St Gregory's Catholic High School

ST GREGORY’S CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 10 th – 12 th December 2001

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ST GREGORY’S CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL

Short 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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ST GREGORY’S CATHOLIC HIGH 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 Gregory’s Catholic High School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Cromwell Avenue Westbrook Warrington

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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: Rev J Traynor

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1996 St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 4

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Team members

12271 I Thompson Registered inspector 9724 B Quest-Ritson Lay inspector 19913 R Garrett Team inspector 1752 R Jones Team inspector 20412 D Shepherd Team inspector

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Team members

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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Team members

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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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

St Gregory’s is a Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided mixed 11-16 comprehensive school. The school is situated in Warrington but draws pupils from parishes over a wide area. The headteacher was appointed in September 2000. There are 971 pupils on roll, which is about average for secondary schools and slightly more than when the school was last inspected. There are many more parents wishing to send their children to the school than there are places available. The full range of social backgrounds is represented and, overall, the social and economic circumstances of pupils are broadly average. Very few pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and none has English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils enter the school with the full range of abilities and overall their standards are broadly average. There is a below average proportion of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs and a below average proportion with statements of special educational need.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very good school that maintains very high standards. Pupils of all backgrounds achieve standards by the end of Year 11 that are much higher than would be expected in relation to their attainment when they join the school. The school has many strengths and few weaknesses. Pupils’ attitudes are excellent and very good teaching ensures that their levels of attainment improve significantly during their time at the school. Management is good. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school provides an excellent climate for learning. • Personal development and relationships are outstanding. • Pupils of all backgrounds achieve very well and standards are well above average. • Teaching is very good and promotes very good learning. • The school is well led and managed by the head teacher and senior staff.

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What could be improved

• The curriculum for Years 10 and 11 does not meet statutory requirements and the provision for science does not fully meet pupils’ needs. • The balance of roles and responsibilities among key staff does not match the developmental needs of the school. 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 maintained consistently high standards since the previous inspection in 1996 and overall improvement has been satisfactory. Improvements in the quality of teaching, which was already good at the previous inspection, have ensured that levels of attainment have risen in all year groups. However, there has not been sufficient progress in tackling some of the key issues. For example, there has been no significant change in the curriculum for Years 10 and 11. There has been some progress in improving the quality of library provision but there is still much to do to make it an effective support for pupils’ independent learning. Although there has been some improvement in the use of assessment data, it is still not used as effectively as it should be to support progress and planning. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved at the end of Year 11 based on average point scores in GCSE examinations.

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similar

schools well above average A 1999 2000 2001 2001 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 2001 National Curriculum Tests for 14 year olds were well above average in English and mathematics. In comparison with similar schools, results were above average in both subjects. Tests were not taken in science. Girls did better than boys in English; in mathematics, boys did much better than girls. The trend of improvement in results has been broadly in line with the national trend.

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similar

Results in the 2001 GCSE examinations were well above the national average and well above the average for similar schools. Boys did better than girls, the reverse of the national picture. The trend in the school’s results has been below the national trend because high standards have been maintained. In comparison with their standards at the end of Year 9, pupils’ results represent outstandingly good achievement and exceeded the demanding target set by the governing body. One pupil scored the examination board’s highest marks nationally in design and technology and two pupils were in the top five in French and religious education. Best overall results were in French and geography; weakest results were in biology, chemistry and single award science – an examination taken by all pupils at the end of Year 9, instead of the National Curriculum tests for 14 year olds, and repeated by some in Year 11.

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similar

In work seen during the inspection, the standards that pupils attain by the end of Years 9 and 11 are well above average in the majority of subjects but pupils do not do as well in sciences as they do in their other subjects. Standards of literacy and numeracy are well above average. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress through the school in relation to their earlier learning. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent attitudes support learning. Pupils show enthusiasm for school and a high level of mutual trust and respect.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good in and around the school.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils’ personal development is a strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is well above average.

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11

Quality of teaching Very Good Very Good. 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: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11

There has been an improvement in the already good quality of teaching since the previous inspection. The overall quality of teaching is very good in all years and is never less than satisfactory. Teaching is very good in English and mathematics and good in science. Teachers make very good provision for developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy across the school. Teachers give very generously of their time both before and after school to support pupils’ progress through initiatives such as paired reading and homework clubs.

