All Saints' Roman Catholic High School, a Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 April 2024

Pupils value the warm family atmosphere of the school. They benefit from strong relationships with staff who know them well and care about their well-being. Pupils show respect for the range of backgrounds and cultures found within the school community. Pupils' behaviour is improving. The school has successfully identified and tackled some of the underlying causes of poor conduct, which has led to a reduction in behaviour incidents. However, some pupils, particularly older pupils, do not place sufficient value on their learning. The school has not supported them to develop the motivation and resilience that they need to be successful in their studies. The school is increasingly ambitious for pupils' achievement. It has acted to strengthen the curriculum in many areas to improve pupils' learning. However, the legacy of poor curriculum design and implementation, as well as the weaknesses that persist in some subjects, mean that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from a range of activities to develop their talents and interests such as science club, musical instrument tuition and choir. Pupil sports leaders help staff to lead an array of sports clubs and teams.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, teachers are not clear about what they should teach and how new learning connects to pupils' prior knowledge. Consequently, some pupils, including those with SEND, do not learn all that they should. The school should ensure that it finalises its curriculum thinking in these subjects, so that teachers know what pupils should learn.
• Sometimes, teachers do not check carefully or quickly enough that pupils' knowledge is secure before new knowledge is introduced. Instead, some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should ensure that teachers are equipped with strategies to swiftly identify and address weaknesses in pupils' understanding.
• Too many pupils are absent and persistently absent from school. They miss out on valuable learning which hampers their achievement. The school should ensure that it works with parents and carers to identify and overcome barriers to pupils' attendance.
• On occasions, some staff do not set the clear expectations for pupils' behaviour that the school's policy requires. When this happens, some pupils do not behave as well as they should. The school should ensure that its behaviour policy is enacted consistently so that it has the intended positive impact.
• The school is in the early stages of implementing suitable support for pupils who struggle with reading. This means that some pupils, particularly older pupils, do not have the reading expertise that they need to successfully access the curriculum. The school should ensure that pupils who find reading difficult receive the support that they need to overcome gaps in their reading knowledge.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)