Our Improvement Journey
Since the appointment of our current Headteacher in September 2022, St Antony's has undergone a significant period of improvement and renewal.
Our most recent Ofsted inspection (June 2024) judged the school to be Requires Improvement overall. However, inspectors recognised the significant progress that had already been made, awarding a judgement of Good for Leadership and Management and acknowledging the clear direction of travel across the school. Inspectors noted that leaders were taking the school in the right direction and recognised improvements in curriculum development, behaviour, attendance, safeguarding and personal development.
This inspection followed a period of substantial change. Since 2022, leaders have invested heavily in strengthening leadership capacity, developing a more ambitious curriculum, improving behaviour systems, enhancing pastoral support and raising expectations across all aspects of school life. As a result, key indicators of school performance have improved significantly.
The impact of this work can be seen in:
- Improved GCSE outcomes, with Progress 8 improving from -0.44 to -0.16.
- A significant reduction in behaviour incidents and suspensions
- Attendance improving to above national averages.
- Significant growth in extra-curricular participation, leadership opportunities and careers provision.
- Strong external validation of safeguarding, inclusion and personal development provision.
- Increased parental confidence and rising pupil numbers, with the school now oversubscribed.
Our self-evaluation indicates that the vast majority of provision across the school now meets or exceeds the standards expected of a good school, whilst leaders continue to focus relentlessly on the areas that require further development.
Progress Since Our Catholic Schools Inspection
Our previous Catholic Schools Inspection (May 2023) identified three key priorities for improvement:
- Further develop the planning and sequencing of the Religious Education curriculum.
- Improve outcomes in Religious Education.
- Develop daily prayer and collective worship through a wider variety of experiences and a greater focus on scripture.
Since that inspection, leaders have implemented a comprehensive programme of improvement.
The Religious Education curriculum has been redesigned around the requirements of the Religious Education Directory (RED), with clear sequencing, knowledge organisers, topic guides and assessment systems now embedded across Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4. The department is fully staffed with specialist teachers and curriculum leadership capacity has been strengthened.
Leaders have also introduced a more consistent approach to teaching, assessment and intervention within Religious Education. Internal assessment information, pupil engagement and quality assurance evidence indicate that standards are improving and that recent curriculum developments are beginning to have a positive impact on outcomes.
Collective worship and prayer have also been significantly enhanced. Staff have received additional diocesan training, the school's prayer offer has been broadened and pupils now experience a greater variety of prayer and liturgical opportunities. The school has strengthened chaplaincy provision, developed pupil leadership in worship and increased opportunities for pupils to engage with scripture and Catholic Social Teaching.
As a result of these developments, the school's current Catholic Self Evaluation judges Catholic Life and Mission, Religious Education and Collective Worship all to be Good, with leaders confident that pupils are receiving a strong Catholic education which is continuing to improve.
Please click here for the latest Section 48 Report.
Latest School Performance measures: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/school/148026/st-antony%27s-roman-catholic-school%2c-a-voluntary-academy/secondary
Latest Ofsted Report June 2024: 5th-6th June 2024
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