All Saints Catholic College

Inspection Report All Saints Catholic High School

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107782 Unique Reference Number Kirklees Local Authority 287914 Inspection number 13 °14 September 2006 Inspection dates Ross Parker Reporting inspector

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

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Bradley Bar School address Secondary Type of school Huddersfield Voluntary aided School category West Yorkshire HD2 2JT 11 °16 Age range of pupils 01484 426466 Telephone number Mixed Gender of pupils 01484 456452 Fax number 843 Number on roll (school) Fr Ian Smith Chair The governing body Appropriate authority Miss/Mr Mary Nixon/Harron Headteacher

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6 November 2000 Date of previous school inspection

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Inspection number Inspection dates Age group 287914 13 °14 September 2006 11°16 Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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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 four Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

This slightly smaller than average secondary college serves a wide urban area to the north of Huddersfield. Three quarters of students are of White British heritage, and four per cent have a first language other than English. One third of students live in areas of economic hardship. Students enter the college with average prior attainment. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is average, though the number with statements is low. Joint headteachers have been in post for two years, during which time the college has closed its sixth form and achieved specialist humanities college status.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 1 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Grade: 3

All Saints Catholic College provides a satisfactory standard of education with many good features. It has made good improvement since the governors made the imaginative decision to appoint two headteachers in September 2004. This pairing has provided good leadership - creating a vision which staff and students clearly share, and sustaining improvements in all areas of the college's work, whilst managing some very challenging changes. Value for money is satisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning is now satisfactory; this has restored satisfactory achievement and average standards. However, there are not enough lively and imaginative lessons which encourage students to learn independently, and provide enough challenge for the most able. Students' personal development has improved faster than standards in the classroom. A good quality of care, and what students describe as the teachers' obvious respect, has made the students feel safe, valued,

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Grade: 3

listened to, and confident. Staff describe the change as a rebirth, and the successful bid to be a specialist humanities college illustrates the extent of the step forward. High performing staff are now leading developments in teaching and learning. There are extensive links with partner colleges and students feel that expectations are higher in the college. Throughout this period of fundamental change, governors have provided good support and challenge. A key part of the development has been to make it routine for people to question and judge how well they are doing. The college regularly surveys students to find out what they think of the teaching, and invites them to contribute to the vision. Inspectors found that the college's view of its own performance was accurate and honest. Managers monitor performance continuously and quite intensively. They check how well staff and students are doing in all aspects of their work and then decide what

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Grade: 3

needs to be better. This has led to some effective intervention to make the learning experience more active and enjoyable for all students - seen as the most important step toward raising standards. The specialist college funding has also contributed to a reorganisation of the senior staff roles - spreading responsibility much wider, and enabling improvement to start at the bottom rather than being imposed from the top. There has been a complete overhaul of the way that behaviour is managed. Expectations are very clear. The end product of well organised support for students who find it difficult to behave or learn is a very positive atmosphere where students behave well and are keen to learn. There have also been good improvements to the range and type of subjects that students can study and the breadth of extra-curricular activities - to increase enjoyment and ensure that no one is left without suitable qualifications when

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Grade: 3

they leave. This has been thoughtful and innovative, though the college is still keen to add more work-based courses, and to raise attendance, which is currently satisfactory, but not at a level that would support higher achievement. 2 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006 Each of these improvements and developments has been carefully considered, regularly reviewed, and has involved the whole college community. In consequence the improvements are secure, and the capacity to raise the bar even higher is very clear.

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What the school should do to improve further

• Raise standards, ensuring greater challenge is provided for more able students. • Improve the quality and consistency of teaching and learning so that students are more active, and learn more independently. • Improve attendance.

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Grade: 3

In the 2005 Key Stage 3 tests, results were slightly below average. Average results in English were not matched in mathematics and science because fewer students than expected reached the higher levels. Improved teaching led to better performance in both subjects in 2006, including the proportion of students reaching higher levels. In 2005, the GCSE results improved significantly to match the national average. However, there were too few of the highest grades in most subjects, but particularly in science and mathematics. There was a further small improvement in 2006, including at the higher levels in science. Comparison with prior attainment data shows that the majority of students achieved satisfactorily overall, though in both years students entitled to free school meals and those with special educational needs did not do as well as they should have done. Improvements to the curriculum mean that they are now achieving satisfactorily. Some

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Grade: 3

students did not achieve as well as they should have done in a small number of different subjects. This underachievement was related to specific staffing issues, and the college has taken sensible steps to reduce the impact of any similar difficulty in the future.

