Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre

Christ the King High School and Sixth Form Centre Stamford Road, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 4EX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of students Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of students Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Students, particularly those who have special educational needs supported through school action and school action plus, do not make consistently good progress from their starting points.  Not enough teaching is good and outstanding and there is too much variation in achievement in different subjects and year groups.  Marking and assessment does not always provide sufficient information to ensure that students know how to improve their work.  There are not enough opportunities for students to work things out for themselves and develop their confidence in speaking in lessons.  Not all heads of subject departments effectively monitor and check the progress that students make.  The school’s procedure for gaining an accurate view of teaching is not rigorous enough.  The sixth form requires improvement as students are not making consistently good progress.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher, governors and senior leaders have high ambitions for the school.  Significant changes since the last inspection have demonstrated that the school has a clear view of how successful it can be.  Students feel safe and have strong values for their role in the local and global community.  There is some outstanding teaching, notably in mathematics, some sciences, music and film studies.  Attendance rates are improving and are now broadly average. Exclusions are low.  As a result of effective leadership in this area, the support and care that students receive is excellent and meets the needs of all students.  Students are extremely polite, courteous and are obviously proud of their school.  The chapel and The Hub (the school’s internal referral unit) are outstanding and ensure students believe in themselves and succeed.  The curriculum and wider opportunities provided contribute extremely well to students’

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The school has the following strengths

spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Inspection report: Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre, 2–3 October 2013 2 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 46 part-lessons taught by 46 different teachers. Five observations of lessons were also carried out in partnership with members of the senior leadership team.  Meetings were held with the members of the governing body, the headteacher, senior leaders, heads of subject departments and a selection of staff. Inspectors also met with groups of students of differing ages and abilities. A telephone conversation was held with a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation, including information and work showing students’ progress and attainment, school improvement plans, monitoring documentation and records related to behaviour and safeguarding.  Inspectors analysed the unvalidated 2013 examination results and the published results for previous years. They looked at the school’s data on students’ progress for all groups and subjects.  Inspectors took into account the views expressed by parents in the 65 responses to the online

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Information about this inspection

questionnaire, Parent View, as well as individual letters sent directly to the inspection team and a telephone conversation.  The publication of the report was delayed to allow an inspector to gather evidence in response to an issue raised by a complaint. Inspectors found no evidence to substantiate the complaint.

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Inspection team

Derek Davies, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Neil MacKenzie Additional Inspector Jacqueline Rothery Additional Inspector Timothy Gartside Additional Inspector Elizabeth Haddock Additional Inspector Inspection report: Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre, 2–3 October 2013 3 of 9

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Information about this school

 Christ the King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre is larger than the average-sized secondary school.  The number of students in the sixth form has increased significantly in September 2013.  The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below the national average.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those students who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children of service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language is well below the national averages, though increasing.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

of students’ attainment and progress.  The school makes limited use of alternative provision with Southport College and one independent provider, Northgate.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Using the school’s existing good and outstanding practice, eradicate any teaching that is less than good and improve the progress of all students, by:  ensuring all teachers precisely match learning activities to the specific needs of individual students  making certain that marking and assessment of work is consistent and gives specific guidance to students on how they can improve their work, as well as opportunities for them to respond and reflect on the feedback given  providing more opportunities for students to actively engage in their learning and also develop their confidence when speaking in lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the consistent practice of all heads of subject departments so that they are all as good as each other.  Improve the effectiveness of how all leaders accurately monitor teaching so that the school has an accurate view on how teaching helps students to learn.  Further develop teaching in the sixth form and improve the progress that students make, by, increasing the level of challenge to students, ensuring that they can think and confidently speak at a higher level. Inspection report: Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre, 2–3 October 2013 4 of 9

