Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School

Inspection of Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School Gibfield Road, Colne, Lancashire BB8 8JT

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 October 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 10 and 11 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of pupils are happy to attend Ss John Fisher and Thomas More Roman Catholic High School. Pupils told inspectors that they are looking forward to the completion of their new school buildings and facilities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils explained that when they report incidents of bullying, staff address their concerns quickly and effectively. Pupils said that they have a trusted adult in school who they can talk to if they have any worries. As a result, most pupils feel safe in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave well. However, some pupils and staff reported that in some lessons, a few pupils disrupt the learning of their peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve in their learning. In some subjects, pupils are beginning to achieve well. However, in other subjects, pupils’ achievement is not as strong as it should be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the increasing number of opportunities that they have to take part in activities to enhance their learning of the curriculum. These activities include music and drama performances, and a wide range of sports clubs. Pupils also take pride in holding positions of responsibility and carrying out community work, for example by raising money for local charities.

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better?

The school is increasingly ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, in key stage 4, more pupils are choosing to study the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.

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better?

In many subjects, the school’s curriculum thinking is well developed. The school has carefully organised the knowledge that it wants pupils to know and remember. Added to this, teachers have secure subject knowledge and they explain concepts to pupils clearly. This is helping pupils, particularly those in key stage 3, to learn better than they have in the past.

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better?

The school has provided suitable training so that teachers know how to check and assess what pupils know and remember before moving on to new learning. In some subjects, teachers are skilful in identifying and addressing gaps in pupils’ learning. However, in other subjects, pupils’ misunderstandings sometimes go unnoticed. As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not build knowledge as well as they should.

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better?

The school has implemented a comprehensive programme for reading. Pupils enjoy reading regularly from a wide range of high-quality texts. Staff swiftly identify those pupils who find reading more difficult. These pupils receive the support that they need to catch up with their peers. Staff encourage pupils to learn and use new vocabulary through a range of activities, for example during form time. 10 and 11 October 2023

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The school is in the process of improving its systems to identify the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Alongside this, the school is also updating the information that teachers receive about pupils with SEND. When teachers have sufficient information, they make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum to meet the needs of these pupils. However, some teachers do not have the information required to support some pupils with SEND well. This hinders how well these pupils learn.

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Most pupils behave well. However, at times, some pupils do not behave as well as they should in lessons and during breaktimes. To address this, the school has recently refined the behaviour policy. However, some staff said that incidents of low- level disruption are not addressed consistently well. Added to this, some staff do not feel well supported by the school in managing pupils’ behaviour.

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The school has updated the curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE), to ensure that pupils are fully prepared for life in modern Britain. This includes information about a range of further education and careers opportunities. Pupils readily take on leadership roles such as on the student council. Pupils are encouraged to take part in a wide range of inter-house competitions, including glow in the dark dodgeball and spelling bees.

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Leaders, including governors, have accurately identified the most urgent priorities to improve the quality of education for pupils. For example, the school has taken action to strengthen staffing, update policies and provide appropriate training for staff. However, some staff said that they would benefit from additional information and support to successfully implement the range of changes taking place across the school.

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Parents and carers said that they are well informed about what their children are learning in school. They appreciate how well the school communicates with them.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to accurately check pupils’ knowledge. This means that some pupils, including some with SEND, move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies well to check that pupils have learned the intended curriculum.  Some teachers do not adapt the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND effectively. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should. The school should ensure that they provide teachers with sufficient information so that they can successfully meet the needs of pupils with SEND. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 During some lessons, a small number of pupils do not behave as well as they should. This means that, sometimes, other pupils’ learning is disrupted. The school should ensure that staff are supported to apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently well so that pupils can learn without disruption.  The school has not ensured that staff are suitably supported to implement the recent changes to policy and practice. This means that some staff do not feel fully equipped to implement these changes effectively. Leaders should ensure that they support staff to embed these updated processes quickly and consistently well.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding ( this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 10 and 11 October 2023

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Diocese of Salford. The most recent section 48 inspection of the school’s religious character took place in January 2016. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in 2024.  The school makes use of two registered alternative providers for a small number of pupils.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 10 and 11 October 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history, Spanish, and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff. The lead inspector met with the chair and vice-chair of the local governing body.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority and corresponded with a representative of the diocese.  Inspectors spoke to groups of pupils from Years 7 to 11 about their experiences

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of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. Inspectors also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text comments.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Eleanor Overland, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Cox Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 October 2023

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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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