Three Rivers Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Three Rivers Academy has improved significantly over the past three years.

Pupils, parents and carers, staff and governors agree that there has been an extremely positive change in the culture and ethos of the school. The headteacher has worked tirelessly, supported by committed staff, to transform the school. Consequently, pupils now receive a good level of education.

Partnership work with The Howard Partnership Trust (THPT) continues to be key to the school's improvement. School staff value and appreciate the collaborative professional training with other trust schools. The newly formed local governing board (LGB) is fully committed to ...the school.

Governors are growing in confidence in their role to support and challenge school leaders. Teaching is effective in most subjects. Pupils demonstrate eagerness to learn and teachers have high expectations of what pupils can do and achieve.

Pupils' outcomes have improved steadily over time due to continually improving teaching. Pupils currently in the school are making good progress from their starting points. Pupils generally behave well in class and around the building.

They are proud of their school, look smart and collaborate happily with each other. They appreciate the support they receive from their teachers and the highly effective pastoral staff. The curriculum and enrichment activities promote pupils' development well.

The sixth form is good. Students' outcomes have improved markedly over time and they are well prepared for their next steps. Overall attendance is improving and is close to the national average.

Leaders are working hard to reduce the level of persistent absence, especially among disadvantaged pupils. Middle leaders, some quite new in post, are an increasingly effective group. They are beginning to take responsibility for the development of their team members' teaching skills.

The progress of disadvantaged pupils, especially middle-ability pupils, is improving. However, their progress still lags behind that of other pupils. There are some instances of less effective teaching, notably in mathematics, where pupils' off-task chatter hinders their progress.

Sometimes, teachers do not challenge such behaviour strongly enough.

Information about this school

Three Rivers Academy is an average-sized 11 to 18 secondary school. It became part of THPT, a Surrey-based multi-academy trust, in 2016.

Between 2016 and 2018, an IAB was in place, consisting of three trustees. From September 2018, an LGB gradually replaced the IAB and is now fully operational. The five members of THPT have reserved decision rights.

They hold the board of trustees to account for meeting the objects of THPT. Trustees are accountable for developing the partnership's strategy and vision and ensuring the high quality of educational provision across all schools. The LGB has some delegated responsibility for the overall strategic direction of the school and oversight of standards.

The school moved into brand-new purpose-built premises on the site of the predecessor school in February 2018. The proportion of pupils with SEND is well above the national average. Two thirds of pupils are of White British heritage.

The remainder are from a wide variety of minority ethnic backgrounds. Around a third of pupils are disadvantaged and are supported through the pupil premium. A small number of pupils in key stage 4 are educated off-site in alternative provision at The Applied Learning Project and Surrey Online School.