Trevithick Learning Academy

Inspection of Trevithick Learning Academy Mount Pleasant Road, Camborne, Cornwall TR14 7RH

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Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Trevithick Learning Academy as an academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last graded inspection of the predecessor school.

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is William Johnson. This school is part of Venture Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Philip Robinson. 15 and 16 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Inclusion runs through Trevithick like a stick of rock. Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils whether they are in the mainstream classes or in the additional resource base (ARB). Staff cheerfully greet pupils each morning. This reflects the warm relationships in the school. Pupils feel safe and secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They have highly positive attitudes to learning. Pupils display impeccable manners towards visitors. At lunchtimes, they play together harmoniously on a range of equipment such as go-karts and the skateboard ramp. Staff’s support for pupils who find it difficult to manage their emotions is highly effective. Bullying is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a rich range of experiences beyond the academic. From the beach and forest school to the Year 6 bushcraft camp, these experiences are meticulously planned and of the highest quality.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Trevithick is a hub of sporting excellence across a range of different disciplines. The school monitors pupils’ participation in sports tournaments to ensure a high number have their chance to shine. In addition, the school hosts the ‘Trevictus Games’. This gives pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) the experience of competitive sport.

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better?

Leaders, staff, governors, trustees, pupils and parents are united in the vision for Trevithick. There is an unwavering focus on pupils’ personal development. Pupils leave Trevithick having learned a broad and balanced curriculum. However, it is the breadth beyond the academic that the school is rightly proud of. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

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better?

The school has established a well-sequenced and ambitious curriculum from Nursery to the end of key stage 2. Leaders have supported staff to carefully craft and hone curriculum thinking. At every step of the journey, they consider the needs of pupils with SEND. Adaptations for these pupils, including those in the ARB, are skilfully and strategically managed. Following a dip in key stage 1 results, the school has strengthened its work on oracy and vocabulary to ensure that this is not a barrier to pupils.

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better?

Staff have agreed approaches for teaching the curriculum. They explain concepts well. Staff question and probe pupils to understand their thinking. They use appropriate resources to help pupils, such as glossaries in science. However, sometimes the work pupils complete does not build on what they can already do. This means that pupils do not deepen their knowledge fully. Where staff implement the curriculum better, pupils recall their learning well. For example, older pupils recall what they have learned about World War 1. Younger pupils describe features of different seasons in science. 15 and 16 November 2023

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Reading is prioritised from the moment children start in the early years. In the Nursery, children, including two-year-olds, learn nursery rhymes and listen carefully to the stories that adults read to them. The school regularly trains staff to improve their teaching. As a result, pupils learn the phonics code well. Through effective checking systems, staff quickly identify those who fall behind. Extra support helps them to catch up.

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The school develops much of its learning in the outdoors. For example, through the ‘Venture 60’ programme, pupils develop key skills such as teamwork, resilience and independence. Children in the Nursery develop their learning across all areas of the early years curriculum in the well-planned outdoor space. The school checks these dovetails with the indoor provision.

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Pupils experience life beyond Camborne. They visit contrasting locations such as London and Manchester. This helps to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Pupils develop leadership skills in roles such as school council members, play and sports leaders.

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The school has highly effective systems to promote attendance. While the school knows and supports its families well, it is not afraid to take swift and decisive action where necessary. As a result, pupils’ attendance is above those of their peers nationally.

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Parents and carers speak very highly of the school. They say communication between school and home is strong. Parents know they can approach staff with any concerns they might have.

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The trust ensures that the local governing body is clear on its roles and responsibilities. They hold the leadership of the school to account well. Governors make checks on aspects of the school’s work, such as safeguarding. This helps them to have an accurate view of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On some occasions, teachers give pupils activities that do not build on what they can already do. As a result, on these occasions, pupils do not deepen their knowledge fully. The trust needs to ensure that teachers provide pupils with work that extends their knowledge. 15 and 16 November 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 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). 15 and 16 November 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Venture Multi Academy Trust. It converted to become an academy in 2012.  The school has an additional resource base for 33 pupils. This additional resource base is primarily for pupils with autism and additional speech, language and communication needs.  The school runs a Nursery for 2- to 4-year-olds.  The school runs its own breakfast and after-school club.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 15 and 16 November 2023

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Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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 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 to the headteacher and other senior leaders, groups of staff, groups of pupils, trustees, members of the governing body and a member of staff from the alternative provider.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum and looked at samples of work in English, physical education, art and design, geography, religious education and modern foreign languages.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  Inspectors spoke to parents at the start of the school day. They also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Jason Edge, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Baillie Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 November 2023

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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