All Saints' Catholic High School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mr Pender Headteacher All Saints’ Catholic High School Granville Road Sheffield South Yorkshire S2 2RJ

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

Following my visit to the school on 24 April 2018 with Michael Cook, Ofsted Inspector, and Louise Greatrex, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in February 2014.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

On your arrival as headteacher in September 2017, you saw quickly what was required for the school to move forward. You have ambitious targets for the school and a clear picture of what needs to be done to achieve your goals. You have established quickly that teaching and learning should be at the centre of everything you do. Pupils, parents, carers and staff have responded positively to your strong, determined leadership. Your school self-evaluation is very accurate. You are justifiably proud of the strengths of your school. However, you will not allow any complacency and are very aware of the aspects of the school’s work which need further improvement. You are ably supported by your leadership team and a developing team of middle leaders, who clearly share your determination and vision for the school.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

Governors are equally clear about the strengths of the school and the priorities, if you are to achieve the ambitious plans for the school. There is a nice blend of experienced governors and new recruits. Between them, they have a wide range of skills and experience. They have a clear understanding of their role and there are systems in place which allow them to both support and challenge leaders. It was clear from conversations with them and my review of governors’ minutes that they have the skills, training and confidence to fulfil this role. You have taken clear actions to respond to the areas for improvement identified in the last inspection report and other weaknesses you noted on taking up your post. You were asked to improve teaching and learning and you have made that the cornerstone of your development plan. In addition to science, mentioned specifically in the last report as a weaker department, you have also focused on modern foreign

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

languages and humanities. There are clear signs of improvement. You are aware of the importance of ensuring that all teaching should be as good as the very best currently seen in school. You are the first to point out that there is still work to do to achieve that.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

You realised quickly that pupil premium funding has not had the desired impact over time on the outcomes of disadvantaged pupils in the school. The new plans you have put in place focus on the right things and, most importantly, have clarity about how you will measure impact. Inspectors saw how these changes are starting to have a positive effect on the progress, attendance and behaviour of disadvantaged pupils. You are very clear that you need to continue the intense focus on disadvantaged pupils.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

The school is an inclusive, diverse community. You welcome pupils from a wide range of backgrounds and pride yourself on the pastoral support you give to each and every one of them. The atmosphere in classrooms and about school is calm and harmonious. Pupils show respect for each other and adults.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

During the inspection, we agreed that there are aspects of the school’s work which need further improvement. As a result of your focus on the issue, teachers are now setting work which challenges the most able pupils. However, you accept that this must remain a school priority. Similarly, you have made changes which have led to more rapid progress for disadvantaged pupils, but these improvements are fairly recent and not firmly embedded.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

The school sets the safety of pupils as a high priority. Consequently, there is a culture of safeguarding in the school. Leaders, including governors, have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of a high quality.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

Leadership of this area is strong. Staff are aware of their safeguarding responsibilities and know what they have to do if they have a concern. This is because they receive high-quality training and support. Governors are also well trained and review the school’s systems regularly to check that they are fit for purpose.

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Short inspection of All Saints’ Catholic High School

Pupils, too, receive extensive training on potential dangers and, consequently, they can speak confidently about measures they can take to keep themselves safe. They say they feel safe and that they have confidence in school staff to help them resolve any issues which arise.

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Inspection findings

 The GCSE results for 2017 showed that good teaching in general had led to good progress. You monitor the progress of pupils in all subjects across all year groups. Your progress information shows that current pupils across both key stages are making strong progress. Observation in lessons and close scrutiny of pupils’ work books confirmed that pupils continue to make progress in line with national expectations. English is a strength of the school and current pupils across both key stages are making more rapid progress in this subject.  A-level results for 2017 showed students making progress in line with national figures. Inspection activities showed that this continues to be the case with current students across a wide range of subjects.  Inspection activities showed that high-ability pupils currently in school are making stronger progress than the high-ability pupils who left the school in 2017.

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Inspection findings

Inspectors also noted improvements for disadvantaged pupils.  Attendance was just below the national average in 2017, but has improved this year. The percentage of pupils who are persistently absent is also falling. However, you are aware that the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is not as good as that of other pupils.  Overall, it is a similarly improving picture as regards exclusions. Historically, the exclusion rate was above the national figure, but fewer pupils are now being excluded. Once again, you are clear that the exclusion rate is still too high, particularly for disadvantaged pupils.  You have used effectively the additional government funding for pupils in Year 7 who need to catch up. The work on literacy, however, is more developed than the numeracy aspect.  Staff morale is high. The meeting conducted by inspectors with a cross-section of staff, as well as the responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire, showed the vast

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Inspection findings

majority of teachers to be supportive of you and the changes you have made.  Parent View, the Ofsted online questionnaire, showed parents to be positive too, about both the school and your leadership.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 they maintain the focus on disadvantaged pupils, so that they make progress at least in line with all pupils nationally with the same starting points  they continue to develop and embed strategies to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils and reduce the proportion who are excluded from school  improvements in the quality of teaching and learning continue, so that the remaining inconsistencies are eradicated and all teachers set work which meets the needs of all pupils, particularly the most able. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Diocese of Hallam, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sheffield. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

Inspectors met with you, your senior leaders and some of your middle leaders, governors, a cross-section of staff and groups of pupils. I had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority and met with the director of education for the diocese. Inspectors had conversations with pupils informally at social times. We gathered a range of evidence from conducting observations of learning and from scrutinising pupils’ work jointly with your middle and senior leaders. The inspection team checked and evaluated documents, including the school’s website, child protection policy, safeguarding records, school self- evaluation, school improvement plans, attendance and behaviour information and minutes from governors’ meetings. Inspectors also reviewed the 126 parent responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, and the 118 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil

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