The Holy Family Catholic School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Continue to improve teaching so that it is consistently good or better in all subjects, but especially in science and mathematics, by:
  • raising teachers’ expectations of the quality and amount of work pupils of all abilities can do, including the most able and least able and those eligible for pupil premium funding
  • making sure that teachers plan questions that will make pupils think hard and develop their ideas and skills
  • making sure that teachers plan carefully and draw on advice about how best to target their teaching precisely, so that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress.
• Improve all pupils’ outcomes, but especially for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, by:
  • ensuring high aspirations for pupils’ achievement by continuing to rigorously implement the recently introduced school-wide approach to monitoring the quality of teaching
  • setting pupils ambitious and yet realistic targets based on a clear and accurate understanding of what they can and need to do to improve
  • undertaking and implementing a pupil premium review in order to diminish the differences in performance between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally.
• Further focus and develop subject leaders’ skills and knowledge so that they are more able to assure the quality of teaching in their area of the school, so that all pupils make the progress that they should. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved. An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management

Requires improvement

• Disadvantaged pupils at The Holy Family do not do as well as other pupils nationally. However, leaders are beginning to be increasingly successful in targeting the pupil premium grant funding to help diminish the differences between the performance of these pupils and others nationally. This is because leaders make sure all staff are aware of disadvantaged pupils’ needs. In addition, the school’s systems for monitoring and assessing the impact of actions to support disadvantaged pupils are increasingly effective. As a result, the outcomes for these disadvantaged pupils are beginning to improve. Leaders effectively deploy funding in Year 7 to help pupils who need to catch up in their basic skills.
• The headteacher is clear about what needs to be done to improve the school and he has put in place the team and structures needed to address the inconsistencies in teaching. However, the quality of teaching is still too variable because, although these accountability systems are in place, leaders have not yet applied them promptly and with sufficient precision to ensure rapid and sustained improvement.
• Subject leaders are increasingly taking on more responsibility for the quality of the work of their teams of teachers and teaching assistants. Systems are in place to monitor teaching on a regular basis. The first of these ‘focus fortnights’ took place in November 2016. During this time, middle leaders, supported by their senior colleagues, scrutinised the work and effectiveness of their departments. As a result of this, leaders set targets and next steps to improve the quality of teaching. There are early indications that this whole-school approach is beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of teaching. However, it is too early to say whether this will be sustained.
• The curriculum at the school is broad, balanced and interesting. It is underpinned by a clearly articulated set of values that are rooted in tolerance, kindness and high aspiration. It is also supported by a wide range of extra-curricular activities and trips that are open to all. Leaders and governors, effectively supported by the Catholic Diocese of Leeds, are dedicated to ensuring that the school serves and reflects the diversity of the community. The school prepares pupils very effectively for life in modern Britain.
• The leadership of the provision for those pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities is increasingly effective. The leader is clear that all teachers are teachers of special educational needs. She offers advice and training for staff and helps them focus and develop their teaching of all pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, despite this able support, there is still too much variability in the quality of the provision for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is because some staff are not utilising the support offered by the SEN and disabilities leader and senior and subject leaders are not insisting and checking that they do.
• The leadership of support for pupils’ and students’ well-being and care is effective. The school has a firm focus on ensuring that every child and young person is well looked after and any barriers to learning are removed. The communication and recording systems are strong and parents are well informed. The school’s links with outside agencies are effective.
• The school is bright and tidy and there are attractive displays of pupils’ work. There are regular celebrations of pupils’ successes in assembly and tutor time. All of these underline leaders’ raising of pupils’ and students’ aspirations and confidence.

