St Monica’s RC High School, a Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' experience of school has been transformed since the last inspection. Pupils and staff value highly the positive shift in culture that has been fostered across all areas of school life.

This helps pupils to feel happy and safe. Pupils enjoy coming to school.

The school's curriculum is highly ambitious for all pupils.

There are high expectations for what pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can achieve. Pupils work hard and show committed attitudes to their learning. They are keen to succeed.

Pupils achieve well, including in national examinations.

The school has high expectations for pupil...s' behaviour that are consistently taught, reinforced, and embedded in school routines. Everyone in the school appreciates this consistent approach to behaviour.

Pupils understand what is expected of them. They behave well in lessons and at social times. This has helped to create a respectful and cohesive learning community.

Pupils say that this is a school where everyone's differences are accepted and everyone is equal. They celebrate diversity and learn about different faiths, cultures and perspectives. For example, pupils spoke with relish about 'culture week'.

Such activities contribute well to the respectful values upheld in the school.

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

Pupils study a broad and rich curriculum. In each subject, the school has designed the curriculum carefully, breaking learning down into manageable steps.

These steps help pupils to build new knowledge based on what they already know. This supports pupils to remember important learning from previous years and to make links across topics.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They embrace opportunities to learn from each other and from colleagues across the trust. As a result, there is a consistent approach to teaching. Pupils benefit from lessons that are structured according to the school's research-led methods.

Teachers select tasks that help pupils revisit, practise and embed important ideas well.

Teachers use a range of strategies to check pupils' learning. They identify and address pupils' misconceptions well.

Mostly, this ensures that pupils consolidate their knowledge before moving on to new learning. Most pupils build their knowledge and skills securely over time.

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately and communicates these effectively to teachers.

However, some teachers are less certain about how to make appropriate adaptations to activities which enable all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have lower rates of attendance, to learn the curriculum successfully.

The school has an effective system in place for pinpointing the reading ability of all pupils. It has implemented a structured reading programme which ensures that pupils who are not confident or fluent readers receive support swiftly.

All teachers focus on developing pupils' specialist vocabulary. Pupils value how 'word of the week' is helping them to use more sophisticated vocabulary across subjects.

The school has a unified approach to supporting positive behaviour.

Its behaviour policy is widely understood and implemented well. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and respectful. Pupils are confident that staff will challenge any unpleasant behaviour successfully.

In recent times, the number of suspensions has reduced significantly.

Overall, the school has successfully ensured that pupils' attendance remains high. As a result, most pupils attend school regularly and on time.

However, this is not always the case for some disadvantaged pupils and for some pupils with SEND. This is having a negative effect on the achievement of some of these pupils.

The school prepares pupils very well for life beyond school.

Over time, pupils develop an understanding of key topics such as the importance of healthy relationships. Pupils are encouraged to be active citizens in their school and local community. For example, they coordinate charitable events to support local homelessness organisations.

The school has a comprehensive careers programme in place which supports pupils to make aspirational and well-informed decisions about their next steps in education or training.

Leaders accurately identify the school's strengths and what could be even better. Trustees and governors provide valuable support and challenge.

This has helped the school to go from strength to strength. Pupils, their parents and carers, and staff appreciate clear communication about what is happening and why. This ensures that the school's actions have the support and trust of its community.

Staff, including teachers new to the profession, believe that leaders are considerate of their workload and ready to listen to their views. Staff are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, the implementation of the curriculum is not adapted well enough to meet the needs of some pupils, including those with SEND or those who are disadvantaged. This makes it more difficult for these pupils to learn the required curriculum content. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to select the most effective strategies to support these pupils to learn well.

• Some groups of pupils, including some who are disadvantaged and some with SEND, do not attend school regularly enough. This further exacerbates the gaps in these pupils' learning. The school should ensure that these pupils are supported to improve their rates of attendance and punctuality.