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Teaching of pupils: Years 7 – 9 Years 10 – 11

A number of particularly strong features contribute to pupils’ high quality of learning. Teaching is underpinned by very good classroom management and the strength of relationships between teachers and pupils. The consistent approach to classroom management and expected standards results in pupils being very well behaved and lessons have a very good atmosphere for learning. Pupils are very clear about what they are expected to learn. Teachers plan effectively to meet the needs of all pupils and apply their subject knowledge in carefully structured ways that help pupils of all levels of attainment to learn well. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory in Years 7-9. In Years 10 and 11, statutory requirements are not met in respect of provision for design and technology. Provision for science is too narrow for most pupils and can restrict their future choices.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils are very well supported and make the same very good progress as others.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good overall. Provision for moral and social development is excellent. Spiritual development is very good and cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school provides very high standards of care. Pupils in need are treated with sensitivity and compassion.

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Aspect Comment

The curriculum structure was an issue in the previous report – it was also an issue from an HMI inspection in 1993. There has been little progress in revising the curriculum until recently. Changes have been made in Years 7-9. The provision for science in Years 10 and 11 remains the same. It is still taught as three separate subjects. This is unsatisfactory because it leads to a narrow education in science for too many pupils and their post 16 choices can be restricted by the choices that the curriculum structure obliges them to make at age 14. An additional effect is that pupils do less well in biology, chemistry and single award science than in their other subjects. Statutory requirements in respect of provision for design and technology for all pupils are not met.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides good leadership and has a clear view as to how the school should develop. Management is good but the structure of the senior management team is outdated and expensive. Roles and responsibilities are not sufficiently well matched to the developmental needs of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors have a good knowledge of the school’s strengths. They do not meet their statutory responsibilities in respect of design and technology in Years 10 and 11. They support the school well and provide good links with the school’s community. However, they do not yet play a full part in strategic planning for the school’s future development.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates its performance realistically. The use made of assessment data is not as effective as it should be.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of its resources. It has made particularly good use of the substantial financial contribution made by parents to help the school maintain standards. Funding has not yet been available to make the library a fully effective resource for learning. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 10 The headteacher, governors and senior staff have been very successful in creating a learning atmosphere of mutual respect that reflects the Christian values evident in all the school’s work. This results in pupils’ exceptional personal development. A wealth of data is available but it is not used effectively enough to support planning, to monitor progress or to provide parents with information as to how well pupils are doing and what they need to do to improve. The school fully applies the principles of best value to all its work.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school maintains consistently high standards of work and behaviour. • The very good climate for learning in a community based on Catholic values. • Pupils have very good attitudes. • Very good teaching. • The school working more closely with parents. • The school setting a more appropriate amount of work to be done at home. • Information about pupils’ progress. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Response to the parents’ questionnaire was unusually high and extremely positive with very few reservations. Inspectors agree with parents’ positive views. It is hard to see how the school could work more closely with parents; the school provides ample opportunities for parents to join in an active partnership to support their children’s education. During the inspection, the amount and type of homework set was appropriate. Inspectors feel that the provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good and well organised. We agree with parents that the information provided about pupils’ progress is not as good as it should be. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school provides an excellent climate for learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The staff of the school have worked together to develop an excellent environment in which pupils feel fully supported and encouraged to do their best. The school is greatly helped in its work by the exceptionally high level of support it has from parents. Pupils are keen to learn and enjoy coming to school, so much so that some Year 11 pupils in discussion said that they would like to start all over again in Year 7. Pupils of all levels of attainment recognise the opportunities they are given and the great majority has a clear sense of purpose. They are given the confidence to achieve. Parents appreciate particularly that a culture of achievement has been established in which pupils of all levels of attainment find it acceptable to work hard and learn well. Teachers and pupils work in an active partnership in lessons. The atmosphere in classrooms is calm and industrious. Attitudes are excellent and pupils are involved in lessons to the extent that there is seldom a need for