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The achievement of students requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because, whilst some students make very good progress, some students are not making fast enough progress, in some subjects and in some year groups.  Over the last three years, including the school’s unvalidated 2013 results, the proportion of students achieving five or more GCSE passes at A* to C, including English and mathematics, has been broadly average. Whilst GCSE passes overall are slightly above the national average, some students have not made fast enough progress from their starting points.  There have been significant improvements in how well students achieve in mathematics, which is now above average.  The proportion of more-able students making very good progress has not always been good enough. These students currently do well because teachers match work to their precise needs.  In 2013, students supported by the pupil premium and known to be eligible for free school

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The achievement of students requires improvement

meals achieved similar or better GCSE grades than all other students in the school in English and mathematics. This shows that the school has successfully eliminated any gaps in performance for this group of students and promotes equality of opportunity.  From their starting points, students achieve particularly well in art, biology, chemistry, media studies and physics.  The progress that students make from their starting points is strongest in Year 11, the slowest in Years 7 and 8.  The school encourages reading across the curriculum and students generally read well in all subjects. Registration time in the morning is used positively to promote personal reading. However, some students do not participate enough in lessons in order to develop their speaking skills.  The recently developed systems to monitor how well students are doing give a clear view of the progress of all students. It is mostly accurate, though much depends on the accuracy of

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The achievement of students requires improvement

teachers’ assessments.  Disabled students and those with special educational needs supported by a statement, do not always make particularly good progress compared to other students. Whilst teachers identify these students in their planning, work is not always matched to their needs and sometimes lacks sufficient challenge.  Students who are eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium receive additional support to develop their literacy and numeracy skills. As a result, there have been significant improvements in their ability to read at a level that is now appropriate to their age, or often better.  Early entry to GCSE examinations in English and mathematics is well thought out and used appropriately to ensure students achieve their full potential.  The relatively few students following courses in other establishments away from the school site receive good support and achieve well.  Students do not as do as well as they should in the sixth form, with too many subjects

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The achievement of students requires improvement

performing below national averages. The unvalidated results for 2013 do, however, show a significant improvement in AS outcomes.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement because not enough lessons are good or better and there is a small minority of inadequate teaching.  Lessons do not always match the precise needs of all students or take into account the full range of abilities. Too often all students are provided with the same work and teachers do not plan sufficiently for the progress of all students.  In the better lessons, teachers have high expectations and ensure all students are challenged and engaged in their learning. Where outstanding teaching is observed, such as in a music lesson, students clearly understand how to improve their work and so make good progress.  Teachers often use questions to check knowledge. Where this is done well, such as in a science lesson, the teacher adapts questions with a sophisticated knowledge of the skills and abilities of the student. However, there are too many missed opportunities for students to deepen their

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

understanding.  In lessons that are less effective, teachers do not always give opportunities for students to be fully involved and take a more active part in their learning. There is too much direction from the teacher. As a result, this does not enable students to develop fully their ability to learn by themselves.  The level of challenge in lessons is too inconsistent. Teachers identify different groups of students in their planning, but activities do not always match the needs of all students.  The teaching of reading and writing skills is consistent across all subjects. However, students, who are generally very confident out of lessons, do not consistently speak confidently in lessons.  Some marking of students’ work, such as in English, is very detailed and provides clear and specific comments to inform students what they need to do to improve. However, marking is inconsistent across all subjects and students are not giving sufficient opportunities to reflect and

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

respond to the feedback that has been given.  Teachers are not always doing enough to meet the specific needs of those students with special educational needs or who are supported by a statement of special educational needs.  Students and parents believe that there have been improvements in teaching, although this is not consistent across all subjects.  Teaching is improving in the sixth form and is now becoming stronger although, occasionally, teachers accept responses from students that are too basic. Students do not have enough opportunities to develop their thinking skills at a higher level.