Governance of the school

• Governors are aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. However, they have not ensured that senior leaders have moved promptly enough to address the key areas that need improvement.
• Governors are not precise enough in the way they hold senior leaders to account for the progress that pupils make at the school. This is especially the case for disadvantaged pupils and those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who receive in-school support.
• Although developing, governors’ links with leadership beyond the senior team are not thorough enough. As a result, governors are too reliant on information from the senior team when they make their judgements on how well the school is doing and what needs to be done to address key weaknesses.
• Governors take their responsibilities for ensuring that all members of the school community are safe very seriously. Working with senior leaders, governors foster and ensure a culture of safeguarding at the school.
• Governors have a very clear vision for the school and the way it should serve its community. Working with senior leaders, they ensure that the school keeps a creative and effective balance between distinctive Catholic education and being a school that is open, welcoming and engaged with all. This is a particular strength of The Holy Family Catholic School.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school. This is underpinned by very rigorous and effective systems, checks and regular training for all staff and governors.
• Staff are very clear about their responsibilities and of the systems that the school has put in place to support and ensure that pupils are safe.
• The school knows its pupils and students and the communities from which they come very well. As a result, staff are able to move promptly and effectively to address any issues that affect pupils’ and students’ learning or well-being as they arise.
• The senior leader with responsibility for safeguarding manages a team of highly effective staff who are committed to securing pupils’ and students’ safety and well-being. There is a focus on ensuring that all pupils receive the support that they need. This includes working closely and effectively with outside agencies and with parents and carers.
• Senior leaders ensure that accurate records are kept of all aspects of safeguarding.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement because teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high enough. As a result, there is too much variability in the quality of teaching and learning across most subjects and between year groups.
• Staff do not systematically check pupils’ work in accordance with the school’s assessment policy and timescales. As a result, teachers’ understanding of what pupils can and cannot do can lack precision. This means that the work that teachers plan for pupils does not take sufficient account of what they need to do next to make sustained progress.
• It also means that the longer-term targets that teachers set pupils can be either too easy or, more often, unrealistically ambitious. This is particularly the case for the less able pupils. In many of the pupils’ writing books seen by inspectors, the target sheets on the front of the books were not up to date.
• Teachers are aware of those pupils in their classes who are disadvantaged and may need extra support. However, they do not take sufficient account of the specific needs of some of these pupils in their planning and they do not check carefully enough that these pupils are making the progress that they should.
• In some subjects, key stage 3 history for example, pupils do not have sufficient opportunities to write at length. As a result, they do not develop the habits of writing in sufficient detail to explore new ideas and extend their thinking.
• Although examples of good practice were seen during the inspection, especially in modern foreign languages and English, teachers and other staff do not use questioning consistently and effectively enough to check pupils’ understanding and ensure that all pupils make good and better progress. Too often, questions focus on ‘what’ rather than ‘why’ and ‘how’. As a result, opportunities are lost to explore and enjoy challenging ideas and resolve more complex problems.
• Teaching assistants are well deployed and are an asset to the school, particularly in their support of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. They work closely with the teacher and contribute effectively to these pupils’ progress.
• The leader with responsibility for those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities supplies teachers with detailed and useful information and advice about these pupils. However, teachers are inconsistent in the use they make of this valuable information. As a result, those pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities whose needs are catered for by the school do not make the progress that they could. Where teachers take account of the information, in English for example, these pupils make good progress.
• Relationships between staff and pupils and students are good. Pupils are enthusiastic and eager to learn. This is particularly the case when they are infected by the high expectations and love of learning of their teachers and they are given opportunities to reflect on their learning. In a number of drama and physical education lessons, for example, pupils were taught to improve their technique through carefully structured reflection and self-assessment.
• Most teachers demonstrate good subject knowledge and, in a number of cases seen during the inspection, a real joy in teaching, combined with high expectations of what pupils can and should do. For example, in a Year 11 Japanese lesson, the teacher’s quiet enthusiasm and real pleasure in his subject infected his pupils. They were able to discuss enthusiastically with the inspector the significance and nuances of the strokes when writing Japanese.
• Pupils reported that they welcome the increased emphasis on reading and the higher profile it is receiving. The sharing of what staff are reading through the ‘drop everything and read’ posters around the school generates conversation about reading and its importance.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils say that they feel safe and are confident that, if they had any difficulties, they would be promptly and effectively dealt with by adults at the school.
