Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College

Blessed Edward Oldcorne Catholic College

Address: Timberdine Avenue, Worcester, Worcestershire, WR5 2XD Unique reference number (URN): 116999

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well in their Year 11 examinations across a range of subjects, with published outcomes that are generally above national averages. This has been the case for some time. Although pupils who are disadvantaged have not achieved as highly as their non- disadvantaged peers, this gap is closing thanks to careful action which the school is taking.

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Achievement Expected standard

Current pupils achieve well thanks to consistent teaching. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school is taking an increasingly consistent approach to ensure that the key knowledge that pupils need in literacy and numeracy is secure across a range of subjects. This is because sometimes grammatical mistakes in pupils' work can persist. Although pupils typically take pride in their work and look to complete it to the best of their ability, there can be occasions when pupils do not complete tasks as well as they are able to.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave very well. They understand the school has high expectations for their conduct. Pupils consistently meet these expectations in lessons and at social times. This means that pupils listen attentively in lessons, and mostly try their best to complete the work. They understand to treat others with respect. As a result, pupils are very clear that any form of discriminatory behaviour is not acceptable. Bullying is not tolerated and leaders act promptly in any cases of unkind behaviour. Leaders ensure there is effective support for pupils who find it harder to meet their expectations. This support is effective in enabling pupils to better meet the high expectations for behaviour that are typical.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders carefully monitor attendance to spot patterns. This means that attendance is increasing, including for pupils who are more regularly absent from school. Leaders use the Beacon provision effectively for those pupils who have significant challenges in attending. This intervention is having a positive impact for these pupils. Thanks to leaders' systematic approaches, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who are disadvantaged attend more regularly. Pupils with part-time timetables have these regularly reviewed. Leaders work to ensure they increase the time they spend in school and transition back to full-time education as soon as possible.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have designed a curriculum which has ambition for all pupils. Within this, the key knowledge that pupils need is laid out in a logical order. Pupils have a broad ranges of subjects which they can study, including a number of modern languages and a range of art qualifications. Leaders have identified pupils who need extra support with their core learning in English, reading or mathematics before they start in Year 7. Additional teaching means they are ready to learn the school's curriculum.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers select tasks well to build on what pupils already know. In this way pupils' knowledge typically builds over time. Teachers check for pupils' understanding with increasing precision. In this way any gaps in understanding or misconceptions are identified and addressed. Mistakes in grammar or spelling are generally picked up and identified. Leaders are working to ensure greater consistency in how pupils' literacy is improved across subjects.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised adaptive teaching, with a particular focus on pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, pupils with lower literacy and pupils who are disadvantaged. This work is having having a positive impact in how teachers adjust the learning activities in lessons to ensure all pupils secure the key knowledge which they need.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have reviewed their approaches to inclusion. This is to ensure that they securely meet pupils' needs. Leaders carefully assess pupils' needs on entry to the school. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders then provide helpful information to staff about these pupils, and how they can adapt their teaching to ensure they learn well. Typically teachers use this information effectively to reduce pupils' barriers to learning. Leaders use the new Beacon facility effectively to support pupils who have more complex barriers to their learning, attendance or wellbeing. They provide an adapted curriculum for these pupils which enables them to learn and to reintegrate life in school. Leaders keep close oversight of pupils who are known (or previously known) to social care. They ensure that their personal education plans are of high quality.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use a small number of alternative providers for a small number of pupils. Leaders regularly review the use of this provision to ensure that they continue to meet the pupils' needs.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders review their support for pupils who are disadvantaged. Their approaches are based on analysis of evidence. These approaches are having an improved impact on disadvantaged pupils including their learning, attendance and participation in the life of the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an astute understanding of their school, and where to focus their efforts to further increase levels of consistency. They rightly have a particular focus on their ongoing reduction of barriers to achievement, attendance and participation for specific groups of pupils, including those who are disadvantaged. Leaders' understanding is informed by regular and precise internal reviews. Governors are highly committed. They are well- informed about the school and offer support and challenge appropriately. Leaders engage well with external bodies, including the local authority and archdiocese, for enhancements to their provision and to provide external verification of their work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are highly supportive of the school and leaders' work. They especially appreciate how the school lives out its ethos, and how the staff know and support pupils as individuals. Staff are very positive about the school and how it is led. They speak very highly about how leaders work with them, especially around matters of workload and wellbeing. Staff benefit from effective and targeted training to support their professional development. This helps them to develop their classroom practice and means that pupils benefit from increasing levels of consistency and high-quality teaching across the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have reviewed the school's taught curriculum for pupils' personal development and wellbeing. This revised curriculum is aligned with the school's framework of virtues and character development. It includes the key learning pupils need to live healthy and happy lives, including around relationships, and living a fulfilling life in modern Britain. Leaders have responded to pupil feedback in their review. Pupils now have further teaching around topics which are important to them such as cooking and driving. Leaders also use 'circle time' in tutor sessions as an opportunity for pupils to discuss their learning. This is used effectively as it allows pupils to express their opinions and respectfully listen to those of their peers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils can recall their learning from their teaching, sometimes in some depth. This learning includes their study of other faiths and traditions in modern Britain. They especially appreciate the opportunities they have to learn about future employment or study. Pupils in Year 10 speak very positively about their work experience. All pupils are well-informed about opportunities for when they leave the school at age 16, as well as further opportunities for study, apprenticeships and careers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

