St Augustine’s Catholic College

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About St Augustine’s Catholic College


Name St Augustine’s Catholic College
Website http://www.st-augustines.wilts.sch.uk
Inspections
Ofsted Inspections
Headteacher Mr Aidan Dowle
Address Wingfield Road, Trowbridge, BA14 9EN
Phone Number 01225350001
Phase Academy
Type Academy converter
Age Range 11-18
Religious Character Roman Catholic
Gender Mixed
Number of Pupils 946
Local Authority Wiltshire
Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils say there is a strong community at St Augustine's. Pupils are keen to come to school. Staff enjoy working at the school.

Pupils feel safe in school. They know who they can talk to if they need help. Students in the sixth form value the support they receive from staff.

Pupils are punctual and attend well. They behave well in lessons, but their conduct is not as respectful during social times.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

However, the curriculum is not planned or taught well enough so that all pupils learn and achieve as well as they should.

Pupils are tolerant and keen to engage with different beliefs and values. However, th...ere are gaps in their knowledge around how people live different lifestyles.

Pupils learn about personal development but older pupils, including students in the sixth form, have not been taught important content at the right time.

The school provides many opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils appreciate the many clubs in sport, music, choir, computing and drama.

Pupils help out across the school community, for example, in the library and the chaplaincy, and sixth-form students enjoy assisting in languages lessons.

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

Leaders want the school to be an ambitious place for all but do not have a clear vision for how they will achieve this. Senior leaders have driven developments in teaching.

Some curriculum leaders have developed strong curriculum plans. However, leaders do not routinely check that school improvement work is implemented consistently. This limits the impact of the curriculum.

Leaders are keen for more pupils to follow English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects. They are developing a new languages curriculum to help pupils become more confident language learners. Leaders are considering how to broaden the science curriculum in Year 9 so that pupils are better prepared for the next stage in their learning.

The curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced in some subject areas. Where this is the case, pupils can recall what they have learned. They build successfully on their prior knowledge.

Students in the sixth form say lessons are often interesting and challenging. However, in some subjects, the curriculum does not build precisely enough on pupils' prior knowledge.

Leaders have implemented systems to assess pupils' learning.

Where assessment is used well, staff identify what pupils know and can do. Teachers then take this into account when planning future learning. Where it is not as effective, teachers do not find out why some pupils do not have a secure understanding.

Leaders do not use assessment information well enough to check where the curriculum is working well and what areas they need to strengthen.

Leaders have an accurate view of the quality of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They make sure pupils' support plans contain the right guidance for teachers.

This helps teachers to be better informed about the needs of the pupils they teach. However, sometimes, staff do not have high enough expectations for pupils. This is particularly the case for pupils who are disadvantaged and pupils with SEND.

This leads to some pupils producing work that is below their capabilities.

Leaders have developed a programme to raise the profile of reading in the school, however it is not consistently delivered. This means that some pupils have the chance to read more frequently and more widely than other pupils.

Pupils learn about careers and the school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. However, some older pupils would like more helpful information about their next steps and more opportunities to gain experiences of the world of work.

Staff feel proud to work at the school.

Early career teachers receive appropriate guidance and feel well supported. Leaders and governors are mindful of staff well-being and workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding leaders are knowledgeable and skilled. They make sure that staff are well trained. Staff and governors are kept well informed of safeguarding matters.

Staff confidently identify any concerns. They know that leaders deal with them quickly. The safeguarding team works effectively with other agencies to make sure pupils get the help they need.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online. They understand that sexual harassment is unacceptable. However, some pupils say that more needs to be done in school to ensure that sexist language and attitudes are not part of school life.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not routinely check that their curriculum improvement plans are being implemented well. This means they cannot confidently say what is working well and what needs to be improved. The headteacher and senior leaders need to ensure they set clear expectations for staff, with regular checks for consistency and impact.

• Assessment information is not always used effectively. In some cases, teachers do not use assessment information to find out why some pupils have an insecure understanding of the content. Staff need to make better use of assessments so that they check on the impact of the curriculum, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, so they can strengthen the curriculum accordingly.

• Pupils have not been taught curriculum content at the right time relating to personal development. As a result, pupils have learned about important topics such as healthy relationships and consent, too late in their education. Leaders need to ensure that pupils are taught essential knowledge at the right time.

• Staff do not always have high enough expectations for pupils with SEND and pupils who are disadvantaged. This leads to pupils producing work that is below their capabilities. Leaders need to ensure the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils and that staff are well trained to teach pupils with SEND.


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