Bonus Pastor Catholic College Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that the quality of teachers’ use of questioning is consistently effective in deepening pupils’ learning across the school.
• Ensure that support and interventions for different groups of pupils, especially those with low prior attainment, are equally effective in helping them to catch up with others swiftly.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• Since the last inspection, the executive headteacher has continued to nurture a strong and sustainable leadership team. She sets a fine example of determined and ambitious commitment to enable staff and pupils to achieve their best.
• The executive headteacher has facilitated the development of leaders at all levels, recognising and building on their considerable strengths. Their loyalty and ambition mean that there is a sense of stability alongside a relentless striving for excellence, with rapid recognition and effective action when improvements are needed. This means that when the executive headteacher is deployed to support schools elsewhere, high standards are maintained.
• Senior and middle leaders responsible for the quality of teaching and learning are perceptive and accurate in their evaluations. They are firm in their aspirations for how teaching can improve and excellent practitioners in their own right.
• Training and support are appropriately targeted so that teachers make improvements rapidly when this is needed. Collaborative work with other schools enables teachers to share good practice and develop key areas such as provision for the most able and the sharing of subject knowledge. Teachers at all levels of experience demonstrate the drive to continually improve, taking part in relevant and productive research and coaching activities.
• Leaders draw on a wide range of external contacts and organisations to provide high-quality professional development opportunities for teachers, as well as curriculum enrichment for pupils.
• Assessment systems are comprehensive, rational and effective in informing teachers and parents of pupils’ progress. Leaders regularly monitor achievement information and highlight accurately when individual pupils and groups are not doing as well as expected. Leaders invest additional funding wisely so that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, have access to a range of effective interventions and catch up with their peers.
• Leaders and their staff know pupils very well so they can judge precisely the right balance of support and challenge a pupil needs to do well. Learning mentors play an important role in boosting pupils’ confidence and self-esteem, whether in the context of work in lessons or opportunities in the wider curriculum.
• Leaders ensure that pupils have a wide range of subjects to choose to study. Pupils are well placed and supported to make the choices that are right for them, leading to the next successful steps in their education.
• Pupils have access to a full and varied programme of extra-curricular opportunities and activities. This provides them with a wealth of opportunities to pursue and develop their subject interests as well as trying something new. Leaders have thoughtfully compiled the Bonus Pastor Charter. Pupils complete a selection of valuable experiences during their time at the school, including fundraising for charity, public speaking, visiting museums and art galleries, and taking on school responsibilities. Pupils are motivated to achieve the bronze, silver and gold awards marking their accomplishment of the Charter’s listed tasks. Leaders are mindful that some pupils have limited chances to pursue some activities away from school and so monitor pupils’ uptake of extra-curricular opportunities carefully so that no one misses out.
• Leaders rightly recognise the importance of raising pupils’ aspirations, providing them with inspirational role models – often former pupils – to stimulate their ambition and focus on achieving their best. Events such as prize-giving and award assemblies enable pupils to celebrate their own and others’ achievements. The weekly Top Table is a marvellous opportunity for nominated pupils to have a formal lunch together in recognition of their accomplishments, developing valuable social skills and experiences and often sharing the event with invited guests.
• The Catholic ethos of the school upholds pupils’ care and respect for each other. Pupils routinely reflect on the impact of their behaviour and attitudes on others. Pupils who spoke to the inspectors described how much they value the diversity of backgrounds of all those involved with the school. Through the subjects pupils study and the wider curriculum, including overseas trips, leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education very well.
• Performance management is incisive and supportive of teachers’ career aspirations as well as the school’s priorities, with clear links to pupils’ progress and professional development opportunities.

