Trinity Academy Richmond

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school, now under new leadership, shows the capacity for improvement. However, there are weaknesses that need to be addressed quickly.

Pupils have not had the chance to achieve as well as they should. This is because leaders have not thought carefully enough about how to organise pupils' learning. Over time, improvements have been too slow.

Pupils do not show positive attitudes towards their learning. Some pupils are easily distracted and do not show a commitment to learning. Expectations for how pupils should behave have not been high enough until very recently.

Pupils do not learn in a calm environment. Some pupils misbehave and stop others from focusi...ng on their work.

Pupils say that bullying does happen.

They say that some adults deal with it quickly, but not all. They know there can be different types of bullying. They know how to stay safe online, around water and when crossing the road.

Children in the early years are well looked after but do not receive a curriculum that helps them to get off to a positive start. Leaders have low expectations of what children can achieve.

Pupils do not have access to a wide, rich set of experiences.

There are limited opportunities for pupils to develop their interests or talents. While some pupils find it hard to talk about what they like at school, they were clear that they feel safe and happy.

Pupils know if they have a worry there is an adult to talk to.

Pupils like to be active at breaktime. They make the most of these opportunities. They like playing with their friends.

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

Over time, the trust has not been effective in addressing weaknesses at this school. Leaders have not paid sufficient attention to areas of significant weakness. This is particularly the case with the quality of the curriculum.

Only recently have subject leaders been based full time in the school. The previous model of subject leaders working across schools was not successful. This decision, taken by senior leaders, is helping to address historic curriculum weaknesses.

The curriculum has not helped pupils acquire the knowledge they need. Due to insufficient training, guidance and support, subject leaders have been unsure as to what a high-quality curriculum looks like. Consequently, the curriculum is fragmented, disjointed and does not enable pupils to learn successfully.

However, now leaders are focusing on the curriculum, there are signs that weaknesses are being quickly addressed.

Adults in the early years have good relationships with children. The children are happy and enjoy the activities they are given.

Two-year-olds are given appropriate care, support and attention. However, the curriculum is not ambitious or designed well enough to help children to develop the knowledge they require. Children are learning a set of disconnected concepts that lack purpose or meaning.

The approach to early reading is not clear across the early years and key stage 1. Different year groups are using different approaches, and teachers are changing the order in which sounds are taught. Children can sound out words and apply the phonics knowledge they have learned.

However, they often struggle to read fluently. Pupils read books that are appropriately matched to their reading knowledge.

Pupils show positive relationships when interacting with each other at breaktime.

Leaders provide opportunities for pupils to be active, which they enjoy. However, behaviour in lessons is not good. Where the subject content or delivery of the curriculum is less strong, pupils quickly become disengaged and distracted.

This means that vital learning time is lost.

Leaders have not provided a stimulating wider curriculum. Pupils are not given the opportunities to try new experiences or develop their interests.

Pupils are not enthusiastic about school or the curriculum.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities receive support to meet their needs. Teachers adapt the curriculum where required.

Pupils with more significant challenges receive one-to-one support from teaching assistants. Adaptations to the curriculum are generally working well. Pupils who find school more of a challenge receive high-quality social and emotional support.

Leaders provide well for pupils who struggle to manage their feelings and behaviour. These particular pupils receive high-quality support.

Governors have been unable to hold leaders to account effectively and accurately.

COVID-19 has impacted their usual school visits. However, inaccurate information about the performance of the school has taken them off track. Support and monitoring from governors and the trust have not successfully addressed ongoing weaknesses.

The new interim headteacher has quickly identified key priorities. He has started to make the necessary improvements. These have been shared with governors and the trust.

There is now a clear plan of action to address weaknesses across the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) work effectively as a team.

They have implemented systems that all staff understand. They have ensured that appropriate training has taken place. DSLs provide a supportive link between external agencies and the school.

This means that families often engage with support workers more readily. Staff are proactive. They quickly put in place strategies that prevent longer-term, more serious problems from occurring.

Leaders monitor attendance rigorously. Leaders use a range of strategies to ensure that pupils who are often absent improve their attendance. Pupils are aware of potential dangers outside of school and know who to speak to if they have a concern.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not coherently planned. It does not have sufficient focus on what knowledge pupils should learn. As a result, pupils do not acquire a solid foundation of knowledge on which to build when they move on to the next step in their education.

Leaders should review the curriculum to ensure that knowledge is taught in the right order and ensure that pupils learn and remember what is taught. ? Middle leaders do not have the required knowledge to lead their subjects or phase of the school effectively. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

The curriculum does not meet their needs. Leaders need to make sure that high-quality support and guidance is put in place so middle leaders can carry out their roles effectively. ? Leaders have been self-evaluating the school's performance inaccurately.

This has resulted in key priorities for school improvement being neglected. Where action should have been taken, it has not. New leaders need to make sure that their action plans are rigorously monitored so that improvements are swift, successful and sustainable.

• Expectations for children in the early years are too low. The curriculum is incoherent and lacks precision. Therefore, children are receiving a scattergun approach to learning without any real purpose, order or structure.

Children are not developing the knowledge they should. Leaders need to quickly implement a curriculum that is ambitious and knowledge rich. ? Expectations for pupils' behaviour are not high enough.

Therefore, pupils become easily distracted in learning and cause low-level disruption. This negatively affects their own and other pupils' ability to learn effectively. Leaders need to raise the culture of expectations among all staff and monitor the consistency of behaviour across the school.

• There is no clear approach to the reading curriculum in the early years and key stage 1. Children receive an inconsistent curriculum that does not help them become fluent readers. Leaders need to decide what approach works best for pupils and ensure all staff are confident to implement the curriculum.