All Saints Catholic College

All Saints Catholic College Birch Lane, Dukinfield, Cheshire SK16 5AP

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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This is an inadequate school

 Weak teaching and poor behaviour management are preventing too many pupils from making the progress of which they are capable.  Teachers do not all use the information on pupils’ progress to plan high-quality learning.  Teachers’ expectations of boys, disadvantaged pupils and the most able are too low.  Teachers do not provide enough challenging and engaging activities to engross pupils in their learning in lessons and through meaningful homework. Teaching, learning and assessment are, therefore, not good enough, particularly in mathematics, humanities subjects and science.  The use and impact of external funding has not historically been carefully checked or evaluated.  The new senior leadership team and subject leaders have not yet overcome unacceptable behaviour in and around the school. Plans for improvement do not focus well enough on the impact actions should have on the outcomes of different groups of pupils.

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This is an inadequate school

 Too many pupils are persistently absent in Years 10 and 11.  Many pupils and parents do not feel well informed about the changes to the school.  16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate. They do not meet requirements in relation to the development of learners’ personal skills.  There are missed opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

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The school has the following strengths

 Senior leaders and governors are extremely honest and accurate in their evaluation of actions needed to improve the school.  Most pupils make the progress expected of them in English and they achieve well in art and technology.  Pupils who or have special educational needs or disability make expected progress in English and mathematics.  Almost all pupils move on to further education, employment or training after leaving Year 11.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that leaders, and the newly reconstituted governing body, build urgently on initial systems put in place to improve the school, so that the quality of teaching and behaviour of pupils is at least good across all year groups, by making sure that: leaders at all levels bring about swiftly the necessary improvements in the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress and behaviour in classrooms and around the school the use and impact of the pupil premium and extra literacy support for weaker readers in Year 7 is sharply monitored, in order to ensure that it improves the progress of those pupils whom it is intended to support subject leaders are effectively trained and supported in quickly overcoming the legacy of weak teaching and poor behaviour in lessons and around the school leaders in charge of improving attendance intensify their work with families to improve the attendance of those pupils who are persistently absent, especially in Years 10 and 11

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

parents and pupils feel well informed about changes in a timely fashion and have the opportunity to express their views.  Urgently improve the quality of teaching, especially in mathematics and the sciences by: raising the expectations that teachers have of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and the most-able pupils, so that they provide challenging and engaging activities in lessons and in homework ensuring that teachers make accurate assessments of pupils’ progress, set accurate targets and use the information in their planning to speed up pupils’ progress making certain that teachers mark pupils’ work according to the school’s marking policy, so that pupils receive the guidance they need to improve the standard of their work insisting that pupils’ skills in writing at length are of the highest quality across all subjects.  Ensure that opportunities to develop pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education are not missed,

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

by careful planning across all subjects.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

Inspectors strongly recommend that the school should not appoint newly qualified teachers.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 The quality of education provided by the school since it opened in 2013 has declined over time because of a long-standing legacy of low expectations of what pupils can achieve. There has been a succession of five headteachers in as many years and too many supply teachers and shared classes. This has made for an unstable atmosphere for pupils to learn and forge positive relationships with their teachers and each other. Fundamental issues remain to be tackled in behaviour, teaching and learning, and the school’s assessment systems.  Over time, leaders and managers have not improved teaching sufficiently to ensure that all pupils achieve well. This is especially so in mathematics, science and some humanities subjects. Boys, the most-able pupils and some of those who are disadvantaged do not make the progress they should, often because the work they are given is not challenging enough. Some of the pupils who have special educational needs or

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

disability make at least expected progress.  Ofsted’s online staff survey shows that the new headteacher and executive headteacher, appointed in September 2015, have the confidence of most, if not yet all, of the staff. Leaders have missed the opportunity, in the first months since their appointment, of reaching out quickly to the school’s community, especially parents, to explain their vision for its future and the roles and responsibilities of the various new leaders who are supporting the school. Parents and pupils do not feel well informed about changes to the school.  The headteacher’s and executive headteacher’s self-evaluation is honest and accurate. Inspectors’ observations of teaching jointly with the headteacher and senior leaders indicate that they have a clear view of the quality of teaching and learning provided by the school. They have put in place some potentially effective improvements, but there is as yet too little impact on teaching, behaviour or pupils’

