Cardinal Pole Catholic School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils receive a good-quality education at Cardinal Pole.

They are prepared very well for their future careers. The school fosters pupils' personal development and welfare extremely well. It tackles the difficulties pupils face head on and makes a significant difference to their life chances.

Leadership is principled and robust. Difficult decisions are taken in the interests of pupils. This creates a strong climate in which high expectations are the norm.

Senior leaders and governors tackle areas that need improving thoroughly. As a result, last year's fall in English and science examination results has been reversed. The sixth f...orm is outstanding.

High-quality teaching and excellent support give students real opportunities to reach their potential. Pupils achieve well in their studies, including the most able pupils and those that are disadvantaged. In the sixth form, students' achievements are first class.

Pupils' personal development and welfare are outstanding. Relationships are positive. Behaviour in classrooms and around the school is solidly good.

Pupils are well mannered and thoughtful of others. Effective teaching and high-quality support means that pupils make swift progress with their learning. However, teaching does not make the most of teachers' expertise and pupils' attention in class.

Consequently, not all pupils achieve at the very highest levels.

information about the school's performance, including assessment information. Governors have

had appropriate training for safeguarding and some have received training in safer recruitment procedures.

As a result, governors fulfil their responsibilities effectively. They challenge and support leaders in equal measure, ensuring that staff are held to account for pupils' outcomes. Governors use regular visits to the school to see for themselves how well the school is working.

They use the information to make informed decisions, for example about the way the pupil premium funding is used and how to tackle the school's priorities. Teachers' performance is managed well through a clear appraisal system that is linked to salary increases. Safeguarding The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Senior leaders are very careful to ensure that safeguarding procedures and practice work effectively. Record-keeping is secure and this allows staff to follow up issues vigilantly. There are strong links with external agencies, enabling leaders to tackle the wide range of needs.

Staff work hard to support pupils and leave no stone unturned to make sure that they are kept safe. This ensures that there is a clear culture of safeguarding that puts the welfare of pupils first. Staff receive regular training so that they understand the range of child protection issues such as how to recognise the signs of abuse, including female genital mutilation, radicalisation and extremism, and the 'Prevent' duty.

Policies are up to date and take account of the new requirements, including those related to understanding the appropriate safeguarding documents and guidance. This supports the school in its work to help pupils overcome the challenges they face in life and realise their potential. Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good Pupils are taught well and consequently make brisk progress with their learning.

Teachers have high expectations of pupils and translate these into well-planned programmes and challenging work. For example, planning in subjects such as humanities and religious education includes a clear focus on literacy and the PSHE programme covers a broad range of topics comprehensively. The school's systems to assess pupils' achievements give leaders accurate and realistic information.

This also provides teachers with information about the current achievements of pupils in their class which they use to plan work that is appropriate for pupils of all abilities, including the most able and disadvantaged pupils. Occasionally, teachers do not use their expertise to ensure that all pupils are being challenged and stretched sufficiently, especially the most able pupils, who do not deepen their learning as much as they might. Teachers are often skilled at checking pupils' understanding throughout the lesson.

This enables them to re-jig their plans to better meet pupils' learning needs. On occasion, teachers do not take advantage of pupils' positive attitudes to challenge their understanding and correct misconceptions quickly enough. However, senior leaders' knowledge of teaching quality across the school means that they are aware of these weaknesses and take quick and effective action to support improvement.

Teachers' subject knowledge is strong and they use this to explain the task and clarify new or difficult concepts. This ensures that pupils understand what is expected of them. It also helps to create a very positive learning climate in classrooms.

Pupils respond especially well to the work and their teachers. They are highly motivated, industrious and take pride in their work. These attitudes contribute significantly to pupils' learning.

Teachers often use questions effectively to draw out pupils' knowledge and understanding, and to stretch them to think more deeply about a problem or idea. Where this happens, pupils rise to the occasion and challenge themselves. For example, in a Year 8 mathematics lesson, the additional challenges given by the teacher encouraged pupils to work even harder.

As a result, progress was brisk. The quality of support provided by additional adults in classrooms is often first-rate. Teaching assistants and support staff are well briefed by teachers and work effectively with those pupils who need extra support.

Consequently, they have a positive impact on pupils' achievements. Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Personal development and welfare The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding. This is because senior leaders, governors and teachers develop pupils' personal skills effectively and put welfare at the top of their agenda.

This includes ensuring that the alternative provision, where a few pupils spend some of their time studying elsewhere, promotes their welfare and personal skills effectively. Relationships between pupils are strong. Pupils show a great deal of respect for others and tolerance to those who are different.

