Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy

Inspection of Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy Ormerod Road, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 3AA

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Inspection dates: 26 to 27 September 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The headteacher of this school is Deborah Williams. This school is part of Romero Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Des Callaghan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Angela Ager. 26 to 27 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are happy at this school. Many benefit from opportunities that enable them to explore a broad range of interests. For example, the ‘hope and harmonies’ group provides music during assemblies and ‘reader leaders’ support their younger peers with their reading.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are encouraged to take on responsibilities and many do so. They spoke with pride about the actions that they have taken to address important issues. For example, some pupils recently launched an initiative called ‘pupils against prejudicial language’. Many pupils embrace these opportunities to contribute to their school community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically conduct themselves well around the school. Calming music plays as a signal for them to move to their lessons and most respond swiftly and purposefully to this. In the main, relationships between staff and pupils are positive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the recent past, the school has increased its expectations of what pupils can achieve. Work has been done to strengthen the curriculum. As a result, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), generally benefit from a more ambitious education than before. However, subjects are at different stages of development. Variability across the curriculum means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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better?

In some subjects, the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn is carefully ordered from Years 7 to 11. In other subjects, the process of precisely identifying this important information is incomplete. This makes it difficult for staff to design learning activities which prioritise the knowledge that pupils need to learn.

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better?

In some subjects, assessment strategies focus carefully on the essential knowledge that pupils need to know. However, in other subjects, staff are only just beginning to connect assessment strategies to the new curriculum. The process for checking and addressing any gaps in pupils’ learning is not robust. Some pupils do not build secure bodies of knowledge.

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better?

The school has rigorous systems in place to identify the needs of pupils with SEND. In response to rapidly increasing levels of need, the school has acted swiftly to adapt its provision for these pupils. This has been effective. Staff use the information that they receive about pupils’ needs to ensure that they can access the curriculum alongside their peers.

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better?

The school has processes in place to identify and support pupils who cannot read well. However, the impact of this support is not rigorously monitored to ensure that it is effective. Furthermore, this programme is not used widely with pupils in key 26 to 27 September 2023

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stage 4. Some older pupils do not get the support that they need to read confidently and fluently.

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The school prioritises pupils’ personal development. Pupils benefit from a wealth of information to prepare them for life in modern Britain. They learn about diversity and equality. Despite this, a few pupils do not treat others with tolerance and respect. The school is taking action to address this.

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A comprehensive careers programme encourages pupils to raise their aspirations. Pupils engage with a range of employers. They receive the information that they need to make informed choices about their lives beyond school.

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The school has recently raised its expectations of pupils’ conduct. Pupils said that behaviour has improved as a result. In the main, pupils behave well. They are typically responsive to their teachers, both in lessons and around the school.

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Trustees and governors know that the curriculum needs further development. They are supporting the school to continue to make the necessary improvements. However, processes for evaluating the impact of some of the school’s actions are not as robust as they could be. This hinders the pace of further improvements.

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The school is proactive about seeking out the views of parents and carers and engaging them in their children’s education. For example, it has recently introduced a communication tool that enables it to quickly share information with parents so that they can support their children’s learning at home. Many parents appreciate the way in which the school engages with them, for example parents of Year 7 pupils felt well informed during the transition process.

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Staff feel valued because initiatives are implemented in consultation with them. They are very happy at this school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school is in the process of redesigning a number of subject curriculums. Consequently, staff are not yet clear on what pupils should learn and by when. This hinders how well some staff design learning activities that emphasise the important knowledge that pupils need to know. The school should support subject leaders to finalise their curriculum thinking and ensure that these curriculums are delivered as intended.  In some subjects, assessment strategies are not focused on the important information that pupils should learn. This means that some pupils develop gaps in 26 to 27 September 2023

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their knowledge without their teachers realising this. The school should ensure that assessment strategies are used effectively to check whether pupils are learning the intended curriculum.  The school’s approach to identifying and supporting pupils who are struggling to read is underdeveloped, particularly in key stage 4. Consequently, some pupils do not receive the help that they need to improve their reading in a timely and effective way. The school should further develop the support that is in place and closely monitor the impact of interventions to ensure that pupils promptly get the help that they need to read well.  The school does not have sufficient oversight of the impact of some aspects of its work to improve. This means that some actions do not make the positive difference that leaders intend. The school should ensure that there are sufficiently rigorous processes so that it can continue to drive the improvement of the school.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 26 to 27 September 2023

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,287

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy converted to become an academy school in March 2020. When its predecessor school, Blessed Trinity RC College, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to require improvement overall.  This is a Roman Catholic school in the Diocese of Salford. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in March 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place within eight years of the last inspection.  The school uses five registered alternative providers for a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 26 to 27 September 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other leaders and staff.  Inspectors met with representatives of both the trust and the local governing body.  An inspector spoke to a representative of the Diocese of Salford and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, design and technology, geography, modern foreign languages and music. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. An inspector also spoke to leaders about the

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Information about this inspection

curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experience of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses shared through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for pupils and staff.  The inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including records relating to pupils’ behaviour and the school’s self-evaluation documents.

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Inspection team

Sally Rix, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steven Caldecott Ofsted Inspector 26 to 27 September 2023

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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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