De Lisle College Loughborough Leicestershire

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

De Lisle College Loughborough Leicestershire continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand that leaders have high standards and expectations.

Pupils and students in the sixth form know that their teachers want the very best for them. This is reinforced in every aspect of school life. The school motto, 'together in faith, inspiring achievement', is evident throughout the school.

Pupils benefit from a well-planned curriculum. They said that they know what is expected of them in lessons. Pupils respond well to leaders' high expectations.

Pupils are proud of the school. They behave well and display positive attitudes to their ...learning. The atmosphere in lessons is positive and purposeful.

Pupils get on well together and show respect. They are polite and well mannered to both adults and their classmates. Pupils trust that their teachers will resolve any concerns about bullying.

Pupils have opportunities to take part in extra activities outside lessons, including sports and music. Older pupils are given good opportunities to develop their leadership skills. For example, sixth-form students support younger children with reading and mathematics.

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

Leaders have put a curriculum in place that is well planned and carefully sequenced. The curriculum is broad and covers the full national curriculum. It is ambitious in its scope and aims to build pupils' knowledge over time.

As a result, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, develop the knowledge and skills they need to move on to the next stage of their education, training or employment successfully.

Teachers' subject knowledge is good. The majority of teachers implement the curriculum precisely.

However, sometimes, teachers do not adapt the curriculum sufficiently to enable all pupils to achieve as well as they could.

Leaders have prioritised the development of reading. Pupils enjoy reading a range of texts and are given good opportunities to read for pleasure.

They said that they enjoy sharing books together as a class.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive good support, both within lessons and in the dedicated learning support unit. The systems and procedures to support pupils with SEND are secure and effective.

Students in the sixth form are offered a good range of subjects. Their courses build well upon the curriculum further down the school and, as a result, students achieve well. Sixth-form students play a full part in the life of the school and are given good leadership opportunities, for example by acting as mentors to younger pupils.

Pupils' behaviour in lessons is excellent. There is no low-level disruption of pupils' learning. Leaders have introduced systems that make expectations clear.

Teachers use these systems consistently well. Expectations are reinforced in 'standing assemblies' at the start of each day. There is an effective balance between rewards and sanctions.

However, leaders have not communicated the rationale for the new behaviour policy to all parents and carers effectively.

Pastoral leaders provide good support to pupils. They know the pupils well.

The school's Catholic ethos permeates the school's work. The recently introduced personal development programme helps to prepare pupils for their lives outside school. Pupils reported that they receive detailed and timely advice about their next steps.

Leaders provide high-quality professional development for teachers. Teachers value this training and say that it has helped to develop the quality of provision. They feel well supported by leaders, who have taken steps to reduce unnecessary workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders responsible for safeguarding have established systems for reporting and tracking concerns that are thorough and robust. Staff training is effective and timely.

Staff understand their responsibilities and know how to identify and report concerns. Appropriate checks are carried out when staff join the school.

Pupils feel safe in school.

They know who to talk to if they have a concern. Pupils are taught how to recognise risks, including when online. They know that inappropriate behaviour, including disrespectful and derogatory behaviour, would be challenged by staff, should it occur.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has developed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum which is delivered consistently across most subjects. Sometimes, the curriculum is not adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Leaders should now ensure that all teachers adapt the curriculum to enable all pupils to achieve highly.

• The rationale for the school's approach to behaviour has not been communicated successfully to all parents. Leaders should engage effectively with parents to build understanding and support of the school's behaviour policy and systems.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2013.

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