St Catherine's School and College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 January 2024

Pupils enjoy being a part of this caring school community. They feel safe and secure here, knowing that they are supported by their teachers and other school staff. As well as a broad academic curriculum, pupils benefit from a focus on wider goals such as communication skills and preparation for adult life. They are well prepared to take their next steps by the time they leave the school. The wide range of pupils' talents is reflected in the extra-curricular offer at the school. Activities such as sports, choir, forest school and swimming are used as opportunities to further develop pupils' social, communication and motor skills. Students in the sixth form particularly benefit from opportunities to do similar activities in the wider community, for example using local gym facilities. Parents and carers are incredibly positive about the school. Many of the pupils who attend here do so following challenging experiences in mainstream settings. In responding to Ofsted's survey, many parents told us about the transformational impact this school has had on their children. One parent wrote: 'Without exception, the staff are dedicated, committed and devoted to doing all they can for each child in their care. They are experienced, capable, knowledgeable and patient.'

What the school should improve

• The school's approach to developing written outcomes is not consistently effective across all subjects. Sometimes the activities chosen by teachers do not prepare pupils as well as they could to develop more extended written outcomes. The school should implement the plans to introduce a more coherent strategy for the teaching of writing across the school.

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