St Oscar Romero Catholic School

School report Chatsmore Catholic High School

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has a clear vision for the school’s improvement. He is very well supported by the senior leadership team and by governors. Together they are leading the necessary developments in this rapidly improving school.  The curriculum is structured to maximise students’ opportunities to learn, achieve well and make appropriate post-16 choices.  The school is exceptionally inclusive. All students are known as individuals and this ensures that all are helped to achieve and succeed.  The proportion of students achieving five or more GCSEs at grades A* to C including English and mathematics is above the national average.  Disabled students and those with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well in their examinations.  Teaching is consistently good and some is outstanding. Teachers carefully plan their lessons to include activities that students enjoy and which enable them to make good progress.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Students are extremely polite and courteous. They respect each other and their teachers. Their very strong sense of pride in their school is evident in the complete absence of litter and graffiti around the school site.  Students have good attitudes towards learning and are keen to participate in lessons and extra- curricular activities.  The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding. Students have excellent understanding of how to keep themselves safe and vertical tutor groups enable them to build strong relationships with students of different ages, genders and beliefs.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 The gap between the achievement of disadvantaged students and their peers is narrowing quickly but is not yet closed.  Students are not always given the opportunity to improve their understanding by thinking or working things out for themselves.  Teachers’ marking and feedback do not always provide students with the necessary guidance about how to improve their work.  Students do not always respond to their teachers’ written comments and they sometimes leave their work incomplete. Consequently, some do not achieve as well as they could.  Opportunities for teachers to work collaboratively to share good practice are not yet routinely embedded.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 24 lessons, 23 of these were joint observations with school leaders. Inspectors also conducted a series of shorter visits to lessons to observe students’ attitudes towards learning and the way in which the school uses additional adults to support students’ learning.  Inspectors looked at students’ work in books to evaluate the consistency and impact of teachers’ marking and feedback.  Meetings were held with groups of students, senior and middle leaders, teachers, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors took account of the 84 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and one email from a parent. An inspector also held a telephone conversation with a parent.  Inspectors took account of the 51 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors looked at documentation relating to other aspects of the school’s work including the school’s

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Information about this inspection

self-evaluation and development plan, information about students’ progress and achievement, and records relating to bullying, racist incidents, attendance, behaviour and safeguarding. They also looked at case studies of individual students.

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Inspection team

Caroline Dearden, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Chatsmore Catholic High School is a smallerthanaverage-sized secondary school.  Following the previous inspection the governing body was reconstituted and the senior leadership team was restructured with new appointments at assistant headteacher level.  The majority of students are from White British backgrounds. Approximately one in five students come from minority ethnic backgrounds. A small number speak English as an additional language.  Approximately one tenth of the students are disabled or have special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational needs. This is above the national average.  About one sixth of the students are eligible for the pupil premium. This is additional funding for those who are looked after and those known to be eligible for free school meals. This is almost half the national average.  A very small number of students attend work-related courses leading to accreditation at Northbrook

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Information about this school

College for part of their education.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress by the end of Key Stage 4.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and the rate at which students make progress, including those who are disadvantaged, by:  providing opportunities for teachers to routinely work together to share and embed the best practice  ensuring that all teachers’ marking provides students with guidance about how to improve their work  ensuring that all teachers provide opportunities for students to think and work things out for themselves and to use the strategies provided by their teachers to improve and extend their work.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher firmly believes that the drive for the school to provide an excellent education for all must be driven by the needs and aspirations of students. This view is shared by all leaders at all levels, including governors, and underpins the highly inclusive nature of the school.  School leaders have a very clear understanding of the strengths of the school and the areas for further development. They are rightly proud of the improvements that have been made since the last inspection and have the skills necessary to drive through further improvements.  Highly effective action has been taken to improve the overall quality of teaching. This is supported by rigorous performance management of teachers’ work, linked effectively to rewards for good teaching, and by very strong systems of accountability. Where teaching is identified as needing development, good and effective support is quickly provided. The school has developed effective systems for tracking and

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The leadership and management are good

monitoring students’ progress and achievement across the curriculum. Information from regular assessments is used well to devise and implement interventions to help students make good progress. Consequently, students’ results in GCSE examinations have improved significantly since the last inspection and are now above the national average in many subjects including English and mathematics.  Students are set minimum targets based on their attainment on entry to the school. However, there is a clear expectation for students to out-perform these targets. This view is reciprocated by students who have high aspirations for their own achievement.  Pastoral middle leaders make a very strong contribution to the way in which students are cared for and kept safe. They ensure that attendance and behaviour are tracked and monitored regularly and effectively. Consequently, attendance has improved and fixed-term exclusions are exceptionally low.

