St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 7 th February 2001

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 187498 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rookery Avenue Ashton in Makerfield Wigan

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Reverend Deacon J. O’Brien

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 th March 1996 St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 11933 David Driscoll Registered inspector 9086 Rosalie Watkins Lay inspector 10297 David Cox Team inspector 12499 Marie Durkin Team inspector 4145 Christine Harrison Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6 – 9

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 16 - 20

St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a larger than average mixed Catholic comprehensive school, educating pupils between the ages of 11 and 16. There are 1198 pupils at the school, almost all of whom are white and all are fluent in English. The socio-economic circumstances of the pupils are broadly average, as is their attainment on entry to the school. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs is average, but the proportion of pupils with statements of special educational needs is above average. In September 2000 the school was awarded Beacon School status and, as such, is used as a centre of good practice. The school became a technology college in September 2000. The school is very popular with parents and there are more parents wishing to send their children to the school than there are places available.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school. The excellent leadership provided by the headteacher has placed an emphasis on identifying and tackling even the smallest of weaknesses; this has resulted in very good teaching, and standards of attainment that have been maintained at levels well above the national average since at least 1997. The attention paid to developing pupils as responsible members of society has led to outstanding attitudes to work and excellent behaviour on the part of pupils. The school provides excellent value for the below average funding it receives.

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What the school does well

• The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a culture of success that pervades all aspects of the life of the school. • Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the excellent provision made by the school for pupils’ moral and social development. • The teaching of mathematics is excellent; standards of attainment are particularly high in the subject. • The school’s management makes excellent use of data to promote high standards throughout the school. • The very good teaching in the school promotes standards that are well above average; pupils achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their attainment on entry to the school.

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What could be improved

• Standards attained by pupils at the age of 14 in information and communication technology are well below the level expected nationally. • The quality of marking in most subjects is not as good as that seen in mathematics and modern foreign languages. • There is too much variation in the amount of homework that pupils have on a day-to-day basis. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since it was last inspected in 1996. Results in the national tests for 14 year olds and at GCSE have been maintained at levels well above the national averages. The school’s management team reacts very swiftly to perceived weaknesses and this has led to a significant improvement in the quality of teaching. There were no weaknesses of any great significance identified in the previous inspection report and all minor weaknesses have been dealt with successfully. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 8

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 16 year olds based on average point scores in GCSE examinations.

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Similar

schools well above average A 1998 1999 2000 2000 above average average B C GCSE examinations A A A A below average well below average D E

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Similar

Results in the national tests for 14 year olds were well above average in 2000. Results in mathematics have been well above average since at least 1997. Results in English and science have varied between average and above average since 1997, but results in both subjects were above average in 2000. Overall, results were above the average for schools with pupils from similar backgrounds.

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Similar

Results in the GCSE examinations have been well above the national average for at least the last four years. Results in 2000 were well above the average for schools with pupils with similar backgrounds. Results were significantly above the national averages in almost all subjects, although results in history and information and communication technology were only average.

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Similar

Pupils of all levels of attainment achieve very well at the school when compared with their standards of attainment on entry. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. Every year there are examples of pupils who entered the school with low levels of attainment going on to gain nine or more GCSEs at grades A* to C and the proportion of pupils gaining at least five GCSEs is well above the national average. The standards of work seen during the inspection confirm the standards suggested by test and examination results, with the exception of history where the work seen was of a considerably better standard than that suggested by the average examination results. The standards of both numeracy and literacy are high, but the standards of work in information and communication technology are well below the level expected of 14 year olds nationally. The school has acted on this weakness in standards and all pupils now receive weekly lessons in information and communication

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Similar

technology. The school sets appropriately high targets for its performance and is successful in achieving them.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils are extremely attentive to their teachers and concentrate very well on their work. They are highly motivated to learn and succeed.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. Behaviour is often exemplary both in lessons and around the school. Fixed term exclusions are used effectively as a ‘short, sharp shock’ and the use of permanent exclusion is very rare.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils mature rapidly at the school and are responsible young adults by the time that they leave. They are patient and courteous with a well- developed sense of right and wrong. They show a great deal of respect for the opinions of others. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 9 Attendance Attendance is well above the national average; unauthorised absence is below average. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 10

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

The quality of teaching in the school is very good. Teaching is satisfactory or better in all lessons and very good or better in 37 per cent. Teaching is very effective in meeting the needs of all pupils.

