St Antony’s Roman Catholic School, a Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school, and they feel safe.

They say that behaviour has improved because of high expectations from their teachers. Most pupils move around the school sensibly during breaktimes and between lessons. During lessons, most pupils work hard and listen carefully because they want to learn.

They show positive attitudes to learning. Pupils from different backgrounds get on well with each other.

Pupils say that bullying is rare and are confident that staff deal with it quickly if it does happen.

Pupils can speak with peer mentors and staff if they have a problem. Pupils feel well supported in school.

Pupils are offered a wide r...ange of opportunities in school, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and the Combined Cadet Force.

These opportunities help them to develop their self-confidence, and they contribute to their personal development well.

While some areas of the school are improving, pupils are not achieving as well as they should. Some pupils experience teaching that does not help them to build on what they already know.

In addition, leaders have entered pupils for a course that is not in their educational best interest. Some pupils told us that having to study for the vocational qualification in sport science prevents them from choosing courses which meet their interests or aspirations for the future.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

This is because the curriculum is not designed well enough and leaders make poor decisions about examination entries. For example, pupils who left the school in the last two years and all the current Year 11 have taken their English literature examination in Year 10. This has led to weak outcomes in this subject.

It has also meant that pupils have not had the opportunity to fulfil their potential in this subject.

Leaders made the decision that all pupils who left the school in 2019 and all current Year 11 pupils had to take a vocational qualification in sport science. This has narrowed the key stage 4 curriculum for pupils.

This decision has not been in pupils' educational best interests. Pupils have had to take this vocational qualification irrespective of their ability or interests. This subject has no practical element.

The time allocation for this subject means that pupils have fewer option choices and do not receive their entitlement to do physical education (PE).

In Year 10, 40% of pupils study French. These pupils have opportunities to do PE.

However, the remaining 60% of pupils who do not study French have to study the vocational qualification in sport science and have less PE as a result. This prevents pupils from following their interests or studying for examinations which may help them to achieve their future goals.

Leaders do not have high enough ambitions for pupils' achievement.

The proportion of pupils who have taken the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) in recent years, and in the current Year 11, is well below the national average. That said, this is an improving picture with a higher proportion of pupils studying a modern foreign language in Year 10.

Pupils' progress is improving in some subjects.

This is because leaders have reviewed curriculum plans in these subjects and ensured that topics are taught in a well-sequenced order. In mathematics, teachers successfully use a range of teaching strategies, including reasoning and problem-solving activities, to develop pupils' understanding. However, in some subjects, leaders have not fully completed their curriculum planning.

This leads to some pupils attending lessons where teaching does not help them to build on what they already know. Some teachers do not cover aspects of the subject in enough depth. Nor do they routinely ensure that the curriculum is ambitious enough for all pupils to achieve well.

Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive effective support from teachers. Teaching assistants know their pupils well. They respond effectively to pupils' learning needs.

Leaders have been successful in improving pupils' behaviour. Pupils say that teachers are applying the behaviour policy consistently. The school is generally a calm and orderly place.

Pupils show respect for each other and their teachers. Most pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Exclusions are less common than in previous years.

Most pupils attend school regularly.

Pupils have many opportunities to participate in a variety of sports, trips and visits. They learn about the rule of law and democracy and other aspects of life in modern Britain through their personal, social, health and economic education lessons and assemblies.

Pupils have been successful in regional debating competitions.

Staff morale is high. Staff are proud to work at the school and appreciate the training that they receive.

The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to Ofsted's surveys are very positive about the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make appropriate checks to ensure that all staff are safe to work with pupils.

Clear procedures are in place to ensure that pupils at risk of harm are identified, helped and protected. Staff have regular training in safeguarding and are vigilant. They know what to do if they have concerns about a pupil.

Leaders work effectively with external agencies. Pupils learn about how to keep themselves safe from risks, including when they are using the internet and social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have entered pupils for a course in key stage 4 that is not in their educational best interests.

All Year 11 pupils who left the school in 2019, current Year 11 pupils and a large proportion of pupils in Year 10 have been entered for a sport science qualification. This takes away pupils' opportunities for PE and reduces their other option choices. Leaders and governors must urgently address the curriculum offer.

They must ensure that the curriculum offers a range of courses that meet pupils' needs and aspirations and provides them with sufficient opportunities for PE. . Leaders have entered pupils for English literature at the end of Year 10.

Leaders must stop entering pupils for this examination before they are ready. This will give pupils the best opportunity to achieve their full potential in this subject. .

The curriculum in many subjects is well planned and sequenced effectively. However, this is not the case for all subjects. This leads to teaching that prevents pupils from building on what they already know.

Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in every subject enables pupils to learn new knowledge in a well-sequenced order. This will enable pupils to build on their prior learning, learn more and remember more. All subjects need to be sufficiently ambitious to allow all pupils to achieve well.

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