St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy

Inspection of St John Fisher Catholic Voluntary Academy Oxford Road, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF13 4LL

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Inadequate

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The headteacher of this school is Karl Mackey. This school is part of Blessed Peter Snow 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), Rob Pritchard, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Antonia Dorsey. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at this welcoming, and rapidly improving, school. Staff, pupils, parents and carers agree that the school has improved a great deal in recent years.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although the school’s quality of education is improving, pupils do not consistently make enough progress through the curriculum. They do not achieve well enough in public examinations and assessments, particularly at key stage 4. Students in the sixth form receive a more consistent quality of education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has heightened its expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils respond to this well. They move around the school calmly. They are polite and respectful to adults and visitors at the school. Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. While attendance is improving, some pupils do not attend often enough. This has a negative impact on their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a wide range of extra-curricular clubs. For example, pupils have opportunities to broaden their interests and participate in table tennis, gardening, politics and Latin clubs. Pupils also have the opportunity to lead different aspects of the school. For example, pupils participate in diversity committees, which help to ensure that different religions and festivals are celebrated. Sixth-form students act as strong role models and support younger pupils at the school.

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

The school is in the process of redeveloping the curriculum in a small number of subjects. It has not been consistently well-planned across all subjects. In some cases, the school has not precisely identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn in each subject. This limits the knowledge and skills that pupils build over time. Sixth-form students study a more developed curriculum. The school has recently broadened the range of subjects available for pupils to study at key stage 4. This has improved how well pupils are prepared for further education, training or employment.

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

Leaders have recently introduced new strategies to improve the quality of curriculum delivery. For example, pupils revisit prior learning regularly as part of the ‘daily reviews’ that happen in each lesson. However, the work given to pupils is sometimes not consistently well-matched to what they already know. In some cases, it does not develop pupils’ knowledge effectively. This limits how well pupils learn and connect ideas and concepts together.

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

In recent years, pupils’ outcomes in examinations and assessments at the end of key stage 4 have been poor. The school’s new teaching and learning strategies are starting to have impact. Pupils can recall what they have learned recently. However, a significant number of older pupils have gaps in what they have been taught while at the school. 25 and 26 March 2025

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Sixth-form outcomes are steadily improving. Sixth-form students can demonstrate intricate knowledge. For example, in history, students were able to explain the various political and economic factors that led to the Wall Street crash in 1929.

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The school is redeveloping its provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Much of this is very new. The school is enhancing the degree to which it accurately identifies and supports the needs of these pupils. The quality of provision for pupils with SEND in lessons, while improving, does vary. The school is working to further develop teachers’ skills to ensure that these pupils’ needs are consistently met.

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Leaders have introduced a new reading strategy. There are signs that this is beginning to improve the culture of reading. For example, more pupils are now accessing the library and reading for pleasure. The school has introduced a new system of interventions for pupils who are weaker at reading. It is too soon to see the impact of this work.

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The behaviour of pupils has greatly improved. Most pupils have responded well to new behavioural expectations. Pupils with more complex behavioural needs receive effective support through the school’s ‘Sacred Heart’ onsite provision. There are still incidents of suspensions for a minority of pupils. The school’s work to improve pupils’ attendance is also beginning to pay off. Pupils’ attendance is noticeably improving. However, a significant number of pupils, including those with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, still miss too many lessons through persistent absence.

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The school provides a well-structured programme of personal development. Pupils can discuss how to keep themselves healthy and how to keep themselves safe online. Pupils learn about fundamental British values and the importance of not discriminating against those with protected characteristics. Pupils receive effective careers guidance and support that prepares them for future opportunities. Sixth-form students learn about pertinent topics, such as learning to drive and managing relationships.

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New leaders have made significant improvements to the school’s provision. However, there is more to do to ensure that all pupils benefit from leaders’ work to improve the school. There is a need to keep supporting and developing leaders’ expertise to continue the trend of improvement. Staff are positive about working at the school. They are committed to their mission of improving the life chances of pupils. Governors and trustees provide effective support and challenge to leaders at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent improvements to the curriculum and the quality of curriculum implementation are beginning to have a positive effect on pupils’ learning and achievement. However, 25 and 26 March 2025

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outcomes of external examinations and assessments have been poor over time. The school should ensure that improvements in the quality of education pupils receive are reflected in pupils’ outcomes at key stage 4, ensuring that pupils are ready for their next steps in education, employment or training.  Some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND, do not attend school regularly enough. As a result, these pupils miss too many lessons and do not make enough progress in their learning. They miss out on the wider personal and social development opportunities the school provides. The school should continue to build its culture of high expectations around attendance, especially its work with the families of those pupils who are absent too often  Some leaders are new to role and are implementing new school improvement initiatives. At this stage in the school’s improvement journey, there is some

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inconsistency in the impact of some leaders’ work in different areas of the school’s provision. The trust should support leaders at all levels, so that they have the expertise to continue developing and improving the school’s provision.

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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form

Date of previous inspection 11 June 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  The school’s last section 48 inspection was in May 2018.  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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements 25 and 26 March 2025

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(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.

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In accordance with section 13(5) of the Education Act 2005, His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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 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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, staff and pupils. They met with governors and trustees. They met with a representative from the Diocese of Leeds. They also met with the CEO.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, English, physical education, history and art and design technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors visited lessons and spoke to pupils about their learning in various other subjects.  Inspectors observed pupils at various times of the school day.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; 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 evaluated responses to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also evaluated the responses that staff and pupils made to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Chris Carr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Martin Featherstone Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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