The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy Beechdale Road, Aspley, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG8 3EZ

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Outcome

The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Matthew Shenton. This school is part of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic 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, James McGeachie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Nigel Stevenson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring school where everyone feels included. Pupils enjoy coming to school. They aspire to live up to the school’s values that are linked to faith, love and respect. They enjoy positive relationships with adults. There is a strong pastoral support system in place that gives pupils extra help if they need it. Pupils are polite and consistently kind and respectful towards each other. They show high levels of tolerance and understanding of each other’s differences. Pupils are safe and feel safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for how well pupils should behave and achieve. Pupils’ behaviour is calm and orderly, in classrooms and during social times. They take pride in their school. Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in their external examinations. Students in the sixth form also achieve highly. This sets pupils up well for their next stage of life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The positive culture that has been created in school is further reinforced by the variety of enrichment and extra-curricular activities available to the pupils. These provide pupils with both academic and cultural opportunities to grow and develop as young adults. 3 and 4 December 2024

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school is determined that every pupil should succeed. Overall, pupils in Year 11 achieve similar to others nationally in their examinations. Since the previous inspection, the school has carried out work to strengthen the curriculum to ensure that it is well sequenced, broad and ambitious. However, this revised curriculum is not yet in place fully for all pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They create positive learning environments in the classroom. Some teachers use effective strategies to find out what pupils know and understand. Suitable recall tasks help pupils remember more of their learning. Mostly, teachers use the emerging findings from these activities to identify and resolve gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. However, in a few cases, teachers do not adapt learning well enough to take into account what pupils know and what they need extra help with. This means there are some gaps in pupils’ learning that are not closed quickly enough.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school knows the needs of pupils with SEND very well. Timely identification and ongoing checks ensure that these pupils get appropriate support. The school provides clear information to staff about pupils’ needs, including pupils with SEND. Staff benefit from training that helps them to support these pupils effectively. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Sixth-form students are proud of their school. They respond well to the school’s high expectations. Teachers use a variety of approaches to encourage students to think deeply, make connections and support their views and ideas. Students benefit from tailored support from teachers. They know how to improve their work, which helps them achieve very well. Students go on to a range of appropriate academic and professional destinations. They are prepared well for their next steps.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s approach to reading is increasingly rigorous. The process of identifying pupils who struggle to read is effective. When pupils receive additional support, they make strong progress and become fluent and confident readers.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, understand the importance of coming to school frequently. The school provides effective support for pupils who need to improve their attendance. As a result, overall attendance is strong for all groups.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s personal development programme is comprehensive. Pupils learn about healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way. They understand the importance of fundamental British values and treating others with respect. They are taught how to keep themselves safe online and when in the community. Pupils receive expert impartial guidance on careers. They enjoy many high-quality extra-curricular opportunities, including in music and sport. Many pupils value being involved with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme. These opportunities are accessible to all pupils. 3 and 4 December 2024

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With the support of the trust, the school accurately reviews all aspects of its work. When needed, the school introduces new initiatives effectively. Staff are positive about the support they receive and are proud to be part of the school. Leaders have built positive working relationships with staff and are considerate of their workload. Trustees and governors have become increasingly proactive and know the school well. They provide appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. They have focused their attention successfully on maintaining the school’s strong performance since the previous inspection.

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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 still in the process of refining the curriculum and identifying the essential knowledge that pupils should learn. This makes it difficult for staff to deliver some areas of the curriculum as effectively as they could, where this work is incomplete. The school should ensure that there is clarity around what should be taught in each subject so that pupils gain the deep knowledge of which they are capable, across the curriculum.  On some occasions, teachers do not check routinely what pupils have learned and remembered. As a result, some gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified quickly enough. Pupils are, sometimes, missing important knowledge that they need for future learning. The school should ensure that learning is adapted routinely to resolve gaps in learning so that pupils’ knowledge and understanding is secure before they move on.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, 3 and 4 December 2024

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behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in March 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1193

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form

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two alternative provisions, one of which is unregistered.  As the school is designated as having a religious character, it is inspected under section 48 of the Education Act 2005, most recently in November 2021. The next inspection is due in the academic year 2027 to 2028.  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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 met with the headteacher and other school and trust leaders. They also met with a range of teaching and support staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees and the local governing body.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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

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Information about this inspection

safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with pupils from a range of year groups, including the sixth form.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and various policies.

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Inspection team

Jamie Clarke, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Rebecca Thompson Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 2024

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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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