St Peter’s Collegiate Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the diversity in the school. They show respect to different cultures and say pupils of all backgrounds are welcome.

Most pupils enjoy school. They know that adults care about them and want them to do well.

Behaviour has improved considerably.

Leaders have begun to instil high expectations for behaviour and attitudes. However, pupils' behaviour is not yet consistently good. Pupils say they hear bad language and see some disruptive behaviour that remains unchallenged by some staff.

Although most pupils feel safe, pupils say bullying sometimes happens. They know that adults will always act quickly, but sanctions do not always have th...e desired impact.

Pupils appreciate the wide variety of trips and enrichment on offer.

There is a wealth of different extra-curricular clubs that pupils attend regularly. For example, basketball, culture and society, 'This Girl Can', mixed martial arts and a variety of music clubs.

Leaders have high aspirations and ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They want pupils to leave as successful, confident and resilient individuals. The careers programme is comprehensive and supports pupils to feel confident about next steps after they leave school. Pupils are well supported to gain insight into a broad range of work and employment opportunities.

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

After a turbulent time for school leaders, the acting principal has worked hard to respond to the challenges and stabilise the school. Together with other senior leaders, he has ensured that all staff understand this vision. One teacher said, 'We are now heading in the right direction'.

Leaders have developed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, including in the sixth form. Leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want the pupils to know and remember in most subjects. However, in some subjects, curriculum thinking is significantly less well developed.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. However, in some subjects, teachers do not use this to systematically check what pupils can and cannot do. This means that they do not identify gaps and misconceptions in pupils' learning.

Pupils echo this view. Pupils who spoke with inspectors said that they are not always clear about how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work. Some teachers do not have high enough expectations of the work pupils produce.

They do not insist that pupils always do their best. This means that some pupils produce work that is incomplete and not of high quality.

This is not the case in the sixth form.

Students achieve well. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to ensure students receive appropriate and precise feedback about how to improve their work. Students study a wide range of courses that meet their interests and abilities.

They enjoy positive relationships with their teachers. Students are proud of their achievements and would recommend the sixth form to others.

Reading is high priority in the school.

Pupils with SEND have a planned programme of support in place to support reading. Leaders know the importance of supporting pupils to be fluent readers and are beginning to evaluate the impact of this support.

Pupils' personal development is high quality.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about issues that are important to them and the local community such as gang culture and knife crime. Pupils are tolerant and respectful of other beliefs. Pupils from Year 7 to Year 13 receive high-quality careers advice to help them make decisions about their future.

Leaders work hard to develop pupils' gifts and talents. Leaders track club attendance closely and ensure that all pupils, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, can attend. Pupils take part in high-quality music and drama performances.

Pupils appreciate the varied roles and responsibilities they have in school. The head boys and girls for each year take an active role in supporting the school. They work closely with leaders on projects that they value, for example promoting diversity in the curriculum.

Parents and carers have mixed views of the school. Leaders have begun to communicate more effectively with parents, but they know there is still work to win hearts and minds.

The trust has invested time and resources to develop leadership across the school.

This considered approach has ensured that leaders in school develop the skills and knowledge to move the school forward. Training supported governors to develop their skills to challenge school leaders on the right things. There is an unwavering determination from the trust and governors to continue to build on recent improvements.

Leaders and governors are mindful of staff workload and well-being. They have ensured that staff are consulted before decisions are made.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know the pupils and their local context very well. They use this intelligence astutely to plan support and help for pupils and their families. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online, and have a detailed understanding of healthy relationships and consent.

Leaders work closely with external agencies and speakers to give pupils relevant information. For example, a visiting speaker came to talk about knife crime.Leaders ensure that the correct checks on all staff and governors are carried out and recorded appropriately.

Leaders have implemented a clear system for recording concerns. Staff receive detailed safeguarding training.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment and feedback effectively enough.

Pupils struggle to know what they need to do to improve their work. Leaders should ensure that the school's chosen approach to assessment is implemented consistently so that pupils know how to improve their work and achieve their very best. ? Some pupils feel that negative behaviour and bullying is not dealt with effectively.

Leaders should ensure that the behaviour policy is implemented consistently by all staff to ensure that all pupils behave well. ? The curriculum in most subjects is well thought out. However, in some subjects the curriculum is significantly less developed.

This means that pupils do not achieve well over time in these subjects. Leaders need to ensure that all subjects are planned with the same level of thought. Teachers should be clear about the essential knowledge that pupils will need to know and remember at each stage of their education.

• Teachers do not have consistently high expectations of the work pupils produce. At times, pupils do not complete their work, or it is not completed to a high standard. Leaders should ensure that teachers have consistently high expectations of the work pupils complete.

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