Governance

• Governance is strong. Governors take their roles and responsibilities very seriously. They understand the school’s strengths and areas integral to the improvement plan. Governors regularly visit the school focusing on key aspects of their work and the priorities for the school, such as safeguarding and the expenditure of additional funding to support different groups of pupils. They ensure that they are well placed to hold leaders to account effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Safeguarding records are well kept and up to date. Clear procedures are in place for staff to follow up any concerns they might have about a pupil. Leaders are very knowledgeable about the complex circumstances that might cause a pupil to be at risk outside school. School staff work with families and outside agencies, persistently as needed, to improve pupils’ well-being.
• Pupils’ safety and welfare are of utmost priority to leaders. This is evident in the well-established routines which see pupils move safely and smoothly between the school sites.
• Leaders are aware of their responsibilities under the ‘Prevent’ duty. They have thoughtful, relevant and effective systems in place accordingly.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Pupils have exemplary attitudes to their learning. They are highly motivated by their teachers’ strong subject knowledge, and well-planned and challenging lessons. Pupils are thoroughly engaged in lessons and low-level distraction rarely happens.
• Lessons are characterised by a diligent and productive atmosphere. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are very positive and mutually respectful. Pupils appreciate and respond well to their teachers’ expectations of a high level of maturity and responsible attitude towards their studies. Pupils enjoy lessons and value their education.
• Teachers use resources well so that their lessons are engaging and pupils undertake tasks with enthusiasm. Pupils develop a range of important study skills as their education progresses. Teachers routinely promote pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills, boosting their use of technical vocabulary and the use of mathematics in everyday life.
• Teachers know their pupils very well. They use regular assessment information to assign tasks and activities appropriately so that pupils receive the right levels of support and challenge and thus make strong progress.
• Pupils are clear on how to improve their work because of their teachers’ consistent and effective use of the school’s assessment systems.
• Questioning has been a focus for teacher development and is mostly skilful in promoting deeper learning. There are a few instances when teachers’ questioning is less probing and does not progress learning as strongly as it might.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• School staff have high expectations of themselves, each other and pupils. Their modelling of conduct and commitment has a very positive influence on pupils’ personal development and attitudes towards each other.
• Initiatives such as the Bonus Pastor Charter help pupils value the wide range of enrichment, extra-curricular opportunities and special events the school offers. As a result, they gain a wide variety of experiences that stand them in good stead to develop personal skills, interests and talents, and to broaden their horizons as they prepare well for life beyond school. The annual wild camping trip is a popular, challenging and highly valuable occasion where leaders nurture pupils’ resilience, sense of camaraderie and fulfilment.
• Pupils described the school to inspectors as a very safe environment, a community where everyone feels cared for, like a family, and where everyone is accepted for who they are and feels safe. They are confident about how to keep safe and healthy because of themed activities on regular citizenship days including e-safety, healthy eating and mental health concerns. Leaders ensure that key messages are frequently reinforced in lessons, tutor times and around the school.
• The house system provides worthwhile opportunities for pupils of different ages to mix confidently and happily together. Pupils relish taking on responsibilities such as those of prefect or house captain. The requirement for pupils to embark on a formal application process for these roles, as well as completing work experience in Year 10, introduces pupils to a range of work-related skills.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are confident, articulate, polite and welcoming. Pupils report that serious incidents of poor behaviour are rare and leaders’ well-organised records support this.
• Tight and responsive systems are in place to monitor pupils’ attendance and follow up absences effectively. These, alongside pupils’ own motivation towards their education and the appeal of a wide range of awards, all contribute to attendance being consistently above average. Pupils are routinely punctual to lessons.
• Exclusion rates have reduced substantially in recent years due to the effectiveness of measures taken by leaders to support pupils to improve their behaviour and their attitude to learning and to others.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Pupils make significant progress across most year groups and subjects.
• Pupils’ progress and attainment in 2015 and 2016 were higher than average including attainment in English and mathematics. Attainment in 2017 continues these trends.
• Most-able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, make progress as well as, if not better than, their peers, because of the routine challenge teachers provide in lessons.
• Pupils who attend alternative provision are supported well so that their attitude to their learning improves. Their studies enable them to pursue their interests and fulfil their potential.
• Leaders ensure that pupils are placed in a very well-informed position to make decisions about their subject options and career pathways. Strong careers information and guidance lead to successful GCSE and post-16 choices. As a consequence, pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education. All pupils move onto further education, employment or training and their retention on post-16 courses is consistently high.
• Leaders are quick to respond to any variation between groups so that this does not become a trend. Additional funding is used effectively so that those who need to catch up, as well as pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and those eligible for pupil premium funding, are well supported and make good progress. No group of pupils underachieve.
• Teachers routinely provide opportunities for pupils to read out loud and to themselves in lessons across a wide range of subjects. The library is well used and records show that pupils read frequently, often choosing challenging texts and books to supplement their studies.
• There are a very few examples of small groups of pupils (e.g. most recently, low prior attainers) who are slower to catch up than others.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100752 Lewisham 10023733 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Voluntary aided 11 16 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 767 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Mrs Louise Farmer Mrs Ruth Holden 020 8695 2100 www.bonuspastor.co.uk office@bp.lewisham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 7 8 February 2013

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. The proportion of girls is less than average.
• Pupils from minority ethnic groups form a greater than average proportion of pupils. Most pupils are from Black or Black British backgrounds.
• Fewer pupils than average speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium is higher than average.
• The proportion of pupils who receive support for special educational needs and/or disabilities is similar to the national average. A higher proportion of pupils than average have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.
• The school uses alternative provision at Education My Life Matters for a very small number of pupils to support their specific needs.
• The school meets the government’s floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for attainment and progress of pupils by the end of key stage 4.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed parts of 38 lessons and also made shorter visits to lessons in a wide range of subjects as part of learning walks, usually accompanied by school leaders. Inspectors looked at work in pupils’ books.
• Inspectors also visited tutor times. One inspector observed an assembly and visited the library. Two inspectors visited the Friday Top Table event.
• Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils out and about in the school during breaktimes and lesson changeovers, including movement of pupils between the school sites.
• Inspectors held meetings with school leaders, representatives of the governing body, a group of the teaching staff and groups of pupils. Telephone conversations were held with a representative of the local authority and with the deputy headteacher of the alternative provision. Inspectors also held informal conversations with pupils and staff around the school.
• Inspectors evaluated a wide range of school documents including the school’s self-evaluation; records of the monitoring of teaching; records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, including case studies; minutes of the meetings of the governing body; safeguarding information and the school’s achievement information.
• Responses to surveys completed by staff and pupils were taken into account. Inspectors also made reference to the responses given by parents to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, as well as surveys carried out by the school.

Inspection team

Amanda Carter-Fraser, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Beverley Johnston Ofsted Inspector Matt Tiplin Her Majesty’s Inspector Niall Gallagher, lead inspector Janet Shadick

Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector