Sacred Heart Catholic School

Inspection of Sacred Heart Catholic School Camberwell New Road, London SE5 0RP

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Richard Lansiquot. This school is in a single- academy trust, Sacred Heart Academy Trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Siraut.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since December 2012. 8 and 9 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely positive about their learning at this school. All pupils achieve highly. Through all that they do, the school encourages pupils to follow the school’s values of respect, resilience, kindness and honesty.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s behaviour expectations are very clear. The school has established a positive culture where everyone is treated with equal respect regardless of their background. Pupils are safe. They can and do speak to an adult when they need to. Students in the sixth form work hard, behave maturely and act as role models for younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school inspires pupils to develop their social skills and personal interests at clubs including competitive sports, coding, debating and music. Pupils take on many leadership roles, including as behaviour and anti-bullying ambassadors, and sports and house captains. Enrichment classes in philosophy for students in the sixth form help them to prepare for their next steps in education. Pupils participate extensively in charity work and build links with the local community. For example, during festive periods, all year groups create food hampers which pupils deliver to the homes of the elderly.

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better?

The school has created a very high-quality curriculum across all subjects. Leaders continue to refine it so that it is both broad and ambitious. As part of the school’s ‘creative industries’ curriculum, all pupils study art, graphics, construction and food technology in Years 7 to 9.

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better?

The school’s subject leaders are experienced experts. Every subject curriculum is carefully designed and sequenced. For example, in Spanish and French, pupils steadily build up secure knowledge of the present, past and future tenses.

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better?

Pupils learn key knowledge and develop strong subject-specific skills. For example, in science, pupils in Year 9 confidently carry out experiments. Pupils know how to create a hypothesis, collect results and plot their findings on graphs. In English, pupils learn to write persuasively, express different opinions and make comparisons between texts. Students in Year 12 identified the contrasting ways that a ‘fool’ is represented in Shakespeare plays.

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better?

Teachers check regularly that pupils understand what they have been taught before moving pupils on to learning new content. As a result, pupils’ knowledge across the curriculum builds up securely.

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better?

The school identifies pupils who need to improve their reading and provides them with regular, effective support that quickly builds up pupils’ reading fluency and confidence. This support helps to ensure that all pupils can read ambitious curriculum content, understand and use vocabulary taught across subjects. 8 and 9 November 2023

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The school provides tailored assistance for pupils with SEND across all subjects. The school also works with specialist professionals to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) where necessary. Leaders make sure that pupils with SEND participate in all opportunities that the school provides. High numbers of pupils attend extra-curricular clubs regularly and take part in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

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Pupils learn without distraction in class. They are courteous, kindly, interested in their learning and ready and willing to study. They participate enthusiastically in class and routinely support each other to achieve their best. The school provides pupils who may struggle to meet the school’s high standards with opportunities to reflect on their conduct and actions. Pupils’ attendance is treated as a top priority at the school. The school follows up any pupil’s absence from school immediately. Leaders identify any pupils at risk of frequent absence. The school provides effective guidance and support for these pupils and their families.

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Teachers enjoy working here. The school provides all staff with a wide range of professional development opportunities. Leaders make sure that staff are well trained and fully prepared to take up further professional roles. Those responsible for governance know their duties and carry these out appropriately.

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All pupils participate fully in the school’s personal development programme. Pupils are introduced to topics, such as the significance of consent, by knowledgeable staff. Leaders of subjects organise regular outings for all pupils to deepen their subject understanding. Through curriculum enrichment, pupils also visit theatres, museums and go on residential journeys. Students in the sixth form attend drama workshops to increase their confidence and to improve their interview skills.

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Pupils appreciate the school’s broad careers programme. They receive quality, independent careers advice in all year groups. Pupils are taught about the many educational choices available to them after they leave the school. Students in the sixth form have several opportunities, including at the school’s careers fair, to meet employers from different industries and to learn about the world of work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 8 and 9 November 2023

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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). 8 and 9 November 2023

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School details

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter

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sixth form

Website www.sacredheart.southwark.sch.uk

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2012

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative providers.  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.  The school has a Roman Catholic religious character and is in the Archdiocese of Southwark. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection for schools of a religious character was carried out in March 2019. It is due for its next section 48 inspection by the end of 2026. 8 and 9 November 2023

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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.  This was the first routine inspection 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 held meetings with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, personal, social and health education, behaviour and attendance, early reading, pupils’ wider development and sixth form.  Inspectors met with representatives from the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, music, geography and science.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors also spoke to leaders about the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Saunders His Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 November 2023

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