St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Thomas More Catholic Comprehensive school is a loving community which is welcoming, safe, forgiving and positive. Pupils deeply respect each other and all the staff.

They relish learning and love coming to school. They are happy and safe. Bullying is extremely rare and never tolerated.

Pupils work hard to meet leaders' high expectations and achieve highly. Their behaviour in lessons as well as at social times is exemplary.

Pupils feel valued as individuals and are proud of the school's diversity.

They enjoy the wealth of academic, social, creative and spiritual experiences the school provides. Pupils join in a plethora of extra-curricular activiti...es after school and at lunchtime.

Pupils have a real voice in the school and feel that staff listen to them.

Through seven different leadership committees, pupils have a say about important issues such as mental health, the environment and how the school promotes equality. All pupils are encouraged to make a positive contribution to the wider society. For example, pupils initiate various charitable activities to promote well-being.

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

Leaders are ambitious and expect all pupils to achieve well in a wide range of subjects. Leaders have revised and refined the curriculum plans in most subjects. In music, science and modern foreign languages, for example, they have thought carefully about how pupils can deepen their knowledge over time, building on strong foundations.

However, in Years 7 and 8, pupils do not have the opportunity to study some subjects in depth. For example, in history, pupils do not have the chance to learn in much detail about 20th century history. Where this is the case, it affects some pupils' ability to develop secure and deep knowledge.

Furthermore, leaders intend for pupils to study computing within the other subjects. But this is not coherently planned.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to present information clearly to pupils.

In most lessons, they use assessment well to find out what pupils know and to identify gaps in their learning. In science, for example, teachers provide a range of opportunities for pupils to recall what they have learned previously. This works particularly well for enquiry-based learning.

In history, teachers give pupils time to read, review and improve their work before moving on to learning new things. In most subjects, pupils achieve well and take pride in their work. Occasionally, teachers' expectations of pupils' learning are inconsistent.

Sometimes, the use of assessment to check what pupils know and remember is not as effective as it could be. This affects pupils' learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

These pupils achieve highly.

Staff make the most of all opportunities to promote reading. Pupils demonstrate enthusiasm for reading.

Leaders make sure that pupils who are learning to read or those who need to catch up are given extra help, including well-planned phonics sessions.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. Their attendance is high and they are punctual to lessons.

They are keen to learn, and they focus diligently on their work. They listen respectfully to one another and support each other's learning.

The school prepares pupils well for the next stages of their lives and learning.

The promotion of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development shines through in the pupils' kindness. In age-appropriate ways, pupils are taught about how to keep safe and about health and relationships. Pupils get to choose from a high number of enrichment activities.

These include sports clubs, choir, cross-stitch, board games, investment, table tennis, craft club, book club and mindfulness colouring. Leaders monitor closely pupils' participation in the school's extra-curricular offer. They make sure that disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND always benefit from these activities.

All pupils in Year 9 participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. The careers programme is comprehensive and meets all requirements.

Leaders work hard to promote their inclusive, ambitious vision.

They make sure that communication with parents and carers, staff and governors is consistent and helpful. Staff, including those who are new to their careers, feel well supported and say that leaders are sensitive to their workload and well-being. Governors keep abreast of these issues and hold leaders to account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding based on the idea that 'it could happen here'. Leaders promote a sense of professional curiosity about pupils' safety and well-being.

Staff are vigilant about identifying pupils who might be vulnerable or at risk. Leaders take appropriate action to keep pupils safe. They work well with a range of external agencies to reinforce this.

The personal development programme promotes independence and resilience and encourages pupils to take responsibility. Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe in a range of situations.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils do not study some subjects in key stage 3 in as much depth as other subjects.

This affects how well pupils learn in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that pupils have the opportunity to study all subjects in depth across key stage 3. In most subjects, teachers' expectations are high, and pupils achieve well.

However, sometimes, teachers' use of assessment and their expectations of pupils' learning are inconsistent. Where this is the case, it leads to some pupils having gaps in their learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers' expectations are consistently high.

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