Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere

Trinity Church of England School, Belvedere

Address: Erith Road, Belvedere, Kent, DA17 6HT Unique reference number (URN): 136538

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

The school operates an inclusive sixth form that offers a mix of A ‑ level subjects and vocational courses. Leaders are proud of how they cater for students’ individual needs. In lessons, students work independently and respond well to expert teacher guidance. Teachers encourage discussion between students to help develop their thinking, and typically, students learn well. This is broadly reflected in their achievement in national examinations.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students benefit from multiple opportunities to reflect on different values and beliefs, as well as explore and discuss ethical issues. They also take part in a number of enrichment opportunities, including educational visits and activities such as working in partnership with Erith Rotary Club to raise funds in the local community. These include students mentoring younger pupils and acting as mental health ambassadors in the sixth form.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students receive dedicated support for their next steps, including with university applications and interview preparation. Work experience for all students in Year 12 also helps to prepare them effectively to make informed career choices. Students are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, do not achieve as well as they should in national examinations. While recent work to improve the quality of teaching has started, there remains much variation. This limits pupils' progress through the curriculum and, as a result, they do not achieve as well as they should. This is evident across different subjects. Pupils have gaps in their understanding, including in relation to their use of spelling, grammar and punctuation. Consequently, pupils' written work is inconsistent and not routinely of high quality.

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Achievement Needs attention

Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not progress as well as they should from their starting points. Leaders' actions to address this, while positive, are in the early stages and not currently embedded. Overall, pupils are not routinely as prepared as they should be for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils’ attendance has historically been lower than that of pupils nationally. Leaders have taken effective action to address this. For example, staff work closely with families to understand the challenges that prevent regular and punctual attendance and to provide appropriate support. Strategies such as the breakfast club, the ‘100 club’ and the termly ‘lucky dip’ are helping to address barriers to attending well. As a result, pupils' attendance is currently in line with national averages. However, leaders’ strategic oversight of part ‑ time timetables is not, at present, consistently robust. They are not reviewed with enough rigour to ensure that pupils return to full ‑ time education as promptly as they could.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Typically, pupils behave well in lessons. However, staff often have inconsistent expectations and do not always apply the agreed systems with the same rigour. As a result, pupils receive mixed messages about what is acceptable. Leaders acknowledge there is more work to do to ensure that the behaviour policy is applied consistently. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are inconsistent, and some pupils struggle to behave well, particularly at unstructured times. The introduction of the ‘Oasis Room’ provides a calm, purposeful environment where pupils can reflect on their behaviour and continue learning. More widely, however, there is not a sufficiently systematic approach to adapting behaviour strategies for pupils with additional needs. This means these pupils do not routinely receive the consistent, tailored support that they require to manage their behaviour successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils' experience of the curriculum is variable. Leaders have rightly identified the steps they need to take to improve teaching. However, at present, the actions taken are not having the intended impact to bring about consistent improvement. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not prepared as well as they should be for the next stages of their education.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Leaders have introduced training that is beginning to strengthen aspects of teaching. However, there is variability in how well staff use assessment to adapt their teaching. This means that some pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not access learning as successfully as they could. For some pupils, the tasks and activities planned for them are not as ambitious as the curriculum intends or adapted sufficiently well to build on their existing learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils who need help to catch up with reading and numeracy receive appropriate additional support, including with phonics. However, pupils who struggle with their handwriting are not supported as effectively. In these instances, weaknesses in pupils' written work persist.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Pupils benefit from a broad curriculum that enables them to study a range of academic and vocational qualifications. Staff teach the curriculum in an appropriate sequence that is designed to help pupils build knowledge over time. Generally, teachers use secure subject knowledge to give clear explanations.

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Inclusion Needs attention

While leaders have begun to identify and implement new systems for assessing the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), they do not monitor the impact of the support provided for pupils closely enough. As a result, pupils with SEND and those who face additional barriers to their learning do not consistently get the support that is needed for them to access the curriculum successfully. The approaches that support pupils in the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND are not mirrored across the mainstream classes. For example, key information is not shared or coordinated well with teachers. Where information exists, such as the 'know your class' sheets, there is variability with how effectively this information is used to inform teaching and learning for pupils with additional barriers.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff have received training to support inclusion. However, their knowledge of the barriers that pupils face and their expertise in how to address these barriers are not sufficiently embedded. Consequently, gaps in pupils’ learning remain and are not being closed as well as they should be. This limits some pupils’ ability to develop the knowledge and understanding they need to succeed across the curriculum.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Although leaders' strategy to support disadvantaged pupils is at an early stage of design and implementation, it is beginning to have a positive impact. For example, attendance rates have improved following the introduction of targeted strategies, such as a breakfast club.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders work with external agencies to help identify the needs of pupils with SEND. They engage well with families to support pupils’ wellbeing and mental health.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