• Pupils reported that bullying is very rare and that they understand the range of forms that bullying can take, including online bullying. Pupils told inspectors that they were confident that, should incidents of bullying occur, they would be dealt with promptly and effectively by staff at the school.
• The school supports its vulnerable pupils very effectively. The whole school community is effective in encouraging these members to be increasingly confident and independent. As far as possible, all aspects of the school’s provision are open to all, including trips abroad.
• Independent advice and guidance about careers and next steps start in Year 7. It becomes more focused as pupils move up through the school. The provision for Year 10 pupils has been enhanced by a week’s work experience scheduled for July 2017. As well as this, there is a clear programme of visits, speakers and opportunities to inspire and encourage pupils to make more informed choices. There are strong links with local businesses, colleges and universities. As a result, pupils are very aware of the opportunities that exist for them post-16 at the school and beyond.
• The programme of sessions and activities to support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well developed. Key areas such as e-safety, healthy eating, sexual exploitation, respect and tolerance are discussed in tutor time and during dedicated sessions.
• The assembly and collective worship programme at the school is carefully constructed and effective. It reinforces the key messages of the school and encourages pupils to be responsible for, and respectful of, themselves and others. Pupils reported that they enjoy worship and the way it emphasises the success of pupils in the school and the way in which it brings together the two main communities in the school as one. Pupils reported that they see the school as ‘one big family’.
• The school’s environment is tidy, bright and attractive and there are many examples of pupils’ work on the walls. Pupils reported that they were proud of the way their school looked.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils move around the complex site with care and consideration for others. They are polite and cheerful. They are very ready to help and guide each other and visitors. They are open and confident and able to speak with animation about their learning and aspirations for the future.
• The school keeps effective records of racist incidents, bullying and attendance. Leaders evaluate the information they collect carefully. This helps them to target resources and helps measure the impact of their actions on individuals and groups of pupils. As a result of these actions, attendance is improving rapidly and incidents of poor behaviour are dealt with firmly yet carefully.
• Classrooms are generally orderly. Inspectors saw very few examples of low-level disruption. These took place when the pace of learning slowed.
• Pupils wear their school uniforms with pride. They are punctual to lessons and if late, as a number of pupils arriving by bus were on one day of the inspection, they take their places with care and consideration for others.
• The vast majority of staff who responded to the staff survey agreed or strongly agreed that behaviour at the school is good. Inspectors’ conversations with a range of staff suggest that they feel supported by senior staff and that senior leaders have a very effective impact on behaviour, pupils’ attitudes to learning and staff well-being.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Overall outcomes for pupils require improvement. This is because not enough pupils make the progress that they should from their starting points. This is particularly the case in mathematics and science and for disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils arrive at the school in Year 7 with levels of skills and knowledge that are generally below those expected. For pupils in this year whose skills in reading, writing and mathematics are not strong enough to give them full access to the curriculum, the school offers additional support. This provision is effective and enables these pupils to catch up and make progress similar to that of their peers.
• Disadvantaged pupils do not make the progress that they should in a range of subjects, but particularly in science. The school is addressing this key area but more needs to be done to ensure that these pupils make the progress that they should. Most-able pupils who are disadvantaged make generally good progress in English.
• Most-able pupils overall achieve in line with similar pupils nationally, apart from in science, where they do not yet make the progress that they should.
• The school now regularly gathers more detailed and, increasingly, accurate information about the progress that all pupils are making. Inspection evidence shows that this is beginning to have a positive impact on teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Teachers are using this information to help them with their planning so that staff focus more carefully on what pupils need in order to improve and add to their pleasure in learning.
• Outcomes in science lag behind those in other subjects at the school. This is in large part due to relatively weaker teaching and assessment. However, inspection evidence shows that leaders are taking effective action to improve the quality of teaching and the accuracy of assessments. There are now clear and robust processes in place to help ensure that outcomes in this area of the school improve.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities who receive in-school support do not progress as well as their peers. This is because their progress is not rigorously monitored by staff and interventions to help them improve are not prompt and focused enough.
• Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, who have statements of special educational needs or education, health and care plans, do well and make good and sometimes outstanding progress. Their needs and aspirations are carefully addressed and they are well supported.
• The proportion of pupils moving on to further education, employment or training is above average. This reflects the high quality of pupils’ careers advice and guidance.

