Blessed George Napier Catholic School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to describe what it means to be part of this thoughtful and inclusive school. Making friends, enjoying learning and showing kindness are part of everyday life. Bullying is therefore rare.

Pupils are proud of how diverse their school community is and how they ensure everyone feels welcome. As one pupil commented, 'We are all BGN.'

The sixth-form students act as positive role models, demonstrating their drive and determination to achieve.

They know that staff have the highest expectations of them in terms of their conduct and they consistently strive to meet these. All pupils know the importance of concentrating and listening in lessons. On occ...asion, a small number do not always do this.

Leaders are currently working with teachers to ensure that the learning in every subject helps all pupils to learn and focus well.

Pupils talk positively about the support provided for their physical and mental well-being. Many pupils name physical education as their favourite subject.

The opportunity to lead and officiate in different sports helps pupils build their confidence and self-esteem. They also learn how to communicate with one another. Specialist pastoral support is provided if pupils need any additional help in demonstrating the school's values of compassion and respect.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders are resolute in their determination that all pupils will study an ambitious curriculum that teaches the knowledge and skills pupils need to succeed. Subject leaders have been redeveloping and strengthening their subjects. Regular checks are made of what pupils are learning in each lesson.

This has a particular focus on vocabulary. In many subjects, the key words pupils need to learn and understand are regularly discussed and revisited. This helps pupils confidently explain challenging mathematics equations in the sixth form as well as exploring the effects of weathering in key stage 4 geography.

As a result, many pupils achieve well.

As yet, however, the curriculum is not consistently or securely embedded across the school. Some staff changes and the disruption caused by COVID-19 has meant that a small number of subject teams have not yet fully implemented their ambitious plans.

In these subjects, work in pupils' books and their understanding of what they have learned is not as strong as it is in other areas of the curriculum. Leaders are aware of this and are continuing to increase staff knowledge and skills so they can expertly deliver learning in every subject.

Underpinning the subject curriculum is a distinctive Catholic ethos that both staff and pupils value and respect.

The thoughtful spiritual, moral, social and cultural education provides pupils with an understanding of the world around them. Through tutor time and personal, social and health education (PSHE) lessons, pupils develop their confidence in forming opinions about issues that are important to them. This includes exploring how to form positive and healthy relationships.

In addition, guidance around different career pathways helps pupils to be ambitious for their futures. They value the up-to-date information provided and the opportunities to speak to different external speakers and employers.

Time is taken to ascertain if pupils have any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Close working with external specialists helps staff identify the required support in order to ensure that pupils with educational, health and care plans achieve well. Leaders do, however, recognise that as yet, not all pupils with SEND get the targeted support they need. This is particularly evident in some lessons where teachers do not always have the expertise needed to make the necessary adaptations to learning.

In addition, pupils who find reading more difficult do not routinely get the precise teaching to help them read fluently. Leaders are aware of this and have already started to provide staff with the vital training needed.

Pupils' attendance is high.

They value their education and know that it is important to behave well. Most recently, leaders have been making some changes to the behaviour policy. There is a strong focus on pupils reflecting and learning from any incidents where their behaviour did not meet the school's high expectations.

Behaviour records indicate the ongoing success of this work and how important this has been through any unsettledness caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over recent times, challenges such as changes in staffing and delayed building works have been frustrating for the whole school community. Leaders, governors and directors from the trust recognise this.

Pupils and staff value the actions taken to mitigate the impact of this disruption. There is a common understanding of the importance of working together as a school community to ensure that all pupils receive the very best education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils recognise the priority leaders place on pupil safety and well-being. PSHE lessons and assemblies help pupils to identify where they may encounter risks. They know how to report any concerns they may have, confident that a trusted adult will always provide support.

Leaders also provide staff with regular and up-to-date training. This ensures that staff quickly identify where a pupil may be at risk of harm. Where needed, support from external agencies is requested swiftly.

Appropriate checks are made on the well-being of any pupils who are absent from school. This includes the small number of pupils who attend alternative provision.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The ambitious curriculum planning in some subjects has not been as consistently well-implemented as in others.

Where there is variance in teaching, pupils are less focused on learning. This means they do not always remember what they have been taught. Leaders need to continue to develop staff's pedagogical knowledge and monitor the full implementation of the curriculum to ensure that it is securely embedded in every subject.

• Not all teachers have the specialist knowledge required to successfully adapt learning to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. These pupils, therefore, do not always get the right support to learn as well as they could. Leaders should carefully monitor the impact of the training that is currently taking place, to ensure all staff have the necessary expertise.

• The support for the small number of pupils who find reading more difficult is not precise enough. Consequently, these pupils do not have the reading skills to learn well across the full curriculum. Leaders must continue to strengthen the support for these pupils to ensure they can read confidently and fluently.

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