Sacred Heart of Mary Girls’ School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

Students' achievement is outstanding. All groups of students, including those who have special educational needs or are supported by the pupil premium, make rapid progress in relation to their starting points and abilities. The quality of teaching is outstanding.

All students are engaged and many lessons proceed at a quick pace. Questions are probing and tasks set are imaginative and challenging. Students' behaviour is exemplary both in and out of lessons.

Students feel safe and attitudes to learning are excellent. The quality of relationships is characterised by respect and courtesy. The sixth form is good.

Stu...dents achieve well both at AS and A level. Last year 85% of students progressed to university. Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent.

It is a very strong feature in many lessons as well as in all other aspects of the school. Leadership and management are outstanding, driven by an enthusiastic and highly approachable headteacher recently appointed. She is supported by skilled and committed school leaders who help drive improvement relentlessly and with the students' best interests as the priority.

The governing body is very effective. It is fully aware of its leadership and management role. Governors work closely with the school and have a very good knowledge and understanding of its priorities.

Information about this school

This is a smaller-than-average-sized secondary school. The Sacred Heart of Mary Girls' School was inspected by Ofsted in 2009. At that time it was judged to be outstanding.

It converted to an academy in 2011. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is in line with the national average. The largest groups represented are of Black African heritage.

The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for looked-after children, students known to be eligible for free school meals and children of service families) is below average. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the Year 7 'catch-up premium' is below average. The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average.

The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. No students are educated off site.

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