St Edmund Campion Catholic School & Sixth Form Centre Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Reduce the number of fixed-term exclusions so that fewer pupils miss out on parts of their education.
• Improve outcomes, particularly for disadvantaged and the most able pupils, by ensuring that a greater number of them make accelerated progress.
• Improve leadership and management by ensuring that improvement strategies are analysed more quickly and succinctly, so that leaders are able to easily share the findings with all stakeholders.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• School leaders have a clear and accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They have robust plans in place and have secured many improvements in areas of previous weakness. For example, outcomes for disadvantaged pupils with low prior attainment have improved in a number of subjects in 2017 and are now above the national average.
• Senior leaders act as role models and have high expectations of staff and pupils. They have successfully created an inclusive and caring school, in which every pupil, regardless of faith, religion or ethnic background, is valued and supported. Pupils, parents and staff agree that pupils are safe at school.
• The leadership of teaching, learning and assessment is strong. Senior leaders accurately evaluate and analyse performance information. They act quickly to address any underperformance they identify. Staff training underpins leaders’ vision for excellence in teaching. Staff agree that the training opportunities they receive improve their practice. As a result, teaching is now good.
• Leaders’ use of alternative provision is a strength at the school. They assess carefully individual pupils’ needs and find appropriate placements at which pupils’ attendance, behaviour and progress improves. Leaders rigorously monitor pupils at their placements and ensure that they flourish. Pupils on placements make good progress and are prepared well for their next steps.
• Middle leaders now form a group of dedicated and determined professionals. They have an accurate view of their subject areas, and continue to improve the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Middle leaders have developed effective systems to share best practice across the curriculum. This has resulted in stronger outcomes for pupils.
• Senior leaders use and evaluate effectively the impact of additional funding they receive. Strategies such as one-to-one support and targeted, timely interventions are planned carefully and reviewed for their impact on pupils’ outcomes. As a result, many pupils catch up and make progress in line with others nationally.
• The curriculum is designed effectively and takes account of the needs and abilities of all learners. It offers a range of popular extra-curricular activities which underpin the curriculum. Leaders have made effective decisions to alter the curriculum to meet the needs of their pupils. For example, leaders have made changes to the qualification pathways in science in order to improve outcomes. Information presented by the school shows that current pupils are making progress in science broadly in line with other pupils nationally.
• Promoting pupils’ personal development is a key aim of the school and one in which it is successful. A programme of personal development events throughout the year supplements subject teaching. For example, the school holds six annual theme days to promote British values and spiritual, moral, social and cultural knowledge. These activities further pupils’ understanding of what it means to be a citizen in Britain today.
• The school’s provision of career advice and guidance is effective. Pupils receive impartial advice on their next steps in education. A large majority of pupils who spoke with inspectors expressed a wish to continue on to the school’s own excellent sixth form.
• The school works effectively with a number of partners to improve its provision. For example, they work closely with the local authority’s commissioned school improvement partner. This work includes school improvement strategies and self-evaluation techniques. Leaders value this input and, as a result, have become independent in doing these things for themselves. This work highlights leaders’ capacity to improve the school further.
• Newly qualified teachers and those that are new to the school regard highly the support that leaders give them. They feel fully supported as they develop their skills in teaching and managing pupils’ behaviour. They value the quality of training that they receive and the way in which leaders encourage them to be reflective practitioners.
• Leaders’ analysis of improvement strategies is effective. At times, however, this analysis lacks the necessary swiftness and succinctness for them to be able to share quickly any findings with staff, governors, parents or pupils. Leaders recognise this and agree that more can be done to improve this aspect of leadership.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. For example, governors demonstrated they are fully aware that the outcomes for the most able and disadvantaged pupils are below the national average in some subjects. Consequently, they have challenged school leaders in this area.
• Governors discharge their statutory duties with diligence. They monitor carefully the school’s budget and check that safeguarding arrangements are robust. Governors ensure that systems to manage teachers’ performance focus on improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Link governors provide additional challenge to middle leaders.
