St Teresa's Catholic Academy

Inspection of St Teresa’s Catholic Academy Easthampstead Road, Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 2EB

p.1

Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2023

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected St Teresa’s Catholic Academy as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 21 and 22 February 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Smiles greet you everywhere at St Teresa’s. Pupils are happy, articulate and polite. Staff and pupils model the school ‘SAINTS Beatitudes’ of ‘strive, accept, integrity, nurture, talent and service’ through all aspects of school life. Together, everyone contributes passionately to this culture.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

All staff have high expectations, and as a result, pupils achieve and behave well. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school is exemplary. Low-level disruption is incredibly rare and dealt with seamlessly. Pupils love winning ‘smileys’ for their kind actions and hard work. Bullying is not tolerated. If it does occur, leaders investigate it well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that staff listen and act on pupils’ views. For example, pupils suggest ideas for clubs. Pupils value the wide range of extra-curricular activities on offer. Many pupils love to sing in the choir. Older pupils enthusiastically told inspectors about the newly formed Gaelic football club. They are enjoying learning a new sport.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a strong sense of community. They look out for each other. For example, playground pals and peer mediators help empower pupils to solve minor conflicts for themselves. Pupils support each other’s well-being with determination.

p.2

better?

Leaders have put in place an engaging curriculum. Pupils love learning and finding out more. They try their best in lessons and produce work of high quality. Pupils have excellent attitudes to learning. For example, during the inspection, children in early years used admirable problem-solving skills to create handbags from junk materials. Teachers provide children with many opportunities to make choices and be independent.

p.2

better?

In some subjects, for example mathematics, the curriculum is well established. Teachers make sure that pupils revisit and practise previous learning. As a result, pupils recall mathematical knowledge confidently. However, in other subjects, the curriculum is at an earlier stage of development. In some foundation subjects, the curriculum is very wide and there is much to cover. Leaders have not yet identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember. This means that teachers do not always know precisely what to check and recap. On occasion, this hinders how well some pupils learn in these subjects.

p.2

better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge and questioning skills. They explain new learning clearly and spot any misconceptions quickly. Leaders are quick to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers strive to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers. In some subjects, this is successful. But pupils with SEND learn better in some subjects than others. For example, in religious education, teachers design 21 and 22 February 2023

p.2

3

tasks carefully to make sure pupils with SEND are learning what is the most important. Where the curriculum is less exact, teaching lacks precision, and pupils with SEND are not able to build on what they already know.

p.3

3

Learning to read is a priority at St Teresa’s. From the start of Nursery, leaders make sure that children develop a love of reading through songs, stories and rhymes. Leaders have adopted a structured phonics programme. Children learn about letters and sounds in a logical order. Leaders train staff well. Staff deliver the programme with clarity and expertise. As a result, children start learning to read quickly. Leaders provide successful support for pupils who are catching up with their reading. Pupils talk fondly about the types of books and poems they enjoy reading.

p.3

3

Leaders support pupils’ personal development well. The personal, social, health and economic education programme builds pupils’ knowledge of such topics as peer pressure and mental health. Pupils talk confidently about how to look after themselves through relaxation, meditation, exercise and healthy eating. Leaders make sure that pupils learn about equality and diversity. Pupils consider how these issues affect their everyday lives and the lives of others thoughtfully. For example, in history in Year 6, pupils learn about the impact of the slave trade. They link this well to modern-day issues.

p.3

3

Staff are proud to work at the school and feel valued. There is a strong culture of mutual support amongst staff. Leaders support teachers in the early stage of their career particularly well. Staff appreciate that leaders take account of their workload and well-being.

p.3

3

Those responsible for governance provide effective support and challenge. They know the school well and what could be even better. The vast majority of parents express positive opinions about the school. For example, they value teachers’ efforts to support their children academically and emotionally.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school. Staff receive a range of effective training. They notice if a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff understand what to do if they have a concern. When necessary, leaders make swift referrals to external agencies.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that the curriculum includes relevant topics to help keep pupils safe now and in the future. For example, leaders have recently introduced the dangers of vaping into the curriculum. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. Pupil digital leaders take an active role in ensuring that their friends understand online dangers. 21 and 22 February 2023

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, teachers are not clear about the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember. This means that they cannot check that pupils have remembered the right content for future learning. Leaders should refine the curriculum so that teachers know the key information pupils should retain in all year groups from Nursery to Year 6.  In some foundation subjects, staff do not adapt their teaching sufficiently well for pupils with SEND. This means that pupils with SEND do not always learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff have the training and support they need so that they know how best to support pupils with SEND to learn well in all subjects.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 21 and 22 February 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 St Teresa’s Catholic Academy converted to become an academy school in July 2017. When its predecessor school, St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, was last inspected by Ofsted it was judged to be outstanding overall. The school is one of five schools in the Frassati Catholic Academy Trust.  Since the inspection of the predecessor school, a new senior leadership team has taken over. The headteacher was appointed in September 2016. The acting deputy headteacher took up post in September 2022.  The school is designated as having a religious character. It received its section 48 inspection in May 2022, when this aspect of the school’s work was judged to be good.  The school runs its own before- and after-school club.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 21 and 22 February 2023

p.5

6

 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 met with senior leaders, staff, pupils and parents.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science and art. Inspectors spoke to subject leaders, staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at pupils’ work. An inspector heard pupils read to an adult from the school. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and looked at samples of pupils’ work in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with the four members of the local governing body, including the chair. She also met with the chair of trustees and the chief executive officer from the multi-academy trust.  Telephone calls were held with a representative from the Roman Catholic Diocese

p.6

6

of Portsmouth and the trust’s school improvement partner.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s safeguarding arrangements. This included safer recruitment checks and the schools’ records of concerns. Inspectors also spoke to staff, trustees, governors and pupils about safeguarding.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ self- evaluation of the school and school development plan.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the day. They spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour in school. Inspectors considered how the school is supporting pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors took into account parents’ responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ free-text comments. An inspector spoke with a number of parents at the beginning of the school day. They also considered responses from staff and pupils to Ofsted’s surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Lea Hannam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Judith O’Hare Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7