All Saints Catholic School and Technology College

Inspection of a good school: All Saints Catholic School and Technology College Terling Road, Wood Lane, Dagenham, Essex RM8 1JT

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Outcome

All Saints Catholic School and Technology College continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a graded (section 5) inspection now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established a community with strong values and a strong ethos. The values of respect, understanding, affection and humour are part of everyday life at All Saints. Leaders are proud of what they have achieved in recent years and share their learning with other schools.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are inquisitive and eager to learn. They work hard and achieve highly. Staff treat pupils with respect and understanding. They use praise and encouragement to support pupils to grow in confidence. As a result, pupils know what they can do to improve and have the resilience to do so.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff set high expectations for behaviour. Pupils behave exceptionally well in class and around the school and understand why this is important. Leaders have ensured all staff understand and apply the behaviour policy consistently.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe at school and know that they are cared for. They say that bullying is rare and, when it does happen, it is dealt with swiftly. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their learning outside the classroom, including learning about a wide range of careers and study pathways. Parents and carers are positive about the school and are supportive of the approach taken by leaders.

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

Leaders are highly ambitious for all pupils. They have made sure the curriculum is of high quality across subjects. Leaders make sure that the curriculum meets the requirements of the national curriculum. In Years 10 to 13, pupils can choose from a range of vocational courses, including business. There is strong take-up of the English Baccalaureate, in line with government ambitions. 8 and 9 March 2023

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This is an inclusive school. Leaders are committed to ensuring success for every pupil. Pupils study the learning pathway which reflects their skills, talents, needs and abilities. This ensures that no child is left behind. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported. Teachers are kept up to date on pupils’ needs and ensure pupils have appropriate support in class.

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Teachers know their subjects well and present information clearly. Leaders have planned frequent opportunities for pupils to check their own learning across subjects. This helps pupils to know more and remember more. Pupils are not afraid to ask for help. As a result, pupils secure a depth of knowledge and make good progress.

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Pupils are taught how to connect their learning with the skills they will need for success beyond school. For example, Year 9 pupils learn coaching skills as part of physical education and have opportunities to practise coaching younger pupils. Pupils understand how this will help with team skills in the workplace and how being confident can help them to support and inspire others.

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Leaders have prioritised reading. Weaker readers are supported to learn to read with fluency and accuracy, including the teaching of phonics. Pupils also learn key vocabulary for each subject. They learn how to apply new words in their writing, deepening their understanding of each subject.

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Pupils are clear about the behaviour policy, and they follow it. Where pupils’ behaviour does not meet expectations, this is dealt with swiftly and compassionately. Behaviour around the school and between lessons is calm and orderly. Pupils are welcoming to visitors and enjoy speaking with adults about their learning and interests.

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Leaders provide many and varied opportunities for pupils to learn beyond the curriculum. Pupils say they enjoy the lunchtime and after-school clubs, which include robotics and ‘pray and play’. There is high take up of sports clubs in all year groups. Pupils take part in local and national events to develop their citizenship. They are proud of their successes.

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All pupils, including in the sixth form, study a programme of personal, social, health, economic and citizenship education. Pupils explore challenging questions and reflect on how to manage the many influences they encounter, including online.

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Sixth-form students take part in weekly enrichment activities to help prepare them for university and the world of work. Students are encouraged to learn from activities such as Eco Schools and to develop new skills, such as judo.

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Staff say they feel well cared for and that leaders take their workload into account. The governing body is knowledgeable about the school and the local community. Governors provide appropriate challenge where necessary.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 8 and 9 March 2023

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Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture. Leaders understand the local issues faced by pupils and their families and are highly vigilant. They work with the local authority and specialist agencies to ensure staff are up to date with the issues that put pupils at risk. Pupils are regularly taught about how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum.

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Staff use the clear safeguarding systems to report concerns about pupils. Pupils say they have a trusted adult they can speak to, and leaders have ensured pupils know how they can report concerns. Safeguarding records show that leaders follow up any concerns about pupils thoroughly.

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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 an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2013.

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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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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. 8 and 9 March 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10268783 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,435

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Website http://www.allsaintsschool.co.uk/

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Date of previous inspection 16 January 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a Roman Catholic secondary school in the Diocese of Brentwood. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in 2018.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 8 and 9 March 2023

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, deputy headteachers, the special educational needs coordinator, and other members of the senior team. Inspectors also met with members of the governing body and a local authority representative.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in mathematics, modern foreign languages, science and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work  Inspectors also sampled the curriculum in some other subjects, including business studies, food technology, economics, history, and geography.  Inspectors spoke to staff about reading and listened to pupils read.  Inspectors observed behaviour during lessons and breaktimes, and throughout the school day. Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about their views on pupils’ behaviour,

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their workload and well-being.  Through conversations with leaders, pupils and staff, inspectors examined the effectiveness of safeguarding. Inspectors looked at records relating to safeguarding, including pre-employment checks and records of work with external agencies.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, carers, staff and pupils through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Polly Haste, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ogugua Okolo-Angus Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 March 2023

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