School downgraded to ‘requires improvement’ after first full Ofsted inspection as an academy

A school has been downgraded to ‘requires improvement’ after its first full Ofsted inspection since becoming an academy. All Saints’ Roman Catholic High School in Rawtenstall received a ‘requires improvement’ rating, following an inspection on April 30 and May 1.

The Haslingden Road based school received a ‘requires improvement’ rating in all categories; the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management, resulting in a ‘requires improvement’ rating overall.

Mrs Francesca Lord, who became headteacher in September 2023, says, despite the overall rating, she is pleased the report refers to the changes that have been made since September to address legacy issues and concerns and she is confident that with the changes they have already implemented, alongside those planned, the school will continue to improve.

READ MORE:

• Concern over new Royal Preston location during general election hustings

• GCSE student in limbo after college scraps maths and photography courses 'halfway through'

The school was rated as ‘good’ overall before becoming an academy on February 1, 2020. Inspectors praised the ‘warm family atmosphere’ of the school and noted how pupils benefit from strong relationships with staff who ‘know them well and care about their well-being’.

They also acknowledged an improvement in students’ behaviour, but said some staff do not set clear expectations for pupils’ behaviour that the school’s policy requires and school policy should be enacted consistently so it has the intended positive impact.

The report, which was published on June 11, reads: “Pupils’ behaviour is improving. The school has successfully identified and tackled some of the underlying causes of poor conduct, which has led to a reduction in behaviour incidents. However, some pupils, particularly older pupils, do not place sufficient value on their learning.

“The school has not supported them to develop the motivation and resilience that they need to be successful in their studies.“

The report continues: “The school is increasingly ambitious for pupils’ achievement. It has acted to strengthen the curriculum in many areas to improve pupils’ learning.

“However, the legacy of poor curriculum design and implementation, as well as the weaknesses that persist in some subjects, mean that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.”

Inspectors mentioned in their report that pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from a range of activities to develop their talents and interests, as well as useful careers information and guidance, including encounters with colleges and sixth forms. The school is part of Romero Catholic Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

Since the last inspection in 2022, there have been many changes to the leadership of the school, including a newly appointed headteacher and chair of governors. Inspectors describe the school and multi-academy trust as ‘united’ in their vision to improve the school.

The report continues: “They have brought about changes that are having a positive impact on many aspects of the school’s work. Many of the school’s procedures are new, or recently changed.

“This means that they are not used consistently well across the school. The school has designed a broad and balanced curriculum.

“In many subjects, the school has thought about the knowledge that is most important for pupils to learn. However, in some subjects, work is at an early stage of development.

“This makes it difficult for teachers to make sure that pupils learn everything that they need to know. This explains the variation in pupils’ achievement across subjects and year groups.”

Although the school has taken action that has begun to improve rates of attendance, inspectors say too many pupils continue to have high levels of absence which affects their learning. Inspectors made several recommendations which detail ways in which the school could improve, including ensuring pupils who find reading difficult receive the support they need to overcome gaps in their reading knowledge.

Headteacher, Mrs Lord, said: “Although the overall outcome for the school is now at Requires Improvement, the report is an accurate reflection of where the school currently is and refers to the changes that have already been made since September to address legacy issues and concerns. It is pleasing to see this directly addressed in the report as it states ‘The school and multi-academy trust are united in their vision to improve the school. They have brought about changes that are having a positive impact on many aspects of the school’s work.’

“The opening section of the report encapsulates everything that is truly unique and special at All Saints’ as it states that ‘Pupils value the warm family atmosphere of the school’. That they ‘benefit from strong relationships with staff who know them well and care about their well-being.’

“I am confident that with the changes we have already implemented, alongside those planned, that the school will continue to improve delivering results that will enable all our students to be educated spiritually, morally and intellectually.”