Brownedge St Mary's Catholic High School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic High School Station Road, Bamber Bridge, Preston, Lancashire PR5 6PB

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Outcome

Brownedge St Mary’s Catholic High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and their parents and carers describe Brownedge St Mary’s as a school with a ‘family feel’ where everyone is valued. Relationships between pupils and staff are built on genuine warmth and respect. Pupils are polite and respectful to each other and well cared for by staff. This helps them to feel safe. Pupils are united in their praise for the school’s inclusive ethos. One pupil reflected the views of many, saying, ‘You don’t have to be afraid to be yourself here.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand that the school is determined for them to succeed. They typically strive to meet the school’s high expectations of their behaviour and achievement. Pupils, especially those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well and typically move on to ambitious next steps in further education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s extensive programme of extra-curricular activities is noteworthy. The school ensures that these are accessible to all. Pupils ‘let their light shine’ through sports, performing arts and opportunities to engage with charity work and social justice campaigns. Pupils rightly value the experiences and personal development that they get from these activities.

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

The school has redesigned its curriculum to ensure that it is ambitious for all pupils. It provides clarity to staff about what pupils should know and by when. In key stage 3, the curriculum enables pupils to build a broad, rich knowledge base across subjects. This supports an increasing proportion of pupils to study the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects in key stage 4. 13 and 14 May 2025

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Most pupils attend school often. They benefit from the school’s well-designed curriculum and typically achieve well. In contrast, the historic poor attendance of a group of disadvantaged pupils contributed to these pupils underachieving, including in national examinations. In recent years, the school has sharpened its focus on attendance. Although some disadvantaged pupils still miss school more often than their peers, work to support these pupils is successful. Rates of attendance are rising as a result.

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The school has provided teachers with high-quality opportunities to develop their subject expertise. Teachers typically deliver the curriculum adeptly. For instance, they explain concepts clearly and break down tasks into manageable steps. However, in some subjects, checks on pupils’ understanding are not effective enough. This means that teaching sometimes moves on before pupils are ready. Errors in some pupils’ learning occasionally go unresolved.

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Reading has a renewed priority in the school. Pupils frequently encounter texts which help them to engage with current affairs and moral issues. Pupils build a rich vocabulary, which they use with confidence in their work. The school carefully identifies pupils who are not reading as well as they should. Expert staff provide support so that these pupils catch up with their peers quickly.

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The school is also quick to spot when pupils may have SEND. There are robust systems to identify these pupils’ needs. Staff adapt their teaching so that pupils with SEND receive effective support. This typically helps them to succeed in the classroom.

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The school’s work promoting a culture of positive conduct has been highly successful. Pupils manage themselves sensibly. They understand that the school’s high expectations have helped to create a calm environment for learning. The school recognises that a minority of pupils struggle to meet this high standard. Thoughtful support is helping these pupils to improve their behaviour.

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The school’s work on pupils’ personal development is a tangible strength. A meticulously designed programme of spiritual, moral and cultural opportunities is at the heart of school life. Many pupils take on leadership roles, which help them to develop into responsible citizens. Pupils leave the school as confident individuals, more than ready for their next steps in life.

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The school is led with a strong moral purpose. Since the last inspection, the school has astutely identified and taken the actions likely to make the biggest difference to pupils’ education and well-being. Governors have supported the school’s leaders to make these decisions in the best interests of pupils and their families.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 13 and 14 May 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, some of the school’s assessment strategies are not as effective as they could be. This sometimes means teachers do not know whether pupils have secured the knowledge that they need before moving on to new learning. As a result, there are occasions when some gaps in pupils’ learning persist. The school should strengthen staff expertise in identifying and remedying pupils’ misconceptions before they become embedded.

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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 November 2015.

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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. 13 and 14 May 2025

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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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a Roman Catholic school in the Diocese of Salford. Its most recent section 48 inspection, for schools of a religious character, took place in November 2022. The next section 48 inspection is due to take place within five years of the last inspection .  Since the previous Ofsted inspection, a considerable proportion of new leaders and staff have been appointed.  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.  The school makes use of two registered alternative provisions for a small number of pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 13 and 14 May 2025

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taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, other school leaders and staff. The lead inspector also met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to groups of pupils and looked at examples of their work. They also considered the school’s self-evaluation document, along with other documentation and analysis provided by the school.  The inspectors observed pupils during social times.  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 considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and pupils. They also took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text

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Inspection team

Ben Hill, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Derek Yarwood Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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