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The behaviour and safety of students are good

 Students have a very positive attitude; they are polite and well mannered, and demonstrate a great deal of respect to all those involved in the school. This is an inclusive school where students are cared for well.  The values of the school are evident in the way that students behave and have a commitment to others, such as a very powerful Year 10 assembly where students clearly empathised with what was taking place in the world around them.  Students say they feel safe and secure in the school and are made aware of all types of bullying, including being safe on line and other issues through the school’s excellent Guidance programme, which takes place each week.  As a result of explicit sanctions and rewards, students have clear expectations of what is appropriate behaviour.  The responses from parents indicate that a very large majority of parents agree that students behave well, they are not bullied and they are well cared for and feel safe at school.

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The behaviour and safety of students are good

 The support and guidance that students receive at all stages are an example of excellent practice. As a result of this strong guidance, students are able to make appropriate choices.  Whilst the majority of students have very positive attitudes, some students do not always actively engage in lessons and take some responsibility for their learning.  Attendance is now above average and has improved significantly since 2012. The school has clear systems and procedures for managing attendance. Exclusions are low, mainly due to how the school creates individual programmes for all students to ensure that they stay in school and achieve their best.  Students do not always arrive on time to all lessons.  Students have very positive social values and fully participate in local, national and international projects. Charity work is embraced by all and the school has raised almost £60,000. The focus for this year, voted by the students, is the MacMillan nurses.

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The behaviour and safety of students are good

 The school promotes global citizenship so that students clearly relate to both the local and international community. Within the sixth form, there are students from other European countries, who add to the diversity promoted in the school.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because changes have not consistently improved the progress that all students make. However, actions implemented by the headteacher and senior leaders have already secured improvements and demonstrate capacity to improve further.  Not all heads of subject departments have an accurate view of their performance and what they need to do to improve the progress of all students. Leaders at this level do not work together sufficiently to ensure standards are consistently good.  Leadership, at all levels, for students’ care, well-being and guidance is excellent. As a result, students feel valued and highly supported in making the right choices.  Leaders of those students with special educational needs or who are supported by a statement of special educational needs do not have rigorous systems in place that accurately check the quality of teaching and support provided.

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 Senior leaders effectively use systems to monitor how well students are doing, although the skills of heads of subject departments and teachers are still developing in this area.  Joint lesson observations undertaken during the inspection indicate senior leaders’ judgements of teaching are generally accurate. However, the way leaders usually judge the quality of teaching is often too generous and weaker aspects in teaching, especially how students learn, are not clearly identified and resolved.  Teachers do not systematically share the best teaching present in the school. Likewise, training for teachers is not always specific for their needs.  Senior leaders and governors challenge teachers’ underperformance. Teachers’ pay progression has been based on successfully meeting performance management targets, which link to Teachers’ Standards. As a result, senior leaders have been successful in eradicating most, but

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The leadership and management requires improvement

not all, inadequate teaching.  The local authority works closely with the school. They now need to support and challenge the school more robustly and ensure the pace of change is quicker.  The curriculum in the sixth form has improved and now ensures that all students are on courses appropriate to their talents and ambitions.  Leadership of the sixth form has ensured students are now beginning to achieve well. The support and guidance that students receive about their futures is excellent; this helps their learning and progress.  The governance of the school: An external review of governance is not recommended as governors now have a good understanding of the performance of the school, particularly in terms of:  the school’s systems for checking the progress that students are making, which they use effectively to know where improvements are needed  the differences that the Year 7 catch-up premium has made to how students read

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The leadership and management requires improvement

 how the performance of staff is managed. Inspection report: Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre, 2–3 October 2013 7 of 9

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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 students’ needs. This ensures that students 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 students’ needs. Students 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 students 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. Inspection report: Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre, 2–3 October 2013 8 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 104964 Local authority Sefton Inspection number 426327

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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 students 11–18 Gender of students Mixed Gender of students in the sixth form Mixed Number of students on the school roll 1195 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 235 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Alan Rayner Headteacher James Lancaster Date of previous school inspection 3 November 2010 Telephone number 01704 565121 Fax number 01704 550447 Email address info@christtheking-school.com 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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