comments.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with leaders and reviewed documentation, including the single central record of vetting checks. Inspectors spoke to staff about their work to keep pupils safe and the training they had received. The inspection team

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also spoke to pupils of all ages to find out their views, including how they are taught to keep themselves safe.

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Inspection team

Anne Murray-Hudson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bromfield Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 October 2021

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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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