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The leadership and management are good

 Careers guidance is effective and pastoral leaders ensure that students are supported to make appropriate choices when they leave the school. This means that the number of students not in education, employment or training is very low. When asked about how their school could be improved students were unanimous in asking for a sixth form.  Subject middle leaders regularly review students’ performance and they use this information to hold teachers to account for the progress of students. This has had a significant impact on ensuring that students are provided with appropriate additional help and support and therefore on improving examination results.  The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced, preparing students well for life in modern Britain. It provides a range of subjects which appeal to the different abilities and aspirations of students. By taking GCSE examinations in their option subjects at the end of Year 10, students are able to concentrate on

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The leadership and management are good

English, mathematics and science in Year 11. This structure is valued by students who say it ‘helps them to feel less stressed’. The proportion of students achieving five or more GCSE grades at A* to C including English and mathematics has improved since the introduction of this model and is now above the national average.  The pupil premium has been used well to provide a range of extra support and to fund alternative education when students have found it challenging to engage in mainstream schooling. As a result, the attendance of these students is no different to that of other students in the school and gap between the achievement of disadvantaged students and their peers is closing.  The regular contact between school leaders and the local college ensures that those students who go there for part of their education attend regularly, behave well, are well looked after and kept safe. They make good progress to achieve a range of work-related qualifications.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school regularly takes on roll students who have been permanently excluded from other local schools or whose personal circumstances make them vulnerable. These students are highly appreciative of the new opportunities they are provided with and of the care extended towards them to help them achieve well. This is testimony to the school’s inclusive ethos.  The family atmosphere that is highly evident in all aspects of the school’s work ensures that there is a strong emphasis on promotion of equality and celebration of diversity. Students are keen to welcome those with differences into their social groups. Discrimination is extremely rare and, when it does occur, it is dealt with effectively and swiftly.  The opportunities for students to develop their spiritual, moral, cultural and social understanding are rich and varied, providing a very strong contribution to the family ethos that is evident in all aspects of the

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The leadership and management are good

school’s work.  The school works very effectively with the local authority and has benefited from a range of support to aid improvements. Over the last two years the nature of this support has changed from being instructional to coaching in style. This is indicative of the improved confidence and strength of school leaders.  The school meets the current statutory requirements for safeguarding.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Following the last inspection the governing body reconstituted to become a single group of 12 governors who monitor and track all aspects of the school’s work. As a consequence all governors have an in depth understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The governing body meets monthly to hold school leaders to account. They scrutinise the information provided and use it to benchmark the school against local and national schools. There is a range of expertise among governors which means that they are able to ensure that the school is financially stable and that teachers’ pay awards are matched to student outcomes. Governors know how the pupil premium money is spent and have approved many of the initiatives requiring additional funding. However, they accept that they need to be more forensic when evaluating the impact of this spending. Governors are highly supportive of the

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The leadership and management are good

school and share the determination of the headteacher to continue the journey of improvement.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good.  Students have good attitudes towards learning and they are keen to achieve well. When provided with the opportunity to work in pairs or small groups they work co-operatively with each other and produce work of good quality...  Students are punctual to lessons and bring the right equipment with them so that lessons can start and run on time. Their work in books is neat and well presented. However, progress is not always as rapid as it could be because students’ work is sometimes left incomplete and incorrectly spelt words are left uncorrected despite reminders from teachers.  Students are taught about the different kinds of bullying and are appreciative of time spent in lessons to discuss and explore the views and beliefs of others. As a consequence bullying of any kind is extremely rare. When interviewed students said, ‘this school teaches you how to be the bigger man and walk away.’

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Behaviour

 Around the school students are polite and courteous towards each other and towards adults. Students’ pride in their school is exemplified by the absence of litter and graffiti and the care and attention shown towards displays and art work in corridors and classrooms.  Students’ views are strongly represented and communicated to senior leaders through the house system. Through supporting local,national and international charitieshas helped students to appreciate the importance of equal opportunity.  Vertical tutor groups have helped to embed the school’s family ethos. Students enjoy mixing and working with others from different year groups and this ensures that all areas of the school are open and accessible to all students.  Students are taught how to appreciate and celebrate difference through tutor time and in religious education and personal development lessons. This means that they mix freely with those who have

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Behaviour

different beliefs, views or lifestyles.  Attendance has improved and is now in line with national averages.  Students educated at off-site provision attended and behave well and as a result achieved success in a range or work-related examinations. The vast majority remain in education post-16.  Exclusions are extremely low and further reducing.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep students safe and secure is outstanding.  Students are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations, including use of the internet and social media. They know what to do and who to talk to if they feel unsafe. They trust school staff to help them and to keep them safe. This view is endorsed by the vast majority of parents.  As this is a small and highly inclusive school every child is known well and treated as an individual. This enables staff to identify when students are upset, underperforming or in need of additional help or support.  Students believe that the ‘school family’ extends into the local community and that this helps them to behave responsibly and to keep themselves safe when not at school.  Arrangements for safeguarding students, including pre-employment checks when new staff are recruited, are meticulously carried out. There is routine monitoring and updating of records. All staff and governors

