Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School

Inspection of a good school: Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School Rochdale Road, Middleton, Manchester M24 2GL

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Outcome

Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School is a community where pupils feel happy and enjoy coming to school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders’ expectations for pupils’ and students’ learning are high. Pupils and students live up to these expectations and achieve well across a range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders expect pupils to behave well and most do. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, do not tolerate any form of discriminatory behaviour. Pupils like each other and treat each other with respect and kindness, regardless of ethnicity, gender or culture. They say that they feel safe in school. Pupils are confident that leaders will quickly act to address any incidents of bullying. Classrooms, corridors and social areas are generally calm and welcoming for pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a strong input into the running of the school. They feel that they are listened to by leaders and believe that their opinions are valued.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students in the sixth form are fully involved in all aspects of school life. They take pride in the work that they do. For example, students in the sixth form support younger pupils by becoming ‘guardian angels’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the interesting and inspiring opportunities beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils take part in a wide range of drama, music and sports clubs. They are keen to contribute to their local community through The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are encouraged to take advantage of these activities. 24 and 25 May 2022

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders and governors are committed to addressing social disadvantage. They strive to give all pupils, including those with SEND, the best possible start in life.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have thoughtfully redesigned the curriculum so that pupils can build on what they already know. The curriculum is broad and suitably ambitious. However, in a small number of subjects in key stage 3, leaders are still fine-tuning their curriculum thinking. In these subjects, leaders have not thought deeply enough about the essential skills that pupils must learn.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders encourage pupils to choose to study subjects at GCSE that make up the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Subject leaders use their expertise well to make it clear to teachers the key knowledge that pupils should learn. During lessons, teachers typically check carefully for any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. They use this information to adapt their teaching so that pupils can gain or recover any learning that they have missed or forgotten. Teachers are proficient in selecting appropriate activities. Mostly, pupils can apply new learning to increasingly sophisticated concepts and ideas.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers have a sound knowledge of their subjects. They explain new topics clearly to pupils and students. Most teachers check how well pupils and students are learning the intended curriculum. However, some teachers do not use assessment information well to address pupils’ misconceptions quickly enough. This hinders pupils’ progress.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have provided more time during the school day for pupils to read with teachers. Leaders have effective systems in place to identify and help those pupils who have fallen behind in reading.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The curriculum is equally ambitious for pupils and students with SEND. Leaders have effective systems in place to identify the specific needs of pupils and students with SEND. Most pupils with SEND achieve well.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils, including students in the sixth form, behave well during lessons and social times. Pupils said that their lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. This means that teachers can focus on delivering the curriculum effectively.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff support pupils’ wider development effectively. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is planned well. Pupils learn about the features of healthy relationships. For example, they learn about consent. Pupils value democracy and see its benefits through the work of the school council. They understand the negative impact of prejudice on others.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders provide pupils with a carefully selected set of cultural experiences to prepare them for life in modern Britain. All pupils, including students in the sixth form, benefit from the many opportunities on offer outside the classroom. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Students in the sixth form engage well with school activities. For example, they champion equalities, and lead the influential school council. They take part in school productions, and support younger pupils well.

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Leaders ensure that careers guidance is well established across the school. All pupils move on to appropriate, high-quality destinations at the end of their time at the school. Many students in the sixth form progress on to apprenticeships and university.

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Governors hold leaders to account successfully for the quality of education in the school.

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Leaders take account of staff’s workload and well-being. Staff feel that they are respected and said that the school is well led and managed by leaders and governors. Staff are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture across the school, including in the sixth form.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant in spotting the signs that may indicate that pupils may need help. They report safeguarding concerns in a timely manner.

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Safeguarding

Leaders work effectively with external partners to ensure that pupils and their families get the help that they need. Leaders have a secure understanding of what makes pupils feel unsafe.

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Safeguarding

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum, including when online. They are taught about issues such as peer-on-peer abuse and sexting.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, in key stage 3, leaders’ curriculum thinking is at an earlier stage of development. This means that teachers are not as clear about the skills that pupils should learn. Leaders should ensure that the curriculums in these subjects contain enough information about the essential skills that pupils must acquire. This will help teachers to ensure that pupils learn all that they need to know in readiness for the next stage in their education.  On occasion, some staff do not check well enough that pupils have understood what they have learned before moving on to new learning. When this happens, pupils’ knowledge is less secure. Leaders should ensure that teachers use assessment information well to address pupils’ misconceptions in a timelier manner. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10226301 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1197

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Date of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Roman Catholic school and is part of the Diocese of Salford. The school’s most recent section 48 monitoring inspection took place in March 2017.  A small proportion of pupils attend alternative provision at five registered providers, and two unregistered providers.  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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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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.  Inspectors held meetings with governors, a representative from the diocese, the school improvement partner and a local authority representative.  Inspectors also met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in science, history, art and design and design technology. They visited a sample of lessons in these subjects, discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, reviewed pupils’ work and held discussions with teachers and pupils.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school and their views of behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and

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Information about this inspection

at breaktimes.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentary evidence, including leaders’ self- evaluation and improvement plans.  An inspector looked at safeguarding policies and reviewed leaders’ records of checks on the suitability of staff and governors. They met with the leaders who have overall responsibility for safeguarding. Inspectors spoke with staff and pupils about leaders’ work to keep pupils safe.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff and Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey. This included some free-text responses.  Inspectors spoke to staff about their workload and well-being.

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Inspection team

David Hampson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Philip Wood Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 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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