St Peter and St Paul, Catholic Voluntary Academy Ofsted Report

Full inspection result: Good

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Report Inspection Date: 13 Jun 2017
Report Publication Date: 7 Jul 2017
Report ID: 2705625

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

Further improve the attainment and progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities by:
- focusing more sharply on tracking the progress of the pupils as a group and as individuals
- ensuring that classroom teachers have appropriate training so that they fully understand how to meet the needs of this group of pupils
- making sure the new leader of the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is fully trained for and supported in the role.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

The strong leadership of the headteacher has brought about rapid school improvement. He leads by example and has built a strong team of senior staff who embody the values of the school and share his vision of excellence for all. The senior staff team is valued and respected; morale is high and staff are universally positive about the impact of the headteacher’s leadership. 
There is a tangible determination among all leaders that no pupil will be overlooked in terms of care and compassion and high expectations for their success. The school is a highly inclusive environment where every child is known as an individual.
The faith ethos of the school permeates all aspects of its work. Relationships are strong and tolerance and respect are the norm.
Leaders and governors have an accurate view of the school. They know its strengths and weaknesses well. They are determined that the school will go from strength to strength. Improvement plans are robust and are monitored regularly by senior and middle leaders, the governing body and the trust.
The system to manage the performance of teachers is robust and is used well to improve teaching and outcomes for pupils. Targets are set for all teachers, related to pupils’ progress, the quality of teaching and to teachers’ individual career stage. No one is rewarded for poor performance.
The performance information the school collects to track pupils’ progress is now reliable. Predicted results for 2016 were accurate. Teachers and leaders of subjects carefully track pupils’ progress so that they can intervene swiftly to ensure any pupils who fall behind can catch up.
Leaders of subjects are knowledgeable and tenacious in their drive to ensure that pupils’ outcomes continuously improve. They have a thorough understanding of performance information and use it to intervene quickly if any pupil is falling behind.
The leadership of teaching, learning and assessment is good. The training offered by the school is of a high quality, and is planned to make sure that teachers have every opportunity to improve their practice. Examples of good teaching are regularly shared and teachers appreciate the training and development opportunities the school provides. Teachers new to the profession are well supported.
The curriculum is both broad and balanced and highly responsive to pupils’ needs, interests and abilities. It is regularly reviewed and updated so pupils have a wide choice about the qualifications they choose to take. Their choices are guided by their aspirations for the future, which means they are well prepared for their next steps beyond school.
Extra-curricular activities, especially those related to sport and the performing arts, make a positive contribution to pupils’ personal development and physical and mental well-being.
Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength. Pupils know right from wrong and behave impeccably towards each other and adults. A wide range of trips, visits and activities contributes to pupils’ cultural understanding. The school’s faith values, which encompass British values, alongside the ‘living stones’ curriculum, ensure that pupils are well prepared to make a positive contribution to society and life in modern Britain.
Inspectors heard no derogatory language during the inspection and saw no evidence of any discriminatory behaviour. Differences are valued and the diverse pupil body is seen as the school’s best resource to promote tolerance and respect. Every pupil has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Parents are well informed about their child’s progress through regular reports. They speak highly of the school. In the online survey, Parent View, there were a large number of positive comments including, ‘Both my children are really happy and are making excellent progress at the school.’
Safeguarding is effective. There are robust procedures in place to ensure that pupils are protected from harm. Care for each pupil as an individual is clear and modelled by all staff. Parents recognise this too. One parent commented, ‘The staff at the school know my children very well and as a result, they feel safe and secure.’
Staff are all trained in how to protect pupils from radicalisation and extremism. Pupils also receive lessons on this topic.
The leadership of the school’s work to improve outcomes for disadvantaged pupils is good and, as a result, differences in achievement between these pupils and others nationally are diminishing. The additional funding to support those pupils in Year 7 who arrive at the school behind in their communication and mathematics skills is used well to make sure that these pupils catch up with their peers.
There has been a gap in the leadership of the provision for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, the progress of some of these pupils from their starting points has not been rapid. The newly appointed leader has appropriate plans and strategies to address this issue and ensure that funding is used effectively to ensure that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make rapid, good progress from their starting points.