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Safety

receive annual child protection training. Several senior staff and governors are trained in safer recruitment.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching has improved and is now good across the majority of subjects and in all year groups. Some teaching is outstanding. All senior leaders have a teaching allocation and this allows them to model effective practice.  Teachers use information about students’ progress and learning styles alongside their own good subject knowledge to plan lessons which include activities to engage and interest students. Consequently, students’ attitudes towards learning are good.  Teachers make very good use of questioning to check students’ understanding and to address misconceptions. During group, paired and whole-class discussion students routinely check each other’s work and suggest areas for improvement. This strategy helps students to improve the quality of their work during lessons.  Teachers’ careful planning ensures that students have many opportunities to develop their literacy, reading and mathematical skills across the curriculum. This ensures that they achieve well in a broad

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The quality of teaching is good

range of subjects.  Homework is regularly and routinely set. It is recorded through the school website and so is easy for parents to check and monitor. Students appreciate the ease with which they can now access this work and have welcomed the move away from having to take time in lessons to record homework in their diaries.  All teachers know who the disadvantaged students are in each of their classes. Seating plans are used to integrate these students with their peers and to assist the teacher in providing any additional help or support these students need.  Students are highly appreciative of the time taken by teachers to provide extra-curricular learning, and sporting and cultural opportunities which help them to extend their learning beyond the classroom. As students told inspectors, ‘you don’t need to be a member of a club to be part of a club.’  Teachers mark students’ work regularly and frequently. In many cases, they provide helpful comments for

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The quality of teaching is good

students about how to improve their work. However, in some cases teachers’ comments are simplistic or related to effort. This means that students do not always understand what they need to do to correct or extend their work and thereby deepen their understanding. This can slow down their learning.  Students are encouraged to respond to their teachers’ feedback and there is much evidence to show that students act on the advice provided when teachers mark their work. However, this is not always the case and as a consequence some work remains incomplete, uncorrected or at a level that could be extended or improved upon.  Teachers have high expectations of students and believe that they can achieve high standards. Students have a good understanding of their ‘expected’ and aspirational targets and are keen to achieve their best. Occasionally, teachers limit these aspirations by planning and setting work in line with just ‘expected’

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The quality of teaching is good

targets, therefore limiting the level of challenge.  Students enjoy being trusted to think and work things out for themselves and believe that this helps them to improve their understanding..

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is good

 In most year groups students enter the school with prior attainment similar to national averages. The majority of students attain well and, in 2014, the proportion achieving five or more GCSE grades A* to C including English and mathematics was significantly above the national average.  In 2014 the number of students who attained grades A* to C in English and in mathematics was significantly above the national average in both subjects. Similarly high standards of attainment were evident in a broad range of subjects including science and the humanities. Information provided by the school for students currently on roll is similarly strong with improvements evident in modern foreign languages.  Students make good progress in a range of subjects including English and mathematics. In 2014 the proportion making and exceeding expected progress compared favourably with the national figure. Internal data for the current Year 11 and Year 10 students indicate sustained good progress.

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is good

 In 2014 disadvantaged students in Year 11 attained a grade lower in English and two grades lower in mathematics at GCSE when compared with their peers. When compared with similar students nationally these students attained one grade lower in English and one and a half grades lower in mathematics However, one third of these students joined the school towards the end of Year 10 having been permanently excluded from other local schools or having moved into the area. The school used the pupil premium funding to provide bespoke support for these students which included alternative education at the local college.  For students currently on roll at the school good use has been made of the pupil premium to fund additional adults who are mathematics graduates to support learning and progress in mathematics lessons and to provide small group work with an English intervention teacher. This helps students to

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is good

make good progress and the gap between their achievement and that of their peers is narrowing rapidly.Students who attend part of their education at the local college enjoy the subjects on offer to them. They achieve well in a range of work-related qualifications.  Students who speak English as an additional language and those who are from minority ethnic heritages are fully integrated into the life of the school. They receive the help they need to help them make good progress and achieve at least as well as other students in the school.  Good use has been made of support from the local authority to improve the provision for students who are disabled or who have special educational needs. These students now make good progress and achieve at least as well as similar students nationally.  Students read widely and often and, in lessons, good use is made of strategies to help students improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar.

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is good

 The school has used the Year 7 catch-up fund to provide literacy and numeracy support for students entering the school with low prior attainment in English and mathematics. The majority of these students make very good progress throughout Year 7 and all catch up with their peers by the end of Year 8.  The curriculum structure means that all students are entered early for examinations in their option subjects and in religious education. Year 11 is dedicated to the study of English, mathematics and science. Students are able to either choose from a range of additional options including triple science, to re-sit option subjects or to take advantage of additional curriculum time for English and mathematics. The first cohort to experience this curriculum structure achieved the best ever results for the school in 2014. School data indicate further improvements for 2015.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 126096 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 453440

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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 620 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Chris Silk Headteacher Mike Madden Date of previous school inspection 30–31 January 2013 Telephone number 01903241368 Fax number 01903240183 Email address office@chathigh.co.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 and 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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