St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School

Inspection Report St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School

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104833 Unique Reference Number St. Helens LEA 277228 Inspection number 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 Inspection dates Ms Georgina White HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Boardmans Lane School address Secondary Type of school Blackbrook Voluntary aided School category St Helens, Merseyside WA11 9BB 11 to 16 Age range of pupils

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01744 678112 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01744 678113 Fax number 720 Number on roll Mrs Ann Crooks Chair of governors The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Thomas Bennett Headteacher 6 November 2000 Date of previous inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 277228 2 November 2005 - 11 to 16 3 November 2005 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report 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.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one HMI and three additional inspectors.

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Description of the school

St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School is a smaller than average voluntary aided school serving a relatively disadvantaged catchment area towards the east of St Helens. The percentage of students entitled to free school meals is above average and the proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above the national average. The school is popular and oversubscribed. A significant number of non-Catholic learners attend. Small numbers of students are of minority ethnic heritage and almost all students' first language is English. The school has recently been awarded specialist status as a visual arts college, which is opening up greater links with neighbouring schools, the Catholic sixth form college and the local education and business partnership.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school's evaluation that St Augustine of Canterbury provides a satisfactory education for its students and has some good features. The school makes good arrangements for students' care, support and personal development. This work is effective and enables students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities to make satisfactory progress. The curriculum is good, and it also is carefully planned to meet students' needs. Students enjoy and take part enthusiastically in all that the school offers and their achievements and the standards that they reach are satisfactory. These stronger aspects of the school's work are underpinned by good partnerships with a wide range of partners. The quality of teaching is satisfactory with some good practise but more needs to be done to embed these quickly in all lessons. Leadership and management are satisfactory overall. The recently appointed headteacher, assisted by

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Grade: 3

the senior staff and governors, are already taking the right steps to move the school forward. They recognise in their accurate evaluation that this is linked to inconsistencies in the teaching and senior staff know there is room for improvement in some subjects. The weaker results in recent test and general certificate of secondary education, GCSE examinations confirm this. However, this is not fully reflected in all of the schools' current plans. Information from tests and assessments are not used rigorously enough by all subject leaders to monitor students' progress. Developing strengths in leadership and improvements since the last inspection demonstrate the school has the capacity to improve further. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Ensure that every subject leader uses information from tests to thoroughly check students' progress. • Improve teaching to involve pupils more actively in their learning and make lessons more interesting and challenging. • Ensure coherence between subject and whole school planning.

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Grade: 3

Overall standards and the students' progress by the end of Key Stage 4 are satisfactory. Students enter the school in Year 7 with broadly average standards, although the range of ability is wide. By the end of Year 11 all groups of students, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, make satisfactory progress given their starting points. Standards in English by the end of Year 9 have risen considerably in 2005, yet results in mathematics and science show little change to 2004. Standards in external 2 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 examinations at the end of Year 11 rose in 2004 and were above national averages. The latest examination results on the whole show a significant downturn in 2005 and the school has met few of its statutory targets. However, some subjects taken by older students go against this trend. Standards in the new applied GCSE in health and social

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Grade: 3

care are high and results for some design and technology courses are improving. Students do very well in the subjects that they choose to take: higher standards in English Literature have been maintained in 2005 and performance in drama, art and geography continue to be strong in comparison to other subjects. Students performed less well in mathematics, science, English and in religious education. The school has identified that the progress of some students who arrive with high standards in science slows between Year 7 and Year 9. Actions to tackle this are showing encouraging signs of improvement. Students make better progress in English than they do in mathematics and the school are investigating how they can improve results in mathematics. By the end of Year 11 most students met their English targets in 2005. However, their progress in meeting targets in other subjects is not consistently identified in the annual data analyses conducted by subject departments.