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

outcomes.  The senior leadership team is relatively new and new subject leaders have also been appointed in English, mathematics and science. These leaders are not yet fully effective in holding their teams to account for improving teaching, pupils’ progress and behaviour.  A legacy of poor financial management currently constrains the school’s actions and makes it difficult to see exactly how pupil premium and Year 7 catch-up funding have been spent and with what impact.  The school does not have reliable and accurate systems for tracking pupils’ performance. This has led historically to significant over-optimism, on the school’s part, about the outcomes that pupils will achieve. Senior leaders are now aware of this and are attempting to tackle it but it is too early to tell whether their actions will be successful.  The school has received support from the local authority for training the English department in the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

accurate assessment and moderation of pupils’ work. The local authority has also provided training for middle leaders and the attendance officer has supported the school with the safeguarding audit. The school has also received support from specialist subject leaders in mathematics, science and modern foreign languages.  The curriculum is broad and balanced and senior leaders are considering thoughtfully their response to national changes. For example, a change to the length of Key Stage 4 and more challenging courses are planned to meet the more demanding levels of knowledge, skills and understanding that will be required of pupils in future examinations.  The school provides a good range of extra-curricular activities at lunchtime and after the end of the school day, such as sports, music and a variety of clubs.  Careers information, advice and guidance include visits to careers fairs, colleges and universities. Pupils

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

receive information about options through assemblies and parental options evenings . Pupils are targeted in Year 10 to discuss options and applications, and the great majority of pupils go on to education, employment or training after the end of Year 11. Some pupils and learners, especially younger ones, would like to have earlier information.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted through a range of activities but there is no strategic overview or plan for provision. As a result, there are missed opportunities to improve pupils’ development. Retreats for pupils of all faiths provide opportunities to reflect, for example, on racism and discrimination. Pupils learn the importance of tolerance in assemblies but this is not always reflected in their behaviour.  Pupils experience other cultures through art and design, and visits, for example to China and to places of worship, raise their spiritual awareness. The many activities are not always planned systematically across

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

subjects and therefore risk gaps in provision being overlooked.  The governance of the school The governing body is newly reconstituted, streamlined and strengthened. New governors bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to their work and are highly committed to improving the school, but the changes are too recent to have had any impact. Until recently, the school has not had a senior leader or governor in place to champion the rights of disadvantaged pupils and of those Year 7 pupils who are falling behind in literacy or numeracy, so that they can achieve as well as other pupils. Historically, accurate financial information to check that the extra funding is having the impact that it should, on raising the achievement of these pupils, has not been readily accessible. Therefore, the governing body has not had the information it needed to make effective decisions, for example about the spending of this funding.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

In cooperation with the headteacher and executive headteacher, the governing body has started to take action to tackle underperformance of teachers and to improve systems for staff performance management. Governors have ensured that there are effective systems in place to safeguard pupils and that statutory regulations are met. The majority of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, feel that pupils are safe and well looked after at school. However, some younger pupils are not confident that they can always find an adult to help them if they have concerns.  The school’s policies and procedures for safeguarding pupils are effective. All staff have had training in how to prevent extremism, and they are appropriately qualified for their roles. A safeguarding audit has recently been carried out, in close cooperation with the local authority and further work is in hand, for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

example with Stonewall and the local authority to increase pupils’ awareness of the need to respect and show tolerance for people of different sexualities.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low. As a consequence, the level of challenge that they present to pupils is insufficient to ensure that they make good progress. When presented with inspiring and engaging teaching with the right degree of challenge (for example, in art and design or technology), pupils rise to the occasion. Too often, however, this does not happen and pupils consequently do not achieve well.  Teachers are not all confident in using information about pupils’ progress to plan learning which meets the needs of different groups of pupils, especially the disadvantaged, boys and the most-able pupils. Inspectors saw little evidence of teachers’ ability to move pupils on in their learning as soon as they are ready.  Inspectors saw work in lessons and in pupils’ books that did not match the target level or grade given to pupils and this hampers their progress. This is especially the case for the most-able pupils. Many pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