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

The quality of teaching is very good in English and science; teaching in mathematics is excellent. Teaching is also of a consistently high standard in art and design, modern foreign languages and music. There are no subjects in the school where teaching is less than satisfactory. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well. Across the school, the main strengths in the teaching are the teachers’ knowledge of their subjects and the high expectations that they have of their pupils. The teaching in Years 10 and 11 is better than that in Years 7 to 9 because of the excellent planning that teachers carry out to match the work in lessons to the requirements both of the GCSE syllabuses and the examination papers. The teaching in subjects such as mathematics and modern foreign languages is generally better than other subjects because the pace of lessons is much faster and greater attention is

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Teaching of pupils: aged 11-14 years aged 14-16 years

The result of the teaching is very good quality learning where pupils gain new knowledge and understanding at a rate that is much better than would usually be expected. Pupils work extremely hard and concentrate totally on their studies, even when teaching lacks the inspirational element of the best lessons. Pupils work very well on their own initiative and organise themselves most efficiently. In Years 10 and 11, pupils tend to prioritise their homework when they have too much on an individual evening; subjects that are seen as ‘less important’ are left until last and, as a consequence, standards of coursework are lower in these subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The subjects of the National Curriculum are taught in full and all pupils study religious education. The curriculum is enhanced considerably by subjects such as drama, three foreign languages and the extra-curricular provision. The new course in information and communication technology is only just starting to raise standards of attainment.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils are placed accurately into teaching groups according to their levels of attainment and receive teaching that meets their needs particularly well. Those with visual or hearing impairment are very well supported and integrated so that they can play a full part in lessons and the life of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development Very good. The provision for pupils’ moral and social development is excellent and the provision for their spiritual and cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The school links very well the academic and pastoral aspects of pupils’ development. Good procedures are in place for child protection and St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 11 there are very thorough systems for ensuring the health and safety of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher has established an ethos of always striving to improve; there is no complacency. Many senior managers and heads of department offer high quality leadership and management. The absence of a head of information and communication technology is impacting on standards; the school has plans to appoint a manager in the near future.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. Governors have a comprehensive understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses that is informed by their deep understanding of data relating to the performance of pupils. They fulfil exceptionally well their role as critical friends of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school uses data exceptionally well to monitor the school’s performance. Actions to bring about improvement, even in areas where standards are already high, are planned and implemented very rapidly. Good systems are in place for managing the performance of teachers.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The targeting of funds to areas where there is the most need of improvement has been very effective. The management always seeks to provide the best possible value for the money that the school receives.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents are very happy with almost all aspects of the school. There is too much variation in the amount of homework that pupils have to carry out on a daily basis.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with parents’ views. This is a very good school, but even so standards of coursework for individual pupils, particularly in Years 10 and 11, could be improved by a more equitable distribution of homework throughout the week. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 12

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The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a

culture of success that pervades all aspects of the life of the school.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a

1. One feature that stands out in the leadership of the school is the complete absence of complacency in all areas of the school’s work. The headteacher is an outstanding leader. Parents say that the headteacher is never satisfied and is always seeking to improve the school; this is certainly true. This drive to improve is shared by staff and governors; they all know that they should always be asking how standards can be raised. There are many examples of this approach in action. Each year there are ‘subject reviews’ where heads of departments are questioned in great detail about the examination results in their subjects. Even in very high achieving subjects, such as mathematics, questions are raised such as how the proportion of pupils reaching Level 8 can be increased now that the proportion reaching Level 7 is well above the national average. In subjects where there have been relatively disappointing results, such as the fall in science GCSE results last year, the

