Royal Greenwich Trust School

Inspection of Royal Greenwich Trust School 765 Woolwich Road, Greenwich, London SE7 8LJ

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 11 and 12 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Royal Greenwich Trust School enjoy positive and purposeful working relationships with their teachers and other staff. New behaviour systems are now in place and routines are clear and embedded. Pupils are showing increasing confidence in using these systems. As a result, behaviour is typically good and well managed. This ensures that pupils feel safe and are kept safe. Leaders take incidences of bullying seriously and deal with any issues quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils. They have designed a rich curriculum that prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education, employment or training. Pupils are expected to work hard and focus on their learning. The vast majority do this and produce work of good quality in different subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff place a strong focus on technology. This underpins much of the curriculum and forms the basis for some of the subject specialisms offered in the sixth form. Teachers’ subject knowledge is a strength and supports pupils’ learning well. For example, students in the sixth form enjoy learning how to use computer software from industry to control a laser cutter. They also learn the knowledge needed to build and program a robot.

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better?

Leaders have ensured that ambitious curriculum thinking is in place for all subject areas and year groups, including the sixth form. Subject leaders have thought carefully about the most effective order in which to teach key knowledge. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their learning. For example, in mathematics, younger pupils learn about positive and negative numbers. This prepares them well for more complex work on equations. Similarly, in history, pupils learn about cause and consequence. This supports older pupils to use language such as ‘trigger’ and ‘catalyst’ with precision when discussing past events.

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better?

Teachers check pupils’ understanding and identify where there are gaps in learning. Any such gaps are typically addressed swiftly so that pupils keep up with the planned curriculum. However, this is not done consistently, including in the sixth form. Sometimes, pupils are given work without having the knowledge they need to complete it successfully. This can affect how well pupils learn, and can result in these pupils becoming less focused on their work.

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better?

In lessons, behaviour is generally calm and respectful. Most pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. However, there are occasions when pupils are not as focused. While teachers typically notice this and support pupils to re-engage with their work, on occasion it is not picked up on swiftly. In the sixth form, students demonstrate consistently positive behaviour and attitudes towards their learning. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Pupils who struggle with reading are swiftly identified. Staff have been well trained to support these pupils. There is a coherent and effective programme in place to develop reading confidence, fluency and accuracy for those pupils who need it.

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The curriculum to support pupils’ personal development is well designed. One of its key aims is to develop pupils’ understanding of managing any risks they may experience. For example, pupils learn about the importance of respectful and consensual relationships, physical and mental health and staying safe online. Pupils enjoy their ‘character development’ lessons, where they can debate and discuss important issues, including those related to careers, different kinds of relationships and fundamental British values. Pupils, including those in the sixth form, receive valuable advice and guidance about careers and options for their next stage of education, employment or training.

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Leaders have appropriate systems in place to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff work closely with the local authority and other professionals to ensure that all pupils receive the help they need to access the same curriculum as their peers wherever possible.

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Trustees, governors and school leaders take clear and decisive action to bring about improvement and make sure that pupils learn and behave well. They have secured sufficient staff capacity to implement the planned changes. Leaders also seek appropriate external guidance to support their work to develop the school further. Pupils and staff alike spoke about the noticeable improvements in the school, including to the curriculum and behaviour. Staff’s workload and well-being are well considered by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding team members are knowledgeable and experienced. They have ensured that staff have been well trained to recognise and report potential safeguarding concerns. Leaders show rigour and persistence in getting families the help they need by working with a range of different agencies. These include the local authority, social care, health departments, local support groups and the police. Those responsible for governance maintain effective oversight of safeguarding and have ensured the school is compliant with all statutory guidelines.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe. For example, they learn about online safety, other risks they may be exposed to and how to be mentally and physically healthy. 11 and 12 October 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 While many teachers check with precision what pupils know and remember, there is not always a consistent approach to this. As a result, pupils, at times, are not sufficiently supported to secure the important knowledge they need to be ready for the more demanding learning that comes next in the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that staff routinely check what pupils have understood before moving forward to new subject content.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 11 and 12 October 2022

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 14 July 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Royal Greenwich Trust School opened in September 2016. It is part of the University Schools Trust.  The current headteacher took up post in November 2019.  Leaders make use of one registered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspection team completed deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history and design and technology. To do this, for each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, had discussions with staff and pupils and looked at pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum, including samples of pupils’ work, in art, science, business and geography.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with the chair of the board of governors, a trustee and leaders from the academy trust, including the consultant director of education.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection team reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and looking at responses provided to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Una Buckley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Simon Conway His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 October 2022

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