There are a significant number of wider opportunities which staff organise for pupils. These include a range of trips, clubs and activities. Some of these include sporting opportunities, board games, music and the chance to learn Japanese. These opportunities help pupils to develop new hobbies and interests. Leaders are now collecting the information on which pupils take advantage of this offer. They are planning to use this information to support wider attendance at these opportunities, especially by pupils who might have barriers to participating. Leaders already support pupils who might have financial barriers to taking part in any trips or visits.

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

Pupils value the warm relationships which they enjoy with staff at this school. Pupils know that they have trusted adults to whom they can turn. They celebrate the diversity of their school, and understand that all are valued in their school community. As one pupil, typical of many, states: 'I immediately fell in love with the school when I visited in Year 6. You could tell by the way pupils here spoke that everyone is welcome.' Pupils value how leaders work with them to bring about improvements. Their voices are heard. Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities which staff organise. These include sports clubs, trips and visits including a foreign language exchange, a choir and a debating society. Pupils value these experiences which develop their interests and experiences.

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

Pupils achieve well. They enjoy their learning. Pupils typically understand how to make improvements to their work. They take pride in their endeavours and understand that it is important to try their best. Pupils with barriers to their learning, including pupils who are disadvantaged or pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, achieve increasingly well. This is thanks to increasingly effective work to reduce barriers to their learning. Pupils have regular and helpful advice on possible destinations which they can access after they leave. This includes apprenticeships and employment. This all means that pupils are well-prepared for their next steps.

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

Pupils behave very well. They understand the school's high expectations for how they should conduct themselves, and how they should treat other people. Pupils are respectful and value the contributions that everyone makes to their school. They know bullying is not tolerated and any unkind behaviour will be dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils feel safe, therefore. They attend increasingly well, including pupils who might find it harder to attend school regularly.

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Next steps

Leader should refine their inclusion strategies, including for disadvantaged pupils, to ensure the school continues to identify and reduce barriers to attendance, participation or learning.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Philip Carney.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMI.

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About this inspection

During the inspection, inspectors spoke with the headteacher, senior leaders, staff and pupils. They also met with representatives from the board of governors, a representative from the local authority, and a representative of the archdiocese.

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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 is registered as having a Roman Catholic religious character. It is in the Archdiocese of Birmingham. Its last section 48 inspection was a compliance check in March 2025.

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of 4 alternative provisions, including 3 that are unregistered.

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Team inspectors:

Martin Spoor, Ofsted Inspector Sarah Steer, Ofsted Inspector Stewart Tait, Ofsted Inspector Elizabeth Lawson, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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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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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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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national average

2023/24 (final) 0.23 -0.03 Close to average

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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 (final) 18.2% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 26.3% 25.8% 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 (final) 33.4 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 34.4 34.6 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) -0.64 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.32 -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 (3 term) 7.8% 8.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 8.0% 8.9% 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 (3 term) 19.6% 23.4% 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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