Hagley Catholic High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a friendly school where pupils are safe and well cared for. The school is distinctly Christian. Its overarching aim is for pupils to 'achieve their personal best, by living and learning in Christ'.

Leaders have high expectations of how pupils should behave, and pupils behave well. Pupils are kind and considerate towards each other. They accept that everyone is different.

There is very little bullying. When it does happen, staff deal with it quickly and ensure that it stops. Leaders want all pupils to achieve well.

In most subjects, pupils do achieve well.

Pupils are proud of their school and they take pride in themselves. They look smart in t...heir uniforms and are eager to tell visitors how much they enjoy school.

Pupils particularly enjoy the many activities on offer. These include residential trips that have been carefully selected to build on what pupils are learning in lessons. Pupils can visit Poland when studying the Second World War; and they can explore the island of Sicily when learning about volcanoes.

Pupils enjoyed the recent winter sports day, when they were able to try sports such as curling.

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

Pupils achieve well in most subjects. This is because leaders make sure that topics are taught in a logical order, and teachers make deliberate links to what pupils have learned before.

This helps pupils to build up their knowledge and to practise their skills. For example, in science, pupils in Year 8 recall what they learned about electricity in Year 7. This helps them understand how electric currents work.

In most subjects, teachers routinely check how well pupils have understood their work. They look for gaps in what pupils know, and what they can do, and help pupils when they feel stuck.

Two years ago, leaders noticed that pupils were not achieving as well as they should in some subjects.

They also noticed that disadvantaged pupils were not achieving as well as they could. Leaders responded quickly, and their response has been effective. In most subjects, pupils are now achieving well, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils with SEND are provided with the support that they need in lessons.

There are some subjects where the curriculum is not as well planned. For example, in design and technology and geography.

In these subjects, topics are not sequenced in a way that enables pupils to build up their knowledge and develop their skills. Teachers do not always check how well pupils have understood their work, and they move on to new topics too quickly. At other times, the curriculum in these subjects does not challenge pupils enough.

Pupils are well behaved in lessons. They are keen to learn, and they take pride in their work. Occasionally, they become distracted.

However, this is only when teachers have not planned work that is appropriate for them.

One of the school's aims is for 'all pupils to use their talents and fulfil their academic and spiritual potential'. Pupils have access to a wide range of opportunities to start them off on this journey.

They learn about different faiths during lessons, and there is a broad offer of enrichment activities. For example, pupils develop an appreciation of music and drama through whole-school productions, music ensembles and a popular 'choir and cookies' group. Leaders make sure that pupils are ready for the next stage of their education.

They provide helpful advice when pupils choose their GCSE courses at the end of Year 9, and they help pupils to settle quickly into the sixth form. Students in the sixth form enjoy a rich and positive experience. They achieve well, and they are provided with helpful advice and guidance.

This ensures that they are well prepared for university and the world of work.

Leaders, including governors and trustees, have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths. They also know what they need to do to improve the school further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that pupils are safe in school. Pupils feel safe.

Leaders conduct thorough checks on all new staff to ensure that they are suitable to work with children. Staff receive comprehensive safeguarding training. When they are concerned about a pupil they are quick to pass information on to the school's safeguarding lead.

Leaders are equally swift to access external help when it is required.

Staff are aware of the potential risks for pupils outside school. They teach pupils about the hazards associated with social media and encourage pupils to make sensible choices.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

In some subjects, the curriculum is not planned and sequenced in a way that enables pupils to build their knowledge and develop their skills in a cumulative way. This is particularly evident in design and technology and geography. At times, this results in disengagement and some low-level disruption.

Therefore, leaders should ensure greater consistency in curriculum planning. They should ensure that topics are taught in a logical sequence, so that pupils can deepen their knowledge and develop their skills in a cumulative way. .

The most able pupils are not consistently given work that challenges them appropriately so that they build on their prior learning and deepen their knowledge, for example in design and technology and geography. Therefore, teachers should plan work that is consistently well matched to pupils' abilities. They should ensure that the work they plan for the most able pupils enables them to build on what they have done before and deepen their understanding.