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Grade: 2

The college's Christian ethos underpins its approach to developing the personal skills and attributes of those in its care. In the words of a student 'we are a close family.' However, it is a family that looks both to include new members and to offer support to others, for example through the work of its Amnesty International group. The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of students is outstanding. Students are happy at college and enjoy taking on responsibilities such as representing their fellow students on the college council and working in the rewards shop. While attendance is in line with the national average, the college recognises the need to 3 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006 improve it through closer monitoring. Students clearly benefit from taking part in the large number of visits, including annual pilgrimages to Lourdes and Walsingham. These play a major role in developing them

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Grade: 2

as individuals. Older students willingly take on a real responsibility in helping younger students when they start school, and the younger pupils are delighted by this support.

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Grade: 3

The college correctly evaluates the quality of teaching and learning as satisfactory. Inspectors saw no inadequate teaching, but too much, almost half, was merely satisfactory, and this slows learning for some students. In some lessons, higher achieving students do not have enough opportunities to work independently and this restricts their progress and the standards they attain. The college is aware that the pace of learning is slower in some lessons when the teacher spends a long time explaining activities. As a result, students become well behaved but passive recipients rather than active seekers of knowledge. They are not being enabled to take enough responsibility for their own learning. In these lessons, teachers do not have high enough expectations of what their students can do or how rapidly they might progress. A strong feature of all lessons is the mutual respect shown by both teachers and

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Grade: 2

The curriculum is good and meets statutory requirements. After examining the impact of the curriculum on standards and behaviour, the college made major changes to better satisfy the varying needs and aspirations of its students. As a result, learners benefit from academic and work-related pathways which include thorough coverage of basic skills and understanding of money matters. Online learning is being developed as part of the specialist college status, and business links are being extended through the partnership with Connexions to keep learning in touch with the modern world of work. Students make positive comments about improvement in the provision for information and communication technology as both 4 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006 a teaching and learning tool. Links with local colleges enable students in Years 10 and 11 to take courses ranging from animal welfare to engineering, and they speak highly

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Grade: 2

of these arrangements. The curriculum is developing creatively and students with more academic aspirations benefit from AS level courses in humanities and mathematics in conjunction with a local college. The formal curriculum is complemented by a wide variety of well attended extra-curricular and sporting activities that extend learning and contribute to students' personal development.

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Grade: 2

Care, guidance and support are good. Child protection arrangements are in place. Good links with partner primary schools, a well structured induction programme and unstinting support from staff ensures that students feel safe, secure and confident from the day they start college. Students and parents say that they feel valued because the college encourages them to express their views and listens to what they have to say. The close monitoring of students' academic and personal development and the mentoring provided by form tutors, guidance leaders and other support staff means that students are well informed of the progress they are making. This also enables the college to meet the needs of those who require additional support. A good programme of careers education enables students to be well informed about future education options and builds on the curriculum pathways designed to raise students' aspirations and widen career opportunities.

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Grade: 2

Leadership and management, in particular the joint leadership arrangements, are good and have led to an all-round improvement in behaviour, attitudes, staff and student morale, and the environment for learning. Capacity to improve is good. Performance in all areas of college life is monitored rigorously and initiatives are sustained or discarded according to their impact on standards and achievement. Development planning is now effective. The planning, coordination and evaluation of the curriculum, including the analysis of data, are effective. Financial and material resources are equitably and beneficially employed. Governors are committed, well informed, and have provided consistently good challenge and support for the college leadership. 5 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006 .

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Grade: 2

set out in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Inspection judgements

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

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 2 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation 2 The capacity to make any necessary improvements Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection

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Achievement and standards

3 How well do learners achieve? 3 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 3 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

1 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The behaviour of learners 3 The attendance of learners 2 How well learners enjoy their education 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

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

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively performance is monitored, evaluated and improved to meet challenging targets How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Thank you for your positive and helpful contribution to the recent inspection. We enjoyed meeting you, and were grateful to all of those who spoke to us in lessons, around the college, and during lunchtime. We actually decided that you were the best part of the whole college. You behave well, make your opinions clear and you cooperate well with your teachers. You told us that you feel safe, and appreciate recent improvements in teaching and the college environment. Your respect and support for each other, the college and for other people beyond the college is outstanding. We also recognised that the college is improving quickly, and the headteachers and other staff know how to keep it improving. GCSE results have been average recently, but we think you could do better. We think that if the college increases the proportion of lively lessons where you have a chance to take an active role, this will help you to get better results. We think that

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

those of you who are capable of getting the highest grades in exams should be challenged to think and work at higher levels in every lesson. And we know that your results will get better quicker if you improve your attendance from its current satisfactory level. Thank you once again for you cooperation. 9 Inspection Report: All Saints Catholic High School, 13 °14 September 2006

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