St Marys Catholic Academy
Ford Green Road
Norton-le-Moors
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
ST6 8EZ
Head: Mr Ian Beardmore
T 01782 234820
F 01782 534 384
A state school for boys and girls aged from 3 to 11.
Boarding: No
Local authority: Stoke-on-Trent
Pupils: 241
Religion: Roman Catholic
Unique Reference Number 108094
Local Authority Leeds
Inspection number 324707
Inspection dates 29-30 September 2008
Reporting inspector Paul Chambers HMI
This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
Type of school Secondary
School category Voluntary aided
Age range of pupils 11-18
Gender of pupils Mixed
Number on roll School (total) 1169
Sixth form 270
Appropriate authority The governing body
Chair Mr Bob Lavery
Headteacher Mr Michael Pyle
Date of previous school inspection 11 January 2006
School address Bradford Road/Menston/Ilkley/West Yorkshire/LS29 6AE
Telephone number 01943 883000
Fax number 01943 870242
Age group 11-18
Inspection dates 29-30 September 2008
The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and four Additional Inspectors.
St Mary's is a larger than average secondary school. Most students come from the Roman Catholic communities of towns to the north west of Leeds.
The school serves a socially mixed, but relatively advantaged, area and the proportion of students who are entitled to free school meals is low. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is low and the proportion with a statement of special educational need is below average. Over 92% of the students are of White British heritage. The school has specialist status in sport and holds a number of recent good practice awards including Sportsmark Gold, the Healthy Schools award and Investors in People.
Grade 1 Outstanding
Grade 2 Good
Grade 3 Satisfactory
Grade 4 Inadequate
Grade: 2
St Mary's is a good school, where standards are high and students achieve well. Students enter the school with levels of attainment that are above national expectations for their age and attain standards by the end of Key Stage 4 that are well above average. Students' performance at GCSE is steadily improving. Students achieve well because of the good teaching and outstanding support that they receive: in a high proportion of lessons seen during the inspection, teaching was good or better. Particular strengths of the teaching include the use of discussion between students to develop ideas, the selection of varied and interesting activities and the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support learning. In the small number of less successful lessons, learning was slower because teachers' planning did not cater sufficiently for the individual needs of students of different abilities.
Good leadership and management have helped the school to improve in recent years, both in terms of students' academic results and in the pastoral care offered. Self-evaluation is strong and the school has good capacity for further improvement. A commitment to promoting equal opportunities and eliminating discrimination is evident in all the school does. Managers are increasingly taking opportunities to listen to the views of students and this has contributed to improvements in teaching. The school makes a good contribution to community cohesion, particularly through the high number of students who participate in a wide range of local and international projects. The impact of sports college status is impressive, both within and outside school, for example, in developing students' leadership skills. Extensive work with local primary schools, initiating a sports club for disabled young people and extending opportunities for local young people to be coached in tennis have all made excellent contributions to the local community. Parents are highly supportive, and the school enjoys a justifiably strong local reputation. For example, 98% of the parents who returned the inspection questionnaire felt that their child was safe and well cared for in school and was also making good progress in lessons. One parent commented that, 'My children find the teaching and learning enjoyable, innovative, challenging and aspirational " the school has very high expectations of behaviour, social skillsandacademicachievement.'
Students'personaldevelopmentisoutstanding.Behaviourinlessonsandaroundschoolis excellent because teachers have high expectations and develop strong relationships with students.Studentssaythattheyfeelverysafeinschool.Whereveryrareincidentsofbullying occur they are dealt with well. Attendance is well above average as a result of rigorous monitoring of absence and highly effective links with parents. Students benefit from outstanding levelsofcare,guidanceandsupport.Thecurriculumiswellmatchedtostudents'needsand this contributes to their good progress. Curricular provision supports the development of students'moral,socialandspiritualeducationthroughgroupworkinlessonsandsportscoaching and mentoring. The school has identified where current provision is less strong and recognises the need to develop further its range of vocational courses and to broaden opportunities for students to undertake more work-related learning and enterprise education.
Grade: 2
Standards in the sixth form are above average and improving, and provisional 2008 results suggest that the rising trend of results has been maintained. Standards are lower than in the mainschool,becauseoftheschool'sopen-accesspolicywhichencouragesstudentsfroma widerangeofbackgrounds,notjustthemostable,tofindasuitablecourse.Studentsachieve well overall and particularlywell in A level mathematics and French.Students' achievement on vocationalcoursesissatisfactory.Adevelopingcurriculumincludesnewcoursesinphysical education and health and social care. The school recognises the need to develop vocational opportunities further through its established partnership arrangements with neighbouring schools and other post-16 training providers. The good progress that students make is the directresultofthegoodteachingandexcellentacademicguidancethattheyreceive.Thesixth formiswellledandmanaged.Gooduseofdatahelpstotrackandsupporttheprogressof individualstudentsandalsocontributeseffectivelytotheschool'sevaluationofitsprovision. Studentsfeelwellsupportedandcaredforandknowthattheirviewsarelistenedto.They showexcellentpersonalqualities:theyareconfident,sensibleandarticulateyoungadultswho enjoyschoolandrelishtheadditionalresponsibilitiestheyhave.Severalstudentsbenefitfrom training to become learning mentors so that they can support students in the main school on academic, social and emotional issues.
■ Developthecurriculumtoincludefurtheropportunitiesforstudentstofollowvocational pathways and work-related learning.
■ Improve personalised learning through teaching that gives a greater focus to the needs of the individual.
Grade: 2
Students enter the school with attainment that is above expectations for their age. In 2007, results in national tests at the end ofYear 9were well above average.Similarly, at GCSE, results werewellaboveaverage:theproportionofstudentsgainingfiveormoreGCSEgradesA*to C including English and mathematics was 78%, compared with a national average of 46%. Provisionalresultsfor2008suggestthathighstandardshavebeenatleastmaintainedandin somecasesimproved,continuingalong-termrisingtrendofresults.Studentsachievewell. Theymakegoodgainsintheirlearningthroughouttheschoolandparticularlysoinmathematics, whereachievementisoutstanding.Observationsmadeduringtheinspectionconfirmthegood progresssuggestedbytheschool'sresults.Studentswithlearningdifficultiesand/ordisabilities receiveappropriatesupportandasaresulttheytoomakegoodprogress.Acrossarangeof subjects, the school either meets or comes very close to its challenging targets.
Grade: 1
Students'spiritual,moral,socialandculturaldevelopmentisoutstanding.Theirspiritual developmentbenefitsfromopportunitiesforcollectiveworshipandparticipatinginpilgrimages andretreats.Studentsshowverypositiveattitudestoschoolandtheirbehaviourisoutstanding. Students'highlevelsofenjoymentaredemonstratedbytheirexcellentattendanceandhigh levelsofparticipationinextra-curricularactivities,especiallyinsportsandthearts.Thenumber ofexclusionsfromschoolislow.Studentssaythattheyfeelverysafeinschool.Year7students, whentheyfirstjointheschool,particularlyappreciatethesupporttheyreceivefromtheYear 12'shepherds'.Students'willingnesstoadopthealthylifestylesisoutstanding:theyrespond verypositivelytotheschool'semphasisondevelopinghighlevelsofphysicalandemotional health.Studentsmakeexcellentcontributionstothecommunity.Theydevelopgoodworkplace skillsandarewellpreparedforthefuture:almostallofthemcontinueintoeducationand training after the age of 16.
Grade: 2
The key strengths in teaching are excellent subject knowledge and effective lesson planning. Teachers establish good working relationships with students, reinforced by high expectations andwellpacedlessonswithanappropriatelevelofchallenge.Asaresultstudentsdisplayvery positiveattitudestolearning.Studentsbenefitconsiderablyfromregularopportunitiestowork inpairsandgroups,wheretheycandiscusstheirideasandconsolidatetheirlearning.Inasmall numberoflessonsteacherstalkfortoolongandworkisnotsufficientlytailoredtostudents' individual needs. The effective use of ICT, particularly the interactive whiteboards, is evident acrossthecurriculum.Managersmonitorteachingrigorouslyandthisservestopromote consistentlystrongteachingacrosstheschool.Thequalityofmarkingisgoodoverall,although thereisstillvariationbetweensubjects.Wheremarkingisgood,teachersprovidehelpful commentsandsuggeststrategiestoenablestudentstoimprove.Staffvaluetheopportunities forprofessionaldevelopmentthatareofferedbytheschool'sworkinggroupsandbenefit considerablyfromthesharingofgoodpractice.
Grade: 2
Thecurriculum,whichmeetsallstatutoryrequirements,meetsstudents'needswell.The introductionofoptionchoicesattheendofYear8successfullyraisesthechallengeforall, including the most able students. Students say that they like the range of choices available anddescribeclearlyhowhavingachoicecontributestotheirpersonaldevelopmentbyengaging them in planning for their future. Vocational provision, including work-related learning, is satisfactoryanddeveloping.Someaspectsofextra-curricularprovisionareparticularlydistinctive featuresofStMary's.Forexample,theSportOnSaturdaysessions,whichoffersportsforlocal children with disabilities, and sports leadership courses, which enable older students to take part in delivering sports and fitness sessions to the community, are very successful. Students alsoappreciatetheopportunitiesofferedbytheinternationalBambisananiPartnership,which helpsthemtolearnmoreabouteducationandlifeinthedevelopingworld.
Grade: 1
Appropriatechildprotectionsystemsareinplaceandsafetychecksonnewstaffsatisfynational requirements.Veryhighlevelsofindividualcareandsupportareprovidedforallstudents, includingthosewithlearningdifficultiesand/ordisabilities.Thepastoralteamknowsstudents verywellandworksextremelyeffectivelywitharangeofexternalagenciestoensurethatthe mostvulnerablestudentsattendregularlyanddonotunderachieve.Outstandingtransition and induction arrangements for new students include a highly successful 'deanery day' to ensurethatstudentssettleinquickly.Studentsareverywellsupportedinselectingappropriate coursesoremploymentroutesattheendofYear11.Thecitizenshipprogrammehasimproved sincethelastinspectionandistaughteffectivelythroughreligiouseducation,togetherwith inputinotherlessons.Theschool'ssystemformonitoringacademicprogressisgood.Students havecleartargetsandregularreviewsallowstaffopportunitiestomonitorprogress.Where individual students are found to be falling behind their expected progress, the school provides effective intervention and support.
Grade: 2
Good leadership at all levels is helping the school to maintain and improve high standards. Recentrestructuringofstaffinghasledtofewermanagerswithwiderresponsibilities.Thishas helped in creating a shared sense of purpose among managers at all levels. A coordinated approach to improvement planning has led to effective self-evaluation, with realistic assessments ofwherestrengthsandweaknesseslie.Asaresultgoodpracticeinstrongerdepartmentshas beensharedacrosstheschoolandthishashelpedtoincreasetheproportionofteachingthat isgoodorbetter.Theschoolhasimprovedsincethelastinspection.Forexample,alltheareas for improvement have been addressed successfully and GCSE results have improved.The school's capacityto improve further is good.Managers have used targets effectively resulting in a rising trendinstandardsoverseveralyears.Throughgoodfinancialmanagement,theschoolhas dealteffectivelywithadeficitbudget,resourcesarewellmanagedanditnowprovidesgood value for money. Governors know the school well and provide good levels of support and challenge.LinkswithotherproviderstoofferwiderchoicesatKeyStage4andinthesixth form are developing and are yet to have a major impact on the curriculum offered.
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Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate |
School Overall |
16-19 |
|
How effective,efficient and inclusive is the provision of education,integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? |
2 |
2 |
|
Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection |
Yes |
Yes |
|
How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? |
2 |
2 |
|
The capacity to make any necessary improvements |
2 |
2 |
|
How well do learners achieve? |
2 |
2 |
|
The standards1 reached by learners |
1 |
2 |
|
How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners |
2 |
2 |
|
How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress |
2 |
|
How good are the overall personal development and well-being of the learners? |
1 |
1 |
|
The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development |
1 |
|
|
The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles |
1 |
|
|
The extent to which learners adopt safe practices |
1 |
|
|
The extent to which learners enjoy their education |
1 |
|
|
The attendance of learners |
1 |
|
|
The behaviour of learners |
1 |
|
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The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community |
1 |
|
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How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being |
2 |
|
How effective are teaching and learning in meeting the full range of learners' needs? |
2 |
2 |
|
How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? |
2 |
2 |
|
How well are learners cared for, guided and supported? |
1 |
1 |
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How effective are leadership and management in raising achievement and supporting all learners? |
2 |
2 |
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Howeffectivelyleadersandmanagersatalllevelssetclear direction leading to improvement and promote high qualityof care and education |
2 |
|
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How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards |
2 |
|
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The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation |
2 |
2 |
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How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated |
2 |
|
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How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? |
2 |
|
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How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money |
2 |
|
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The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities |
2 |
|
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Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? |
Yes |
Yes |
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Does this school require special measures? |
No |
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Does this school require a notice to improve? |
No |