St Peter's Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre

Inspection of St Peter’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre Stroud Road, Tuffley, Gloucester, Gloucestershire GL4 0DD

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Inspection dates: 18 and 19 January 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 18 and 19 January 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Peter’s Catholic High School have many extra-curricular opportunities. For example, pupils can play in the school jazz band, sing in the choir and play chess. Pupils develop their physical health through the well-structured physical education (PE) curriculum. As a result, pupils develop a breadth of knowledge and skills in many subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sixth-form students are proud to attend the school. They told inspectors how much they value the education they receive. Pupils in other year groups also receive a good quality of education. Pupils are motivated to learn and eager to succeed in most subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Pupils stated that bullying is unusual and that staff resolve it quickly when they are told about it. Pupils do not receive detailed enough information about careers and further education opportunities. Pupils are therefore not always well prepared to make decisions about their next steps after Year 11.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about the importance of democracy through voting for class representatives. The student council has a strong voice that is listened to by school leaders.

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better?

Leaders have designed a well-structured curriculum in most subject areas. Pupils use their prior knowledge to learn more complex concepts. For example, the English curriculum enables pupils to learn about how writers use language to create effects in a range of texts. Similarly, in music, pupils learn about musical notation and apply this knowledge to their own compositions. In PE, pupils learn about aerobic exercise in depth. This enables them to develop their physical health very well. In most subjects, pupils’ work is well presented. They are proud of their work. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum is less effective. In these areas, pupils do not show as much pride in their work. Pupils are not able to recall key knowledge, and struggle to learn new concepts.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities study the same curriculum as their peers. They receive additional support where appropriate, and strive to achieve. Disadvantaged pupils receive the support they need. Leaders are ambitious for the success of such pupils. They have begun to monitor the support for these pupils, including some who access alternative provision. However, the monitoring arrangements are not yet fully established in all subjects.

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better?

Leaders have established strong systems for managing pupils’ behaviour. As a result, pupils are motivated to learn in most areas of the curriculum. In lessons, there is a 18 and 19 January 2022

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calm, harmonious learning environment. Pupils are respectful of the opinions of others. Pupils are punctual to lessons and attend school well.

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Students in the sixth form enjoy learning. Leaders have revised the curriculum to ensure that students study subjects that meet their needs and their interests. The quality of education in the sixth form is good. For example, Year 12 students studying English language and literature A level said that the course has surpassed their expectations. Students have opportunities to develop extra-curricular skills. For example, they help Year 7 pupils with their reading.

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Leaders have considered the knowledge that pupils should learn in the relationships and sex education (RSE) curriculum. However, they have not ensured that the curriculum is well sequenced. Additionally, leaders do not make regular checks on the teaching of RSE in all year groups, including the sixth form. Consequently, pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for the issues they may face in the world beyond school.

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Leaders provide careers education, but the programme is not structured well. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. However, pupils do not have some of the information they require to inform their decisions about education post-16.

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Governors are knowledgeable about the school. They ask challenging and insightful questions about the quality of education. Governors monitor the safeguarding arrangements at the school well. Leaders and governors are mindful of the well- being of staff. Overwhelmingly, staff stated that they are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that pupils are physically and emotionally safe. Leaders provide pupils with additional support, such as mental health counselling. Leaders work well with external agencies to ensure that pupils are protected.

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Safeguarding

Staff receive up-to-date safeguarding training. They know how to identify if a pupil is at risk, and how to refer their concerns to safeguarding leaders. Leaders’ checks on adults working at the school are fit for purpose.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders provide a well-sequenced curriculum in most subjects, enabling pupils to learn successfully and confidently. However, in a minority of subjects, they have not ensured that the curriculum is well structured and implemented effectively. 18 and 19 January 2022

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Leaders should establish an effective monitoring system to ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils, including pupils who attend alternative provision.  Pupils do not receive all of the information that they need about careers and further education. Leaders should revise and monitor the implementation of the curriculum for careers education, so that pupils are well prepared for life beyond Year 11.  The curriculum for RSE contains the appropriate elements. However, it is not sequenced to ensure that pupils build on their understanding year-on-year. Pupils do not gain detailed knowledge of some topics. Leaders should revise and monitor the implementation of the RSE curriculum, so that pupils learn the knowledge they require for life beyond school.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 18 and 19 January 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10200946 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1526

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 14 and 15 November 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 St Peter’s Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre is a larger-than-average secondary school.  The school converted to an academy in 2011.  The proportion of pupils with education, health and care plans is above the national average.  The number of pupils in receipt of pupil premium funding is below the national average.  The school uses two registered alternative providers and one unregistered alternative provider. 18 and 19 January 2022

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held discussions with the principal and members of the leadership team, including the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, mathematics, art and geography. This meant that, in each subject, inspectors discussed the curriculum with senior and curriculum leaders, talked to pupils, visited lessons, spoke to teachers and looked at pupils’ books.  Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with staff to consider their views.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, including the single central record of recruitment checks on staff.  Inspectors considered the views of parents who responded to the confidential questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the views of staff and pupils who responded to the questionnaires issued at the time of the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors held discussions with the school improvement partner, the director of schools and colleges for Clifton Diocese, and representatives from the governing body.  Inspectors held discussions with groups of pupils to gather their views on the culture of the school.

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Inspection team

Susan Aykin, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Matthew Collins Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 January 2022

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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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