Bishop Walsh Catholic School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Bishop Walsh Catholic School Wylde Green Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands B76 1QT

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Outcome

Bishop Walsh Catholic School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Natalie Brodie. She is the executive principal and is responsible for this school and one other. This school is part of the St John Paul II Multi Academy trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Teresa Cotter, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Maria Stirrop.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, sixth-form students and staff are rightly proud of their school. It has very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. These are rooted in the school’s values, which underpin the ethos of a caring community in which everyone is kind to each other. Pupils meet these expectations because they want to do the right thing, both for themselves and the wider school community. On those occasions when they do not make the right behaviour choice, pupils know that they will face a fair consequence and be supported to get it right next time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons, pupils are attentive and apply themselves well to their learning. They make the most of the feedback they receive from staff and are keen to improve their work. They like how their ‘subject booklets’ help them to organise their learning and easily locate things they have learned previously. Pupils value the support they receive from the learning mentors. Consequently, pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stages in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including many sports clubs and performing arts activities. Many play an active part in the school community, including as members of the chaplaincy team, school council and the eco-team. 7 and 8 January 2025

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

The school has seen significant change and improvement since the previous inspection. Leaders have worked effectively to improve all areas of the school’s work. A key part of this work has been the development of the curriculum, which is now broad and ambitious for all pupils. Pupils achieve strong outcomes, although some disadvantaged pupils do not achieve quite as well as their peers. Sixth-form outcomes are also improving, and a very high proportion of students progress on to their university of choice.

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

Each subject has a precisely sequenced curriculum to enable pupils to build a depth of learning from Year 7 to Year 13. Typically, the curriculum is delivered very well. Staff use their expert subject knowledge to explain new learning and model thinking processes with great clarity. Most of the school’s chosen teaching strategies, such as how pupils recall their learning at the start of lessons, are used effectively. Staff are adept at identifying misconceptions and addressing them promptly. There are a few areas of practice which are not consistently delivered to the same high standard. For example, some questioning overrelies on factual recall and does not enable pupils to explore and apply some of the more complex concepts well enough. There are occasions when pupils do not have the opportunity to discuss their learning and deepen their understanding effectively. The school’s ‘learning cycle assessments’ are used well. Pupils are clear about any gaps they

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

have in their knowledge and teachers use them to inform any future learning.

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

The school’s work to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Teachers make helpful adaptations to learning for these pupils because the school provides them with precise information and guidance on the ‘pupil profiles’. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well, both academically and socially. Any pupils who find reading more challenging, benefit from prompt, personalised support to help them become fluent readers.

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

The school’s caring and inclusive ethos is evident in the support on offer to pupils who may need something more than the high-quality pastoral care all pupils benefit from. Through the mentoring programme and the support in the ‘Damascus suite’, many pupils gain a stronger understanding of how to manage themselves and develop greater confidence and resilience. The school works closely with families of those pupils whose behaviour or attendance needs to improve. As a result, the number of suspensions has reduced and pupils’ attendance is now higher than national averages. However, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is not improving at the same rate.

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

The school’s work on character development through its carefully designed ‘SAINT’ programme is excellent. The morning sessions encourage pupils to engage in meaningful personal reflection, as well as learning. Pupils develop a deep understanding of what it means to be socially responsible, including leading fundraising and sharing acts of kindness. They benefit from high-quality support around careers and their next steps. Sixth-form students value the diverse opportunities built into their enrichment sessions, such as ‘lights, camera, action’. 7 and 8 January 2025

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Trustees and local governors work well together to ensure that the school is meeting its responsibilities. The trust places a high value on the well-being of all staff and pupils. This is appreciated by staff. They know the school cares for them as much as for pupils. This is a community in which everyone is enabled to thrive.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not consistently implemented to the same high standard across the school. These small pockets of variation mean that some pupils are not learning in the same depth as others. The school should ensure that the best practice is shared and built on so that the quality of education is of a consistently high standard in all subjects and key stages.  The school has not ensured that staff have a precise enough understanding of how they should support disadvantaged pupils. As a result, some disadvantaged pupils do not achieve as well as their peers. Their levels of absence are higher than other pupils in the school. The school should ensure that staff at all levels understand their roles and responsibilities in securing the best possible outcomes for these pupils.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in April 2016. 7 and 8 January 2025

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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). 7 and 8 January 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,094

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form

Principal Natalie Brodie (executive principal)

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form

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 March 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive principal has been in the role of the principal of the school since September 2020. She became Executive Principal on 1 September 2024. Two heads of school were also appointed at that time.  This is a Roman Catholic school within the Archdiocese of Birmingham. The school’s last section 48 inspection was in July 2023. The next inspection will be within five years of that inspection.  The school uses one registered alternative provision.  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. 7 and 8 January 2025

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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 this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the executive principal, heads of school, other school leaders and staff. They also met with the CEO, the chair of the trust board, the chair of the local governing body and others responsible for governance, as well as speaking to a representative of the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; 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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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered key documentation, including the school improvement plan and records of trust board meetings.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. Inspectors met with school leaders to discuss and review how they respond to behaviour incidents and pupils’ attendance.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. They considered the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text comments, and correspondence sent to Ofsted during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Nicola Beech, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Clare Considine Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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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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