Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Saint Benedict, A Catholic Voluntary Academy continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Hazel Boyce. This school is part of St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Kevin Gritton, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sarah Noon.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and cared for at this school. They know who they can talk to if they have a problem. Pupils say that problems are quickly sorted.

Most parents and carers speak positively about the pastoral and academic care that pupils r...eceive. Parents say, 'The staff at the school truly care about all aspects of our children's learning.' Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive a high level of support.

Pupils enjoy an extensive wider personal development programme. Pupils can take part in sports such as football, netball and goal ball. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online.

The school provides a well-developed careers programme.

Pupils behave well in their lessons. Lessons are rarely disrupted.

This allows pupils to work well. In some lessons, teachers need to check closely that pupils understand the work that has been set. Behaviour around school is calm, including at lunch and breaktimes.

Sixth-form students actively participate in school life. They act as mentors for younger pupils and help pupils with their reading.

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

The provision for pupils' personal development is impressive.

It includes a 'Beyond the Classroom' programme. For example, pupils can take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and visit theatres. They have a deep understanding of equality and diversity.

Pupils enjoy learning about various religions. They see this as an important part of their education. The school funds a 'late bus' so that all pupils can attend activities after school.

Pupils make good friendships through these extra-curricular opportunities. The school has a 'Pupil Parliament' as part of its pupil leadership programme. The provision for wider personal development in the sixth form is less strong.

The subject material does not always go deep enough to expand the learning of these students.

Pupils are happy in school. Most pupils say that bullying does not happen.

If bullying does happen, it is quickly resolved. Pupils are kind and respectful to each other. Within the classroom, they help each other with their work.

The school has well-established routines for managing behaviour. This means that the classrooms are calm. Pupils focus on their work, free from interruptions.

The school has worked hard to make sure that pupils and students regularly attend school. The school works effectively with parents to improve attendance.The school's curriculum identifies the key knowledge that pupils will learn.

Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. They start lessons with a 'Do Now' activity that recaps on previous learning. Occasionally, the recaps are not linked well enough to the gaps in pupils' learning.

In most lessons, teachers use questioning well to check on pupils' understanding. However, this is not yet the case in all lessons.

Subject experts lead sixth-form lessons.

In some sixth-form lessons, staff model the requirements of the task exceptionally well. However, the school has not checked closely enough on the quality of the sixth-form provision. Sixth-form students on an academic pathway do not yet achieve well enough in all subjects.

Sixth-form students have a high number of cover lessons in some subjects. This is having an impact on the progress that some students make.

Staff know their pupils well, including those with SEND.

Staff identify any pupil with additional needs quickly. The school puts in place any extra support that pupils may need. Extra support is well matched to pupils' needs and is regularly reviewed.

Staff who work with visually impaired pupils are extremely knowledgeable about the needs of these pupils. They provide expert support. The school provides support for pupils with SEND beyond the academic provision.

For example, the school provides a focus on independent living skills for some pupils.

Leaders have recently created an 'alternative pathway' for some pupils in key stage 3. Some of this curriculum is ambitious and well taught.

There is a programme for pupils who need extra help with their reading. However, the quality of the 'alternative pathway' curriculum is not yet consistent across all subjects. The curriculum for some subjects within this pathway is not ambitious enough.

Governance is a strength of the school. Those with responsibility for governance provide support, challenge, and expertise. They know the school very well.

Staff are happy to work at the school and feel well cared for.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staff do not always check closely enough on pupils' progress in lessons.

This means that misconceptions are not reliably identified and addressed quickly. The school must ensure that staff systematically check on pupils' understanding during lessons so that pupils acquire new knowledge and skills securely. ? The quality of the provision in the sixth form is sometimes variable.

As a result, some of the outcomes for the academic route are lower than they might be. The school must check the quality of education in the sixth form carefully, ensuring that all sixth-form students consistently benefit from high-quality provision. ? The 'alternative pathway' in key stage 3 is new.

It is still being refined. The school must complete the development of its 'alternative pathway' as soon as possible so that pupils on this pathway benefit from learning ambitious curriculum content in all subjects.

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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in May 2018.