Setting

Mr P. Kassapian Headteacher Salvatorian Roman Catholic College High Road Harrow Weald Harrow HA3 5DY

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Education act 2005 to Salvatorian Roman Catholic College

Following my visit to your school on 4 February 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report on the findings of my visit. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Education act 2005 to Salvatorian Roman Catholic College

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in October 2012. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher and the college’s senior leadership team, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Chair of Trustees, the Head of the Harrow School Improvement Partnership and the Assistant Director of Education from the Diocese of Westminster. The college’s action plans and other documentation relating to the plans were evaluated. The HMI also carried out a brief tour of the school with the headteacher.

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Context

Since the previous inspection, a deputy headteacher has left the college. An assistant headteacher from another Catholic school has been seconded to the college’s senior leadership team until the end of the academic year. Two members of staff have been promoted to senior leadership positions. Tribal 1-4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 311 5307 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : Emma.Thomson@ tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

The headteacher is taking decisive action to address the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Changes to personnel have added impetus to the pace of change. Senior leaders share the headteacher’s determination to improve the quality of education provided by the college as quickly as possible. They relish the challenge of improving the college. Clear and robust strategies are in place to strengthen the areas in most need of improvement. This includes a bespoke programme of support for middle leaders whose teaching has not been good enough, together with a series of ‘non-negotiable’ expectations that all teachers must meet. Significant improvements to the collection, dissemination and use of data are beginning to provide staff with a clearer understanding of how well students are doing. Target setting is becoming more robust and challenging because it is based on more accurate appraisal of students’ capabilities than before.

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Main findings

The college’s action plans are closely linked to the areas in need of improvement. The plans set out what will be done, who is responsible and how progress will be monitored. However, the plans do not articulate precisely enough how the impact of each action will be measured or the intended impact on students’ achievement. The plans lack the interim milestones needed to enable governors to hold the college to account as it strives to become good.

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Main findings

Governors and trustees recognise that the college requires significant improvement. They have provided good support for the headteacher in taking robust decisions over staffing. Governors have embraced training opportunities to improve their skills. However, they recognise they need more training to be able to hold the college to account of students’ academic performance. Initial discussions with the National College for School Leadership have taken place with a view to conducting a full review of governance before the end of the Spring term 2013.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors have begun to take tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. Following the visit to the college, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 ensure that action plans set out clear and measurable success criteria which link sharply to students’ academic achievement  ensure action plans include interim milestones so that progress can be monitored more effectively by senior leaders, the strategic improvement group and governors.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

The college draws effectively on support from external partners, including the local authority and the Diocese of Westminster. A senior representative from the local authority and from the diocese sits on the colleges’ strategic improvement group. The college is also drawing on support from other schools in and beyond the borough to improve the quality of teaching and the effectiveness of middle and senior leaders.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Salvatorian Order Trust, the diocese of Westminster and the Education Funding Agency.

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