• Members of the governing body are dedicated to the school and have high expectations of the school’s performance. They strive for a school which ‘provides an excellent standard of education and in which all children reach their true potential’.
• A number of members of the governing body are new to their role. On occasion, these governors rely too heavily on senior leaders to analyse performance information for them. Governors are now attending additional training to ensure that they can continue to provide a good level of challenge to school leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff work together to create a culture of safeguarding which is underpinned by regular training for every member of staff at the school. Parents, staff and pupils agree that safeguarding is a strength of the school. New members of staff commented that their training had been extensive and that they do not believe that any aspect of safeguarding could be improved.
• The safeguarding team works constructively with relevant external agencies. Staff have considerable expertise in the field of safeguarding and are persistent when they are concerned about a pupil’s welfare and follow up concerns with these agencies as necessary.
• All pupils, including sixth-form students, who spoke with inspectors said that they feel safe in school. Pupils have a secure understanding of how to keep themselves and others safe. They clearly understand the risks surrounding online safety and social media, for example.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The leadership of this aspect of the school is strong. Leaders rigorously evaluate, track and monitor the performance of both staff and pupils. This allows them to put interventions in place quickly to address any identified issues. Teachers speak highly of the training and support they receive.
• Teachers have high expectations of pupils and foster successfully strong and respectful relationships. Pupils benefit from teachers’ good subject knowledge and well-planned lessons that interest and stimulate pupils’ learning.
• Senior leaders assess regularly how well pupils are progressing across the curriculum and are quick to spot any trends. For example, a sharp decline in outcomes in science resulted in a change in the curriculum offered. Current pupils now make stronger progress in science.
• Subject leaders are a dedicated group of professionals who have played a major part in improving the quality of teaching. They work closely together and share best practice to improve outcomes for pupils. As a result, there is now a greater level of consistency in the high standard of education pupils receive.
• Teachers’ use of the ‘do now’ tasks at the start of lessons ensures that learning time is used well from the outset. This allows pupils to review their learning independently. The tasks have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Teachers set regular homework which further deepens pupils’ learning and understanding of covered topics in lessons.
• Teachers give ongoing feedback to pupils. They check pupils’ understanding effectively and provide support and intervention when pupils fall behind and need to catch up. Pupils use this feedback to understand their mistakes, and address misconceptions quickly before they become errors. They speak highly of the support they receive in lessons and feel well supported to do their best.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are well supported to access their learning. They receive targeted extra help in lessons and this enables them to make progress. The progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is good.
• The quality of teaching in the sixth form is outstanding. Lessons are planned skilfully to engage and motivate students to become independent learners who are taking risks in their own learning. The vast majority of lessons observed across the curriculum in the sixth form included exceptionally high standards of teaching.
• Leaders have introduced a range of literacy strategies to ensure that this aspect of the curriculum improves across the school. For example, pupils with lower literacy levels benefit from targeted intervention sessions which have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The school’s library successfully fosters a love of reading. Pupils read widely and often and are keen to share their reading experiences with others.
• There remain small inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning in science. These issues stem from previous staffing issues and less effective teaching. Leaders are aware of this issue and have put a range of effective improvement strategies in place. Teaching is now improving and this is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The pastoral support provided by the school is a strength. Pupils, parents and staff are unanimous in their praise for the help, support and guidance pupils receive when appropriate.
• Leaders have created an inclusive ethos where every pupil is valued and cared for. Pupils say that bullying is rare. They have every confidence that when it does occur it is dealt with swiftly and effectively by staff.
• Pupils are proud of their school and look after the school environment, which is free from litter and graffiti. They look smart and are respectful of each other and staff.
• Leaders value pupils’ opinions and collect pupils’ views regularly. For example, as a result of pupils’ opinions new toilets have recently been installed. Pupils feel that they are listened to and that their views are heard. The roles of pupil leadership that are available to them contribute to their readiness for the world of work.