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• There is too much variability in the quality of teaching in the sixth form. As a result, over time, students’ outcomes are variable. Results in 2016 were weaker than expected, with results in psychology, information and communication technology and geography being significantly below average. However, there were some subjects, religious education for example, where results in 2016 were strong. In other subjects, such as applied science, film studies and sociology, outcomes showed improvement.
• There are discrepancies in the accuracy of leaders’ and teachers’ assessments of students’ outcomes. In 2016, the school’s forecasts for both academic and vocational outcomes were higher than the actual results gained in the summer.
• The senior leader responsible for 16 to 19 students is clear about what needs to be done to improve the quality of the provision. She has driven significant change. There does, however, need to be greater sharpness around the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. The 16 to 19 leader has put in place more rigorous checks of students’ progress in the sixth form, but it is too early to assess whether these are having a lasting, positive impact.
• Students reported that they felt well supported and that staff worked hard for them. Leaders and staff provide high-quality pastoral care for students, based on a very thorough and detailed knowledge of each student’s needs and aspirations. Students are safe and know how to keep themselves safe.
• The small number of students who retake their GCSEs in English and mathematics significantly improve their results while in the sixth form.
• Students reported that they enjoy being in the sixth form and they feel that they have a ‘good deal’. They said that teachers provide them with more feedback than they received lower down the school and that they know what to do to improve. Students have high aspirations, which are supported and driven by staff, and many go on to study at university or take up higher-level apprenticeships.
• The school engages with local employers and industries to help students understand the wide range of opportunities that are available to them. It also provides detailed insights for students of the wide range of universities and higher education courses that are available. The careers advice and guidance that they receive are thorough and focused on their needs and aspirations.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 107428 Bradford 10001426 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 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 Voluntary aided 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed 913 157 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Joann Robinson Martin Hings 01535 210 212 www.holyfamily.ngfl.ac.uk hfcschool@holyfamily.ngfl.ac.uk Date of previous inspection 7–8 November 2012

Information about this school

• The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.
• The Holy Family Catholic School is an average-sized secondary school.
• Approximately 46% of pupils at the school are White British and 39% are Asian British Pakistani.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average.
• The school provides 12 places of specialist provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. These pupils have a designated area but are supported and integrated into the school.
• The school uses no alternative provision.
• The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the end of Year 11.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed lessons in 54 classes, accompanied in eight of these by senior leaders. They spoke with pupils and scrutinised their work. They also observed pupils’ behaviour at break, lunchtimes and at the start and end of the school day. Inspectors also observed pupils as they moved around the school during the day. An inspector attended an act of collective worship.
• Inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders and with a group of recently qualified teachers. They also met with three members of the governing body and two groups of pupils. The lead inspector spoke with the chair of the governing body and with the director of education for the Catholic Diocese of Leeds on the telephone.
• Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school’s development plan and self-evaluation, minutes of meetings of the governing body, records and policies relating to safeguarding and information for tracking pupils’ attendance, progress and attainment.
• Inspectors spoke with staff and also took account of 35 responses by staff to an online questionnaire undertaken during the inspection. Inspectors also took into account the 48 responses on Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, Parent View.

Inspection team

Mark Evans, lead inspector Adam Ryder Natasha Greenough Carl Sugden Patricia Head Linda Griffiths

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