Blessed William Howard Catholic School

Inspection of school: Blessed William Howard Catholic School Rowley Avenue, Stafford, Staffordshire ST17 9AB

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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 principal of this school is Karl Brown. This school is part of The Painsley Catholic Academy, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Stephen Bell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ken Wilson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto 'love of God, love of people, love of learning, love of life' permeates throughout all aspects of school life. Pupils are proud and happy to be a part of this inclusive school. They feel cared for and safe when they are at school. Staff take the time to build positive relationships with pupils and pupils appreciate this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ best interests are at the heart of all that the school does. The school goes above and beyond to ensure that pupils are nurtured well so they can flourish. The Saint Siena room is dedicated to promoting the wellbeing and mental health of pupils. Pupils receive one to one targeted support for issues such as low mood, exam stress and friendship issues when required. This helps pupils to develop resilience and independence in overcoming challenges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and pupils live up to these. They are motivated to learn in lessons, and they socialise well with peers of all ages at break and lunchtimes. There are a range of clubs on offer for pupils to take part in. For example, the disaster club allows pupils to discuss natural disasters, and the drama club is a favourite for those who take part in the whole school production. This helps pupils to develop their talents and interest.

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

The school has been on a journey of improvement. Leaders have worked relentlessly to 21 and 22 May 2024

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provide pupils with an excellent educational experience. They have pupils’ best interests at the heart of all that they do. Staff enjoy working at the school. They appreciate the support they are given to ensure a work-life balance. The ‘coaching programme’ provides staff with personalised and focused professional development. As a result, pupils are provided with a high-quality education.

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The school has developed a curriculum that builds on what pupils already know and can do. This information is used to set out what pupils will learn from Year 7 to Year 13. Careful thought has been given to the smaller steps that pupils need to securely embed in their memory. These smaller steps are revisited regularly and used as a starting point when introducing new knowledge. This means pupils can makes links between prior and current learning. As a result, pupils exceed expectations.

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Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies to focus pupils' attention and to help them learn. They routinely and effectively check pupils' understanding. This is done in a number of ways including where pupils receive immediate feedback on how to improve. If pupils struggle to make sense of their work, staff adapt the learning and revisit content to close any gaps in knowledge. Pupils who grasp the work quickly are given resources to deepen their understanding. As a result, pupils make exceptional progress.

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Staff have been trained well to spot any unidentified needs that pupils may have. These pupils are monitored by the special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) team and key workers. Once a need has been identified, the school work closely with parents, pupils, and external agencies to best identify strategies that will help the pupil access the curriculum. Pupils receive further bespoke guidance in the SEND hub. Parents and staff that work with pupils with SEND attend coffee mornings to discuss pupils’ learning passports and how they can be further supported at home. All of this helps pupils with SEND thrive at school.

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Pupils who struggle to read are quickly identified. Further checks ascertain the specific areas that pupils require help with. The school has ensured they have specially trained staff to help pupils in these areas. This helps pupils improve their confidence and fluency in reading. As a result, pupils catch up quickly. Pupils are given opportunities to encourage them to read widely and often. For example, 'read, review, reward' is a competition where pupils write reviews for books and are rewarded with achievement points or a prize.

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The school focuses on using rewards to recognise pupils’ positive behaviour. Praise Friday celebrates pupils with the highest number of achievement points and rewards them with prizes such as cake, the principal's breakfast and trips to theme parks. The school offers a variety of support for pupils who struggle at times to regulate their behaviour. The Saint Augustine room provides one to one tutoring and bespoke therapeutic guidance to help pupils to manage their emotions. As a result, positive relationships are restored, and pupils are prepared well to play an active role in the community.

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Personal development is taught through tutor time, assemblies and drop-down days. The programme is amended to include local issues and current affairs. Pupils learn about a range of topics such as personal safety, appreciating differences, self-image, and the British Constitution. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. 21 and 22 May 2024

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The careers programme is a strength of the school and further prepares pupils for their next steps. The careers advisor arranges one to one meetings with pupils. Parents and pupils attend the careers fair which has a range of employers, colleges and universities. Pupils use this information to organise work experience in Years 10 and 12 to give them a taste of employment. This gives pupils the confidence to make well-informed decisions about their next steps.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2019.

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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 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). 21 and 22 May 2024

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form

Dates of previous inspection 29 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Painsley Catholic Academy multi-academy trust.  The school uses no alternative providers.  This is a Catholic school. The last section 48 inspection took place in May 2022. It is due its next inspection within three years.  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.  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 21 and 22 May 2024

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with the principal, other senior leaders, the chief executive officer, the chair of the local governing body and other governors and the chair and vice-chair of trustees.  Inspectors met with the school’s special educational needs and disabilities co-ordinator (SENCO) and visited the ‘SEND hub’.  Inspectors met with the school’s attendance and behaviour leader, the education welfare officer, and reviewed records and analysis of exclusions and bullying, behaviour incidents, use of restrictive physical intervention and attendance data.  Inspectors met with the reading leader and discussed the reading across the curriculum.  Inspectors observed pupils’ arrival to and from school, and at break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors met with pupils formally and informally and spoke to ‘pupil leaders’.  Inspectors discussed pupils’ personal development with leaders. Inspectors met with

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the careers leader, extra-curricular leader and citizenship leader.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art, history and mathematics. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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.

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Inspection team

Sultanat Yunus, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Guy Shears Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 May 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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