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

teachers to manage behaviour. A striking feature of the school is the speed with which pupils in Year 7, who are relatively new to the school, have adopted its values. The school’s success in developing such attitudes to learning is the result of a common approach by teachers across the school that is deeply rooted in the school’s Christian values.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Personal development and relationships are outstanding.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The school devotes an unusually high proportion of time and resources to pupils’ personal development. The school makes excellent provision for pupils’ moral and social development. The school’s aims stress the membership of a Christian community in which there is a spirit of mutual trust and co-operation. That this has been successfully established is evident in all aspects of school life, in and out of lessons. Relationships in the school are characterised by warmth, openness and trust and make it possible for pupils to discuss issues of a moral and social nature openly. For example, Year 10 pupils discussed the moral implications of being a good citizen and the importance of a tolerant and law-abiding society. They were thoughtful about social issues and able to express their understanding of their own responsibilities. Pupils are confident that they have a network of support, both for any difficulties they may have in their class work and those of a personal nature. They are sure

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

that they can ask any teacher for help and that they will receive it.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. A strong feature of the school is the way that it promotes pupils’ social development. Many opportunities are provided for pupils to work together, both in school and in less formal situations such as on residential courses. The school organises retreats for upper and lower school pupils, which provide time for reflection; residential workshops are provided for activities such as art and design, dance, drama and music and residential weekends for Year 9 pupils to improve their mathematical skills. Displays around the school celebrate the ways in which pupils work and have fun together on trips. Behaviour, in and out of lessons, is very good. In many lessons seen during the inspection, pupils worked very well together, giving each other help and support. Pupils listen to their teachers and each other with respect and courtesy and respect opinions that differ from their own. Pupils manage the very crowded

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

circumstances of the school’s dining hall with patience and courtesy. Pupils’ consideration for others is demonstrated by the fact that lessons can continue with little disruption while some pupils are also having their lunch break.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils of all backgrounds achieve very well and standards are very high. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 12 4. Pupils achieve very well at St Gregory’s. They make very good progress through the school and overall standards are very high. The results in the National Curriculum tests at the age of 14 in 2001 were above average in English and well above average in mathematics. Pupils’ overall average points score was well above average. In comparison with their standards when they entered the school, these results represent very good progress for the majority of pupils. Girls made more progress than boys. In comparison with similar schools, results were above average. Results have improved at a similar rate to the national trend of improvement, which is commendable considering that standards have been well above average for the last four years. Pupils did not take the National Curriculum tests in science.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Instead they were entered for GCSE single award science.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. The school’s success in promoting the achievement of pupils of all levels of attainment is well illustrated by the results of the 2001 GCSE examinations. The proportions of pupils gaining five or more grades A*-C, five or more grades A*-G and one or more grades A*-G were well above average for all three benchmarks. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ average points score was well above average. The proportions of pupils gaining five or more grades A*-C and one or more grades A*-G were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Value added data provided by the Local Education Authority confirms that achievement for this group of pupils was outstandingly good. It shows that all but a very few did at least as well as might be expected in relation to their standards at the age of 11 and the great majority did very much better. Unusually, in 2001 boys did better than girls, the reverse of the national picture.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Pupils’ best results in comparison with their other subjects were in French and geography. Worst results were in biology, chemistry and single award science, which is taken by all pupils at the end of Year 9 and repeated by some pupils at the end of Year 11.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Teaching is very good and promotes very good learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Teaching is very good overall. Teaching was at least satisfactory in all lessons seen during the inspection. In almost four out of five lessons, teaching was at least good and in more than one-third it was very good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. The common features of very good lessons indicate ways in which the satisfactory lessons could be improved. Lessons are very well planned and begin briskly. Teachers make it clear what they expect pupils to learn in the lesson. They use their very good knowledge of their subjects to present information clearly and explain thoroughly so that pupils understand the purpose and content of lessons. Teachers check and support the learning of pupils very well by questioning. They use questions to make links with previous learning, to check understanding and to reinforce what has been learned. Pupils respond confidently to this approach so that teachers are able to identify and pay attention to the needs of individuals. By the end of a Year 7 English lesson, for example, the pupils had a very good understanding of how to present information effectively as a result of the teacher’s reference to a range of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

different media and her clear explanation of how images produce different moods or feelings. Year 8 pupils in a mathematics lesson developed a very good understanding of their work on fractions after the teacher’s effective combination of explanation, use of resources and support for individuals. In a very good Year 11 art and design lesson pupils worked very productively on coursework projects because the teacher made examination requirements clear, provided a model of efficient organisation of work, gave high levels of individual support and cultivated a friendly but concentrated ‘studio’ atmosphere. Pupils in a Year 11 drama lesson became much more secure in their presentations of character because of the teacher’s challenging use of ‘rapid-fire’ questions and her constructive comments about movement, expression and character development. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 13 9. The careful, step-by-step approach adopted by many teachers is very successful in

