Corpus Christi Catholic College, A Voluntary Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 March 2024

Corpus Christi Catholic College is a welcoming school where pupils are safe. Most pupils say they have an adult in school who they can talk to if they have concerns. The school has recently expanded its pastoral team. Parents and pupils value the quality of pastoral care at the school. Most pupils enjoy school. However, bullying happens and some pupils say the school does not always deal with it effectively. After a period of decline in attainment standards, the school has recently taken appropriate steps to begin to bring about much needed improvements. Most lessons are orderly. However, parents have expressed their concerns that expectations for behaviour and learning are not as high in some lessons as they are in others. Inspectors agree. Due to variable expectations, pupils tend not to achieve as well as they could. The school offers pupils a range of extra-curricular clubs to take part in, such as chess, reading, drama and a range of sports. Pupils have the opportunity to develop their leadership skills by being prefects and members of the school council. Pupils who hold leadership roles are proud to attend the school and feel like they have a voice.

What the school should improve

• The school does not apply its behaviour policy consistently. As a result, pupils receive mixed messages about the school's expectations. Some pupils do not meet the school's expectations for behaviour or do not focus enough on their learning. The school must ensure that all staff apply the behaviour policy consistently, so that behaviour across the school is consistently of a high standard.
• The curriculum is in a state of development and improvement. Some departments are further along this improvement journey than others. This means that the school has not clearly identified the body of knowledge that they want pupils to acquire and develop over time in all subjects. The school must ensure that an ambitious curriculum is planned, sequenced and embedded consistently well across all subjects.
• The teaching of the curriculum is not consistently strong enough across all subjects. As a result, pupils have significant gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve well. The school must ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well, and pupils' understanding is checked systematically, so that pupils know more and remember more.
• Some pupils, including the most disadvantaged, do not attend school often enough. As a result, these pupils have gaps in their learning. The school must use and develop its recently improved tracking systems for attendance, to identify and plan robust support to improve pupils' attendance.

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