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Grade: 2

Students enjoy and many participate actively in all that the school offers. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and attendance is improving. Relationships between staff and students, and between groups of students, are very positive. Bullying and harassment are challenged and incidents are dealt with effectively. Younger children value the support of some older students who act as peer mentors. Provision for students' spiritual, moral, and social development is good. In comparison, students' awareness of diversity and culture are at an early stage of development. The school is proactive in addressing drug and alcohol issues and in encouraging students to adopt safe practices and healthy lifestyles. In discussions, students explained how this helps them to stop smoking and to counteract peer pressure. Healthy eating and exercise are strongly promoted and while this has heightened students' awareness a number have yet to apply them.

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Grade: 2

Students make a very positive contribution to the school and local community through a wide range of opportunities and responsibilities. They are being strongly encouraged to share in decision-making through the new school council. Charity work enables them to extend their influence internationally and is enthusiastically supported. 3 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 Students are well prepared for the world of work and the school has gained recognition for work related learning.

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Grade: 3

Inspectors agree with the school, teaching and learning is satisfactory with some good practice. This variation in quality is reflected in the standards achieved by pupils in different subjects. In the best lessons, the purpose of the learning is clearly stated at the beginning enabling students to understand precisely what is expected of them. A wide range of strategies and activities involve and excite students of all abilities and they find the work relevant. Consequently, they are able to sustain interest and produce work of high quality: for example, the well executed and professional quality of birthday cards in the vocational arts course. Satisfactory teaching and learning are characterised by effective planning so that course requirements are covered, but this is not always done in a challenging and stimulating manner. Assessment is satisfactory. Students of all ages know what level they have achieved

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Grade: 3

in each subject and what targets they are working towards. Although work is always checked for accuracy not all teachers make clear what students need to do to move on to the next stage. In the most effective practice, students are involved in well structured activities to assess their own and others work and clearly know what they have to do to get better. The school has rightly identified that in order to raise standards, there is a need to share the good practice.

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Grade: 2

The school provides a wide range of courses that are well matched to students' current needs, abilities and talents. In Years 7 to 9, the curriculum is enhanced by courses in drama and citizenship. Year 10 and 11 options have been re-modelled to more firmly reflect the schools status as an arts college. New courses have been introduced to provide a strong work related focus and match the needs of all students. Good partnerships with local colleges enable some lower attaining students to receive additional work related programmes. They have led to a greater take up of further education and training. An extensive range of extra curricular activities is provided: they are well attended and effectively supplement the arts and sports programmes. Students' health and safety education are well covered in subjects and in courses to promote their understanding of personal, social and health education. 4 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005

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Grade: 2

Pupils receive good care and support throughout the school. They feel well cared for and listened to. Formal support and intervention provided by learning mentors and classroom assistants is well targeted enabling students with learning difficulties and disabilities to participate and make progress in lessons. The sensitive way in which it is provided is highly valued by students. A high priority is placed upon students' involvement and that of their parents and carers when negotiating support programmes and specific targets to meet their individual needs. Partnership work with primary schools promotes continuity of care and support. Well targeted events and activities such as 'keeping safe' are effective in building positive relationships and in enabling students to make a good start in Year 7. Arrangements for safeguarding children meet requirements. Advice and guidance is clear, enabling staff to respond in a consistent way to students. Effective links are

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Grade: 2

maintained with a wide range of support services.

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Grade: 3

The headteacher is relatively new in post. His strong leadership is promoting a shared understanding and common purpose within the school to raise standards while continuing to ensure strengths in the personal development and care of students are maintained. Individual strengths within the senior leadership team complement each other well. The effectiveness of leadership at subject level varies from satisfactory to very good. Teaching is regularly monitored, although actions resulting from it have yet to make sufficient impact in raising achievement or in reducing the variation in the standard of teaching. The strengths in teaching and in subject leaders practice have yet to be shared throughout the school. A well structured system of subject self-evaluation has recently been introduced and is helping these leaders to identify strengths and weaknesses in their areas more purposefully. Information from testing

