St John Henry Newman Catholic School

Inspection of a good school: Cardinal Newman Catholic School Sandpits Lane, Keresley, Coventry, West Midlands CV6 2FR

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Emma O’Connor. This school is part of Holy Cross Catholic Multi Academy Company (MAC), which means other people in the MAC also have responsibility for running the school. The MAC is run by the catholic senior executive leader, Marina Kelly, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by John Teahan.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Made for greatness – this motto underpins everything that happens in this school. Leaders want pupils to achieve their best. Pupils and students are a pleasure to speak to. They are proud of their school and value the opportunities they are given. Pupils feel safe and cared for at this school. The positive relationships between staff and pupils are a key factor in the school’s success.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents speak very highly of the school. One comment, echoing the views of many, was, ‘The teachers do an amazing job and go above and beyond.’ Pupils with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a high level of support. This means that all pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy an extensive wider personal development programme. Many pupils are student leaders. The school council plays an active role in the life of the school, while the ambassador programme encourages pupils to develop their leadership skills. Pupils learn about consent and how to keep themselves safe online. The school provides a well- developed careers programme.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in their lessons. Lessons are focused and rarely disrupted. This allows pupils to work effectively. Behaviour around school is calm, including at lunchtimes and breaktimes. Bullying is rare. Pupils have confidence in their teachers to swiftly deal with bullying if it happens. This helps create a positive learning environment. Sixth-form 27 to 28 February 2024

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students actively participate in school life. They act as mentors for younger pupils, including helping them with their reading.

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

Leaders at Cardinal Newman, with sound support from the multi-academy company (MAC) and the diocese, have a relentless focus on ensuring that all pupils achieve to the best of their ability. Subjects are well planned and sequenced. Expert teachers regularly check on pupils’ learning. Teachers adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. The precise curriculum combined with effective teaching are ensuring that all pupils make strong progress.

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

The school places a strong focus on reading. Staff identify pupils who need additional support swiftly. Effective training is provided for all staff so that they can help pupils become more fluent and more confident readers. The library is a popular area of the school. Older pupils volunteer to act as reading mentors. Pupils value the support they are given.

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

Some parents are unhappy about aspects of how the school supports pupils with SEND. However, the concerns they raised were not borne out by inspection evidence. Leaders provide staff with detailed information about pupils’ needs and how they can meet these needs in class. This enables these pupils to learn alongside their peers effectively. If needed, pupils with SEND receive sensitive, well-targeted support with their social skills. Relationships between teachers and pupils are strong.

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

Pupils, including those in the sixth form, are mature, friendly and proud of their school. Within the classroom, they help each other with their work. Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. They say that bullying is rare. They add that if bullying does happen, it is quickly resolved.

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

The school has well-established routines for managing behaviour. Pupils behave responsibly. This means that classrooms are calm. Pupils focus on their work, free from interruptions.

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

The school has worked hard to make sure that pupils attend school regularly. The school works effectively with parents and other external agencies to improve attendance. The school thinks creatively about how to re-engage pupils and their families. As a result, attendance continues to improve.

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

The provision for pupils’ personal development is impressive. It includes a pupil passport programme, which tracks and celebrates the contribution that pupils are making to the life of the school. Pupils are actively encouraged to develop leadership qualities. The ambassador programme, mentoring programme and school council ensure that pupils have a voice in the decisions that are being made by leaders. Pupils feel listened to, and this helps create a strong sense of community. Pupils have a deep understanding of equality. School leaders are responsive to issues that take place in the community and adapt the curriculum offer to ensure that pupils have a better understanding of risky behaviours and challenges they might face. 27 to 28 February 2024

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Students in the sixth form are challenged to achieve their full potential. Staff model the requirements of the task exceptionally well. This ensures that the work produced by these students is of a high quality. Students say that they are well supported. They feel confident about their next steps in education, employment or training. The numbers of students moving on to university as well as apprenticeships is strong.

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Staff speak highly of the support they receive from leaders. Staff were keen to share examples of how they have been supported with professional or personal issues. As a result, staff morale is high.

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Governance is a strength of the school. Those responsible for governance provide support, challenge and expertise. They know the school well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good in April 2016.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with SEND; pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local 27 to 28 February 2024

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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). 27 to 28 February 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,498

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form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Holy Cross Catholic MAC.  The most recent section 48 inspection of this school took place in April 2022. This is an inspection of the school’s religious character.  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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 27 to 28 February 2024

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 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 carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors had discussions about the curriculum and sampled a number of lessons. Inspectors also met with teachers and spoke to pupils about their learning. They also looked at samples of pupils’ and students’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; sampled staff personnel files; 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 met with staff responsible for the leadership of pupils with SEND and for

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reading.  Inspectors met with representatives from the MAC, the diocese and the local authority.

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Inspection team

Richard Gill, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

David Buckle Ofsted Inspector 27 to 28 February 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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