Ofsted says Buxton school requires improvement to 'prepare pupils for life in modern Britain'

St Thomas More Catholic Voluntary Academy, on Palace Fields, was given the second lowest rating of ‘requires improvement’ on all four headline criteria: behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, quality of education and personal development.

Three inspectors spent January 10-11 observing lessons and meeting with staff and students, and published their report on Friday, February 10.

While it contains plenty of positives to build on, overall they were not enough to maintain the ‘good’ status achieved at the last full inspection in 2013, and a shorter follow-up in 2017, before the school converted to become an academy.

Lead inspector Chris Stevens noted that the findings may reflect a transitional period, writing: “This is a friendly and welcoming school. Relationships between most staff and pupils are warm and positive, upholding the school’s Catholic ethos and values.

“Recently, however, several changes in the school’s leadership have led to some uncertainty in the school’s community. The school is now becoming more settled.”

As it stands, the report notes that “pupils say that there is disruption to learning. They are frustrated by this. A small number of pupils do not always moderate their conduct when challenged by staff.

“Leaders and teachers are not consistently ambitious for all pupils. While most achieve well, pupils who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not. The additional needs of these pupils are not catered for well in the classroom.”

Elsewhere, the inspectors found that “the quality of the curriculum is variable. Some subjects, such as geography and mathematics, are at a more advanced stage of development than others. Senior leaders are beginning to ensure that their expectations of how well pupils should learn the curriculum are commonly understood.

“Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high enough … Teachers do not consistently check pupils’ understanding or how well they have completed their work. When they do, pupils respond positively.”

Further on, the report notes: “Pupils are not as prepared for life in modern Britain as they should be.”

Responding to the verdict, Kevin Gritton, chief executive of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, insisted change had already begun.

He said: “On behalf of our staff, governors, pupils and families, we are disappointed with the outcome but we fully accept the findings in the report. Issues that were raised by Ofsted had already been identified and are being addressed by the senior leadership team and the trust.

“As a trust, we are prioritising St Thomas More and putting considerable resources into ensuring senior leaders have all the support they need to drive the school forward.”

He added: “Louisa Morris, headteacher at partner trust school St Philip Howard in Glossop, has been appointed as executive headteacher at St Thomas More. An experienced senior leader, Mrs Morris is working with her team to support senior leaders at St Thomas More.

“An action plan is being put into place to ensure we work together and focus our efforts to secure rapid improvements at St Thomas More, so that it is the best it can be for every child.”

To read the full report, go to https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50207846.

Support your Buxton Advertiser by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe.