Trinity High School and Sixth Form Centre

Inspection of Trinity High School and Sixth Form Centre Easemore Road, Redditch, Worcestershire B98 8HB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Nigel Ford. This school is part of the Bordesley Multi-Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Adrian Ward, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Deborah Andrews. 5 and 6 March 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this school community. The school’s ‘HEART’ values of happiness, excellence, ambition, respect and tolerance permeate through all aspects of school life. Pupils are respectful and polite and show positive attitudes. They enjoy their lessons and are focused on their learning. In social time, they enjoy time with their friends and behave well. They feel safe. They know that teachers will deal with any bullying issues quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have very high ambitions for their pupils. Pupils can learn effectively because teachers plan for all their needs. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In lessons, pupils willingly contribute to discussions and take pride in their work. Pupils like learning because teachers make lessons enjoyable.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a wide choice of opportunities outside of lessons. They can take on a range of leadership roles such as being a HEART ambassador. Many also participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme, which the school offers to gold level. The school also provides a variety of trips, including many linked to pupils’ academic learning, such as a recent trip to Paris. Students in the sixth form value the opportunities to visit universities, colleges and employers as part of their careers guidance.

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better?

The school is very well led. Leaders have accurately identified the school’s strengths and determined how to address any weaknesses. They have worked diligently on improvements in a relatively short period. Governors know the school well and have a high level of commitment to it and the wider community. Their support and challenge are helping leaders to improve the school rapidly.

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better?

Leaders have created a highly ambitious, broad and enriching curriculum for all pupils. The curriculum design is well developed. Teachers have identified essential knowledge needed to understand more complex concepts as pupils move through the curriculum journey. These plans are logically sequenced and rich in knowledge. As a result, pupils are able to develop greater depth in their understanding. The curriculum prepares pupils well for the rigour of academic and vocational courses in key stage 4 and beyond. Leaders have designed the curriculum with the English Baccalaureate at its centre. Consequently, the humanities subjects and modern foreign languages have seen a significant increase in the numbers of pupils studying them lately.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They plan lessons carefully so all pupils can learn effectively. Teachers ensure that knowledge and concepts are broken down into small parts. In lessons, they provide pupils with interesting and engaging activities. These support pupils’ understanding well. Leaders have also made considerable improvements to the provision of learning and support for pupils with 5 and 6 March 2024

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SEND. Teachers use information about their needs effectively to adapt their teaching and resources. Pupils say teachers support them very well.

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Regular assessment helps teachers identify gaps in knowledge and misunderstandings quickly. They then adapt their teaching to ensure key knowledge is understood. Teachers provide relevant feedback to support pupils in making improvements to their work. Pupils’ work is of a high quality and shows that they are developing knowledge effectively. For example, in a Year 11 French class, pupils demonstrated their strong knowledge of a range of tenses with fluency.

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Leaders have implemented a variety of strategies to develop a reading culture across the school. Pupils whose reading age is below expectations receive additional support with phonics. Students in the sixth form also help younger pupils who struggle with reading.

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Leaders are working relentlessly to improve attendance. There has been a steady improvement over the last two years. Leaders identify barriers pupils face in coming to school regularly and provide targeted support for them. This is helping to reduce persistent absence as well.

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Expectations for pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are high. The school’s ethos weaves through the strategies to support pupils in managing their own behaviour. The pastoral team offers a range of support for early help and social, emotional and mental health needs. Suspensions are now reducing.

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In personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, pupils learn about a wide range of issues. This includes living in modern Britain and developing positive relationships. The careers programme provides opportunities to learn about a wide range of careers. This includes apprenticeships as well as routes to college and university. In Years 11 and 12, all pupils are able to do work experience. Many pupils participate in extra-curricular activities. However, this is not monitored precisely enough to enable the school to encourage and support some of the pupils who would most benefit from this provision to take part.

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The curriculum in the sixth form is now more ambitious. It offers a broad range of courses. Students’ work shows that they understand more complex knowledge. The PSHE programme helps prepare students for independent life well. Students can also access a variety of other experiences such as World Challenge.

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Leaders have wisely used expertise from the trust and external partners to support their school improvement work. An exemplary professional development programme for all staff is supporting this improvement effectively. Leaders go to great lengths to reduce workload pressures. Staff were very complimentary about the way leaders address their well-being needs.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 5 and 6 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Around half of the pupils in the school do not participate in the extra-curricular programme. This means that many are not benefiting from the opportunity to develop their personal skills and from the wide range of interesting opportunities on offer. The school should consider how best to make sure that they know which pupils are not making the most of these opportunities and work to engage them in the programme.

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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). 5 and 6 March 2024

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 3 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Bordesley Multi-Academy Trust.  The school makes use of five registered alternative provisions 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.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education 5 and 6 March 2024

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 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 representatives of the local governing body and the board of trustees, including the chair of governors.  Inspectors held meetings with the CEO of the trust, the headteacher, senior leaders and subject leaders. Inspectors met with a range of other staff and leaders during the inspection.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during social times and during movement around the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, science, history, modern foreign languages and food technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and teachers, visited a sample of

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lessons, reviewed samples of pupils’ work and spoke with some pupils.  Inspectors also visited lessons in English, product design, health and social care, drama and photography.  Inspectors spoke with the leaders responsible for the sixth form, personal development, pupil premium, behaviour and attendance, alternative provision, early careers teachers, SEND and reading.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documents, including leaders’ self-evaluation, the school development plan and attendance and behaviour records.  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.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online

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Inspection team

Nicola Walters, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Graeme Rudland Ofsted Inspector 5 and 6 March 2024

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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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