Bonus Pastor Catholic College

Bonus Pastor Catholic College Winlaton Road, Downham, Bromley, BR1 5PZ

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Students make good progress and achieve well, particularly in mathematics, the college’s specialist subject. Students’ attainment by the time they leave school is often above average.  Teaching is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use this effectively when questioning students to make sure they make good progress.  Relationships between teachers and students are very strong and help to create a sense of shared learning in lessons.  Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very well and is clearly evident in the life of the college.  Students’ behaviour is outstanding. They conduct themselves with courtesy and show generosity towards others and commitment to achieving their very best. They are excellent ambassadors for the college. Students feel completely safe within the college.  The governing body, headteacher and senior team share a strong desire to raise students’

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

achievement through improved teaching.  The governing body is experienced and skilled and provides strong challenge and support on behalf of parents and the college community.  Partnerships with schools and businesses are a key strength of the college and enhance pupils’ learning.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Performance information is not always used consistently by teachers to set work at the right level for all students.  New approaches to improve students’ literacy skills across different subjects are not fully established.  Some teachers do not show students their next steps in learning when they mark their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 39 lessons of which five were joint observations with senior leaders. In addition the inspection team made a number of visits between sites and met pupils informally in breaks and lunchtimes.  Meetings were held with three groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, college staff including middle and senior leaders and teaching assistants, and with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors observed the school’s work, attended an assembly and scrutinised students’ work, progress information, development and evaluation documents, safeguarding information, records relating to behaviour and attendance, the impact of professional development on the college’s performance and minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors took account of 37 responses to the on-line parent questionnaire (Parent View) and 48 responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Jennifer Bax, Lead inspector Additional inspector Helen Hutchings Additional inspector Roger Fenwick Additional inspector Robert Ridout Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized school. Students attend the college from a wide area in and around Bromley and Lewisham, because of the college’s faith status. There are a higher number of boys than girls.  The college has two sites about 400 metres apart, and moved into new buildings on both sites in September 2012. Work is still continuing to complete the college grounds following the demolition of the old school buildings.  The proportion of pupils who are from minority ethnic groups is well-above average. The largest group of students is Black African. An above-average proportion of students speak English as an additional language, although few students are at an early stage of learning to speak English.  The proportion of students who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional funding provided by the government for groups of pupils, including those known to be eligible for free school meals) is above average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is low.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school occasionally uses alternative provision for a few pupils who have specific emotional difficulties. This is a locally agreed arrangement between schools in the London Borough of Lewisham.  The school holds a number of awards, including specialist college status for mathematics and computing, Artsmark and Investors in People.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistency of teaching so that students are helped to boost their progress so that it is outstanding, by:  sharing the most effective practice already in the school more widely  using the information teachers have about students’ achievement to plan activities which are set at the right level for them  making sure that marking consistently identifies students’ next steps in learning and that they are required to act upon teachers’ advice.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students join the college with average standards. As a result of good teaching, most make good progress so that they are prepared well for the next stage of their education, training or employment.  The college has maintained the good levels of achievement since it was last inspected. Students’ achievement has improved and the proportion gaining five good GCSE grades, including English and mathematics, is above average.  Achievement is not yet outstanding because students are capable of making even faster progress than is currently the case. The college checks students’ progress regularly and takes prompt action if a student is not making the expected rate of progress. The college’s information indicates that well-targeted intervention and support generally help these students to make up gaps in their knowledge quickly.  The progress of individual students is checked effectively to make sure that the needs of

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The achievement of pupils is good

particular groups are met. Consequently, there is little variation in the achievement of different groups, including boys and girls, and minority ethnic students. This shows the school’s success in promoting equality of opportunity.  Students speak warmly of the extra help that teachers and ex-students give in revision classes, intervention sessions and Saturday school. The college has introduced additional support for students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, such as the employment of additional English and mathematics teachers. Consequently these students are making good progress and achieve well, reflected in the narrowing gap in average points scores between students known to be eligible for free school meals and their peers.  Disabled students and those who have special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational needs, make good progress from their starting points because

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The achievement of pupils is good

of the support they are given in lessons. However, there are occasions where teachers’ expectations are not sufficiently challenging or when students’ tasks are not set at the right level so that these students do not learn as well as they could.  The use of early entry has not always meant that students reach the GCSE grade of which they are capable, for example in English. However this is now being tackled by the college. Early entry in mathematics and science has improved students’ achievements and has enabled them to begin AS level study in Year 11.  The college effectively helps students to improve their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects, such as in history and geography. However, the approach is not carried out consistently in literacy so that, on occasion, students do not fully understand subject-specific language. Students’ communication skills are promoted well through the opportunities they have

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The achievement of pupils is good

to make oral presentations to the whole class. For example in a Year 10 history class, groups of students successfully represented their manifesto for a political party in Germany in the 1920’s.  The alternative provision used for a few students who are experiencing academic or emotional difficulties effectively means that they are given the support they need. Regular communication enables the school to monitor their progress and they gain the qualifications needed to undertake further study or enter employment or training on leaving school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching across most subjects is usually good and in some cases outstanding. There are still some variations, however, and not all teaching is at the level of the very best to make sure that all students make rapid and sustained progress.  The college has tackled the issues identified in the previous inspection report so that lessons are now well paced and the needs of girls and higher-attaining students are met effectively.  Well-planned lessons and good use of video and laptops enliven learning and bring it to life, for example in a Year 8 English lesson where students were asked to present a current news story. Teachers generally pitch work at the right level but it does not always meet the needs of all students.  Teachers encourage students well and set a positive atmosphere for learning. Teachers question students well to check the level of their understanding and to provide support or challenge. For