The school has experienced significant changes in staffing. As a result, some aspects of its work have lacked continuity over time. Leaders are reflective in their evaluation of the school and have identified appropriate areas for improvement, for example attendance. However, the systems leaders use to measure and evaluate the impact of their work are not embedded or robust enough to provide a fully informed picture. This means leaders do not have a fully accurate understanding of what is working well and the areas that remain inconsistent and need further development.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Those responsible for governance have the training that they need to carry out their duties effectively. They provide appropriate support and challenge to school leaders. Governors, trustees and trust leaders make appropriate decisions about the deployment of time and resources. They ensure that statutory duties are met, for example, in relation to safeguarding. Leaders make decisions in the best interests of pupils. However, the school is at the early stages of its improvement journey. Many of the changes that leaders have implemented are in their infancy and it is too early to determine their impact.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders have introduced a refreshed programme of professional learning for staff that draws on research and aligns with school improvement priorities. This is helping staff to strengthen their expertise across different areas, although variation in classroom practice remains. Staff understand the school’s priorities and feel well supported in their work and with their wellbeing.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Some older pupils' understanding of important aspects of the personal, social, and health education (PSHE) curriculum is not secure. Pupils do not routinely benefit from opportunities to build their learning, for example, in relation to the protected characteristics such as race, gender and disability, and elements of relationships and sex education and health education, such as consent. This means that older pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for adulthood, further education or the workplace.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

For younger pupils, the PSHE programme is well designed and covers a wide range of essential learning. Pupils' work shows that teachers often adapt learning to stretch and challenge them. Consequently, many pupils build a solid understanding of concepts such as online safety and the fundamental British values of democracy, tolerance and the rule of law. Pupils also learn about careers. They take part in work experience, which helps them make informed choices about their next steps. Disadvantaged pupils benefit from this work.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Leaders provide a range of sporting opportunities, including through house competitions. Creative arts opportunities exist through the school production, the summer creative arts showcase, as well as the school band and choir. Pupils enjoy the school’s annual ‘Cultural Day’. They take a leading role in the 'Trinitas Games', supporting the development of sport in the trust's primary schools. These opportunities develop confidence, teamwork and a sense of belonging, as well as encouraging pupils to explore their interests beyond the classroom. Leaders are keen for disadvantaged pupils to access this offer, although they do not systematically act to ensure that these pupils benefit as fully as they could.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted through both the school's values and the wider personal development programme. For example, in tutor time, pupils engage with current news stories and think about different viewpoints. Many pupils demonstrate the confidence to discuss real-world issues, reflect on moral choices and understand the world around them.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders have worked to strengthen aspects of the school's provision, such as inclusion, teaching, behaviour and attendance. While many of the changes are positive, they are not currently applied consistently. As a result, pupils' experiences are varied. For example, sixth- form students generally achieve in line with national averages in external examinations. However, across the rest of the school, many pupils do not achieve well. They are therefore not prepared as effectively as they should be for their next steps.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school’s ethos of ‘reach higher, shine brighter’ is evident in leaders' intention to raise pupils’ aspirations and support them to achieve well. Leaders want pupils to grow into young people who make a positive difference to their community. Opportunities such as the ‘Trinitas Games Competitions’ give pupils a chance to shine. Pupils across the school, including those who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are beginning to benefit from the changes being made.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders prioritise inclusion. Their recent actions mean that typically, pupils who need additional help receive support. Nevertheless, the impact on pupils' learning is variable and not routinely checked. The recently introduced ‘Oasis Room’ offers academic, social and emotional support for pupils who need it. Pupils attend more regularly than they once did. They enjoy coming to school and feel safe. Pupils appreciate that staff know them well. They are confident that staff will listen to any worries they have. While behaviour is inconsistent overall, bullying is uncommon. When it does occur, staff take steps to resolve it.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders support some aspects of pupils’ wider development well. The breakfast club provides a positive and nutritious start to the day, as well as an opportunity for staff to check pupils’ wellbeing. Enrichment activities, such as trips to the British Racing School, bake sales and theatre visits broaden pupils' experiences. Roles, including school councillors, sports leaders and campaigners, help pupils to develop a sense of belonging and responsibility. Pupils learn to respect others. They understand the values that underpin life in modern Britain.

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Next steps

Leaders and those responsible for governance should strengthen their strategic oversight and analysis so they can evaluate more precisely the impact of their work to improve teaching, behaviour and inclusion, including in relation to their strategic oversight of the effective use of part-time timetables. Leaders should ensure that all staff model high expectations for behaviour and apply the agreed behaviour policy consistently, including during unstructured times. Leaders should ensure that their approach to effective teaching is embedded across the school so that all pupils, including those who have barriers to their learning, achieve well. Leaders should ensure that staff have the right training and support to adapt their teaching effectively to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders should embed and refine the attendance strategy so pupils' attendance

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Next steps

continues to improve and these improvements are sustained over time. Leaders should ensure that older pupils build suitable knowledge through the personal, social and health education curriculum, preparing them for life beyond school.

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About this inspection

This school is part of an academy, Trinitas 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, Simon Godden, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by the Venerable Dr Paul Wright.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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Team inspectors:

David Lloyd, Ofsted Inspector Emily Leonard, His Majesty's Inspector Christian Hicks, Ofsted Inspector Vikram Gukhool, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

National average: 1,067 Inspectors spoke with the principal, other senior leaders, a representative from the trust and the chair of governors during the inspection.

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What does this mean?

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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What does this mean?

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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What does this mean?

The school makes use of 2 alternative provisions.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school. National average: 13.4%

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 38.6% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 38.1% 45.3% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 20.5% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 33.3% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 36.0 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.77 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 0.0 0.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (revised) 0.0 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 10.1% 8.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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