St John Fisher Catholic High School

St John Fisher Catholic High School

Address: Baytree Road, Springfield, Wigan, Lancashire, WN6 7RN Unique reference number (URN): 106535

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders are passionate about pupils’ personal development and have developed a comprehensive programme. This programme supports pupils’ development inside and outside of school. The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is well structured and sequenced across all year groups. The curriculum covers statutory requirements and wider themes, such as relationships and sex education, digital safety and personal finance. Pupils speak with confidence about the topics they study. Specialist staff deliver the programme in form time, lessons and assemblies. External visitors and organisations enhance this. Pupils have a clear understanding of how to treat people fairly and the fundamental British values. They know how the school's values align with these. There is a strong ethos of tolerance, kindness and respect across the school. Pupils’ wellbeing and mental health are an integral part of the school’s pastoral provision. Opportunities such as

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

‘tea and talk’ allow pupils to access support from staff and peers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school provides a range of pupil leadership opportunities through it’s ‘Fisher future leaders programme'. All pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can participate as ambassadors, school council representatives and prefects. The school council allows pupils to engage with leaders and shape the school. Pupils have access to a wide variety of clubs, visits and trips, including rugby, dance and the Duke of Edinburgh's award.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The careers education, advice and guidance programme is well established with all pupils having access to relevant and age-appropriate support for post-16 courses, employment or apprenticeships. Pupils learn about the world of work from Year 7 onwards, with increasing focus on employability skills and preparation for further education in later years. Pupils have access to independent careers advice and whole-school careers events.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have taken decisive and sustained action to improve attendance. Staff use forensic analysis and their detailed knowledge about pupils’ barriers to attending school to support, not only the pupils, but the whole family. Staff track absence carefully and follow up concerns promptly. Leaders provide targeted support and interventions to those that have barriers to attending school. As a result of this work, attendance has improved and the number of pupils who are persistently absent has reduced.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leader’s use effective systems to check and analyse pupils' behaviour. This insight has created a calm and orderly school. Pupils are friendly, courteous and respectful. Pupils move sensibly around the school and interactions between pupils and staff are positive. Teachers can teach in classrooms free from disruption. On the rare occasion poor behaviour does occur, a restorative approach that has been created in partnership with pupils is used. Staff embed and effectively use interventions and adaptations to support disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities in amending their behaviour. Leaders use suspensions appropriately. They are reducing overall. Staff deal efficiently with any bullying incidents. Leaders reward pupils when they meet their high expectations. Parents, carers and pupils are positive about the work of the school’s pastoral team in improving pupils’ behaviour.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders place inclusion at the heart of the school's work and maintain high expectations for all pupils. Leaders have established positive relationships with primary schools to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities have their needs met well. This means that targeted provision begins as soon as pupils start in Year 7 and continues for any pupil that joins the school in later years. Leaders clearly understand the barriers that these pupils have and put plans in place to address these.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The schools ‘inclusion panel’ meet regularly. This allows leaders to quickly and effectively identify needs. This collaborative approach means that staff receive clear and appropriate information about pupils, including those with English as an additional language. Staff training in adaptive teaching and the correct use of resources helps to remove pupil’s barriers to learning and enables pupils with additional needs to access the same curriculum as their peers. Targeted interventions typically support those pupils who require additional help.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders effectively check interventions and wider strategies that support pupils' learning and wellbeing. They use additional funding effectively and review its impact carefully. Leaders’ communication with families has a positive impact on their engagement with the school. Positive relationships with a range of external partners, including school counsellors, alternative provision and the local authority, ensure that pupils receive the support they need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders demonstrate a clear purpose and have high aspirations for every pupil. They set high expectations and ensure pupils reflect the school's values each day. Leaders know the school well. They have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and priorities. Leaders use robust processes to benchmark the provision in school. They then act appropriately in the best interests of pupils. Pupils feel part of the school family.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have designed an inclusive curriculum, especially for those pupils with barriers to learning. Leaders have worked with external organisations to ensure that staff benefit from relevant and research informed training. Early careers teachers and experienced staff receive training to develop their subject knowledge and teaching expertise. While there are inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum, which impacts pupils' outcomes, leaders have strategies in place to drive improvements.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have created a positive and professional culture for staff. Leaders are approachable and supportive. They take practical steps to manage workload and support staff wellbeing. Staff feel valued and appreciate leaders support and visibility around school.

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Needs attention

Governance is effective. The governors fulfil their responsibilities and provide an appropriate balance of support and challenge. They understand the school's priorities and hold leaders to account. Leaders are outward looking and have created positive and effective relationships with the local authority and external partners. Parents and carers benefit from strengthened engagement with the school and recognise the improvements leaders have made, including in the wider community.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of pupils’ starting points. They have established structured approaches to support pupils' progress and learning. However, pupils' work does not always reflect this. Gaps in their work, unfinished work and uncorrected errors demonstrate that these approaches are not effectively implemented. This means some pupils do not secure key knowledge and skills and their progress across subjects is variable.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders have developed systems to identify pupils who require additional support with the core skills in reading, writing and mathematics. Interventions to strengthen pupils reading run regularly and are having an impact, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, the school’s strategy for mathematics is less developed and not fully embedded across the school.

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Achievement Needs attention

At the end of key stage 4, pupils do not achieve as well as they should over time. Published data shows that most pupils' attainment is below national averages. However, disadvantaged pupils’ achievement has improved and is now close to national average. Pupils are increasingly moving on to further education, training or employment.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

There is variation across the school in the precise delivery of the curriculum. Adaptations for those pupils with barriers to their learning are not consistently applied. Teachers use of assessment does not always check pupils’ knowledge and understanding effectively. For some pupils, there is inconsistency in the level of challenge to promote further learning. This means that some pupils do not close gaps in their learning or do not secure the appropriate knowledge before moving on.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Despite these deficits, leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum and are clear about the importance of high-quality teaching. They have an accurate view of the quality of teaching. Leaders have acted promptly to ensure the curriculum is appropriately sequenced. The curriculum supports the needs of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Teachers have the appropriate subject knowledge needed to deliver the curriculum. In some subjects, pupils work independently and with appropriate strategies that allow them to build knowledge over time. For example, in art pupils demonstrate a clear understanding and progression in technical skills. Leaders prioritise the use of assessment and checking for understanding. Teaching strategies, such as questioning, are generally effective in revisiting prior knowledge. Pupils who require additional help with reading are identified quickly and receive targeted support to help them. Leaders also promote pupils’ numeracy and literacy through wider strategies.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils feel valued and well supported at the school. They benefit from a school that prioritises high expectations and care. Pupils know that staff know them as individuals. Positive relationships between staff and pupils creates a clear sense of belonging. Pupils and staff refer to the ‘Fisher family’ and this family feel is evident as soon as you enter the school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The pastoral team focus on supporting pupils' wellbeing and ensure that they receive the help they need to meet their needs. Pupils trust staff to listen and respond when concerns arise. Relationships across the school are respectful. Pupils typically demonstrate very positive behaviour towards staff, visitors and one another. Bullying is rare. Pupils learn in calm classrooms. More pupils are attending school more often. They are benefiting from the improvements in behaviour around the school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

In lessons, staff set clear expectations and most pupils respond positively. Disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities engage well with their learning and achieve broadly in line with national averages. While teaching supports most pupils effectively, there remain inconsistencies in how precisely learning is adapted. This impacts on how well some pupils achieve.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school’s personal development offer is a strength. Pupils have a secure understanding of topics to support them throughout their school life and beyond. Pupils benefit from a variety of clubs, activities and trips throughout the school year. The school listens to pupil voice. This supports pupils’ confidence and engagement in school life. Pupils feel, and are, safe at the school. Pupils future career aspirations are thoughtfully supported. This provision means pupils embody the schools’ values and are proud of their school.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that assessment effectively addresses gaps in pupils’ knowledge and supports future learning. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is suitably adapted to meet the needs of all pupils, leading to high achievement. Leaders should ensure that agreed teaching strategies and practice are consistently embedded across the school to support rapid improvements.

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Lead inspector:

Andrew Washbourne, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Sheldon Logue, Ofsted Inspector Nick Lowry, Ofsted Inspector Michael Wright, Ofsted Inspector Christine Mitchell, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Christopher Fairhurst.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, leaders from the school, governors, the local authority, members of teaching and non-teaching staff and several groups of pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school makes use of 5 unregistered alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Alison Rigby Close to average

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2022/23 (final) 36.1% 45.3% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 42.2 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 42.1 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 28.1% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 26.2% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 36.2 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 33.2 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 35.5 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.73 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 8.1% 8.1% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 9.8% 8.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 9.5% 9.0% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 22.8% 21.9% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 27.1% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 26.1% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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