St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy

Inspection of St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy Norfolk Street, Hull HU2 9AA

p.1

Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Sarah Woodmansey. This school is part of St Cuthbert’s Roman 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), Rachel McEvoy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Laws. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

‘We smile – lots’ is a motto that is truly lived out by staff and pupils at this school. Pupils are happy. They think that one of the best things about the school is the teachers – ‘who care about us’. Pupils from diverse backgrounds are welcomed. They celebrate being part of a collective family. For example, they enthusiastically sing songs that reference ‘it’s you and me that builds community’.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils respond to the high expectations of the school. They receive the precise support they need to thrive. The school provides lots of experiences to inspire pupils. For example, the school brings in creatures such as goats and tarantulas to help pupils learn about life cycles and adaptations. Children in early years look forward to hatching chicks.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and have excellent behaviour. They feel safe and have trusted adults. They are taught about road safety and local dangers, such as those posed by derelict buildings. Pupils who attend regularly make good progress through the curriculum. Some pupils do not attend regularly enough.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils contribute to the school through leadership positions such as school councillors, junior chaplains and librarians. Pupils take part in a range of clubs and activities, such as cooking, singing, hairdressing and football.

p.2

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

The school has carefully designed the curriculum to meet a wide range of pupil needs. The curriculum breaks down learning into clear steps. Pupils are taught the important vocabulary that they need to learn. Teachers regularly revisit and review prior learning. This helps pupils to know and remember more, including a significant number who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children in early years learn the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in Year 1.

p.2

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

Teachers are well trained and have secure subject knowledge. They adapt and reteach lessons to ensure pupils understand concepts. For example, pupils in mathematics were observed revisiting the concept of perimeter to consolidate their knowledge. Pupils display their work to help them remember what they have learned. Teachers use resources that link images to subject-specific vocabulary. Pupils are encouraged to discuss their ideas using this vocabulary. This helps them to develop their knowledge and understanding. Children in early years develop skills of communication through imaginative activities. For example, they interact in the role-play area of ‘Charlesville’, with a fictitious shop, police station and church.

p.2

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

Many pupils join or leave the school midway through different school years. This contributes to some variability in pupils’ outcomes in published assessments. Pupils who join the school are provided with personalised support to catch up and keep up with their peers. They progress well through the curriculum from their starting points. The school 19 and 20 November 2024

p.2

3

identifies the needs of pupils with SEND effectively. They are provided with support that precisely matches their needs.

p.3

3

The school has placed reading and the development of language skills as top priorities. Pupils receive expert tuition in phonics. Pupils who arrive with limited or no experience of English are provided with the precise intervention they need. They rapidly improve their ability to read. Weak readers are identified quickly and provided with appropriate support. Pupils enjoy reading. They talk with enthusiasm about stories they have read.

p.3

3

Pupils have excellent relationships with teachers. They value their lessons and enjoy learning. Pupils behave extremely well. They are attentive in lessons and move around the school quietly. Pupils are highly respectful to adults and to each other. They greet visitors with handshakes and wish them ‘a nice day’. Children in early years learn routines and respond well to the high expectations of staff. Some pupils do not attend school frequently enough. The school continues to work on breaking down barriers to attendance.

p.3

3

The school’s ‘St Charles’ Pledge’ offers a wide variety of personal development opportunities. For example, pupils visit museums and art galleries and participate in theatre productions. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe and about healthy and unhealthy relationships. They learn about body changes at puberty and about celebrating differences. However, pupils’ awareness of fundamental British values, protected characteristics and world faiths is variable. Some pupils struggle to remember their significance.

p.3

3

Leaders at all levels have made significant improvements to the school. Staff are unanimously positive about the school and about their workload and well-being. One staff member, representative of many, said, ‘I love coming here, the children enrich my life.’ Governors and trustees have a thorough understanding of the school. They offer highly effective support and challenge to school leaders.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. This impacts on the progress they make through the curriculum. Ultimately, this reduces the attainment of some pupils in published assessments. The school should further develop and embed strategies to engage with the wider community and improve attendance of pupils at the school.  Pupils have varying recall and understanding of fundamental British values, protected characteristics and world faiths. This limits how well they are prepared for life in 19 and 20 November 2024

p.3

4

modern Britain. The school should ensure that pupils are able to consistently recall and explain these aspects of the personal, social and health education curriculum.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 19 and 20 November 2024

p.4

School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 March 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 St Charles Voluntary Catholic Academy joined St Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic Academy Trust in 2017. The school is one of 15 schools in the trust.  The school is a Roman Catholic school and is part of the Diocese of Middlesborough.  The school’s most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in June 2024. The next inspection should take place by June 2029.  The school uses one registered alternative provider of education.  The nursery provision of the school is temporarily closed. At the time of this inspection, early years was comprised of only the Reception year group. 19 and 20 November 2024

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 of the school.  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.  The inspectors spoke to senior leaders, including the headteacher, governors, trustees, directors, the CEO and a representative from the Diocese of Middlesborough.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about

p.6

Information about this inspection

their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors evaluated responses from parents to Ofsted Parent View, and the free- text responses. They spoke with some parents. The inspectors also evaluated the responses that staff and pupils made to Ofsted’s online surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Chris Carr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Alison Oxtoby Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7