Ofsted has identified several areas needing improvement at a Bexley school where disadvantaged children perform well below the national average.
The education standards authority has reported that the percentage of disadvantaged pupils (those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years) achieving grade 5 or above in English and Maths GCSE at Trinity Church of England School in Belvedere in 2024/25 was just 9.1 per cent. The national average is 25.8 per cent.
Ofsted inspectors visited Trinity in March and found that only one of the seven areas that it grades met the expected standard. All six others were graded as ‘Needs attention’ though they noted work was being done to try to address the issues. The school’s safeguarding standards were also met.
The Ofsted report stated that work to improve the school’s quality of teaching had begun, but it was yet to yield the desired results. It said: “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.”
The report also stated: “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.”
Inspectors also found that disadvantaged and SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) pupils were not progressing as well as they should, but “positive” actions were being taken by school leadership to address this. Ofsted noted that Trinity had experienced “significant changes in staffing” and so some aspects of school leadership had “lacked continuity over time”.
Inspectors were positive about how school leaders were evaluating Trinity and identifying areas that needed to improve at the school, but the systems they’d put in place to change these were “not embedded or robust enough to provide a fully informed picture”.
The one area that met the expected standard at Trinity was its post-16 provision. The Ofsted report said that sixth form pupils “work independently and respond well to expert teacher guidance” and teachers “encourage discussion between students to help develop their thinking, and typically, students learn well”.
Ofsted inspectors also praised the school for the help and guidance it provides sixth form pupils on their next steps, be that university or entering the workplace.
It was also reported that Trinity pupils are generally happy at the school. The report states: “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.”
Ofsted has told the leadership at Trinity to strengthen its strategic oversight and analysis to improve teaching at the school, and ensure that staff have the right training and support to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND.
Trinity Church of England School has been approached for comment.