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The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a

school is quick to take effective action. In the case of science, for example, advice was sought from external consultants and a plan of action was implemented. The success of the actions taken is already evident in the very good results in the recent modular tests.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a

2. The headteacher is held accountable by the governing body. Governors have an excellent knowledge of the school and are extremely well informed about standards. They are well aware of relative weaknesses and what is being done about them. The school development plan contains very clear targets for improvement, all of which are linked to raising standards. The governing body has a calendar for reviewing the progress made towards the school’s targets, with deadlines for each of the initiatives. These deadlines are enforced rigidly. Governors also use their expertise well and play their part in leading the school forward. For instance, they used their expertise in architecture to draw up the plans for the Technology College bid, and in personnel management when appointing new staff. Governors also visited a highly successful City Technology College to learn from the work carried out there.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a

3. There is a very high level of delegation to senior managers in the school. The other members of the senior management team share the headteacher’s determination to improve; they carry out their rôles extremely well. For example, the standards of pupils’ personal development are expected to be just as high as their academic achievement. The links between the management of admissions, the curriculum, form tutors and external agencies are strong; they allow teachers to have a very clear picture of the progress of all aspects of a pupil’s development.

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The leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and senior staff has developed a

4. The impact of the leadership and management is a school where high standards are the norm; academic standards are well above average and the personal development of pupils is excellent. These standards have been recognised by the recent awarding of Beacon School status. That these standards have been achieved with below average funding is testament to the high quality of the financial management; the school provides excellent value for money.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

excellent provision made by the school for pupils’ moral and social development.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

5. Pupils have excellent attitudes to the school; they like their school very much and speak highly of the education they receive; they often proudly asked inspectors during the week what they thought of their school. Pupils place great value on the accessibility and helpfulness of the teachers and other support staff; many take the opportunity to discuss their work with teachers during breaks St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 13 and lunchtimes. Pupils appreciate the activities that the school offers and support events outside of lessons. Parents praise the positive attitudes of their children.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

6. The school makes excellent provision for the moral development of pupils. As at the time of the last inspection, the school’s mission statement, that stresses individual responsibility and accountability, is part of the life of the school and understood by all. A well-organised system of rewards and sanctions sharpens perceptions of right and wrong, as do the commendable rôle models set by the staff. The excellent relationships that exist between staff and pupils encourage pupils to discuss issues of a moral nature openly. One outstanding lesson, for all pupils in Year 10, was taught by a local prison officer who gave a graphic, and sometimes shocking, insight into life for a young offender but at the same time stressed that turning to crime is a matter of personal choice and responsibility.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

7. A very strong feature of the school is the way in which it encourages and manages the social development of pupils. There are many opportunities for pupils to work together both in school and on external visits. In the school foyer there is an excellent display of how pupils worked together on a business venture linked to dental care which was sponsored by a local company. There were many examples throughout the week where staff gave freely of their time to support pupils who were experiencing difficulties with work; there is a strong bond between teachers and pupils.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

8. The standard of behaviour overall is excellent. In almost all lessons pupils listen very well to the teacher and to each other. They participate readily and apply good intellectual and creative effort. Most show sustained concentration and work with commitment. In a Year 10 art and design class pupils were engrossed in the topic; they held the teacher in high regard and responded very positively and in a mature manner to his guidance and support. Of particular note was the way in which a pupil with special educational needs worked solidly throughout the lesson and was proud of the piece of work he created. Around the school behaviour is sensible and orderly. When necessary, for instance at lunchtime, pupils queue with patience and good humour. The atmosphere in the dining areas is relaxed and sociable. Pupils are frequently courteous and helpful. Many show polite interest in visitors and are keen that they should enjoy their visit. An outstanding feature of

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

the school is the large number of prefects in Year 11; they serve the school exceedingly well. Prefects carry out their duties with pride and are helpful to others; they are respectful of the position they hold and are held in high esteem by younger pupils. All of these attitudes set the right tone for the school and help to produce an environment that is conducive to very good learning.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

9. Relationships throughout the school are excellent. A high level of informal respect pervades the school. Pupils are pleased to work together in pairs or groups. They are glad to contribute to the routines of the school. These mature and responsible qualities were demonstrated to excellent effect in a Year 10 science class. A pupil with severe visual impairment received excellent support from fellow pupils, and a support teacher; he was able to participate fully in the practical activities and even demonstrate his work to the rest of the class.