For example, in a religious education lesson, pupils showed a respectful understanding of the differences between Christianity and Judaism. Relationships between pupils and their teachers are also strong. Pupils are respectful of adults and are quick to respond to teachers' requests.

Teachers model high personal standards and value pupils' differences, recognising them as individuals. They challenge stereotypes consistently as part of their everyday work. The school's work to develop what it calls 'restorative justice' is instrumental in promoting its commitment to pupils' welfare.

The process has a significant impact on pupils' personal skills, helping them to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Pupils talk knowledgeably about the process and place great value on the outcomes. As one pupil noted, it teaches them life skills.

Restorative justice also helps pupils develop their understanding of fundamental British values. These values underpin the school's approach to pupils' personal development and welfare. As a result, the great majority of pupils leave school understanding how to take their place in society.

Behaviour The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils are well behaved in lessons and around the school and conduct themselves with good humour and maturity. They are polite, well mannered and have excellent attitudes to their work.

As a result, there is little disruption to lessons and pupils focus on their learning well. Pupils and staff noted the considerable improvement in behaviour in recent years. This is because initiatives to improve behaviour are successful.

For example, the 'school for hard knocks', which works with pupils at risk of exclusion, has helped boys stay in school and learn to take responsibility for their actions. As a result, the number of exclusions has fallen. Bullying is rare but when it does happen, pupils are confident that staff will deal with it effectively.

Pupils' attendance is similar to that of other schools in England. Attendance fell slightly over the past three years but the school's current figures indicate that this is improving. Although leaders recognise that keeping absence low is a continuing challenge, there are robust systems to promote high levels of attendance.

Outcomes for pupils Good Pupils achieve well and make brisk progress from their starting points. In 2016, examination results were broadly average and pupils made expected progress. Assessment information about current pupils, and work in their books, show that progress is improving, especially in English and science where achievement was disappointing last year.

Achievement in mathematics, modern languages, history and economics was strong in the 2016 GCSE examinations. It was less good in PE and design and technology. However, leaders are taking effective action to improve pupils' achievements in these subjects.

Disadvantaged pupils, who make up much of the school population, are making similar progress as others nationally and in the school. This is the result of the school's aspirational climate, reliable systems for tracking pupils' progress and the range of effective strategies to support those falling behind. The most able pupils, including the most able disadvantaged pupils, make at least expected progress from their starting points.

There is a strong focus on stretching the most able and raising their aspirations. As a result, 95% of pupils go on to sustained education, employment or training after the age of 16, with the majority staying on in the sixth form. The school's assessment information predicts that by the end of this academic year attainment will be slightly higher than in 2016.

Although these figures are tentative, the predictions for last year show that the school's assessments are accurate. This indicates that the school's projections for 2017 are likely to be met. 16 to 19 study programmes Outstanding Strong leadership and a highly aspirational outlook mean that provision in the sixth form is excellent.

Senior leaders have a firm grasp on the quality of teaching and the performance of students. They use this effectively to ensure that all students are following programmes for which they are best suited and that teaching is of a high quality. Where subjects are underperforming or not successful, leaders take swift action to address this.

Students make strong progress in their AS and A-level examinations. Achievement in business studies, history, economics, mathematics, psychology, religious education and Spanish are especially strong. A high proportion of students continue with their sixth form studies, with 95% moving from Year 12 to Year 13.

Similarly, progression to education, employment or training is strong, as is the proportion going to top universities. In the current Year 13, 10 students have applied to Oxford or Cambridge universities and currently one has been offered a place. This illustrates the positive impact of teachers' high aspirations for their students.

Students are confident learners and conduct themselves extremely well in lessons and around the school. They are encouraged to develop their social and personal skills most effectively through the wide range of opportunities to get involved in the life of the school. For example, sixth-form students work with younger pupils to create drama performances.

Students are provided with a wide range of effective careers advice and guidance. For example, Year 13 students attend schemes at top universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol and Newcastle, to prepare themselves for their UCAS applications. Work experience at firms in the City or with government departments helps to prepare students for the world of work.

Other opportunities include attending careers shows and programmes over the summer to develop their learning skills. As a result, students are extremely well prepared for the next stage in their careers. School details Unique reference number 100285 Local authority Hackney Inspection number 10023694 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 11 to 19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,071 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 184 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Father David Evans Headteacher Jane Heffernan Telephone number 020 8985 5150 Website www.cardinalpole.

co.uk Email address [email protected].

uk Date of previous inspection 31 January 2013