Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre

Inspection of Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Stamford Road, Southport, Merseyside PR8 4EX

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 25–26 February 2020

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What is it like to attend this school?

The pupils and students at Christ The King Catholic High School are happy and safe. They are respectful to each other and to adults in the school. The pupils who spoke to us said that bullying is rare. They told us that when bullying does happen, staff deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Many teachers now have high expectations of most pupils. Pupils are engaged in school life. Most teachers deal well with any disruptions to learning. Pupils are learning more as a result. That said, some pupils, especially disadvantaged pupils, have not made the progress that they should have due to weaknesses in the curriculum. Students’ learning is not strong in the sixth form.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in school. Pupils and students enjoy the social areas during breaktimes and lunchtimes. In the sixth form, attendance and punctuality are not good. Too many pupils do not attend their lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a wide range of opportunities, beyond the academic, that engage pupils and students. For example, pupils can play boccia, participate in school productions or build a robot in the lunchtime and after-school clubs. They are encouraged to participate through the ‘CtK way’. This helps them to develop confidence, independence and resilience.

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better?

Since the last inspection, leaders and governors have had a heightened awareness of the urgency for change. They have taken on board the concerns raised in the previous inspection report and the subsequent monitoring inspection. As a result, there has been improvement in all aspects of the school’s work. This progress has gained momentum, particularly since September 2019.

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better?

Leaders understand what needs to improve in the school. They recognise that they are on a journey. They know that there is still some work to do before the quality of education at the school is good. Staff understand leaders’ clear vision to help all pupils to ‘realise their unique hopes and potential’.

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better?

Subject leaders have carefully considered the knowledge that pupils need across all key stages, including the sixth form. They order this carefully so that learning builds on prior knowledge. Pupils can make connections across their learning. Teachers assess pupils’ knowledge frequently. They know where pupils have gaps in their learning. Teachers adapt their planning to ensure that teaching meets the needs of all pupils.

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better?

In the past, teachers have not had the same high expectations for all pupils. Many disadvantaged pupils are in the lower teaching sets as a result. These pupils have not received the same high-quality curriculum as pupils in the higher sets. Disadvantaged pupils have not achieved well in their GCSE examinations. The 25–26 February 2020

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changes that leaders have made to the curriculum have ensured that disadvantaged pupils now receive the same curriculum as other pupils. However, these changes have not had enough time to demonstrate improvement.

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The expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have not been as high as for other pupils. Some pupils with SEND have had a different curriculum. This is beginning to change. The special educational needs coordinator is starting to monitor the progress of these pupils. This is beginning to make sure that support is provided when pupils with SEND fall behind.

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Most teachers have strong subject knowledge. Leaders provide time for teachers to meet to share good practice. However, there are still some teachers that have difficulties helping pupils to make links across their learning. When this happens, pupils struggle to reach the high standards expected in the curriculum plan. This is particularly true in the sixth form.

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The personal development curriculum has been improved considerably since the last inspection. There is a range of opportunities for discussion and debate. Sensitive issues are managed in an age-appropriate way. Pupils are aware of the different protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010. However, in the sixth form, personal development is not as strong as it is in the lower school. This is because of the variability in the delivery of the curriculum.

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The progress that pupils made by the end of Year 11 improved in 2019. Pupils’ attainment was in line with the national average. However, the proportion of pupils who access the full suite of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate is below the national average. This is because the proportion of pupils that choose to study a modern foreign language is low. This is unlikely to improve in the near future. In the sixth form, students’ achievement is not good. The progress that students make by the end of their studies is well below the national average.

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Improvements to the behaviour policy ensure that pupils and students behave well in school. Most teachers use the behaviour policy well to deal with disruptions to learning. Pupils and students move calmly and purposefully to their learning. At key stages 3 and 4, pupils’ attendance has improved steadily over the last few years. It is now in line with the national average. Exclusions have reduced considerably.

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Students in Year 13 have poor attendance and are often late for lessons. However, in Year 12, this is not the case. Their attendance and punctuality are good.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that only staff that are safe to work with pupils and students are employed in the school. Annual safeguarding training is supplemented with updates when needed. Staff know the signs to look for when a pupil needs help and support. Referrals are made and acted upon promptly. 25–26 February 2020

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There is a strong, well-staffed and structured pastoral system that is valued by pupils. The school is focusing on mental health and well-being. Pupils know where and whom to go to in order to seek support when they need help.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have developed a well-sequenced curriculum across key stages 3, 4 and 5. Despite this, some teachers are unable to deliver the curriculum so that pupils and students reach the high standards expected. Leaders should continue to support teachers in developing their teaching skills. This will ensure that pupils are able to achieve the high standards that are exemplified in the curriculum plan. This will help all pupils and students to be successful in their learning.  Some teachers do not have the same high expectations for all pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils. These pupils have often been placed in the lower teaching sets. They have not received the same curriculum as other pupils in the school. As a result, these pupils have made progress that is well below that of other pupils nationally. Leaders should continue to raise teachers’ expectations. They should ensure that all pupils have access to the same curriculum and are

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

supported appropriately to reach the high expectations of the newly developed curriculum.  The personal development curriculum in the sixth form is not as strong as in the lower school. Leaders do not ensure that the curriculum is taught at the same standard to all students. As a result, students have gaps in their knowledge of how to be an effective and successful citizen. Leaders must ensure that all teachers are supported to deliver the personal development curriculum in the sixth form to the same high standard as in the lower school.  The attendance of students in the sixth form is below the national average. Some students arrive late to lessons. When this happens, students do not access the learning that they need to be successful in their subjects. Outcomes in the examinations at the end of Year 13 are low. Leaders must ensure that students’ attendance and punctuality improve so that they can be successful in their

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 25–26 February 2020

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If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 25–26 February 2020

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School details

Inspection number 10121956 Type of school Secondary

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,042

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Chair of governing body Isobel Macdonald Davies

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 1 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses alternative provision at the Pinefields Centre and Pathways in Learning to contribute to the education of a small number of pupils.  The school was inspected under section 48 in November 2018 by the Archdiocese of Liverpool.

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 During the inspection, we spoke with pupils about their work and school life. We held meetings with senior leaders, governors, subject leaders and a representative from the Archdiocese of Liverpool. 25–26 February 2020

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 We reviewed documentation, which included leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement, and the school development plan. We scrutinised information about pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  We considered the views expressed by parents and carers in the 89 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, as well as comments received via the free- text facility on Parent View. We considered the 69 responses to a questionnaire for staff. We also considered the 26 responses to the questionnaire for pupils.  We reviewed a range of documentation about the school. This included information about safeguarding, including the school’s record of checks undertaken on newly appointed staff and support for pupils.  We did deep dives in these subjects: English, science, mathematics and history during the inspection. We met with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, met with teaching staff and looked at pupils’ work. We also considered

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other subjects as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

Erica Sharman, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mike Pennington Ofsted Inspector 25–26 February 2020

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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