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Pupils are mature young adults with outstanding attitudes to their work as a result of the

10. The faith that the school places in its pupils is demonstrated in the way that they are involved in the appointment of new staff to the school. They interview candidates and are involved in the decision- making process; they were even involved in the appointment of one of the current deputy headteachers, who found the interview one of the most demanding.

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The teaching of mathematics is excellent; standards of attainment are particularly high in the

11. The mathematics department is a real strength of the school and provides a quality of education to which other departments can aspire. The head of department provides excellent leadership in determining the philosophical direction that the department will take. All teachers are agreed on the St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 14 teaching strategies that prove to be the most successful and all implement such strategies consistently.

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The teaching of mathematics is excellent; standards of attainment are particularly high in the

12. Pupils are regularly taught to the highest possible standards. Lessons in all years place a great emphasis on teaching mathematical strategies that will allow pupils to tackle future problems with confidence. In Years 10 and 11, the teaching of mathematical strategies is combined with the teaching of examination techniques so that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the rigours of GCSE. For example, in one excellent lesson for middle attaining pupils in Year 11 that contained pupils with special educational needs, the teacher worked through examination questions that covered five different topics. For each topic, the teacher used rapid fire questioning to find out how one pupil would solve a problem and then asked for several other ways of tackling it. Each response was carefully matched to pupils’ individual weaknesses, for instance by saying, “If you have difficulty with long multiplication use this method”. As a result of this approach, pupils

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The teaching of mathematics is excellent; standards of attainment are particularly high in the

became confident in choosing and applying the method that was both right for them and appropriate for the problem to be solved. One other very significant strength of the teaching in mathematics is the sheer pace of lessons; the pupils cover vast amounts of work in every lesson.

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The teaching of mathematics is excellent; standards of attainment are particularly high in the

13. The results of this high quality teaching are well above average standards of attainment. Results in the national tests for 14 year olds were well above both the national average and the average for schools taking pupils from similar backgrounds. Results in the GSCE examinations were also well above the national average and all pupils who were entered for the examination, which was all but three pupils in the year, passed at grade G or above. The proportion of pupils achieving an A* grade was twice the national average.

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The school’s management makes excellent use of data to promote high standards

14. The school is rich in data on the performance of pupils. It has been comprehensively testing pupils on entry to the school for the past ten years and comparing the same pupils’ GCSE results with their attainment on entry to gain an accurate picture of the progress made by individual pupils. The school has used this information to develop a model to predict how, given their attainment on entry to the school, an individual pupil should perform in GCSE examinations. The results of these predictions are used in several different ways.

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The school’s management makes excellent use of data to promote high standards

15. Teachers are provided with lots of information that makes clear the potential for an individual pupil. Teachers then plan their lessons to accurately reflect the levels of attainment of the pupils and match the work exactly to their needs. Heads of departments use the information to place pupils in appropriate teaching groups or sets. In this way, pupils who may be on the special educational needs register for literacy difficulties for example, may well find themselves in a much higher set for mathematics or vice versa. Parents too are made aware of the school’s targets for their child’s attainment at the ages of 14 and 16; the school is continually making its commitments to parents very clear in terms of how many GCSEs at grades A* to C and A* to G the parents can expect their child to achieve.

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The school’s management makes excellent use of data to promote high standards

16. The use of data also extends to the school’s pastoral system, which is very well integrated with the pupils’ academic records. The result of this integrated system is that form tutors have a very good understanding of their pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and are able to provide support that is appropriate for the individual.