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

promoting the learning of pupils of all levels of attainment. This approach consolidates previous learning and builds upon it very effectively. This was the case in a very good Year 9 English lesson. After careful questioning, pupils could explain the sequence of events and point to examples of alliteration, personification and rhythmic effects, which all contributed to their understanding of the boxing metaphor in Roger McGough’s poem ‘The Fight of the Year’. The teacher’s clear instructions, support for individuals and review of ‘work in progress’ helped pupils add to or adjust their work and make use of others’ ideas so that they could carry out their ‘mock interview’ of the poet successfully. However, this method of teaching sometimes reduces opportunities for independent learning by higher attaining pupils and in general leads to a lack of variety in pupils’ learning experiences. Nevertheless, teachers

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

create a very good atmosphere for learning. They set and maintain high expectations of work and behaviour to which pupils respond very positively. Two Year 9 boys spoke about how their English teacher ‘made it clear what they had to do and explained things well’. They knew and understood more, had better vocabulary and were ‘more confident’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Teachers give very generously of their time, before and after school, to work with pupils and help them extend their learning. The way in which pupils respond to this is outstanding. Many pupils are to be found in school well before the designated start time working together on such things as improving their reading or numeracy. In lessons across the school, teachers make very good provision for developing pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school is well led and managed by the head teacher and senior staff.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. There is a very positive spirit in the school and good morale. Since his appointment in September 2000, the head teacher has carried out a rapid and detailed assessment of the school and has a clear view of what should be done to maintain its high standards and make strategic improvements. The large senior management team has started to work on a strategic plan that will move the school forward while recognising and preserving the many strengths that already exist. The excellent atmosphere in the school, before, during and after lessons, and at break times, reflects shared views about learning, behaviour and relationships.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. A system of departmental reviews has been set up so that progress in departments can be monitored systematically. Heads of department manage the day-to-day running of their departments well. The headteacher has recognised the need for improvements in enabling all heads of department to contribute to the management of whole-school strategic development and to improve the way in which departments use the wealth of data on pupils’ performance that is available in the school. The use of data to keep pupils and their parents informed of their progress and targets lacks consistency in its implementation.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Financial planning is very good. The school receives a large amount of additional financial support from parents, without which it would have a lower than average amount of funding, and this is used very effectively to maintain high standards. The school applies the principles of best value appropriately, particularly by comparing its performance with that of similar schools. Overall, the school makes very good use of its resources and is providing very good value for money.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and take a keen interest in ensuring that appropriate resources are used for personal and social development. The ‘Issues for Life’ programme of study for Year 10 pupils is a good example of this. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 14 15. The quality of the school’s accommodation is very good, although it is rather overcrowded. It is impressively free of graffiti and is very well cared for by staff and pupils alike. They take a real pride in the appearance of the school.

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The curriculum for Years 10 and 11 does not meet statutory requirements and the

provision for science does not fully meet pupils needs.

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The curriculum for Years 10 and 11 does not meet statutory requirements and the

16. One of the few weaknesses in management is the failure of the governing body to meet its statutory obligations. Pupils are not receiving their entitlement to be taught the full National Curriculum in design and technology in Years 10 and 11. Neither has enough progress been made in tackling the key issues raised in the previous inspection, particularly with respect to the science curriculum in Years 10 and 11.

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The curriculum for Years 10 and 11 does not meet statutory requirements and the

17. For a number of years, it has been the school’s practice to enter all pupils for the foundation tier of GCSE single award science at the age of 14, instead of them taking the National Curriculum tests in science. Some pupils have taken this examination again at the age of 16 because they have not met the requirements of the examination well enough by the age of 14; in the current Year 11, some 30 pupils are repeating the course. The school has recognised the unsatisfactory aspects of this provision and from 2002, pupils will take the National Curriculum tests at the age of 14.

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The curriculum for Years 10 and 11 does not meet statutory requirements and the

18. In Years 10 and 11, science is offered as the three separate subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Pupils are discouraged from choosing to study all three because it restricts their choice of other subjects and results in a narrower education than is desirable. Consequently, few pupils choose to study three sciences and relatively few study two. Many more pupils choose to study biology than physics or chemistry and for girls it is by far the predominant choice.