• Leaders monitor carefully the well-being of pupils who attend alternative provision. They track carefully pupils’ attendance and progress. Pupils follow courses that are based on their interests and individual needs. This ensures that pupils are well prepared for their working life. Leaders keep in regular contact with, and visit the settings of, these providers to ensure that pupils are safe and attend regularly.
• The curriculum further underpins pupils’ understanding of current and topical issues. Themed days, for example, contribute to pupils’ knowledge of life in modern Britain and ensure that they are well prepared for life after school.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils behave well in lessons and learning time is rarely wasted. Inspectors saw no evidence of poor behaviour. Pupils, staff and parents confirmed that behaviour at the school is now good. The school has a calm and inviting atmosphere.
• Behaviour during social times and in corridors at lesson changeover is calm and orderly. Pupils are friendly, courteous and polite. They are respectful of each other and their school environment. As a result, the school is free of litter and graffiti.
• Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The school’s behaviour policy is clear and understood by all. In discussion with inspectors, pupils commented on the much improved behaviour in lessons and were complimentary of the support that staff give them should they ever need it.
• Attendance across the school is broadly in line with national averages. Leaders have robust systems in place to check on absent pupils and ensure that they are safe. Pupils are punctual to lessons and waste no time in moving between classes. No examples of pupils taking their time during lesson changeover were observed.
• Leaders communicate effectively and regularly with the providers of alternative provision to ensure that high standards of discipline are maintained. Leaders closely liaise with parents of pupils at these settings and inform them on a regular basis about how well their child is doing. This aspect of the school’s provision is a clear strength. As a result, pupils who may previously have left education remain at their placements and flourish.
• Fixed-term exclusions are above the national average. Inspectors saw clear evidence that this sanction is having a positive impact on managing pupils’ behaviour, although they lose learning time as a result. A number of pupils have been supported into more appropriate alternative curriculum settings when required, where they receive individualised pastoral support. The proportion of pupils who have been permanently excluded from school remains above the national average. Leaders liaise effectively with outside agencies to offer further support to these pupils.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Outcomes in many subjects have improved in 2017. For example, pupils’ performance in mathematics and English is now broadly in line with that of other pupils nationally with similar starting points. Outcomes for disadvantaged pupils have also shown improvements. Pupils with low prior attainment made particularly strong progress in 2017.
• Senior leaders evaluate rigorously pupils’ performance, spot trends and put timely and well-targeted interventions in place. For example, they recognised that outcomes in science were weak and established the cause for this underperformance. They put effective actions in place to stem the decline. Although some inconsistencies remain, current pupils’ progress in science is strong and forecast to improve further.
• Leaders’ analysis of recent assessment information suggests that the progress of pupils currently in the school is good across a range of subjects including in English and mathematics. It shows that pupils are making progress in line with that of other pupils with similar starting points.
• Outcomes in the sixth form are outstanding. Results in all subjects are at least in line with national figures, many exceeding. Boys and girls achieve similar outcomes and disadvantaged students’ outcomes are in line with that of other students nationally.
• Leaders monitor carefully the progress of pupils at alternative provision. The pupils’ curriculum has appropriately been adapted to prepare them well for their next steps in education. They make strong progress and attend their placements regularly.
• Outcomes for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are good. Pupils achieve broadly in line with their peers and many move on to further education. For example, in 2017, 12 out of 14 pupils have successfully been supported into their next steps.
• Pupils who speak English as an additional language achieve in line with other pupils. This is as a result of effective monitoring and carefully planned support and intervention. Pupils are helped effectively to improve their English literacy skills.
• Differences in rates of progress between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally are diminishing. While disadvantaged pupils’ outcomes are improving, inconsistencies remain. In a small number of subjects, differences from national averages still exist. Leaders have put effective plans in place to tackle this underperformance.
• The most able pupils’ outcomes are showing some signs of improvements. In 2017, their progress was below that of their peers nationally with similar starting points. Leaders are aware of this and have clear action plans in place to curb this underperformance. Recent assessment information shows an increase in current most-able pupils’ progress.