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achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their

attainment on entry to the school. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 15 17. Teaching at the school is very good. All of the lessons observed were at least satisfactory; 75 per cent were at least good; 37 per cent were very good or better and 16 per cent were excellent. This is a considerable improvement on the quality of teaching observed at the time of the previous inspection when 50 per cent of teaching was good or better.

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achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their

18. The teaching is excellent or very good in a significant number of lessons in the school. There are certain features that are common to many of these very good lessons and they provide clues to ways in which the satisfactory lessons could be improved. The start of the most successful lessons is particularly significant. The beginning of the lesson is usually brisk, lively and challenging; it immediately makes pupils think. In mathematics, where many of these lessons are found, there is always a demanding ‘mental starter’ to engage pupils in thinking about numbers and the relationships between them. The teacher is indicating from the outset that he or she expects pupils to work hard but also that there is enjoyment and satisfaction to be gained from such learning.

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achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their

19. Teachers’ high expectations, obvious from the start, are maintained as the lesson continues. In an art and design lesson, for example, the teacher used very good examples of previous pupils’ work to indicate to pupils just what they too could achieve. Teachers often expect extended spoken answers in response to their questions to the class. In science, teachers expect answers to be detailed and to include all the correct scientific terms. Such practice in forming clear explanations provides the experience necessary for producing detailed written answers in response to examination questions at a later stage.

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achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their

20. Once teachers have gained pupils’ full attention they keep up the momentum, often with a series of short, focused tasks so that there is no opportunity for pupils’ concentration to flag. Usually there is little need for obvious management of pupils; behaviour is exemplary and there are excellent relationships, based on mutual respect, between pupils and teachers. When necessary, however, teachers are quick to notice and deal with any straying of attention or loss of effort.

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achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their

21. Lessons provide a very good atmosphere for learning. Pupils have the confidence to try things out, to attempt a more ambitious answer or to put forward an opinion, secure in the knowledge that the reactions of both teacher and fellow pupils will be sensitive and supportive.

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achieve standards at the age of 16 that are much better than would be expected given their

22. The results of the very good teaching are standards that are well above average. Pupils join the school with levels of attainment that are broadly average; they leave with GCSE results that are well above average. These results represent very good levels of achievement. Pupils of all levels of prior attainment achieve very well at the school. High attaining pupils leave with twice the national average of GCSE results at the highest grades. Every year there are examples of lower attaining pupils, including those with special educational needs, leaving the school with nine or more GCSEs at grades A* to C.

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Standards attained by pupils at the age of 14 in information and communication technology

are well below the level expected nationally.

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Standards attained by pupils at the age of 14 in information and communication technology

23. Until the current school year, pupils in Years 7 to 9 were taught information and communication technology for only six weeks in any one year. The shortage of lessons has led to pupils attaining standards that are well below the level expected of 14 year olds nationally by the end of Year 9. Pupils’ skills in manipulating text are better than their skills in other aspects of the subject, but are still below average. Skills involving the use of spreadsheets and databases are particularly poor; few pupils have made any significant use of these types of software applications at all. There is insufficient use made of information and communication technology in other subjects. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 16 24. Since September 2000, pupils in Years 7 to 9 have all been receiving one lesson each week in information and communication technology. This provision has led to pupils starting to make up for

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Standards attained by pupils at the age of 14 in information and communication technology

the time lost in the past. However, the school has not had a head of department since September and the current schemes of work for Years 7 to 9 are weak. At present, there is nobody in the school with sufficient expertise to draw up a scheme of work that would reflect the culture of high expectations in the school in terms of the amount of work that can be expected to be covered in a year. The school plans to appoint a new manager for the subject in the near future; this will be a senior post within the school, reflecting the importance that is being placed on improving this aspect of pupils’ education.

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The quality of marking in most subjects is not as good as that seen in mathematics and

25. One of the most significant reasons for the differences in standards achieved by pupils in mathematics and modern foreign languages, when compared with other subjects, is the quality of marking. In mathematics and modern foreign languages, all work is marked both frequently and accurately. Mistakes are identified and explanations are provided as to why the work is incorrect. In mathematics, for example, errors in calculations are neatly laid out next to the pupil’s work and the teacher writes down how the calculation should have been performed. This practice is most effective in identifying gaps in a pupil’s understanding as well as simple errors caused by over- confidence or rushing.