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Grade: 3

is used well to report standards and to identify where there has been underachievement, although it is not used rigorously enough to analyse and monitor students' progress. Senior managers are accurate in their self-evaluation, and they and governors know the schools' strengths and weaknesses and understand what they need to do to improve. However, this is not fully reflected in current plans and there is a lack of coherence between subject plans and the overall school improvement plan. Parents are very supportive of the school and value its work. Governors are firmly involved in the life of their school and are developing their ability to challenge senior leaders. Governors and staff have worked hard, within financial constraints, to improve the physical environment of the school and resources, particularly in information and communications technology. Robust procedures ensure that the school is a safe

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Grade: 3

environment. The progress made in tackling key issues from the last inspection, recent 5 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 improvements in the curriculum and the gaining of specialist school status show a good capacity for further improvement. 6 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005 .

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set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s

website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 7 Inspection Report: St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic High School, 2 November 2005 to 3 November 2005

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Overall

Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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learners?

NA 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? NA NA The quality and standards in foundation stage NA 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation NA Yes The capacity to make any necessary improvements NA Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well do learners achieve? NA 3 The standards 1 reached by learners

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Achievement and standards

NA 3 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners NA 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

NA 2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development NA 2 The behaviour of learners NA 3 The attendance of learners NA 2 How well learners enjoy their education NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices NA 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles NA 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community NA 3 How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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needs and interests of learners?

NA 2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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needs and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low.

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and supporting all learners?

NA 3 How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education NA 3 How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets, through quality assurance and self-review NA 2 How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can NA 3 How effectively and efficiently resources are deployed to achieve value for money NA 3 The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities NA Yes The adequacy and suitability of staff to ensure that learners are protected

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The extent to which schools enable learners to be healthy

Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to eat and drink healthily Yes Learners are encouraged and enabled to take regular exercise Yes Learners are discouraged from smoking and substance abuse Yes Learners are educated about sexual health

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The extent to which providers ensure that learners stay safe

Yes Procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements Yes Risk assessment procedures and related staff training are in place Yes Action is taken to reduce anti-social behaviour, such as bullying and racism Yes Learners are taught about key risks and how to deal with them

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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution

Yes Learners are helped to develop stable, positive relationships Yes Learners, individually and collectively, participate in making decisions that affect them Yes Learners are encouraged to initiate, participate in and manage activities in school and the wider community

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The extent to which schools enable learners to achieve economic well-being

Yes There is provision to promote learners’ basic skills Yes Learners have opportunities to develop enterprise skills and work in teams Yes Careers education and guidance is provided to all learners in key stage 3 and 4 and the sixth form Yes Education for all learners aged 14–19 provides an understanding of employment and the economy

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you very much to all of you who spoke to us and answered our questions during our recent visit to your school. We appreciate the help you gave us and we were very impressed by your courtesy and good behaviour. Here is a brief summary of the findings from the inspection. - The school provides you with a satisfactory education. We think the school makes good arrangements for your care, and supports and guides you well as you are growing up. We were pleased to hear that you are adopting safe practices and healthy lifestyles but some of you have yet to take up the healthy eating and exercise messages. - There is a good range of subjects, courses and activities for you to study. They are well matched to your current needs, abilities and your talents and prepare you well for the world of work. Many of you take part actively in the wide range of opportunities in your school. You work well with teachers and help each other. You told us that this adds to your enjoyment of

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

school. - The new headteacher, assisted by the senior staff, have a clear idea about what the school does well and what needs to be improved. They are working with all staff and governors to make changes to tackle them. - We can see that standards and progress overall are satisfactory but results in recent tests and examinations are not as strong as last year. Your headteacher and teachers think there is room for improvement in some subjects and we agree. - Teaching is satisfactory and some lessons are good. In the good lessons teachers made the work exciting and challenging and involved you in assessment so that you knew exactly what you needed to do to improve. What we have asked your school to do now - Improve the quality of teaching to make all lessons more exciting and to involve you all more actively in learning. - Make sure that every subject leader uses information from tests to thoroughly check the

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

progress you make. - To make sure that plans to improve the quality of subjects and those to improve the whole school are more joined up.

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