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The curriculum for Years 10 and 11 does not meet statutory requirements and the

19. The principal indicator that the school’s curriculum provision for science does not best serve pupils’ needs is that, for both boys and girls, their performance in single award science, biology and chemistry is much worse than in the other subjects that they study. In English and mathematics, the proportions of pupils gaining grades A*-C are well above average; in biology, chemistry and physics they are below. In addition, the curriculum pattern obliges pupils to make choices at the age of 14 that may restrict their options for further education and their career choices because it does not provide them with a broad and balanced education in science. Those who choose to study the three science subjects do not receive a balanced curriculum. These weaknesses were recorded in an HMI report in 1993 and in the previous OFSTED report of 1996 and still require attention by the governors and senior staff.

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The balance of roles and responsibilities among key staff does not match the

20. The school is well managed. The headteacher provides good leadership and has a clear view as to how the school should develop. However, as at the time of the previous report, the diverse management roles and responsibilities carried by the members of the senior management team restrict their opportunities to play a full part in leading school improvement. This is particularly the case for the two deputy headteachers. Both take pastoral responsibility as year heads. A particularly strong feature of the school is the quality of its pastoral care to which the heads of year give a great deal of time and effort. Nevertheless, by acting as year heads, the deputy headteachers do not have sufficient time available to undertake a monitoring role for whole-school standards and development. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 15 Although the school achieves high standards, there is a need for development to ensure that

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The balance of roles and responsibilities among key staff does not match the

they continue to be maintained. For example, monitoring the work of departments on a regular basis and ensuring that assessment data is used effectively to track individual progress and to help plan teaching. The way that the concentration of responsibilities among the senior management team has evolved reduces the opportunities for professional development and responsibility available to other members of staff. It is an expensive structure that needs to be reorganised to ensure that it provides value for money. The current allocation of responsibilities also misses the opportunity to have a useful additional stage in the school’s system of pastoral referral.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

21. In order to raise the standards of work and the quality of education provided still further, the governors and senior managers should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the curriculum in Years 10 and 11 to: • meet National Curriculum statutory requirements for design and technology • provide a broad and balanced science education for all pupils. (Paragraphs: 16-19)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Improve the balance of roles and responsibilities of the senior management team to: • enable the deputy headteachers to play a full part in monitoring whole- school standards and development. • provide better value for money. (Paragraph: 20) St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than two percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll 971

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 75

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 16

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 154

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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 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 13

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Attendance

School data 6.3 School data 0.0 St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 17 National comparative data 8.1 National comparative data 1.1

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 3 for the latest reporting year 2001 94 94 188

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Girls 78 73 N/A Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Total 159 160 N/A

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 85 (84) 85 (78) N/A at NC level 5 or above National 64 (63) 66 (65) 66 (59)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 41 (36) 53 (55) N/A at NC level 6 or above National 31 (28) 43 (42) 34 (30)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Girls 80 75 64 Numbers of pupils at NC level 5 and above Total 158 160 140

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 84 (82) 85 (79) 74 (77) at NC level 5 or above National 65 (64) 68 (66) 64 (62)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

Percentage of pupils School 35 (36 ) 56 (53) 40 (48) at NC level 6 or above National 31 (31) 42 (39 ) 33 (29)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 3 (Year 9)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 4 for the latest reporting year 2001 100 87 187

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

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 (Year 11)

Girls 67 86 86 Numbers of pupils achieving the standard specified Total 146 185 185

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Percentage of pupils achieving School 78 (69) 99 (99) 100 (100) the standard specified National 48 (47) 91 (91) 96 (96)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

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

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Average point score School 50.6 (48.4) St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 19 per pupil National 38.1 (38.4)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11)

Figures in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 20

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 3 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 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) 53.88 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 9 Total income 2 462 994

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 258 Total expenditure 2 414 829

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Deployment of teachers: Y7 – Y11 Expenditure per pupil 2 486 Percentage of time teachers spend in contact with classes 76.8 Balance brought forward from previous year 16 770

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Average teaching group size: Y7 – Y11 Balance carried forward to next year 48 165

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 5.75

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 9.05

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Gregory’s Catholic High School - 21

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 45 50 3 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 47 3 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 28 58 11 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 45 12 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 53 39 5 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 32 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 39 45 13 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 47 44 3 1 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 48 45 4 2 1

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