Governance of the school

Governance was formally reviewed after the last inspection and a number of changes to the governing body and its way of working were implemented. Governance is now a strength of the school.
The governing body comprises a group of skilled and committed people who are ambitious for the school and know its strengths and weaknesses well. They are robust in holding the headteacher and senior and middle leaders to account. Governors receive and interrogate performance information regularly and monitor the school’s practice rigorously. They are frequent visitors to the school. They know where improvements are impacting on pupils’ outcomes and what still needs to be done.
Governors are acutely aware of the financial challenges the school faces and have appropriate medium- and long-term plans in place to address any potential issues.
Governors make sure that no one is rewarded for poor performance. Teachers who do not meet targets related to pupils’ progress do not receive pay increases.
Safeguarding is a high priority. A governor carries out regular safeguarding checks at the school, and safeguarding is a standing item at governing body meetings. All governors have undertaken ‘Prevent’ duty training.
The director of the trust also has a thorough knowledge of the school and its strengths and weaknesses. The trust board delegates much of the day-to-day oversight of the school to the governing body. Members of the trust board sit on governing bodies of all the schools in the trust, including St Peter and St Paul Catholic Voluntary Academy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Procedures to identify and follow up any concerns are thorough. There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school, which is borne out by parents’ and pupils’ views.
Vulnerable pupils are well supported. The school works closely with outside agencies to support any pupils in need of extra help. Staff go to great lengths to ensure that they can make progress and succeed.
Staff know how to keep pupils safe and have received appropriate training in the ‘Prevent’ duty.
Pupils are well taught how to keep themselves safe, including online and in relation to extremism and radicalisation.
The school’s recruitment procedures and vetting of staff and governors meet current requirements.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

Pupils achieve well because of the good and sometimes outstanding teaching. Teachers have good subject knowledge and plan learning well. Their enthusiasm in the classroom means pupils enjoy their learning.
Teachers create a positive atmosphere for learning. Lessons are purposeful and teachers have high expectations. Pupils are keen to learn and contribute well in lessons. Time is used well and teachers move learning on quickly. This helps pupils make good progress.
There is a clear homework policy. Pupils are set homework regularly and they complete it well. This contributes to their good progress.
Teachers plan activities that will meet the needs of different groups of pupils and individual pupils. They think carefully about how best to help pupils make good progress and question them to make sure that they think deeply about their learning.
Pupils work well on their own, in small groups and as a whole class. This is because of the positive relationships between teachers and pupils. Behaviour in lessons is good. Inspectors saw no evidence of any disruptive behaviour.
Good teaching of literacy and numeracy skills is evident, not only in English and mathematics lessons but also in other subjects. This is contributing to pupils’ good progress.
Parents receive regular and clear information about how well their child is doing. There are regular parents’ meetings and progress reports are sent home three times a year. Most parents agree that they receive valuable information about their child’s progress and that their child is taught well.
The support from other adults in the classroom is helpful in ensuring that pupils with particular needs are supported in their learning.
There has been a rigorous focus on training and professional development for teachers, which is much appreciated by them. The sharing of good practice in the classroom is now commonplace and is leading to improved teaching and learning and pupils’ good progress across a range of subjects.
Pupils receive regular and effective feedback from teachers. Inspectors saw much evidence of high-quality written feedback where pupils had responded in detail to their teachers’ advice, leading to good progress. A few teachers do not consistently follow the school’s policy to provide information for pupils on how to improve their work so they can act on it and make more rapid progress.
In the majority of lessons, pupils of all abilities are challenged to achieve at the highest levels and exceed expectations. In a very few lessons, this is not the case and this limits pupils’ progress, particularly most-able pupils.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
The school provides a very inclusive, caring and supportive environment. Staff know each pupil well and everyone is valued. One parent said that ‘All staff treat my child with dignity and respect.’
Pupils are taught well about the different types of bullying. They report that bullying is rare and they are confident that, if it happens, it is dealt with swiftly.
The school goes to great lengths to ensure that vulnerable pupils and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported and cared for well.
The school is very welcoming. Pupils are universally proud of their school and their achievements. They know they are taught well. They recognise the efforts teachers and other staff make to ensure that they make good progress.
The personal development curriculum is taught through ‘drop down’ days, and the ‘living stones’ curriculum in tutor time. A wide range of topics is delivered in each year group, ranging from diversity and stewardship to financial education and citizenship. The curriculum contributes positively to pupils’ personal development.
A cohesive programme of careers education throughout the school is preparing pupils, including those at risk of disengagement, well for the next stage of their education, employment or training. In 2016, there were no pupils in Year 11 who did not progress on to appropriate employment, education or training.
There are many opportunities for pupils to take part in leadership. The school council is very active and pupils know their views are taken seriously and they have a say in how the school is run. This is preparing them well for life in modern Britain.
The small number of pupils who receive part of their education off-site are monitored carefully. They attend well, are kept safe and are making good progress in their courses.
Most parents agree that their child is happy and safe at school.
A very small number of pupils, usually those who have arrived at the school after Year 7, do not show consistently positive attitudes to learning. This is the reason why exclusions are high.

Behaviour

The behaviour of pupils is good.
Pupils enjoy school. They are punctual to school and to lessons and come prepared and ready to learn.
Pupils behave well in lessons and move around the school site in a calm and orderly manner. Behaviour at break and lunchtime is good and there is very little litter.
Pupils cooperate well together during paired and group activities and listen respectfully to each other’s views and opinions.
Pupils are universally polite, courteous and well mannered. They look smart in their school uniforms.
Attendance is in line with national averages. Attendance has improved for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. The proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school has fallen and is now below the national average.
The school works successfully with pupils, their parents and outside agencies to ensure that pupils who struggle to meet the expectations of the school’s behaviour policy are able to stay in school. Exclusions are reducing over time but remain high overall.

