Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 March 2025

The school's values of 'be kind, work hard, develop my whole self' are not just words written on the wall. They are lived out. For instance, pupils regularly raise money for charity. Relationships between staff and pupils have strengthened. This is evident in their respectful interactions. Older pupils recognise and value the improvements that the school has made. The school has high levels of ambition for pupils' academic achievement. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve highly. Students in the sixth form successfully develop their independent study skills. Their attainment is high. The school's routines are firmly embedded. These have helped to cultivate a culture where pupils are ready to learn and eager to succeed. There is rarely any disruption to learning. Some pupils enjoy a raft of clubs from darts and football to knitting. Pupils take on prized roles of responsibility that allow them to affect change, such as 'ministry for dignity of the human person' and 'ministry for creation and environment'. Pupils benefit from high-quality pastoral care. For example, The Ark provides a safe space for pupils to be nurtured and supported. This helps some pupils overcome their barriers to learning.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, assessment strategies are not used effectively to check what pupils know. This prevents some misconceptions from being identified and, occasionally, pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. This hinders how well some pupils secure a deep body of knowledge across the curriculum.
• From time to time, teachers do not use adaptive strategies effectively to adjust learning for some pupils. This means that some pupils do not achieve as highly as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are equipped with the skills and pedagogical knowledge to use adaptive strategies effectively to help pupils learn.
• Some aspects of the school's quality assurance processes are not focused enough on its key priorities. This means that the school, in some areas, does not have a clear understanding of what is working well and what needs further development. The school should ensure that leaders are equipped with the expertise and knowledge to accurately evaluate the impact of the school's actions.

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