St Bede’s Catholic Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The inclusive Christian ethos of the school creates a welcoming environment for pupils. Leaders' decisions are informed by their three core values: love, respect and service.

Adults' care for pupils is clear. Pupils are polite. Their relationships with adults are respectful.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' conduct. Most pupils meet these expectations. Leaders are aspirational for pupils to be active and upstanding citizens.

Bullying is rare. When bullying occurs, adults intervene effectively to resolve it. Many pupils engage in impactful leadership roles.

For example, pupil leaders were involved in recent changes to the school's behaviour p...olicy. Other pupils contribute to the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum by identifying important issues they want further guidance on. Pupils lead on aspects of the school's charitable work.

Subject leaders have redesigned the curriculum since the previous inspection. Pupils now have more time in key stage 3 to learn about the subjects they study. During key stage 4, pupils study ambitious qualifications.

Most pupils complete the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects. Most pupils achieve well because of the quality of education they receive. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not routinely receive the adaptations they need to support their learning.

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

Pupils study a wide range of subjects throughout key stage 3. Leaders ensure that the learning offer is broader than the expectations of the national curriculum. For example, pupils learn two languages rather than the required one.

Leaders also extend pupils' experience by including drama. In most subjects, leaders have clearly identified the most important knowledge pupils need to learn. Teachers are knowledgeable about the subjects they teach.

They introduce new knowledge so that it builds on what pupils already know. In lessons, pupils focus on their learning. Teachers use agreed routines to check what pupils know.

However, some teachers do not use the information they gather effectively. They do not change their teaching to address pupils' misconceptions.

A small number of pupils access alternative providers.

These placements are selected in collaboration with the pupils and their parents and carers. Most pupils continue to access some of their education at school. Leaders have implemented a bespoke PSHE curriculum.

This is adapted to each pupil's specific requirements. Leaders make sure that pupils receive important careers guidance about their next steps in education, employment or training.

Some pupils with SEND do not receive the high-quality support leaders aspire to give.

Leaders provide teachers with information, in pupil profiles, about the individual needs of pupils with SEND. However, the information in these profiles is not precise enough. Some teachers do not use the strategies outlined in these profiles effectively.

Leaders recognise they need to have greater oversight of the school's provision for pupils with SEND. They recently commissioned an external review of the support pupils with SEND receive to aid this work.

Reading is prioritised increasingly by leaders.

All staff have received recent training on the reading strategy. Although the approach is new, it is beginning to have a positive impact. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read are quickly identified.

They receive additional support to help them catch up. Leaders have increased the variety of books in the library. Pupils study a diverse range of texts within English lessons.

These expose pupils to a range of issues, such as social justice.

Pupils' behaviour is of a high standard. Disruption to learning is rare.

Suspensions are used as a last resort. Pupils receive additional support when they return to school following a suspension. Leaders have developed a behaviour curriculum.

This teaches pupils how to behave well. Pupils are supported to become positive members of the school community. The school's behaviour expectations are well understood by pupils and adults.

Most pupils attend school regularly. Leaders have established clear systems that support regular attendance. Fewer pupils are persistently absent than the national average.

In this school, disadvantaged pupils miss significantly more learning than their peers.

Within PSHE lessons, pupils learn about important issues such as healthy relationships and online safety. Leaders enhance the PSHE curriculum with assemblies, as well as through religious education and other subjects.

Some pupils do not have a secure knowledge of some of this content, such as fundamental British values. Leaders provide a diverse range of extra-curricular opportunities. If finance is a barrier to pupils' participation in these activities, leaders use additional funding to support families.

Pupils benefit from a high-quality careers education. All pupils receive independent careers guidance. Vulnerable pupils, such as those with SEND, receive additional support.

Pupils progress to appropriate further education or training when they have completed their studies in Year 11.

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school. They act with integrity.

The trust's executive leaders hold school leaders to account. The trust board and local governors receive accurate information about the performance of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is of high priority for adults within the school. Staff know how to report concerns about a pupil's welfare. They do this promptly.

Through the PSHE curriculum, pupils learn about the risks in their community. For example, they are taught about the dangers associated with county lines.

Safeguarding leaders are well trained.

They maintain detailed records. These show that the adults take timely actions to keep pupils safe. Leaders use weekly 'open case review' meetings, involving pastoral staff and the special educational needs coordinator, to check that planned actions have been completed.

Leaders undertake appropriate staff recruitment checks.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Too many disadvantaged pupils are persistently absent. These pupils miss important learning.

This results in gaps in their knowledge. Leaders should work with families to identify and remove the barriers to regular attendance. ? The information teachers receive about the needs of pupils with SEND is not precise enough.

In lessons, strategies to support pupils with SEND are not used consistently. Leaders should review the content of pupil profiles. Leaders should provide greater scrutiny of the quality of education pupils with SEND receive.