The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Explore different ways of deploying the inclusion provision to better meet the needs of the range of pupils who use it.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The headteacher’s outstanding leadership has ensured that pupils develop into kind, thoughtful young people with qualifications that enable them to be successful in the wider world and to contribute to their community. Parents are highly supportive of the leadership provided by the headteacher and his senior staff. They see the direct link between the school’s leadership and the experience of their child. They greatly appreciate the school’s work.
• Leadership is highly effective across the school. Staff are clear about their role in delivering the very best education possible for pupils. The school’s ethos places the individual pupil at the heart of its work. Staff know pupils well and respond to them as individuals to ensure that they are safe and happy and can make progress.
• The curriculum prepares pupils very well for the next stage of their education. Although pupils start courses leading to GCSE in some subjects in Year 9, they also continue with the broad range of humanities and creative and performance arts subjects during that year. A much-higher proportion of pupils take the English Baccalaureate subjects than do so nationally. The subject curriculum is enriched and extended through a wide variety of clubs, visits and other activities.
• The leadership of teaching, learning and assessment is excellent. Leaders have developed a diverse programme of support for staff which meets the needs of individuals and drives forward school priorities. Subject leaders play a key role in supporting their colleagues and ensuring that the high level of consistency in teaching quality is maintained. The support programme for teachers is based on research and evidence. Leaders take time to identify activities with proven success and adapt them for use in school. In the present academic year, the focus has been on developing teaching and learning in the sixth form, which has been successful in improving the learning outcomes for students.
• Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. Pupils are very well prepared for life in modern Britain and can reflect on their own and others’ perspectives. They develop skills of empathy through the curriculum and in their day-to-day interaction in school.
• The pupil premium, the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up premium and the special educational needs (SEN) funding are used effectively.
• Leaders have ensured that pupils’ behaviour is outstanding and that they are safe and well cared for. However, the school’s inclusion provision for the few pupils who misbehave, including a few who are returning from exclusion, is insufficiently well matched to the diverse needs of the pupils who use it.

Governance of the school

• Governors receive comprehensive information about pupils’ outcomes and the quality of provision from the headteacher and staff. Senior and middle leaders make regular presentations to the governors about the successes and improvements in their areas. Governors give effective challenge and support through the committee structure, as well as in full governing body meetings.
• Governors have a clear vision for the future of the school. Their leadership has ensured that the school is a harmonious and welcoming community with a strong ethos of care and academic challenge. They are never complacent and they deploy their range of skills effectively to drive the school forward.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders have successfully created a very strong culture of safeguarding across the school. Leaders are highly skilled and ensure that arrangements are in place to keep pupils safe and support them well. They follow up promptly and act decisively when any concerns are identified. Leaders develop effective partnerships with the local authority and external agencies to support pupils and families.
• The school site is a safe environment and leaders also seek to promote pupils’ safety beyond the school gates. Dismissal from school is carefully planned so that all pupils can leave the school safely. Staff accompany pupils to bus stops and wait at the stops to ensure that pupils are safe. Parents and pupils greatly appreciate the school’s actions.
• Leaders ensure that all the required pre-employment checks on staff are carried out and that staff appointments follow the safer recruitment guidance.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is excellent across and within subjects. There is very little inconsistency because of leaders’ work to reduce any variation and provide pupils with high-quality learning experiences, whatever class they happen to be in. Consequently, pupils across the ability range make exceptional progress.
• There is a strong rapport between teachers and pupils. Pupils have exemplary attitudes to learning. They participate in activities with huge enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment. For example, during a Year 9 science class, a group of pupils excitedly called the inspector over to their experiment to show the chemical reaction that was taking place.
• Teaching is characterised by high expectations, efficient organisation and clear routines to ensure that learning flows smoothly. These features, together with pupils’ outstanding behaviour, have a very positive impact on pupils’ learning and contribute to the mature, studious, yet relaxed and fun, environment.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is excellent. They plan learning activities which challenge all groups of pupils and ensure that all make progress. Teachers show pupils how to use subject language and ideas in sophisticated ways. For example, in a Year 8 history class, pupils were pushed to think deeply and draw on their prior knowledge to make links between the feudal system and the reign of King Charles I.
• Teachers’ questioning is highly effective and meets the needs of all pupils, including the most able pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities. Teachers plan questions which consolidate knowledge and deepen pupils’ learning, moving them on to the next stage in their understanding. For example, in a Year 10 drama activity, sophisticated questioning enabled pupils to engage with a range of stimulus material and reflect on their feelings and on themselves as young adults.
• Pupils said that they liked the school’s system of monitoring their progress. Teachers and pupils use the monitoring sheets diligently and pupils were proud to show these to inspectors to explain the progress they are making.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• The school’s ethos, the Wiseman spirit, is based on faith and high expectations of care and individual responsibility. Pupils benefit from a wide range of provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For example, pupils spent a day exploring ideas about the importance of mutual respect and tolerance. Year 10 have benefited from opportunities for mock interviews and Year 8 developed confidence in money management. This provision, together with the strong relationships between pupils and staff, contributes to an exceptional environment in which all pupils can thrive.
• Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They are highly motivated and keen to do well but also delight in others’ achievements. Pupils look out for each other. They are confident and mature learners.
• There is almost no bullying. Pupils feel very safe. They have confidence in adults and know that there is always an adult they can talk to if they have any concerns. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. For example, in an assembly, pupils were reminded how to keep themselves safe while out and about over the summer holidays.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding and makes a valuable contribution to the ethos of the school.
• Pupils behave impeccably in classes. They have very positive attitudes to learning and there is almost no disruption of any sort. Pupils are fully focused on their work and support each other to learn effectively.
• Pupils’ conduct is exemplary. Pupils are self-aware and regulate their behaviour around the site. They are confident and relaxed with each other and respectful and polite with adults, including visitors. Pupils have excellent manners. They are a credit to themselves and their school.
• Pupils’ attendance is above the national average and rates of persistent absence are well below the national figures. Leaders follow up pupils’ absence diligently.
• Pupils who recently used the school’s alternative provision attended well. Leaders monitor their attendance and behaviour regularly. They ensure that the provision meets their needs and that pupils continue with examination courses.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils’ work shows that they make outstanding progress in all curriculum subjects during their time in school. Consistently high-quality teaching supports the strong progress of all groups of pupils, whatever their starting point and ability.
• In recent years, at the end of Year 11, pupils’ progress has been well above average and in the top 3% of all schools nationally. Pupils’ progress in the English Baccalaureate subjects is consistently in the top 1% of all schools nationally.
• Pupils make strong and sustained progress in mathematics across year groups and ability groupings. They demonstrate strong mathematical skills, including problem-solving. They can apply their mathematical knowledge in other subjects, particularly science. For example, pupils calculated percentage change accurately using their experimental results. They enjoy mathematics and are proud of their work.
• Pupils make excellent progress in English. Pupils’ thinking, reading and writing skills are developed using a wide range of challenging texts. For example, in Year 7 English, pupils studied poems from a GCSE anthology. High-quality activities enabled pupils to enjoy and extend their understanding of language.
• Pupils develop their speaking and listening skills in class activities and through involvement in public speaking and debates. Teachers give all pupils opportunities to put forward their views in class.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are well supported and make strong progress in their subjects, including literacy and mathematics.
• Disadvantaged pupils make strong progress in all their subjects and particularly in mathematics. Leaders ensure that the progress of disadvantaged pupils continues to be a high priority for the school and that disadvantaged pupils have the same access to enrichment activities as others, including visits to universities.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. They have access to up- to-date and impartial careers guidance within school, speakers and visits. Curriculum subjects also develop pupils’ understanding of a wide range of careers.

16 to 19 study programmes Outstanding

• The leadership of the sixth form is exceptionally strong and shows continuing improvement in the quality of learning and support for students. Changes in line management have enabled curriculum leaders to play their part. As a result, there has been a concerted effort to reverse the dip in the progress of higher-ability girls in 2017. Students’ work in folders shows that they are now making strong progress.
• The sixth form has a strong sense of community, in line with the main school. Students feel very safe. There is no bullying and sixth-form students have regular well-being sessions to update them on safeguarding issues. The enrichment programme provides a range of sporting activities and clubs to complement their academic studies.
• There is an effective transition programme for pupils joining the sixth form from within the school and outside. Students who join the school at the start of Year 12 are effusive about the welcome they receive from students and the induction and support they get from staff. Parents also support this view.
• Students receive personalised advice and can choose a programme of study that entirely suits their needs. Students are complimentary about the quality of teaching, the level of challenge and the resources they have access to. They have every confidence in their teachers. They say that teachers know what to do and that they care and want them to do well.
• Students’ work in folders confirms that they make strong progress. The outstanding features of learning and teaching in key stages 3 and 4 have been imported seamlessly into the sixth-form programme. Students who retake GCSE mathematics in the sixth form attain well. A much-higher proportion than found nationally are successful in improving their grade.
• Students are very well prepared for the next stage of their education. Almost all students continue in education, employment or training. About 86% of students progress to university each year and a high proportion of these are of the first generation in their family to progress to higher education.
• However, leaders recognise that traditional paths to university do not suit all students. They are tireless in their efforts to forge new relationships with business and industry and develop new progression pathways for students. This year, leaders have successfully secured funding for five degree-level apprenticeships from an international investment bank.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 101934 Ealing 10052737 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Voluntary aided 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,852 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 352 Appropriate authority Governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Maggie Pound Mr Michael Kiely 020 8575 8222 www.wiseman.ealing.sch.uk info@wiseman.ealing.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 14–15 October 2014

Information about this school

• The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School is a voluntary aided school in the London Borough of Ealing.
• The school uses alternative provision at Ealing Alternative Provision. There are no pupils currently attending this provision.
• The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium funding is below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is below the national average. The proportion of pupils who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is above the national average.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited classes across year groups and in a wide range of subjects to observe pupils’ learning and look at their books. Some of these visits were made jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also visited an assembly, tutor periods, an achievement celebration and a Year 12 university preparation event.
• Four groups of pupils talked to inspectors about their views of the school. Inspectors also talked with pupils in classes and at break and lunchtime. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey.
• Inspectors met with three groups of sixth-form students, looked at their work and discussed their learning and progress with them.
• An inspector had a telephone conversation with a senior leader at the alternative provision used by the school.
• The lead inspector met with the chair and vice-chair of governors and also held a meeting with a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors met with school leaders to discuss the impact of their work. This included the headteacher, senior leaders and curriculum and year leaders.
• Newly qualified teachers met with an inspector to discuss their views of the school and how school leaders support them.
• Inspectors scrutinised school documents, including the school’s own self-evaluation, records of pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance and safeguarding records.
• Inspectors took account of the 67 responses to the staff survey.
• Inspectors considered the 252 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire, Parent View, and an inspector met with a group of parents.

Inspection team

Janet Hallett, lead inspector Niall Gallagher Geoff Butler Ian Morris Desmond Deehan

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector