Thornleigh Salesian College

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 October 2024

Pupils, and students in the sixth form, benefit from high-quality pastoral care. They enjoy positive relationships with staff. The school is a calm place. Pupils work purposefully. Behaviour is well managed by staff. At social times, pupils conduct themselves sensibly. The school's expectations of pupils' academic achievement are rising. However, in some subjects, weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum mean that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. This particularly affects pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils eagerly take up positions such as global leaders, year captains and literary and debate leaders. These opportunities help pupils to develop their confidence and become active citizens. The school provides a range of clubs which cater for pupils' interests and develop their talents. For example, robotics and gaming, netball and drama clubs. Pupils enjoy caring for the guinea pigs in the St Francis animal garden. Pupils clearly display the Salesian values. They show compassion to others. Students in the sixth form encourage one another in charitable works. Pupils show kindness towards one another.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, teachers do not design appropriate activities to allow pupils to consolidate their learning. This means that some pupils, including pupils with SEND, do not secure a deep understanding in those subjects. The school should support teachers to adapt their delivery of the curriculum to meet pupils' needs well.
• In some subjects, teachers' expertise in using assessment information is underdeveloped. Some teachers move on to delivering new knowledge before pupils are ready. As a result, some pupils, develop gaps in their learning and consequently underachieve. The school should ensure that assessment strategies are used consistently well to identify, and then address, any missed or forgotten learning.
• The school's quality assurance processes do not provide an accurate understanding of the quality of education that pupils in the school receive. This limits how well the school can evaluate its effectiveness and plan for improvement. The school should ensure that its quality assurance systems rigorously evaluate the impact of the strategies that it has employed. Furthermore, the school should ensure that staff are supported to use these processes effectively.

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