St John Fisher Catholic High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Students make good progress as they move up the school.

Attainment and progress rates are rising quickly. The proportion of students gaining 5 A*-C grades including English and mathematics has increased significantly. Teaching is good.

Some is outstanding, and no teaching is inadequate. Literacy and numeracy skills are carefully taught and reinforced in different subjects. Disabled students and those who have special educational needs are well supported, as are the large number of students who speak English as an additional language.

Students who arrive after the start of Year 7 settle quickly and make good progress. The sixth f...orm is good. It is well led and managed and students make good progress.

Students feel safe. Their parents also say that students are safe and happy. Students are well behaved.

They are proud of the ways they can contribute to the school. The headteacher has worked effectively to raise attainment and improve teaching. Subject leaders have key roles in these areas.

Governors have a good understanding of data and use it well to ensure that attainment and progress continue to improve. Students of all backgrounds work harmoniously together and treat each other with respect. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Not enough teaching is outstanding and some still needs improvement.

In a few lessons, some students are held up because they do not quickly start working without help from adults. Staff are not getting enough opportunities to learn from outstanding teaching by colleagues. Marking does not always show students how to improve their work and students do not always act on guidance they are given.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. The largest ethnic groups are White British, any other white background and Pakistani. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds and whose first language is not or believed not to be English is significantly above the national average.

A number of students arrive in the school at times other than the normal starting points. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above the national average. The proportion of students supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.

The proportion of students for whom the school receives the pupil premium is well above the national average. This is additional government funding for particular groups of students, including those known to be eligible for free school meals and children in local authority care. A few students in Years 10 and 11 attend alternative courses at Peterborough Regional College in Peterborough in subjects not offered by the school and which are mostly work-related.

Some sixth form students attend the King's School in Peterborough for courses that are not offered at this school. The school runs a breakfast club and a homework club. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress.