St Patrick's Catholic Voluntary Academy

St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy Barnsley Road, Sheffield Lane Top, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S5 0QF

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inspection report:

At the most recent graded inspection, the following areas were identified as needing to improve:

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inspection report:

 High staff turnover and turbulence in governance have had a significant impact on the leadership capacity of the school. Consequently, there are significant weaknesses in the quality of education that pupils receive. The school has not made sure that weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum are identified and resolved. The school must act swiftly to strengthen leadership capacity at all levels to bring about rapid and sustainable improvement to pupils’ education and their experience of school.  The school does not identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well enough or provide an education that meets their needs. Staff are unclear about pupils’ needs. They do not adapt the curriculum well enough to enable these pupils to flourish. Consequently, the achievement of pupils with SEND is weak. The school must ensure that staff are fully trained in how to identify and

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inspection report:

meet the needs of pupils with SEND.  Many staff are not equipped to implement the new behaviour policy, and there is a distinct lack of clarity around the rewards and consequences that should be used. As a result, lessons are frequently interrupted by disruptive behaviour, and classrooms are, on occasion, loud and chaotic. Some pupils have lost confidence in the school’s ability to solve incidents of bullying. The school must ensure that staff are suitably informed about the behaviour policy so that it is implemented consistently well to reduce bullying and improve pupils’ behaviour.  Children in the early years do not receive equitable access to the curriculum. A significant minority of children are registered in the Year 1 class and spend their time between the Reception Year and Year 1. This is having a detrimental effect on their achievement. It lessens their readiness to access the key stage 1 curriculum.

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inspection report:

The school must ensure that all children of Reception age get full and equal access to the curriculum so that they are prepared well for the next stage of their education.  Staff do not check whether pupils remember what they have learned in some of Monitoring Inspection report: St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, 12 June

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subjects, including personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education lessons. Consequently, pupils’ recall of learning in these subjects is variable and pupils have gaps in their knowledge. This limits their readiness for life beyond school. The school should ensure that pupils know and remember what they have been taught so that they are well prepared for their next steps.  There are weaknesses in how well the school records safeguarding concerns. Some records are not completed in a timely manner. The school does not consistently record the action taken following a concern. The school must ensure that strong systems are in place to ensure that all safeguarding concerns are appropriately recorded, including the action that was taken.

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Leaders and governors are taking effective action to improve the school but

continued work is needed to remove the special measures designation.

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The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any further monitoring inspection we carry out.

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Leaders and governors are taking effective action to improve the school but

continued work is needed to remove the special measures designation.

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Leaders and governors are taking effective action to improve the school but

During the monitoring inspection, inspectors focused on the following evaluation areas:  Leadership and governance  Curriculum and teaching  Early years

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Leadership and governance

Since the previous monitoring visit, leaders have appointed a substantive headteacher for the new academic year. This, along with other appointments, has enabled leaders and those with responsibility for governance to put into place plans to support the ongoing improvement of the school. Leaders are maximising opportunities to support a smooth transition in leadership and staffing for the new academic year.

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Leadership and governance

Members of the ‘Rapid Improvement Committee’ ensure that a sharp focus is maintained on improving the quality of provision for pupils at the school. Leaders, including those responsible for governance, recognise the progress that has been made to improve the school. Nonetheless, they are not complacent. They regularly review the impact of the actions taken to address areas in need of further development. In partnership with external support provided by the St Clare’s trust, leaders have put in place clear actions to support the school moving forward.

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Leadership and governance

Leaders are mindful of the pace of change that has taken place at the school over the last year. They carefully consider the impact of actions taken to improve the school on staff workload and wellbeing. Leaders are alert to the need to continue to develop strategies to Monitoring Inspection report: St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, 12 June

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ensure that they have an accurate and appropriately responsive approach to this important aspect of their work as the school continues to develop.

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Safeguarding

At the previous graded inspection, safeguarding was evaluated as being effective.

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Curriculum and teaching

Leaders have established a consistent approach to the structure of lessons across the school. This routine helps pupils to know what is expected of them and contributes to a positive learning environment. Generally, pupils enjoy their learning. Teachers usually provide appropriate opportunities to support pupils to build upon prior learning. Teachers address misconceptions during lessons. They ensure that pupils learn and use subject specific vocabulary accurately.

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Curriculum and teaching

When teaching new concepts, some teachers do not clearly explain the important knowledge and skills that pupils need. When this is the case, teachers provide too much information at once. They do not routinely check what pupils know and understand. As a consequence, some pupils, including those with SEND, are given work that is too difficult for them.

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Early years

Leaders have taken action to address inconsistencies in the early years identified at the previous monitoring visit. The early years provides a calm, settled and purposeful environment for children to explore and develop their learning. Staff provide appropriate activities that develop children’s thinking. These capture children’s interests and support their learning well. Children demonstrate high levels of independence. They work cooperatively with their peers and access resources confidently. They remain on task for sustained periods. Staff support children well to develop skills in the early stages of reading, writing and mathematics. Children use their phonics knowledge to spell words with accuracy and confidence.

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Early years

Leaders and those with responsibility for governance should continue to work to address the priorities for improvement identified in the last graded inspection report.

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About this inspection

The inspector carried out this monitoring inspection under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005, and it was the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded inspection that took place in October 2024.

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About this inspection

The school’s previous inspection and the first monitoring inspection were carried out under the Education Inspection Framework (EIF) at that time. The renewed EIF took effect from 10 November 2025. The areas for improvement identified at the school’s graded inspection Monitoring Inspection report: St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, 12 June

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and subsequent monitoring inspections have been cross-referenced to the relevant evaluation areas in the inspection toolkit for consideration on this monitoring inspection.

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The purpose of this monitoring inspection was not to determine grades for any of the evaluation areas set out in the school inspection toolkit. The purpose was to identify and report on the school’s progress in addressing priorities for improvement since the school’s previous inspection.

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Since the previous monitoring inspection, there have been changes in staffing at the school. The school’s transfer to St Clare’s multi-academy trust was delayed. It is due to take place on 1 September 2026.

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During this inspection, meetings were held with the executive headteacher, associate headteacher, assistant headteacher, representatives from the school’s governing board, the chief executive officer from St Clare’s multi-academy trust and the director of schools from the Diocese of Hallam, to discuss the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection.

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Lead inspector

Matthew Harrington His Majesty’s Inspector

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applicable)

No Monitoring Inspection report: St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, 12 June

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and inspects to 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 looked- after-children, safeguarding and child protection.

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