I am delighted to be able to write to you with the outcome of our Catholic School Inspection which took place in the last week of the Spring term. It was a rigorous process with three inspectors over 2 days. Thank you to all those parents who completed the questionnaires online. As with everyday students shone and did themselves proud throughout the two days.

This is a new national inspection framework which replaced the Diocesan Section 48 reports from September 2022.

The Academy was judged to be GOOD with elements of outstanding provision. The quality of provision for the Catholic life and mission of the school was judged to be outstanding. The full report is attached but the Summary of key findings are:

• The head teacher and his team are passionate in their commitment to the Catholic identity of the academy and have created a nurturing and inclusive community that genuinely has Christ as its centre
• Students and staff demonstrate a deep sense of belonging to this welcoming community. They feel valued and cherished; they appreciate all the academy offers them
• The leadership of religious education is strong and effective. The subject leader has created an ambitious and united team, determined to achieve the best for every student
• Leaders and chaplains are enthusiastic and active in providing and growing prayer opportunities that include increasing numbers of students
• Students embrace the many opportunities to live their faith through positive action and involve themselves in various enrichment activities and charitable works

It is fantastic that the report recognises the excellent, academic and inclusive education we offer together with our strong focus on pastoral care.  The report states: “Students demonstrate a strong understanding and sense of belonging to this inclusive Catholic community enriched by its ethnic diversity and the high quality of relationships between staff and students. These are underpinned by its powerful pastoral provision embedded in Gospel values. Students are active in their commitment to the academy’s mission, ‘Aspire to be more’, which is evident in their engagement with a wide range of charities and initiatives linked to the demands of Catholic Social Teaching”.

The report also provides some suggestions to improve further:

• Increase the rigour of the monitoring and evaluation of the academy’s Catholic life and mission, religious education, and collective worship
• Extend the range of ways pupils can express their learning in religious education, to improve their resilience and progress further
• Increase regular opportunities for students, especially older ones, to plan, lead, and evaluate prayer and liturgy

We intend to build further on this excellent report and as a school community we Aspire to be More every day. We should be very proud of all our young people who give their all each day.

You can read the full report here.