told inspectors that work is too easy for them.  Lessons are sometimes slow to start and valuable learning time is lost. Senior leaders have recognised that this happens frequently at the start of the day, when there is no tutor time or assembly to ready pupils for the day ahead. Plans are in hand to change the shape of the day to accommodate this.  Teachers’ marking does not always comply with the school’s marking policy, so that pupils do not receive the precise guidance that will help them to make good progress.  Not all teachers are skilled in using questioning successfully to assess pupils’ current understanding or to deepen their thinking. As a result, teachers’ assessment of pupils’ progress is not always accurate.  Part of the reason for pupils’ poor behaviour is that they are not engaged or interested enough in their work. Inspectors commonly observed bored and disengaged pupils in lessons. In most subjects, the most-

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

able pupils are not encouraged to make connections in their work, in order to extend their knowledge. Teachers do not give them enough practice in writing at length and to the highest standard.  Teaching in mathematics, science and humanities is not good enough to ensure that pupils make the progress they should. Teaching lacks a sense of purpose and teachers do not do enough to develop pupils’ thinking and reasoning so that they understand and can apply their knowledge in different ways to solve challenging mathematical and scientific problems.  Almost half of the 56 parents who completed Parent View disagreed that homework is appropriate and many pupils agreed that there are problems. Since no homework timetable is in place, pupils do not know how much homework to expect on different days. They do not therefore learn to manage and organise their own time.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are often not positive enough. These attitudes are the result of the weak teaching that pupils have received over time and are reinforced by the low expectations of them that some teachers have. Inspectors noted that pupils often lose interest in the face of uninspiring teaching.  Most parents agree that their children are safe in school. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and the school works effectively to promote the physical and emotional well-being of pupils who need extra support. These pupils are the most enthusiastic about the school. They say there is little bullying and, if it does occur, the school handles it well.  Younger pupils are not so certain of finding an adult who will help them when they have a problem and many pupils shared with inspectors the negative views they have about the school. Not all pupils across all

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Personal development and welfare

age groups are confident that all pupils, especially boys, would show tolerance and respect towards people of different sexualities and those who are transgender.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  In the online surveys, the majority of pupils, parents and staff expressed concerns about the standards of behaviour in and between lessons and around the school site at breaks and lunchtimes.  In discussions, some pupils reported frustration that their learning was regularly being disrupted. These perceptions were confirmed by inspectors in their observations during lessons and around the school. While many pupils are courteous and friendly towards teachers, other adults and each other, too many pupils lack the self-discipline to be effective learners.  Around school pupils are too boisterous. During the inspection, there were incidents which showed a lack of respect for adults and for each other: for example, shouting using insulting language, throwing objects at each other and refusing to obey teachers’ instructions.  Some teachers tackle poor behaviour and attitudes well, but others are unnecessarily confrontational

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Behaviour

towards pupils, fail to follow the school’s rules and systems, and let poor behaviour and attitudes persist without being addressed.  The school has worked hard and successfully to improve overall attendance at Key Stage 3 but there are still differences in attendance rates for other groups. Absence increases steadily as pupils move up through the school. Too many pupils in Years 10 and 11 are persistently absent.  Exclusions are high because the new headteacher and executive headteacher are rightly taking an uncompromising stance towards the most serious incidences of poor behaviour. Permanent exclusions are only used as a last resort.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 The quality of teaching over time and of pupils’ work confirms that, across all year groups, current pupils are not making sufficient progress. In particular, teachers’ poor planning and low expectations frequently limit pupils’ progress.  There has been a three-year decline in the proportion of pupils attaining five GCSE passes including English and mathematics. This measure is now below the national average and significantly so in mathematics, especially for boys. Pupils’ standards in English are broadly in line with the national average. In English, most pupils make the progress expected of them, but too many pupils in mathematics make progress that is significantly below the national average. The proportion of pupils who make more than the progress expected of them is below average in both English and mathematics.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils in English is broadly in line with the national average but slow in

