St Peter’s School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Decisive and rigorous action has been taken to address all safeguarding concerns at the previous inspection. As a result, safeguarding is now effective, and leaders are tenacious in their actions to keep pupils safe. Against a backdrop of significant challenges, the headteacher and his team have been unrelenting in improving the provision for pupils at St Peter's School.

Consequently, this is a school that is improving strongly and sustainably over time. Effective leadership throughout the school and from its governance, including the academy trust, has secured continued improvements, most notably in science, middle leadership, teaching, achieveme...nt and behaviour. Leaders have tackled historical underperformance relentlessly.

Better teaching led to significant improvements in overall achievement, and across a number of subjects, in 2016. Leaders' work with other stakeholders around children who are missing from education is remarkably thorough and diligent. Vulnerable pupils are well monitored and supported.

Children looked after are particularly well supported. High-quality care and guidance mean that these pupils attend school regularly, behave, and achieve well. The sixth form continues to build on its many strengths identified in the previous inspection.

Achievement, teaching and pastoral care in the sixth form are securely good. High-quality careers advice and rising achievement mean that more pupils are securing high-quality next steps in their education and training. This includes higher numbers of pupils going on to apprenticeships and university.

Although standards continue to rise, outcomes are not yet securely good for disadvantaged pupils, most notably boys. There are still gaps in their knowledge and skills as a result of previous weaker teaching. Provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities continues to improve, although some guidance to staff is not sharp enough to ensure that these pupils make consistently strong progress.

A significant minority of parents are critical of the quality of the school's communication, especially when they have concerns.

Information about this school

Since the previous inspection in July 2016, the school changed from being a single academy trust into a multi-academy trust. It is now part of The Cam Academy Trust.

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish. The school is slightly smaller than an average secondary school.

The school also has a sixth form. The majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is below the national average.

The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities with a statement of special educational needs or an EHC plan is above the national average. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities without a statement or EHC plan is below the national average. The school does not use alternative provision.

The school runs its 'strive' programme on site for a small minority of pupils who have challenging behaviour who would normally be vulnerable to permanent exclusion. The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding is above the national average. Pupils enter the school with attainment that is significantly lower than the national average.