The Trinity Catholic School A Voluntary Academy Review 2026: Faith-led secondary with strong GCSE outcomes

A Catholic school where faith, routines, and aspiration are tightly interwoven. The mission statement sits front and centre, and students are expected to live it through daily conduct as much as through liturgy and charity. The leadership team emphasises inclusion and belonging, alongside clear expectations for behaviour and achievement.

On performance, GCSE outcomes are a clear strength. On FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking (based on official data), the school ranks 1046th in England and 13th in Nottingham, placing it above England average and within the top 25% of schools in England for GCSE outcomes. At sixth form level, results are more mixed: FindMySchool’s A-level ranking places it 1625th in England and 24th in Nottingham, which sits below England average. (These rankings are FindMySchool calculations using official data.)

Admissions are competitive in the most recent recorded entry-route dataset, with 504 applications and 182 offers, around 2.77 applications per place. For families considering Year 7 entry in Nottingham City, the published coordinated timetable sets the application deadline at 31 October 2025 for September 2026 entry.

The school’s identity is explicitly Catholic, and it reads as more than a label. The head teacher’s welcome positions Christ at the centre of school life, with a clear intent to shape students spiritually, socially, and academically. The motto is presented as an organising principle rather than a slogan: Ad Dei Gloriam (To the Glory of God).

That ethos shows up in how leadership frames expectations. School messaging repeatedly links conduct, respect, and relationships to faith, and the behaviour approach is anchored in the school’s mission language. For many families, this consistency matters. It gives students a shared reference point for what “good choices” look like, particularly in the busy, high-emotion years of secondary school.

Pastoral structures are described with unusual specificity. Rather than one pastoral team trying to cover every phase, the school references separate buildings used as pastoral bases for Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, and Key Stage 5. It also names two smaller support centres for SEND and English as an additional language: Elim and Emmaus. That kind of architecture of care often correlates with earlier intervention, clearer handovers, and fewer students slipping through gaps.

GCSE outcomes

The published figures suggest the strongest academic story sits at GCSE. In FindMySchool’s GCSE ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 1046th in England and 13th in Nottingham for GCSE outcomes. This places it above England average, within the top 25% of schools in England (25th percentile band).

On attainment, the school’s Attainment 8 score is 53.9. Progress is positive: Progress 8 is 0.1, indicating students make slightly above-average progress from their starting points. EBacc indicators are also solid, with an EBacc APS of 4.82 and 23.8% achieving grade 5 or above in the EBacc measure.

The implication for parents is straightforward. GCSE performance appears reliably stronger than the typical local mixed-intake picture, which can be particularly reassuring for families prioritising a structured Key Stage 4 pathway and consistent examination preparation.

A-level outcomes

Sixth form results are more variable. In FindMySchool’s A-level ranking (based on official data), the school is ranked 1625th in England and 24th in Nottingham, which sits below England average overall for this measure.

In the latest published grade distribution: 5% of A-level grades are A*, and 40% are A* to B. The England average comparison is 47.2% at A* to B, so the school sits below that benchmark on this headline measure.

This does not mean students cannot do very well here. It does suggest the sixth form may suit students who want continuity of pastoral culture, a familiar environment, and steady guidance, rather than families selecting purely on headline sixth form grade distributions.

(For parents comparing options, FindMySchool’s Local Hub and Comparison Tool can help you line up GCSE and A-level performance across nearby schools in a consistent format.)

Curriculum intent is described as broad and ambitious, with a stated focus on sequencing and subject knowledge. The latest Ofsted inspection highlights strengthening work on curriculum structure, while noting that the revised curriculum was not yet fully in place for all pupils at the time of the visit.

Music is presented as a distinctive feature of the Key Stage 3 experience. School communications describe an expectation that students take up an instrument, and the school publishes curriculum documentation specifically for Orchestra, describing it as a rehearsal model with the teacher acting as conductor. The educational implication is that music is not treated as an optional extra, it functions as a disciplined, timetabled strand that can build confidence, listening skills, and a sense of collective responsibility.

At sixth form, student development is not framed only around grades. The sixth form information references work experience allocated in Year 12, and a wider enrichment programme aimed at building independence and preparedness for post-18 routes.

The school does not publish a single branded “destinations percentage” headline on its website, so the most reliable picture comes from the official destinations dataset included here and the recorded Oxbridge figures.

For 2023 to 2024 leavers (cohort size 108), 60% progressed to university. 17% entered employment, 6% started apprenticeships, and 2% moved into further education. The implication is a balanced set of routes rather than a single dominant track, with a meaningful minority moving straight into work or apprenticeships.

On Oxbridge, the most recent measured cycle records 3 applications, 1 offer, and 1 acceptance, with the acceptance recorded in the Cambridge track. For a mixed-intake Catholic academy, that kind of outcome tends to reflect a school that can support high-attaining students through the complexity of elite applications, even if it is not a volume Oxbridge pipeline.

The school sits within Nottingham City’s coordinated admissions process for Year 7 entry, even though it is its own admission authority. The published timetable states that Nottingham City residents must apply by 31 October 2025 for September 2026 entry. Offers are communicated on 1 March 2026 (with offers posted on 2 March 2026), and families are asked to confirm acceptance within 14 days of receipt.

Faith matters in admissions. Trust-level admissions documentation describes priority for Catholic children when applications exceed places, and also sets out how evidence of faith commitment may be verified (for example through the kinds of documentation typically referenced in Catholic admissions policies). The practical implication is that Catholic families with parish links will often have an advantage in oversubscription scenarios, while non-Catholic families should read the criteria carefully and be realistic about likelihood of a place.

Demand indicators in the most recent entry-route dataset are strong, with 504 applications and 182 offers, around 2.77 applications per place. Because the last-distance figure is not available here, families should avoid relying on anecdotes about how far offers “usually go”. If proximity is a key part of your plan, FindMySchoolMap Search is the most reliable way to test your address against the school gate and to track changes year to year.

Open events appear to run on an annual rhythm rather than a single fixed date far in advance. The school’s news posts show open-evening style events taking place and being repeated year on year, and sixth form open evenings are also referenced in historical communications. For September 2026 entry, expect open-evening timing to sit broadly in the autumn term, but check the school calendar for the current cycle.

Pastoral care is positioned as a structured system rather than a light-touch add-on. The most recent Ofsted inspection (03 to 04 December 2024) describes a caring culture in which students feel included and safe, and confirms the school had taken effective action to maintain standards.

Beyond that headline, what stands out is how the school describes support capacity. Named support centres (Elim and Emmaus) suggest a model where specific needs, particularly SEND and EAL, are recognised in a discrete, organised way. The safeguard-focused content on the website is also framed around clarity of responsibility and routes for raising concerns, which tends to matter to families who want confidence in systems rather than reassurance-by-tone.

For students, the implication of this approach is usually a calmer day-to-day experience. When routines are consistent and support pathways are clearly signposted, behaviour tends to settle, and learning time increases. For families, the most important question is fit: a faith-shaped environment with clear behavioural expectations will feel grounding to some teenagers and restrictive to others.

The extracurricular programme reads as deliberately broad, with clear Catholic identity threads alongside modern clubs that students can genuinely own.

Music is a flagship

The school describes an expectation that students take up an instrument and participate in ensembles, and it names multiple groups. Published documentation references Orchestra, and the school’s music development plan references ensembles including chamber choir, a swing band, and a percussion group, alongside plans to widen participation in singing groups. The implication is that music is accessible at different levels, not just for specialist performers, and that students can build confidence through rehearsals and performances over time.

Clubs are not only traditional

A distinctive example is the Trinity Wargaming Club, with documented trips to Warhammer World and participation in an inter-school league. That kind of club usually signals two things: staff who support niche interests, and a culture where students can build community around shared hobbies beyond sport.

Sixth form enrichment adds leadership and service

The sixth form information references a Chaplaincy Team, the Briars retreat, Outward Bound, and Duke of Edinburgh Award (Silver and Gold). It also references paired reading support for Year 7 students and charity fundraising activity. The implication is a sixth form that tries to develop students as older role models, not only as exam candidates.

Sport features strongly in school messaging too, with football, netball, rugby, and handball highlighted. The most useful next step for families is to check the current term’s club list and fixture pattern, since sports breadth often shifts with staffing and student interest.

The published school day runs from 08:50 to 15:25.

Transport is clearly framed as a safeguarding and behaviour priority, with explicit reference to working with Nottingham City Transport’s Travel Safe approach. For families using public transport, Nottingham City Transport publishes route information indicating the school is served by the Turquoise 77 and other direct schoolday services.

Information on clubs, open events, and term dates is typically handled through the school calendar and news posts, so it is worth checking those sources at the point you are planning a visit or transition year.

• Faith expectations are real. Catholic identity is integrated into the school’s day-to-day language and culture. Families who want a clearly faith-led environment often see this as a strength; families seeking a more secular atmosphere may find it less comfortable.

• Sixth form results are more mixed than GCSE. GCSE outcomes sit above England average by ranking and headline measures, while A-level outcomes sit below England average on the same dataset. This is worth weighing if post-16 performance is your primary driver.

• Competition for places. With 504 applications and 182 offers in the most recent entry-route dataset, demand is strong. Without a published last-distance figure here, families should lean on the admissions criteria and avoid assuming past patterns will repeat.

• Curriculum change in progress. The latest inspection recognises curriculum strengthening work, but also indicates it was not fully embedded for all pupils at the time. Families may want to ask how that roll-out now looks in specific subjects.

This is a values-led Catholic secondary where systems, expectations, and community identity appear to be taken seriously. GCSE outcomes are a notable strength locally, and pastoral structures are described in a way that suggests clarity and capacity rather than vague reassurance. The sixth form picture is less uniformly strong on headline grades, so fit matters: students who benefit from continuity, structure, and a faith-shaped environment may thrive, while those seeking a purely results-driven sixth form choice may want to compare options carefully. Best suited to families who actively want a Roman Catholic ethos alongside a disciplined mainstream secondary experience.