St James’ Catholic High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Pupils shine at this school because they benefit enormously from being part of the 'St James family', a supportive and caring community.

They are happy and safe in school. This is an improving school. Pupils learn well and make excellent progress because teaching in English, mathematics and most other subjects is consistently good.

Pupils, including the most able, are challenged by their work because most teachers have high expectations of pupils and plan work which is hard enough for them. Disadvantaged pupils now make similarly strong progress to other pupils in school, and to other pupils nationally, because leaders regularly review th...e use of pupil premium funding to provide effective support. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities make the same good progress as their classmates because additional funding is used well to provide excellent support from teachers and teaching assistants.

Pupils' conduct is exemplary. They show high levels of respect for each other and for their teachers and teaching assistants. Pupils are taught the skills needed to become thoughtful, self-confident citizens, able to express their views and opinions.

This, together with a range of high-quality qualifications, means that they are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education. Pupils enjoy coming to school, reflected in their good attendance, typically at least in line with the national average overall. Attendance is low for a few disadvantaged pupils who also have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Leaders carefully check the reasons for absence to find out if there is anything else they could do to help these pupils to attend school more often. Most subject and other leaders regularly check on the quality of teaching and learning in their area to make sure that no pupils, or groups, are disadvantaged by inconsistencies. Governors know the strengths of the school and where there are further improvements still to be made.

They continue to develop their skills in holding leaders to account.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website as leaders took immediate and decisive action during the inspection to update policies that were missing or due for review. The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school and continues to provide dedicated provision for pupils who have physical disabilities.

The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is below average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly average, but with an above-average proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage, with a small number of pupils from a range of other ethnic groups.

The school does not use any off-site alternative provision for pupils, as their needs are fully met through the school's on-site curriculum. A very small number of pupils in key stage 4 are dual-registered with other schools in the area, as part of an extended managed move to help these pupils to complete their external examinations. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' progress and attainment by the end of Year 11.