Outcomes for pupils Good

Pupils make consistently good progress across a range of subjects and all year groups. The school responded robustly to the 2016 GCSE results. New leadership in science is already having a positive impact on improved outcomes for pupils in this subject.
The proportion of pupils gaining GCSE grade C or above in both English and mathematics in 2016 was a significant improvement on the previous year and was higher than the national average.
The school is resolute in its view that pupils should sit qualifications that they will need for their future career aspirations. This means that some pupils sit examinations that are entirely appropriate for them, but do not appear in performance information. Pupils achieve well in a wide range of accredited qualifications.
The progress of disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, is improving across a range of subjects. This is because staff have really focused on these pupils and put in place a range of targeted strategies to help them make better progress. A ‘pupil premium pledge’ sets out what the school will do to help and support disadvantaged pupils to make good progress, and the extra funding available is spent wisely. The differences between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and their peers nationally are diminishing rapidly.
The progress of the most able pupils has been a whole-school focus this year and overall they are now making good progress.
Pupils read widely and often. Pupils choose to read books that stretch and challenge both their literacy skills and their understanding of complex themes. Lower-ability pupils confidently use appropriate strategies to work out how to read unfamiliar words.
Pupils who enter Year 7 with below-average attainment in English and mathematics are given extra help so they can catch up. The funding for these pupils is spent wisely to accelerate their progress.
Pupils who receive part of their education at a local college are on appropriate courses and make good progress.
Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress appropriate to their starting points. There has not been sufficient focus on their individual needs in lessons to make sure they are all making consistently strong and rapid progress.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

Outcomes in the sixth form are improving. In 2016, students made progress broadly in line with national averages. The most recent performance information shows that progress is set to improve significantly in 2017, particularly in academic courses. This is borne out by inspectors’ analysis of students’ work in their books and in lessons.
Teaching is consistently good in the sixth form. Lessons are typified by high levels of challenge, effective questioning by the teacher and students’ positive attitudes to their studies.
Students speak highly of the support and guidance they receive. A high number of students move from Year 12 into Year 13. All students in Years 12 and 13 who left the sixth form in 2016 progressed on to further education, employment or training. Many move into higher-level education courses.
Despite the small size of the sixth form, students are offered a broad range of academic and vocational courses. They benefit from small teaching groups and this helps them to make good progress.
A range of enrichment activities contribute well to students’ personal development and well-being. The programme helps to ensure that they stay safe and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
There are a number of opportunities for students to take on leadership or volunteering roles within the school, such as mentoring younger pupils and helping them read. This contributes well to their personal development.
Effective leadership of the sixth form has ensured that students are more appropriately matched to courses offered. This is leading to better progress across a range of academic and vocational subjects.
Effective communication with parents and students during the academic year has ensured that students remain on track to make good progress.
Students entering the sixth form without good passes in English and/or mathematics at GCSE are supported effectively to improve their grades. In 2016, around half attained a grade C or above in each subject.
Behaviour in the sixth form is excellent. Students are confident, articulate and self-assured. They show high levels of compliance with the sixth form ‘business’ dress code.
Although students demonstrate positive attitudes to learning, a few students do not attend as regularly as they should.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 139623 Lincolnshire 10031185 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Appropriate authority Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Academy converter 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed 543 87 St Gilbert of Sempringham Catholic Academy Trust Father Simon Gillespie Damien Keogh 01522 871400

http://www.sspp.lincs.sch.uk sspp@sspp.lincs.sch.uk

Date of previous inspection 24–25 March 2015

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish on its website.
The school is much smaller than the average-sized secondary school.
The majority of the pupils are from White British backgrounds. The number of pupils who do not speak English as a first language is higher than the national average.
The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is higher than average.
The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above average.
A small number of pupils receive part of their education through Riseholme College.
The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is broadly average.
The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress at the end of Year 11.
The 16 to 19 study programmes meet the minimum standards set by the government.

Information about this inspection

Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 27 lessons across different subjects and in most year groups. Year 11 and Year 13 were not in school during the time of the inspection. A number of observations were carried out jointly with senior leaders.
Inspectors heard pupils read and carried out a number of short visits to lessons.
Meetings were held with senior leaders, leaders in charge of subjects and other aspects of the school’s work, teachers and governors. A telephone conversation took place with the chair of the trust board.
Inspectors spoke with pupils in most year groups in meetings, informally around the school and in lessons.
Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents. These included senior leaders’ evaluations of the school’s performance, improvement plans, performance management information, records of training and professional development and information on pupils’ attainment, progress, behaviour and attendance.
Inspectors took account of the 31 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 44 responses to the online questionnaire for staff.

Inspection team

Denise Newsome, lead inspector Bernadette Green Nigel Boyd

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector