Setting

Erin Wheeler Headteacher Christ The King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Stamford Road Southport Merseyside PR8 4EX

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School and Sixth Form Centre

Following my remote inspection with Emma Gregory, Her Majesty's Inspector (HMI), of your school on 24 February 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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School and Sixth Form Centre

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted's published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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School and Sixth Form Centre

This monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on- site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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School and Sixth Form Centre

The inspection took place because the school has received four successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in February 2020.

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School and Sixth Form Centre

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time: Ofsted

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School and Sixth Form Centre

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances.

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 develop teachers’ knowledge of how to support pupils with reading so that they can better help pupils to catch up quickly.

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Context

 Since the previous inspection, there have been considerable changes to staffing. A restructure of leadership at all levels took place during 2020. Seven teachers left the school at the end of the last academic year. A new director of sixth form and a leader for reading have taken up their posts.

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Context

 During the autumn term 2020, approximately seven out of every 10 pupils were educated remotely for a short period of time. Year 10 pupils were affected more than other year groups.

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Context

 At the time of the inspection, approximately seven out of every 10 pupils were being educated at home. About two thirds of those pupils that are identified as vulnerable were being educated on site. Approximately one out of every 10 of the pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) were being educated on site.

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Main findings

 You and the school’s leaders have ensured that all staff have been trained in the systems to deliver remote education effectively. Leaders and teachers of practical subjects, such as science and music, have changed the order in which the curriculum is taught. This means that teachers can deliver the curriculum successfully to those pupils working at home and in school. Leaders have taken appropriate steps to ensure that pupils continue to benefit from a broad curriculum in the current circumstances.

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Main findings

 During the last 12 months, you have acted to strengthen the school’s leadership at all levels. Prior to the pandemic, subject leaders had made changes to their curriculum plans. These changes ensured that subject curriculums were designed well. For example, subject leaders have outlined clearly what pupils should know and remember.

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Main findings

 Since March 2020, you and other senior leaders have brought about effective systems to check on how well the curriculum is delivered. You have also provided staff with appropriate training. This ongoing work ensures that improvements in how well the curriculum is taught have continued throughout COVID-19 restrictions.  Since the start of the pandemic you have also prioritised how well teachers are delivering remote education. In recent months, there have been considerable improvements in this area. For example, teachers have improved how well they check on pupils’ learning during lessons. This is having a positive impact on how effectively teachers deliver the curriculum to those pupils working at home. Teachers identify pupils’ misconceptions and use this information to provide pupils with useful feedback. Pupils use this feedback to improve their work.

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Main findings

 You and other leaders have provided training for staff to raise their expectations of all pupils. This includes vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND. All pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum. Staff provide valuable support for those vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND who are attending school. This is helping pupils to cope with the restrictions due to the pandemic and to keep up with their work. You have ensured that there are effective systems in place to check on the well-being of vulnerable pupils when they are working remotely.

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Main findings

 You recognise the need to provide support for those pupils who struggle with their reading. The newly appointed leader for reading has already started to improve this aspect of the curriculum. Following checks on pupils’ reading, she has identified that a considerable proportion of younger pupils are not reading as well as they usually do at this stage of their development. You plan for staff to support these pupils upon the full reopening of school. That said, some teachers lack the necessary knowledge and expertise to support pupils to become fluent and accurate readers.

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Main findings

 Teachers have provided additional support for pupils in Year 11 and students in Year 13 so that they are prepared well for the next stage of their education, employment or training. For example, teachers revisit learning that pupils and students may have missed or forgotten so that they can regain lost ground. Leaders ensure that careers information, advice and guidance are provided for these year groups. This support ensures that pupils and students are well informed about the options open to them when they leave the school. Staff also provide additional support to promote pupils’ and students’ well-being and mental health.

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Main findings

 Whether they are working in school or at home, pupils with SEND receive support from teaching assistants and learning mentors. Those pupils with SEND who are working at home continue to benefit from a range of help from staff, including one-to-one support. Leaders ensure that the small proportion of pupils with education and health care plans receive bespoke support that meets their individual needs.

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Main findings

 You and other leaders keep governors well informed about your work. As a result, members of the governing body have a clear understanding of the actions that school leaders have taken to provide an education in the current circumstances. Governors know what leaders do well and their priorities for improvement. For example, governors have an accurate knowledge of the additional help provided for vulnerable pupils and pupils with SEND.

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Main findings

 The Archdiocese of Liverpool provides support for you and other leaders. This has strengthened subject leaders’ confidence in making changes to the curriculum. External consultants are also supporting leaders to strengthen their leadership skills. This is helping subject leaders to check on how well the curriculum is being delivered. The local authority has provided appropriate support to senior leaders and governors in issues relating to human resources and school finances.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke with you, other senior leaders, pupils, staff and three members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. We also spoke with a representative of the local authority and a representative of the Archdiocese of Liverpool to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown.

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Evidence

We reviewed a sample of the school’s curriculum plans and examples of teaching resources. This included the resources and arrangements for delivering the curriculum remotely. We also examined a range of school documentation, including leaders’ plans to support pupils’ reading. We analysed responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 122 free-text responses and the 73 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the director of education for the Archdiocese of Liverpool, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Sefton. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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