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The quality of marking in most subjects is not as good as that seen in mathematics and

26. In contrast to the excellent practice in mathematics and modern foreign languages, the marking in many other subjects is inconsistent. In science, for example, the policy of marking examination coursework in detail is leading to errors going undetected in the everyday classwork of the pupils. In one class, statements such as “Lead bromide is made up of lead and bromide atoms” or “Boxite is the ore of aluminium” are errors that should have been corrected so that the pupil has an accurate set of notes from which to revise for GCSE. In other subjects, the frequency of marking is insufficient. In one English class, for example, the long gaps left by the teacher in marking the work has meant that pupils have been unable to learn from their mistakes. Some individual teachers merely tick work that is worthy of greater attention, both in terms of correcting mistakes and complimenting work of a high standard.

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There is too much variation in the amount of homework that pupils have on a day-to-day

27. Whilst the quality and amount of homework set by individual teachers are good, little attention is paid to adhering to a homework timetable. As a result, pupils receive vastly differing amounts on each day of the week. In some extreme examples observed during the inspection, one pupil received no homework on two nights of the week and up to five subjects on the other nights. Parents are rightly concerned about this issue. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 take a very mature approach to their homework and tend to prioritise their efforts. The subjects that are viewed as the most important, usually English, mathematics and science, are completed first, whereas those subjects that are deemed to be less important, often the subjects that were options, are left until last. The homework that is of lower priority is often carried out to a standard that is not as high as the other subjects. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 17

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

To raise further the standards of work and the quality of education provided, the governors and senior management team should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Draw up and implement schemes of work in information and communication technology that are as demanding as those in other subjects and ensure that all teachers plan to make effective use of information and communication technology in their lessons. (Paragraph 23). The school’s management have already taken action on this issue.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Ensure that marking in all subjects reaches the high standards observed in mathematics and modern foreign languages. (Paragraph 25)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Ensure that pupils have a balanced timetable for their homework that is adhered to by all teachers. (Paragraph 27) St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 16

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 1198

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 83

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 36

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 221

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 1

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Attendance

National comparative data 7.6 National comparative data 1.0

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 19

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting year 2000 133 116 249

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Boys 90 97 99 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 100 91 84

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 77 (68) 76 (77) 73 (60) at NC level 5 or above National 63 (63) 65 (62) 59 (55)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 33 (19) 59 (50) 41 (24) at NC level 6 or above National 28 (28) 42 (38) 30 (23)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Boys 75 94 98 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Girls 95 89 100

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 68 (67) 73 (75) 80 (76) at NC level 5 or above National 64 (64) 66 (64) 62 (60)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentage of pupils School 32 (29) 50 (52) 40 (33) at NC level 6 or above National 31 (31) 39 (37) 29 (28)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Number of 15 year olds on roll in January of the latest reporting year 2000 111 115 226

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

GCSE results 5 or more grades A* to C 5 or more grades A*-G 1 or more grades A*-G

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Boys 59 104 109 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Girls 83 114 114

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentage of pupils achieving School 63 (72) 96 (95) 99 (99) the standard specified National 47.4 (46.6) 90.6 (90.9) 95.6 (95.8)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Average point score School 46 per pupil National 38.4

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4

Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and classes: Y7 – Y11

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 70.6 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 17.0

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y7 – Y11 Total income 2625371

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 11 Total expenditure 2622234

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 311 Expenditure per pupil 2275

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 53836

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y7 – Y11 Balance carried forward to next year 56973 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Key Stage 4 21 St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School - 22

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 44 50 5 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 43 52 3 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 28 53 16 3 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 44 15 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 36 6 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 75 23 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 45 40 10 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 63 34 1 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 45 2 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 34 47 9 1 9

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