Trinity Academy

Inspection of Trinity Academy Church Balk, Thorne, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN8 5BY

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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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The principal of this school is Victoria Gibson. This school is part of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Mark Pike, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Stewart McKinlay. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are valued as individuals at this inclusive school. Pupils experience an education that is underpinned by a strong Christian ethos. Pupils have excellent relationships with their teachers and are nurtured to develop their character. Pupils feel safe and have trusted adults.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well, and incidents of disruption in lessons are low. Pupils move around the school site sensibly and quietly. Most pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive. A minority of pupils are uncertain about their enjoyment and value of learning. Sixth-form students are highly positive about their lessons and teachers. They play an active part in the leadership of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a range of clubs and activities, such as football, netball, rock band, Doctor Who, fitness and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Pupils and students support numerous charities through toy collections, shoebox appeals and sponsoring children abroad who need support and care.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are taught to take pride in themselves and their work. This is evident in their mannerisms, uniform and written work. Pupils are articulate and can describe what they have learned in lessons. Pupils benefit from a revised curriculum, which is having a positive impact on their progress.

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better?

The school provides an inclusive curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. The school has made various changes to the curriculum in recent years. These changes have ensured that all pupils are prepared well for future education, employment or training. The curriculum is carefully planned and enables pupils to accumulate more knowledge over time. The trust is providing support to further refine some areas of the curriculum. The school’s new curriculum potential is not fully reflected in the most recent outcomes of external examinations. However, current pupils and students in the sixth form are making good progress. Sixth-form students achieve strongly on vocational and applied courses. Most pupils recall knowledge and can articulate what they have learned.

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better?

Teachers use a variety of methods to help pupils remember knowledge and learn new skills. For example, ‘Do Now’ tasks at the start of lessons help pupils recall prior knowledge and link this to their current learning. Teachers skilfully use questions to check pupils’ understanding. However, in some lessons, there are missed opportunities for the development of pupils’ oracy skills. Teachers provide support to help pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). New quality assurance procedures are in place to ensure that good teaching practice is consistent in all lessons.

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better?

The school has prioritised reading, literacy and writing. Pupils expand their vocabulary in lessons through strategies such as ‘Say it again, better’ and an 16 and 17 April 2024

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emphasis on word etymology. Pupils are taught to predict, read, question, categorise and summarise written information. The weakest readers are quickly identified, supported and make good progress. Sixth-form students and pupils in key stage 4 mentor and support younger pupils with reading.

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Pupils behave very well in lessons. The consistent implementation of the new behavioural policy has helped raise standards. Staff talk with pupils to help them understand the reasons for consequences and how to improve their behaviour. As a result, suspensions have been significantly reduced. Most pupils attend school regularly. The school makes considerable efforts to ensure that attendance remains high for all pupils.

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The personal development programme features a strong Christian ethos. Pupils develop their character and learn about seven core virtues, including love and wisdom. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online and about healthy relationships, drugs and alcohol abuse. Some pupils recall only superficial details about world faiths and protected characteristics. Sixth-form students are taught about themes such as sexual health and financial literacy. They play an active role in the life of the wider school. For example, students lead the school’s support for local charities, and student house captains act as mentors for younger pupils. Students experience a comprehensive careers curriculum. This provides a range of encounters with employers and work experience opportunities.

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School leaders have made significant improvements to all aspects of the school since the last inspection. Leaders gather data that provides information about the school’s performance. However, this data is not consistently acted on to inform further improvement strategies. Governors and Trustees have a good understanding of the school. Governors are now developing the confidence to challenge school leaders and hold them to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 16 and 17 April 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not make sufficient progress or achieve the outcomes they are capable of in external examinations. However, recent developments and improvements to the curriculum are having a positive impact on pupils’ progress and achievement. The school should ensure that improvements in the quality of education are fully embedded, consistently implemented and reflected in pupil outcomes at key stages 4 and 5.  The school does not always consistently act on data to inform and shape improvement strategies. This means that sometimes potential improvements are missed or delayed. The school should ensure that leaders at all levels have a sharp understanding of data and that this is used to inform rapid improvements.

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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). 16 and 17 April 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,254

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 14 March 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Trinity Academy joined the Emmanuel Schools Foundation in September 2017.  The school in one of five schools in the Emmanuel Schools Foundation.  A section 48 inspection of the school took place in September 2022.  The school uses five registered alternative providers for education.  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. 16 and 17 April 2024

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the principal, other leaders, staff and pupils. They met with governors, trustees and a representative from the Diocese of Sheffield.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: geography, English, modern foreign languages, mathematics and art, design and technology. 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.  Inspectors visited lessons and considered how the needs of disadvantaged and

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Information about this inspection

pupils with SEND are addressed. They visited the internal provision for pupils with SEND. They observed pupils at various times of the school day.  Inspectors spoke to two representatives of the alternative provisions used by the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the views of parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Chris Carr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sam Vickers Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 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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