St Philip Howard celebrates Ofsted praise

Students at St Philip Howard Catholic Voluntary Academy are part of a “vibrant school community built on the ethos of togetherness and care” according to Ofsted. 

The school in Glossop achieved a 'strong standard' in two areas: attendance and behaviour, and personal development and wellbeing. 

The 'expected standard' was also achieved in four areas: achievement, curriculum and teaching, inclusion and leadership and governance. 

Under the new framework for Ofsted inspections, a five-point scale - exceptional, strong standard, expected standard, needs attention, and urgent improvement - is used to grade different areas of a provider’s work. An overall effectiveness grade is no longer given. 

'Expected standard' means the school is fulfilling the standard of education and/or care, while 'strong standard' means that leaders are working above the standards expected of them. 

Mike Kays, Headteacher, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of our recent Ofsted inspection. The report truly captures the spirit of our school and highlights just how wonderful our staff and pupils are. 

“At #TEAMSPH, our vision is to nurture the whole pupil, and the strong judgements in personal development and behaviour show this vision coming to life every day. 

“This report is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and collective effort of our entire team and community. We could not be prouder of what we have achieved together.” 

In their report, inspectors said that leaders have established a culture that is highly supportive of learning. They said:

“Leaders have created a culture that is calm, respectful and highly supportive of learning. Classrooms are purposeful. Pupils show maturity and self-discipline. They understand the school’s expectations and respond positively to routines. 

“Pupils trust that adults will listen and help them, which gives them confidence that any concerns will be dealt with quickly. They describe the school as ‘family’ and ‘welcoming’, where everyone works together.” 

The tireless work of staff in ensuring that students understand the importance of attending school was highlighted in the report. Inspectors said: “Attendance is a priority and leaders’ actions have a real impact. Pupils know that being in school every day matters. Staff work tirelessly to remove barriers to pupils’ attendance.” 

Being purposeful and respectful is described as central to school life, and inspectors noted that both staff and pupils demonstrate this to each other. 

The effectiveness of the school’s behaviour policies was praised by inspectors, who said: “Staff apply behaviour policies consistently. Pupils say this fairness helps them to feel respected and valued.” 

The report said that leaders monitor teaching quality through regular reviews and use evidence from these reviews, along with wider research, to inform improvement. This ensures that pupils are being supported in the best way possible. 

The report also said that pupils benefit from a carefully planned personal development programme, designed to build the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for life beyond school. 

“Beyond lessons, pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities that help them thrive. They take part in sports teams, drama productions and a range of clubs that build teamwork and communication skills,” inspectors said. 

This wide range of enrichment activities - such as the Barcelona visit in Year 10 and the Kenya expedition - along with the encouragement of leadership and contribution among pupils, actively prepares them for the roles they will take in society. 

The school’s inclusive culture was also praised in the report. Inspectors said: “Leaders have established an inclusive culture, where staff identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. They follow a cycle of assessing pupils’ needs, planning suitable support, taking action and reviewing its impact, so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive timely and appropriate help.” 

The school was described as “calm and orderly”, and inspectors said that safeguarding standards had been met. 

They said: “Pupils behave well in lessons and around the site. They understand the school’s high expectations and respond positively to routines.”