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

mathematics, compared with both other pupils in the school and nationally. The progress made by the most-able pupils follows a similar pattern to that in English.  In a range of other subjects, including science and humanities, pupils do not make adequate progress and the level of challenge for the most-able pupils is not sufficient. Pupils’ progress is improving in languages.  Only a very small number of pupils achieve well across the range of academic subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate, and the proportion of disadvantaged and most-able pupils who achieve the qualification is significantly below average.  In English and mathematics, pupils who have special educational needs or disability make the progress expected of them, because of the good care and support that they receive.  The school has done some good work in promoting pupils’ interest in reading. Pupils generally read fluently

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

and accurately in lessons. Borrowings from the library are carefully recorded and show that the frequency of borrowing books increases with age. Visits and competitions also encourage reading. Measures of the progress of pupils supported by formal reading schemes are inconclusive.  Numeracy across the curriculum is in its infancy.

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

 This is a small sixth form that is set to close in August 2016. Many sixth-form teachers have left the school and learners have had to get used to new, sometimes less experienced, teachers in mid-course. Many learners are unhappy at the proposed closure and with the quality of teaching. Comments such as, ‘A teacher does not turn up as much as he could,’ and ‘Some days I feel it is a waste of time,’ and ‘The teacher needs support as she has never taught the subject before’ typify learners’ views.  Historically, careers information, advice and guidance have been weak, and have not always ensured that learners are following courses best suited to their needs. Therefore, outcomes have frequently been poor, especially at the higher examination levels.  The inaccuracy of assessment evident in Key Stage 3, and especially Key Stage 4, has also affected the accuracy of leaders’ views of learners’ progress in the sixth form. Retention rates are close to the national

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

average for General Certificate of Education (GCE) AS level but below the national average for GCE A level.  Attainment is low and rates of progress are slow across subjects. Gaps are not reducing quickly. This is because, as the monitoring of teaching and learning indicates, most teaching requires improvement. Better teaching is evident in history and religious education.  Overall, study programmes now meet the requirements of 16 to 19 provision in terms of courses studied, but not in relation to the development of personal skills. Programmes are individualised and build on pupils’ starting points. Enrichment activities are not timetabled, so some learners do not engage in them and others organise their own: for example, supporting reading improvement for young pupils in the school. Many pupils are ambitious and keen to secure a place in one of the most prestigious universities. Some learners perceive that university applications are given a greater priority than those for other routes, for

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

example apprenticeships.  Learners speak highly of the head of sixth form for the energetic care and support she provides. Unique reference number 139735 Local authority Tameside Inspection number 10011071 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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16 to 19 study programmes are inadequate

Type of school Secondary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Appropriate authority St Anselm’s Multi Academy Trust Chair Mr Damian Cunningham Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Mrs Linda Emmett Telephone number 0161 338 2120 Website www.allsaintscatholiccollege.com Email address schooloffice@allsaintscatholiccollege.com

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Information about this school

 All Saints Catholic College is the only school in St Anselm’s Catholic Multi Academy Trust.  The school is smaller than the average 11–18 secondary school and is in the Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury.  The school has a small sixth form which will close in August 2016.  Most pupils are of White British heritage.  Girls outnumber boys. Approximately one third of pupils receive support from the pupil premium. This is above the national average. The pupil premium is funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, and for looked after children.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is below the national average.  The headteacher joined the school as acting headteacher in September 2015 and has since become the permanent headteacher. The executive headteacher spends one day per week in the school to provide support for the headteacher.

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Information about this school

 No pupils receive part of their education away from the school.  The school met the government’s current floor standards in 2015. These are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in a wide range of classrooms, sometimes jointly with senior leaders. They also spoke with pupils informally around the school and the grounds, as well as in discussions with three groups of pupils from across the school, in order to listen to their views about the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the Chair of the Multi Academy Trust, the headteacher and the executive headteacher, the Chair and members of the governing body, senior leaders and leaders of subjects and of other aspects of the school’s work.  The team considered a range of documentation related to the school’s work.

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Inspection team

Susan Wareing, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Neil Fazackerley Her Majesty’s Inspector John Leigh Ofsted Inspector Marcia Harding David Woodhouse Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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Inspection team

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

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