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The quality of teaching is good

example, in a Year 10 English poetry lesson, the teacher made sure that pupils probed their understanding of a Carol Ann Duffy poem and supported their use of key words effectively.  Teachers make good use of grade criteria to help students understand the quality of their work. For example, in an outstanding mathematics lesson about classification the teacher helped the students to make outstanding progress by using the assessment grades to aid their understanding of how to improve their work.  Students benefit from the support of additional teachers and teaching assistants. These adults develop the learning of individuals or small groups because students are able to ask questions about aspects of the lesson they do not understand and are helped to develop their perseverance.  Feedback from parent surveys organised by the school in addition to the Parent View return indicates that the vast majority of parents consider teaching to be overwhelming good.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Marking is generally good and has improved since the last inspection. However, students are not always supported in making the best use of these comments, for example by correcting work to show that they have understood the advice given.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students are exceptionally well behaved in and out of classrooms. In lessons and other activities, such as assemblies, behaviour is highly respectful and orderly. Changes in activity within and between lessons are calm and show excellent self-control and discipline.  Behaviour around the school, in corridors, and at break and lunchtime is exemplary. Students are always friendly, courteous and helpful.  Relationships between staff and students are warm and respectful. Teachers and other staff always demonstrate high expectations of behaviour and achievement.  Students state that they feel safe at the college and they know that the staff are there to help and support them as much as they can.  Incidents of bullying or poor behaviour are very rare and, when they occur, they are dealt with swiftly and effectively. Students are well aware of the dangers of bullying in all its forms. They say that there is very little prejudice-based bullying or derogatory language. Parents say that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

they are very happy with behaviour in the college and would recommend the college to other parents.  Attendance is well-above average and levels of exclusion are very low. Students are punctual to college, which prepares them well for working life. Punctuality to lessons is excellent, showing students’ commitment to learning by moving quickly between the two college sites.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders and managers share a strong commitment to driving up standards and to providing a secure foundation for students’ future well-being. This has helped establish the college as a place where parents want to send their children in the local and wider community.  The priorities in the college improvement plans are communicated clearly. Leaders know the college’s strengths and what can be improved based on their checks of its work. The support given by the local authority has been purposeful and effective in assisting the college to raise attainment and expectations.  The headteacher provides decisive and determined leadership. She is passionately committed to the needs of the students and local community, and is well supported by her senior leadership team. The college’s capacity to secure and maintain improvement is reflected in leaders’ successful tackling of the key areas for improvement identified in the last inspection report.

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The leadership and management are good

 Individual members of staff have clear roles and responsibilities and the quality of teachers’ work is systematically checked both formally and informally. Senior leaders and leaders in charge of subjects and aspects of the school’s work undertake formal observations of their teams. Any practice not judged as being good is targeted and dealt with through targeted training. Teachers’ annual performance targets are monitored closely and pay awards are directly linked to the quality of teaching and students’ progress. This is having a positive impact on students’ achievement.  Funding for eligible students through the pupil premium is used well to make sure that their achievement compares favourably with that of others in the college, for example by employing additional teachers in English and mathematics. This demonstrates the college’s commitment to tackling discrimination and being fully inclusive.

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The leadership and management are good

 Specialist subjects and enrichment activities help students to achieve well because they are continually adapted to respond to changing needs. For example, students have the chance to take environmental studies at GCSE.  Students thoroughly enjoy the wide range of visits and opportunities for travel, for example field trips and visits to Europe, which help their GCSE study and wider understanding of the world.  The promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development lies at the heart of the college’s work. A wide range of activities, for example charity work, topics on civil rights in the United States in 1960, assemblies on teamwork and aspiration, visits to museums and theatres, all help to make sure that students have an enriching school experience.  Partnerships with local primary schools, sixth form colleges and other educational and business organisations, for example Sir John Cass’s Foundation and Reuters are a key strength of the

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The leadership and management are good

school and enhance students’ learning.  The governance of the school:  The Chair of the Governing Body is well informed about the college’s strengths and areas for development and accurately judges all aspects of the school’s work. The governing body has set up specific committees to analyse critically students’ results, assess whether the quality of teaching is improving and make sure targets for teachers reward good and deal with poor performance. Governors have specific annual training to see all members understand school performance information and how the college’s performance compares with that of schools nationally, giving them the confidence to challenge the headteacher and senior leaders. Governors are aware of the use of funding for the pupil premium and question the headteacher to make sure this funding is making a difference to eligible students. Governors make sure that procedures to secure the safety and well-being of students meet requirements.

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The leadership and management are good

Care has been taken to see that students are free from harm during the college’s building programme.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 100752 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 402833

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Secondary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 11-16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 761 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Pat Barber Headteacher Ruth Holden Date of previous school inspection 4-5 February 2008 Telephone number 020 8695 2100 Fax number 020 8695 2105 Email address office@bp.lewisham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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