16 to 19 study programmes Outstanding

• Leadership of the sixth form is outstanding. Leaders have a very clear understanding of the many strengths and those areas in which the provision could be improved. There is a continuous drive for excellence and high outcomes. Leaders have extremely high expectations of students and their progress, underpinned by excellent and timely interventions when they are needed.
• The quality of teaching in the sixth form is exceptional. Students benefit from teachers’ excellent subject knowledge. Teachers know their students very well and use highly effective planning to engage and motivate them. Once issues are identified, leaders and teachers are quick to put targeted interventions in place. As a result, students who need to catch up do so swiftly and consequently secure excellent outcomes.
• Leaders have highly effective systems in place to track and monitor the quality of teaching and students’ progress. As a result, students secure outstanding outcomes in a wide range of vocational and academic subjects.
• Outcomes in the sixth form are above the national average. Pupils make excellent progress from their different starting points. The sixth form ranked fourth for value added scores across Birmingham in 2016. Disadvantaged students perform at least as well as their peers across a wide range of subjects and qualifications.
• The highly effectively structured curriculum offers a wealth of academic and vocational subjects. Students follow courses that closely match their interests and needs and prepare them extremely well for their next steps. The in-year retention figures show that all students complete their courses.
• Attendance at the sixth form is high. Students feel safe and are safe. They speak very highly about the support they receive in lessons and also pastorally. Students behave impeccably and are resilient learners with a drive for the very best achievements.
• Retention rates in the sixth form are exceptional. Almost all learners continue with their studies from Year 12 to Year 13. Students who enter the sixth form without a strong pass in English and/or mathematics complete relevant courses to gain those qualifications. Success rates are high.
• All students have the opportunity to engage in a wide range of activities, such as visits to universities, engaging in work experience, providing community support and completing non-qualification activities. This programme is very popular among students and supports them very well for life after the sixth form.
• All students benefit from excellent and impartial careers advice and guidance. As a result, the vast majority of students move on to universities, further education, apprenticeships or employment. Leaders are rigorous in the tracking of students’ destinations.

School details

Unique reference number 103537 Local authority Birmingham Inspection number 10042851 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary School category Maintained Age range of pupils 11 to 18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,024 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 125 Appropriate authority Local authority Chair Mr Mike Daly Headteacher Mrs Philomena Steele Telephone number 0121 464 7700 Website www.stedcamp.bham.sch.uk Email address enquiry@stedcamp.bham.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 21–22 January 2016

Information about this school

• The school is an average-size secondary school with an on-site sixth-form provision.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations set for pupils’ attainment and progress.
• The proportions of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who speak English as an additional language are above average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is average.
• The proportion of students who are from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average, the largest groups being of black or black British Caribbean and black or black British African heritage.
• Full-time off-site alternative provision is currently provided for 13 key stage 4 pupils at EBN2 Free School, St George’s School, Black Water Academy, Imedia and Premier Training.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation. This included: the school’s self-evaluation and action plans; school policies; information about pupils’ attainment and progress, behaviour, attendance and the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.
• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 44 lessons and parts of lessons across a wide range of subjects and key stages, and observed some lessons with a senior leader. They observed pupils’ behaviour between lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime.
• Inspectors evaluated the work in pupils’ books and folders in lessons across a range of year groups and in the sixth form.
• Inspectors held meetings with governors, senior and middle leaders, and teachers, including those that are newly qualified and new to the school. Inspectors also spoke on the phone to a representative from the Birmingham Education Partnership.
• The views of parents were considered through the 71 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, as well as the free-text comments parents provided.
• Inspectors considered 41 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff.
• Pupils met with inspectors in four separate focus groups. Inspectors had numerous informal discussions with pupils.

Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Rob Steed Ofsted Inspector Andrew Madden Ofsted Inspector Gwendoline Onyon Ofsted Inspector