The Douay Martyrs Catholic School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• To reduce pupils’ and students’ variable outcomes, senior leaders should ensure that:
  • all middle leaders support and challenge their teams
  • all middle leaders track pupils’ progress and ensure additional support is put in place when needed
  • changes in the sixth form are introduced swiftly and evaluated carefully to improve students’ progress
  • there is greater consistency in teachers’ matching activities to pupils’ abilities, particularly in science.
• To improve pupils’ progress further, teachers should take advantage of pupils’ strong attitudes to learning and provide them with more opportunities for wider learning and stronger challenge.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. They have a clear idea of the strengths and weaknesses in the school. Leaders’ planning and actions have resulted in rapid improvements in pupils’ GCSE outcomes in summer 2018.
• Leaders motivate staff through highly effective training. Middle leaders work in faculty groups to share the training with their teams. The quality of teaching is good because of this training. Pupils enjoy their learning and make strong progress.
• Leaders prepare pupils for life in modern Britain effectively. In assemblies, lessons and the tutor period, pupils learn to develop respect for other faiths and cultures. The spiritual aspect of the school is exceptionally strong. Staff encourage pupils to pray and meditate. Pupils are involved in many activities to help others less fortunate than themselves, for example the annual pilgrimage to Lourdes, setting up food banks, and raising money to support refugees. Pupils develop a strong spiritual, moral and social understanding because of the opportunities they are given in school. However, the curriculum currently has fewer opportunities for pupils to develop their cultural understanding.
• The school is based on two sites. This has placed constraints on the curriculum. Leaders reviewed the curriculum and increased the length of lessons to reduce time lost by moving between sites. The new curriculum has led to stronger outcomes for pupils.
• The school offers an extensive range of extra-curricular activities for pupils. This range of opportunities includes sports, music, art, drama and debating clubs. Pupils are very enthusiastic in their participation in these opportunities, including the musical performances, for example.
• Leaders have a strong rationale for how they choose to spend pupil premium funding. They look at the causes of underachievement in pupils. Pastoral and academic leaders communicate effectively with each other to help disadvantaged pupils improve their attainment. There is a strong and improving trend in disadvantaged pupils’ attainment because of improved tracking and support. Leaders use Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up funding well. Pupils make particularly strong progress with their reading because of the focus on support and whole-class reading in the tutor period.
• Leaders ensure pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make substantial progress from their starting points because they track pupils carefully and put in place appropriate help when it is required.
• Leaders set up a new assessment system to track pupils’ progress. This system is used highly effectively in mathematics, English, history and physical education. In these subjects, teachers plan lessons which stimulate pupils’ learning. Pupils make very strong progress in these lessons.
• The new curriculum limits pupils’ opportunities for participating in the creative arts subjects. Leaders are evaluating this and plan to review the provision at the end of the year.
• A small number of middle leaders are not managing their teams effectively. Pupils’ progress is not tracked carefully enough. Some pupils in these departments are not given help when they fall behind with their work.

