Trinity Academy Akroydon

Inspection of Trinity Academy Akroydon Rawson Street North, Boothtown, Halifax, West Yorkshire HX3 6PU

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Oliver Grant-Roberts. This school is part of Trinity Multi-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 (CEO), Michael Gosling, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tom Miskell. 11 and 12 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of this highly inclusive school. Leaders have established a powerful vision: ‘be remarkable, be determined, be proud’. This inspires pupils to live out these values through their exemplary conduct and attitudes to learning. Trinity Academy Akroydon is a vibrant, friendly and happy place in which to learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established an ambitious curriculum for pupils to study. From Reception to Year 6, pupils master the skills that they need to become independent learners. This motivates pupils to be resilient when learning something new or mastering a new skill. Pupils extend their skills by taking on many leadership roles in the school. These roles are a golden thread that inspire pupils to contribute to their school community. Pupils are rightly proud of their school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Adults apply their high expectations of behaviour and routines consistently well. This supports pupils to manage and regulate their own behaviour, whether adults are present or not. If pupils struggle, adults provide highly effective support to help them to get back on track. Pupils recognise the importance of their learning, so lessons are calm and focused. All pupils understand that what they learn now will support their ambitions for the future.

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better?

The school has established an ambitious curriculum that supports all pupils well. In most subjects, staff have made sure that pupils learn this curriculum in an order that helps them to build their knowledge step by step. In early years, children develop their understanding of the past by learning about their local area. They apply this knowledge to their study of the history of childhood. This helps pupils to secure their understanding of chronology before studying other important periods in history. Pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some subjects. Leaders continually refine the curriculum to make sure that these gaps are addressed. However, in some subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils learn should be defined more carefully.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders have made sure that all staff are experts in teaching pupils with SEND. These pupils receive carefully targeted support in order to master new knowledge. Pupils with SEND flourish as a result.

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better?

Reading is a high priority in this school. The teaching of phonics is exemplary. Staff help pupils to master phonics quickly and to become fluent readers. Pupils’ books are matched to the sounds that they know. In early years, adults introduce ambitious new language. Children use this new language enthusiastically. For example, children use words such as ‘mocking’ and ‘accelerate’ as part of their exploration of ‘The Gingerbread Man’. Children rapidly develop mature speech and vocabulary. This supports children in learning to read with confidence. Throughout the school, leaders invest in carefully chosen literature. Pupils benefit from the ‘read and discover’ programme, through which they explore important topics and ideas 11 and 12 October 2023

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while practising their reading. Pupil librarians and staff often recommend their favourite books. This inspires pupils to read more widely. Pupils in this school love reading.

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The curriculum for mathematics is exemplary. Children in early years develop their knowledge by securing a deep understanding of number. Children confidently link abstract numbers to concrete objects. They enjoy representing numbers in a variety of ways. In key stage 2, pupils apply these secure foundations to rapidly solve mathematical problems. Leaders have made sure that the curriculum supports all pupils to become fluent mathematicians. Teachers address any misconceptions that pupils might have. Pupils are highly resilient when learning new concepts and correcting errors.

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Leaders’ work to promote pupils’ personal development is exceptional. They have established a bespoke curriculum that enables pupils to talk about issues such as anxiety, mental health and equality with considerable maturity. The school provides structured opportunities for pupils to engage in debate. Staff make sure pupils have the language to debate with confidence. In Year 6, pupils take part in a graduation programme. This helps to prepare them for their future lives. This knowledge informs the deep respect with which pupils treat everyone around them. Pupils live out this respect by taking on leadership roles in their school. Impressive play leaders support younger pupils at breaktimes by setting up interesting games. Others work as anti-bullying ambassadors and many support their school as members of the Earthshot eco-committee. One pupil summed up the difference this makes, saying, ‘I like the feeling you get inside when you do something for others.’

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Those responsible for governance are extremely knowledgeable about the school. They check that leaders’ actions impact positively on pupils. The trust provides highly effective support and professional development pathways for staff at all levels. The workload and well-being of all staff are priorities. Staff are proud to work at this school. They are inspired by the considerable difference that their work makes to the lives of all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the most important knowledge that pupils need to know and remember needs to be more carefully defined. Pupils have some gaps in their knowledge. The school should continue to review this knowledge as part of its continual refinement of the curriculum. 11 and 12 October 2023

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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). 11 and 12 October 2023

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CEO of the trust

Website https://akroydon.trinitymat.org/

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CEO of the trust

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school runs a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. 11 and 12 October 2023

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 An inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator and the lead inspector met with the early years leader.  The lead inspector held a meeting with governors, including the chair of the local governing board. The lead inspector held a separate meeting with the trust’s CEO and the chair of the trust.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, history and science. 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. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector: 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

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culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including records of pupils’ behaviour and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life.  To gather parents’ views, inspectors took account of the views of parents from the Ofsted Parent View survey, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including free-text comments. Inspectors also talked to parents at the start of the school day.  To gather the views of staff, inspectors took account of the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jane Clayton Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 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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