St Mary’s Catholic High School, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.

All aspects of the school's work are outstanding. This is because the leaders of the school and the governing body have established a clear ethos around high expectations for all students. Leaders know the school extremely well and have clear plans in place to develop it further.

Students in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 make outstanding progress during their time in the school, relative to their starting points. At the end of Key Stage 4, their attainment is high compared to national expectations and benchmarks. Approximately half of the teaching seen during the inspection was outstanding.

The school's records over time s...how that, typically, around two-thirds of lessons are outstanding across the school with particular strengths in mathematics and history. There is exemplary behaviour around the school. Students are unfailingly courteous and polite to adults, and each other.

Students say that bullying is not a concern and it is very rare for any disruption to occur in lessons. Students are kept very safe in the school and it is clear from their attitudes to school and their attendance that students are extremely proud to be a part of the community of St Mary's Catholic High School. The sixth form is good as the progress that students make is outstanding in Year 12 and good in Year 13, compared to national expectations.

However, attainment is high compared to national averages at the end of the sixth form.

Information about this school

St Mary's Catholic High School is a large secondary academy. It converted to Catholic voluntary academy status in August 2012.

It is located in the Diocese of Hallam and primarily serves the Catholic community in north-east Derbyshire, although some students travel from areas further afield such as Sheffield and north Nottinghamshire. The proportion of students who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium is below the national average. The number of students from minority ethnic backgrounds or who have English as an additional language is low compared to national averages.

The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs, supported at school action, is below average. The percentage supported at school action plus or who have statements is low. The academy meets the current government floor standard.