Governance of the school

• Governors take their responsibilities seriously. They are competent and well-informed. They have a clear idea of strengths and weaknesses in the school. In meetings, they provide support and challenge to school leaders.
• Governors ensure that they are appropriately trained. They regularly check recruitment processes for staff. All governors visit the school and talk to pupils to ensure that they feel safe in school.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a dedicated team in school to support pupils and check that they are safe. Staff are appropriately trained, and all relevant checks are completed prior to staff being appointed. Risk assessments for school trips are carefully managed. There is good support for pupils with medical needs. The school employs an adult to monitor the pupils travelling between the two sites.
• Leaders ensure that vulnerable pupils are monitored very carefully. They work closely with external agencies to provide additional support for pupils when needed. There is a large team of professional staff, including a counsellor to support pupils with physical and emotional needs. Ninety-eight per cent of parents and carers who responded to Parent View said that their children felt safe in school.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to plan appropriate activities for pupils. Pupils’ attitudes in lessons are positive. They make strong progress in their learning because of this supportive environment. Effective teaching in mathematics and English leads to pupils’ substantial progress.
• Teachers establish good relationships with pupils. They interact regularly with pupils to build their confidence. Teachers use questioning effectively to deepen pupils’ understanding.
• In history and English, teachers give pupils many opportunities to develop their writing. Pupils learn from their mistakes and are confident to take risks with their writing.
• The new assessment policy and practice works well. Pupils are given effective advice on how to improve their work. Sometimes, pupils do not respond to this advice and therefore do not benefit fully from this help. In a few subjects the assessment policy is not applied routinely.
• There is some variation in the quality of teaching across departments. The quality of teaching is less strong in science in key stages 3 and 4. Pupils make less progress in science because teachers do not routinely plan activities which challenge them.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Leaders establish a caring Christian ethos which runs through every aspect of support for pupils. The lay chaplain gives spiritual and moral support to pupils. There is a team of behaviour specialists and pastoral leaders who work with vulnerable pupils to identify and support them at an early stage of their difficulties. Pupils who met with inspectors said that there are staff in school they can turn to for help.
• Pastoral leaders have strong links with external agencies, for example social services and Stonewall. Pupils are encouraged to value their own and others’ differences. Pupils’ welfare is supported in lessons with advice and guidance on physical and mental health. Ninety-two per cent of parents who responded to the Ofsted survey said that their children were happy in school. Pupils expressed their confidence in the support they get from staff.
• Teachers encourage pupils to form their own working parties to explore issues such as bullying. Pupils then produce assemblies and lessons which they deliver to their peers. Pupils are rightly proud of these activities. The frequency of all types of bullying has reduced following these activities.
• There is a wide programme of careers advice and guidance for pupils to support them in their subject choices and life after school. Pupils make strong progress in school because they enjoy their GCSE subjects. Older students said they receive a great deal of support and guidance with career choices and UCAS applications.
• Pupils who met with inspectors were confident and self-aware. They enjoy the vast range of leadership and other opportunities available in school. For example, pupils work as prefects, mentors, subject ambassadors, and they lead working parties.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. There is a calm orderly environment around the school. Pupils are sensible and considerate on cramped corridors. Pupils’ behaviour in class is positive. Disruption to learning in lessons is rare. Pupils are proud of their school.
• Staff are diligent in working with groups of pupils with low attendance, for example White British boys. Staff communicate effectively with parents to support their children in improving attendance and punctuality. Pupils’ attendance is above national average and improving. Persistent absence is below the national average.
• The school currently use three different providers for alternative provision. In two of these institutions pupils are making stronger progress than they did in school. These pupils have also improved their attendance. Closer tracking of pupils’ welfare and behaviour in the other provision is needed.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Pupils who finished Year 11 in 2018 made progress which was above average. Their attainment in GCSE examinations was good overall.
• Current pupils are making strong progress. All groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, pupils with middle and higher starting points and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are all making substantial progress.
• Pupils in English, mathematics and history are making very strong progress. Pupils who fall behind in their learning in these subjects are promptly given additional help. Pupils appreciate this help and enjoy their lessons.
• Pupils are well prepared for their next stages in education because they achieve well in GCSE examinations and are given impartial and effective careers advice.
• In science, pupils make less progress because teachers do not track their progress carefully enough. As a result, teachers cannot put additional help in place for pupils who fall behind.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• The leadership of the sixth form is good. Leaders have a clear understanding of areas for improvement, such as history, computer science and psychology. Leaders are addressing these issues and improvements are already evident. There is strong leadership capacity in the sixth form to drive improvements further.
• Leaders manage the programmes of study for students thoughtfully. Students study a mixture of vocational and A-level courses. There is a great deal of support for students to help them with UCAS and other applications for employment and higher education. Students who met with inspectors said they were pleased they had stayed in school for the sixth form. Most students go on to high-quality destinations in education or employment.
• Work related learning makes a strong contribution to some courses. In vocational subjects, teachers use local employers to support and enrich their courses.
• Students appreciate the strong family environment in the sixth form. They feel safe and know how to keep themselves safe from local and other risks. Students said they know where to go for help, particularly emotional support. There is an exceptionally wide range of enrichment opportunities which helps students to develop personal and social skills. Student retention between Year 12 and Year 13 is high because of this support.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge. In some subjects, teachers use effective questioning to develop students’ understanding. There are strong relationships between teachers and students and this results in a purposeful learning environment.
• Students in Year 12 and 13 make stronger progress than in the past. Leaders are addressing the issues of progress for groups. Previously, most-able and least-able students did not make strong progress. Leaders track these groups carefully and teachers give additional support and challenge in lessons.
• Leaders have not prioritised the sixth form in the past. There were some weak outcomes for students in the past in public examinations. Students’ outcomes in 2018 examinations did not represent strong progress.
• Students’ attendance is variable in Year 13, but is improving this academic year. Retention of pupils from Year 11 into the sixth form is low because there is fierce competition from other local sixth-form providers.
• A few teachers do not plan activities which enable students to learn effectively. This affects students’ progress in those lessons.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 137925 Hillingdon 10054405 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11 to 18 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 Mixed Mixed 1341 163 Appropriate authority The board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Michelle O’Grady Anthony Corish 01895 679 400 www.douaymartyrs.co.uk tcorish@douaymartyrs.co.uk Date of previous inspection 22 23 October 2013

Information about this school

• The school is based on two sites. The second site is on Long Lane.
• Douay Martyrs is a catholic school and is part of the Westminster Diocesan Trust. There is a diocesan board of directors. The board delegates most aspects of governance to The Douay Martyrs governing body.
• The section 48 inspection has been arranged. The inspection will take place this year. The last section 48 inspection took place in 2013.
• Since the last full inspection, a new headteacher was appointed in 2015.
• The school uses three alternative providers: Langley College, Springboard, and the West Drayton unit.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited lessons and part lessons across all key stages and subject areas. They looked in pupils’ books. They also visited assemblies and tutor periods.
• They met with pupils, teachers, middle and senior leaders. Inspectors held phone calls with governors and a representative of the trust. Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation relating to pupils’ behaviour, safety, teaching and learning, and pupils’ progress and attainment.
• Inspectors considered 62 responses from parents, and 53 responses from staff to the Ofsted online surveys. There were 182 responses from pupils.

Inspection team

Dame Joan McVittie, lead inspector Susan Maguire Ian Morris James Whiting Yvonne Chisholm Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector