St Patrick’s RC High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and welcoming. They greet visitors warmly and with respect.

Pupils were eager to showcase what their school has to offer. They spoke enthusiastically about the range of extra-curricular opportunities available to them.

Pupils are proud of their school.

They celebrate the tolerance and open-mindedness within the school community. Any rare acts of bullying or discrimination are dealt with effectively by staff. Pupils are safe and happy.

Leaders' high expectations for pupils' achievement and conduct are reflected by pupils' mature attitudes. Pupils benefit from a well-thought-out curriculum. They learn well.

Pupils behave in a... calm and orderly manner, both in lessons and during social times. Classroom environments are positive places where pupils can thrive. Pupils work well with each other, debating and discussing their learning confidently.

Pupils frequently act as role models to others, for example as peer mentors. They contribute well to society through their extensive charity work. Pupils' understanding of equality permeates all aspects of the personal development curriculum.

Pupils are kind to each other. They are accepted for who they are.

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

Leaders are aspirational for all pupils at the school.

They have recently taken well-informed steps to increase the breadth of the curriculum at key stage 3. In many subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. For the most part, the improved curriculum affords pupils greater opportunities to develop and deepen their knowledge.

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

In a small number of subjects, leaders are still finalising their curriculum thinking. This is because leaders have put on hold their development of the curriculum in Year 9 to address the gaps in pupils' learning as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While leaders have acted judiciously to ensure that pupils are supported to catch up quickly with lost learning, this means that some aspects of the curriculum are still being refined. A few subject leaders are still in the process of ensuring that the content within their subject curriculums is as ambitious as it should be.

In key stage 4, leaders have placed the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects at the heart of the curriculum.

Pupils eagerly choose from a wide range of subjects that meet their interests and ambitions. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

This enables them to select appropriate activities to deliver the curriculum content well so that pupils can build on their prior learning. Teachers prioritise the development of vocabulary. The positive environments that teachers create in their classrooms foster pupils' desire to learn.

Most teachers routinely use a range of approaches to help pupils to remember what they have learned successfully. Teachers are skilful in using discussions to elicit pupils' deeper responses and to address any misconceptions that pupils may have. Many pupils can recall their knowledge of different subjects fluently.

Support for pupils with SEND is strong. Leaders identify pupils with SEND as quickly as possible. Teachers are furnished with rich information that they use expertly to ensure that these pupils access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Leaders are clearly prioritising reading across the school. Pupils engage in a wealth of activities during form time and across the curriculum to develop their love of reading. Leaders have strong systems in place to identify pupils who struggle with their reading.

Younger pupils are supported by well-trained staff to catch up quickly. Despite this, there are still some older pupils who do not read as well as they should. This hinders how well some of these pupils access the curriculum.

Strong relationships with adults, coupled with positive attitudes to learning, mean that pupils learn without disruption.

Leaders' work to enhance pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong. Leaders have ensured that the personal development curriculum reflects modern society while preparing pupils to become responsible citizens.

The school is well led. Governors challenge leaders effectively about the quality of education that pupils receive. Staff appreciate the decisions that leaders and governors have made to reduce workload and support well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff are fully conversant in the procedures for keeping pupils safe.

They are alert to the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm and act swiftly to ensure that pupils get the help that they need.

Leaders have put in place intensive support for vulnerable pupils so that they receive appropriate and timely help from a range of external agencies. Leaders prioritise pupils' emotional well-being.

Staff follow up on any concerns about pupils diligently.

Pupils learn how to stay safe online and in the community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders are in the process of finalising their curriculum thinking in Year 9.

In a small number of subjects, some pupils have not received a curriculum that is as ambitious in its content as it should be. Leaders should ensure that all subject curriculums contain the knowledge that pupils need to achieve all that they should. ? Some older pupils do not read as well as they should.

This hinders how well some of these pupils access the wider curriculum. Leaders should ensure that these older pupils who have deficits in their reading knowledge are supported to catch up quickly. This is so that they can access the curriculum as well as their peers.