a school not in a category of concern of Trinity Academy Newcastle

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mark Flint Head of School Trinity Academy Newcastle Condercum Road Newcastle-upon-Tyne Tyne and Wear NE4 8XJ

p.1

Academy Newcastle

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 4 March 2025, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and took place because the school meets the monitoring threshold as set out in the Monitoring Inspection Handbook .

p.1

Academy Newcastle

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

p.1

Academy Newcastle

During the inspection, I discussed with you and other senior leaders, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust, trustees, governors and the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also reviewed safeguarding procedures. I carried out visits to lessons, observed social times, talked to staff and pupils and reviewed documentation relating to behaviour and attendance. These activities took place across both the lower and upper sites of your school. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

p.1

Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but some aspects of the

The school should take further action to:  Improve pupils’ attendance so that absence from school does not continue to be a barrier to education for such a high number of pupils. The school should intensify its actions in working with pupils, families and wider partners to secure significant improvements in attendance, enabling all pupils to benefit from the improving education and pastoral support available at the school.

p.1

Main findings

Since the last inspection, you have changed the leadership structure of the school to give more direct oversight of the two school sites. You have responsibility for the upper site, while a head of school has responsibility for the lower site. You work together productively to secure improvements for pupils. You have also added an assistant headteacher at the upper site. This person is responsible for the quality of education. In addition, investment from the trust has helped you to recruit more support staff. These changes have built leadership and staffing capacity in the school.

p.2

Main findings

Across your two sites, you have ensured there is better continuity in the curriculum. You have also taken steps to improve pupils’ transition from Year 6 to Year 7. This has helped pupils settle into the upper site quickly and calmly. The primary curriculum has been overhauled. You have now made clear the important knowledge pupils should know and remember. This is helping staff to deliver the curriculum more effectively. You have also invested in the development of your phonics programme. This is improving pupils’ ability to read with fluency and confidence. You have further plans to upskill staff across both sites in teaching reading.

p.2

Main findings

The implementation of the revised curriculum is still variable. Where the curriculum is delivered well, staff provide clear explanations. They demonstrate tasks well, helping pupils understand how to achieve success. In these lessons, pupils’ engagement is high, and they are confident in the subject. However, this practice is not consistent. Some staff do not choose the most appropriate task to support the aims of the curriculum. They also do not adapt teaching as effectively as they should. Resources do not support pupils’ diverse special educational needs and/or disabilities. In these lessons, pupils struggle. They become disengaged and lack faith in their ability.

p.2

Main findings

You and your team understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school well. Your improvement plans are fit for purpose. They reflect the findings of the last inspection. However, in some areas, these plans are not sufficiently focused on the impact of improvement actions on pupils.

p.2

Main findings

Trustees and governors understand their role well. Following the last inspection, they have increased their focus on staff well-being. They review staff surveys and hold you to account for actions. Governors have also ensured they quality assure the information you and your team provide. The trust is working alongside the school to build capacity in a number of areas. For example, the trust has invested in staffing and facilitated partnership working across the trust. The trust has also supported the provision of additional resource to help you with the operational running of the school. This is enabling you to focus on actions to improve the quality of pupils’ education. Also, there is an improved joined-up approach across the different sites. Staff recognise the positive changes that have taken place. They are now more confident that they will receive support when pupils misbehave.

p.2

Main findings

You have made effective changes to your pastoral team. Now, it looks closely at issues and triggers that lead to issues in behaviour rather than simply responding to events. This, along with your commitment to considering the context of pupils’ conduct, has helped reduce significant behaviour incidents. Instances of bullying, physical intervention and permanent exclusion are low. This is also evidence of the progress made in this area. You now have plans to focus on improving low-level disruption in classrooms. Although there are signs that pupils are engaging more positively in many aspects of school life, attendance remains an issue. Absence, including persistent absence, is high. This means too many pupils are missing out on the improving education that the school provides.

p.3

Main findings

At the last inspection, personal development was evaluated as good. However, pupils’ experience of personal, social and health education lessons is variable. High rates of absence and inconsistent implementation of the sessions lead to gaps in knowledge. Pupils’ experience of the subject varies in quality. You know this. Recently, you have put in place a targeted action plan to improve this aspect of the school’s provision.

p.3

Main findings

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, and the CEO or equivalent of the Trinity Academy Newcastle trust, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Newcastle. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

p.3