All Saints Catholic School York

Inspection of All Saints Catholic School York Mill Mount Lane, York, North Yorkshire YO24 1BJ

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Inspection dates: 25 to 27 June 2024, and 2 to 3 October

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The headteacher of this school is Sharon Keelan-Beardsley. This school is part of Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Hugh Hegarty, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Joseph Hughes.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected All Saints Catholic School York under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged All Saints Catholic School York to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are immensely proud to attend this caring school where everyone is accepted for who they are. Pupils care deeply for others. They exude tolerance, respect and compassion in all that they do. The school’s values of faith, love and unity underpin every aspect of school life. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, thrive at All Saints Catholic School.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Extremely positive relationships with staff support pupils to blossom academically and personally. Pupils value the high-quality education that the school offers, and, as a result, they behave impeccably in lessons and around the school site. Sixth-form students act as exemplary role models to others. Pupils eagerly welcome visitors and delight in opportunities to discuss their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has unstintingly high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils benefit from a remarkably well-thought-out curriculum that prepares them extremely well for the future. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make exceptional progress through the curriculum and achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop high levels of independence and a deep understanding of responsibility through meaningful leadership roles. Their strong voice influences important aspects of the school’s work. For example, pupils have redesigned the outside landscape, designed a new dining area and organised a world cultures day and coffee morning to support local charities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy an extensive range of extra-curricular activities, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, debate club, orchestra and escape room club. These provide praiseworthy opportunities to build pupils’ character and cultural breadth.

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better?

The school provides a highly ambitious curriculum that prepares pupils incredibly well for their next steps in education, training or employment. The school ensures that all pupils, including those with SEND, study the same curriculum and benefit from equal opportunities. The swift and accurate identification of pupils’ additional needs enables the school to put in place highly effective support so that all pupils, including those with SEND, can excel.

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better?

The curriculum is meticulously designed and steeped in educational research. In each subject, the school has thought deeply about the development of pupils’ knowledge and skills from key stage 3 through to the sixth form. Pupils choose from a wide range of courses that develop their academic prowess alongside their interests and talents.

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better?

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. They deliver the curriculum with flair and considerable expertise. Pupils absorb a wealth of important knowledge, which 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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they successfully apply to more sophisticated concepts and ideas. Pupils readily connect their knowledge through ‘bell tasks’, which help them to build on previous learning. They fastidiously consider areas of their work where they can improve. Pupils’ understanding is checked thoroughly through teachers’ skilful questioning. Sixth-form students flourish from teachers’ high-quality explanations and expert modelling of concepts.

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The school has prioritised improving the achievement of disadvantaged pupils, including those with SEND. This has had notable impact. Pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly across the curriculum. Sixth-form students are extremely well prepared to move on to new destinations.

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Pupils were overwhelmingly positive about the school. They display incredibly mature attitudes to learning and consciously strive to be the best that they can be. Pupils understand the importance of reading in helping them to unlock their future potential. To this end, they read voraciously and make excellent use of the well- stocked library. Those pupils who find reading more difficult receive first-rate support to keep on track with their peers.

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Most pupils attend school regularly. They are keen to engage with all that the school has to offer. Sixth-form students learn with fervour. They are proud advocates for the school through their roles as subject ambassadors and mentors.

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The school’s personal development offer is extraordinary. During their time at the school, pupils develop a strong moral compass and they express clear views on what is right and wrong. Pupils have a deep understanding and respect for other faiths and cultures. They are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils can explain how fundamental British values act as a bedrock for a tolerant society.

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Pupils have many opportunities to lead aspects of the school. Sixth-form students organise events that help to unify the school population, for example the ‘Leaf’ group promotes environmental awareness. Pupils receive a broad and comprehensive careers programme. As a result, pupils have a clear sense of direction for their future.

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Until very recently, the trust, members of the local governing body and the school did not work together as productively as they could. This resulted in some urgent priorities, for example weaknesses in aspects of site security, taking too long to address. Since the first on-site days of this inspection, the relationship between the school and the trust has considerably strengthened. Together, the school and the trust now share an unambiguous vision for the high-quality education that they offer pupils and improvement priorities are more clearly defined. The implementation of the new interim advisory board (IAB) has provided breadth of experience and expertise to the local governing body. This is enhancing its effectiveness. However, it is too early to see the full impact of this work. 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent actions to strengthen the relationship between the school and the trust, including the implementation of the IAB, are not fully embedded. Until recently, this has hindered the school, including those responsible for governance, from addressing some improvement priorities as quickly as it could. The school and the trust should continue to work in close partnership to ensure that those responsible for leadership and governance fully understand their roles and responsibilities.

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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 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). 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1421

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sixth form

Website https://allsaintsyork.npcat.org.uk/

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 All Saints Catholic School York converted to become an academy school in May 2023. When the predecessor school, All Saints Catholic School York, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding for overall effectiveness.  The school is a Roman Catholic school and is part of the Diocese of Middlesbrough. The school’s most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2022. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place in 2027.  The school uses one unregistered and one registered alternative provider for a small number of pupils.  The school has a split site provision. Pupils in key stage 3 attend the lower school site and pupils in key stages 4 and 5 attend the upper school site. 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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 The school’s provision for physical education occurs at a separate location in the city of York.  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.  The inspection started on 25 June 2024. Inspectors returned on 2 and 3 October 2024 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, staff and pupils.  Inspectors met with the CEO, executive trust leaders and members of the board of trustees. Inspectors also met with members of the local governing body and the IAB. Inspectors met with representatives of the diocese and the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, history, science, art and design and mathematics. 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 spoke to representatives from the alternative provisions used by the

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Information about this inspection

school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; considered the security of pupils on the school site; considered systems and processes for assessing and managing risks; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the views of parents; 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 responses.  Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and for pupils. 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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Inspection team

Rachel Goodwin, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Christopher Stevens His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Voyce His Majesty’s Inspector 25 to 27 June 2024 and 2 and 3 October 2024

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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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