Setting

Father G Briody Headteacher Savio Salesian College Netherton Way Bootle Merseyside L30 2NA

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College, Sefton

Following my visit to your school on 29 January 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. 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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College, Sefton

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in October 2014. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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College, Sefton

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, the Chair and a member of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. The school improvement and self-evaluation plans were evaluated. Documents summarising other actions taken since the section 5 inspection were also scrutinised. A learning walk was undertaken with a senior leader. Informal discussions were held with several students during the lunch hour.

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Context

There have been no significant changes to the school’s context since the section 5 inspection. CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566850 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: dmccarrick@cfbt.com

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Main findings

The school’s post inspection improvement plan appropriately tackles the key recommendations arising from the October inspection. It is supported by a well- focused monitoring and evaluation schedule that charts actions taken and evaluates the impact of those actions. Senior leaders are focussing effectively on the school’s improvement agenda. A school post-inspection governors monitoring group comprising governors, the headteacher, and senior leaders meets termly to review the tracking, evaluation and impact of actions.

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Main findings

School data analysis, tracking and monitoring systems have improved significantly during the last twelve months. Teachers now have appropriate data and information to enable them to better plan learning activities and meet the needs of all students. Tracking and monitoring systems are now identifying where interventions are required to enable better student progress. There has been a particularly strong focus on improving provision in mathematics. Staffing in mathematics is now stable and strategies to enable better outcomes are beginning to impact; however school leaders acknowledge that much still needs to be done to ensure a consistently good learning experience for all students. Most recent progress data and reviews of student work indicate that attainment and achievement at Key Stage 4 is improving. The school is building on improved GCSE results in 2013/14. Senior leaders recognise that improvement trends need to be further accelerated particularly in

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Main findings

mathematics. Strategies to identify opportunities to promote numeracy across the curriculum are being embedded.

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Main findings

Work with an outstanding partnership school is having a positive impact on improving teaching, learning and assessment. In particular the partner school has worked with school staff to established well focused continual professional development programmes. This work is building the capacity of teachers and enabling better consistency in the overall quality of teaching across the curriculum. Further work is required to develop the leadership skills of departmental heads so that they are more proactive and skilful in driving the improvement agenda within their areas of responsibility.

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Main findings

Students are purposeful in lessons and conduct themselves well both in class and around the school. Students are keen to learn but some lack confidence in learning and in communicating their understanding and ideas. The school should consider different ways and means to engage students in learning and in particular in developing their oracy and confidence skills. Senior leaders need to look more closely at ways to enhance the curriculum in Year 7 and 8 so as to better embed skills in literacy, numeracy, oracy and independent learning. The school intends to explore opportunities to work with feeder primary schools so as to better inform the curriculum and approaches to teaching and learning in Year 7 and 8. Governors receive regular, detailed and informative reports on school performance. They review regularly how well the school is tackling targets set in self-evaluation planning and the areas for improvement noted in the Ofsted inspection report. They

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Main findings

have a good understanding of the use of pupil premium funding (additional government money) and of the performance of different subject areas.

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External support

The local authority offers strong support to the school in English and has brokered additional support in mathematics. Regular visits are made by the school improvement officer to the school. The school is working very positively with an outstanding school on effective ways to enhance the improvement agenda.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Sefton and as below.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

 Chair of the Governing Body  Local authority  Diocese

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