In conducting inspections, each diocese is  exercising a pastoral function on behalf of  their Bishop. Inspection is one of the ways a Bishop acts as a shepherd of his schools,  protecting, supporting and encouraging  them. For this reason, dioceses also have  a canonical and legal responsibility to  ensure that the inspection of their schools  witnesses to Catholic values and are compatible with both the teachings of the  Church and the law of the land. Dioceses will exercise this responsibility by  appointing accredited inspectors who are  able to carry out this pastoral and legal  function effectively.  

In November 2019, the Bishops’ Conference  unanimously agreed to a National  Framework for the Inspection of Catholic  Schools, Colleges and Academies. This  provided, inter alia, for all inspectors  to be accredited, on behalf of every  diocesan bishop, in accordance with a  nationally agreed protocol approved by the  Department of Education and Formation,  to inspect in any diocese. 

When an inspector carries out an inspection,  they are acting on behalf of the Bishop in  whose diocese the school is situated. For this reason, they must be able to act with integrity as his representative and must therefore be practising Catholics in full communion with the Catholic Church 

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS FOR PARENTS AND PUPILS FROM OUR MOST RECENT RE INSPECTION

Our Lady and St Kenelm is an Outstanding Catholic school because:

• All members of the school community are deeply committed to the development of Catholic Life, Religious Education and Collective Worship at Our Lady and St Kenelm School.
• Pupils, staff, parents and governors all contribute to a planned and systematic evaluation of Catholic Life and the mission of the school.
• Staff are passionate about Religious Education and have high expectations of pupils who respond with enthusiasm and commitment.
• Governors have a clear understanding of their role. They are totally committed to the school and have robust systems in place to both support and hold the school to account.
• Assessment and moderation of Religious Education is embedded in the school cycle of self-evaluation and there is clear evidence of impact on achievement.
• Pupils demonstrate very high levels of reverence and respect during all opportunities for Collective Worship but especially during the whole school celebration of the Mass.
• Pupils of all ages confidently and competently, plan and lead Collective Worship.
• The headteacher is an outstanding role model. She leads the school with joy, commitment and high expectations.
• All recommendations from the previous inspection and monitoring visit have been met by the school.

Since the previous inspection in April 2013, you have been successful in maintaining the very high standards of behaviour and the excellent attitudes to learning that were reported. You and the senior leaders have high expectations of pupils and staff. Since your appointment, you have made some effective changes to modernise the school and further improve the provision for all pupils.
 

Staff and pupils agree that behaviour in lessons, around the school buildings and in the playground is very positive and often exemplary. This is because pupils know how to behave well, they demonstrate high levels of self-control and have a clear understanding of what is expected.

Ofsted’s role is to make sure that organisations providing education, training and care services in England do so to a high standard for children and students. They carry out hundreds of inspections and regulatory visits throughout England and publish the results online. They report directly to Parliament and are independent and impartial.

Our Most Recent Inspection: November 2021

We are proud to read that we have been highly recognised for all that we have achieved under the new inspection framework. As you may have seen in the press, remaining outstanding under this new framework is difficult to achieve for all schools. As a result, we are delighted to have been judged as good overall with outstanding features. The past two years, during the global pandemic, have been the most challenging that education has seen for all leaders, staff, governors, parents and children.  We are thrilled with the positive outcomes that have been acknowledged in the report.

SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS FOR PARENTS AND PUPILS FROM OUR MOST RECENT OFSTED INSPECTION

• Leaders have very high expectations for every pupil in the school.
• Leaders and staff to work hard to follow the school’s Mission statement.
• Leaders and staff have designed an engaging and ambitious curriculum.
• There are many opportunities for pupils to extend their learning outside the classroom.
• Pupils benefit greatly from a range of clubs, both inside and outside school, which recognise their interests and talents.
• Leaders, Governors and staff have high expectations for all pupils and an ambition for them all to succeed.  Leaders have create3d a rich curriculum that supports this ambition.
• Leaders provide opportunities to help develop pupils personally as well as academically.
• Children in early years, including Pre School, make a very good start to school life.
• The curriculum has a clear emphasis on developing children’s language and vocabulary.
• In EYFS the curriculum identifies skills and knowledge that children will know and remember.
• Leaders make sure that reading is a priority in school, including Read, Write Inc. There is a consistent approach to the teaching of reading.
• Leaders and staff use a range of assessments and interventions to ensure children keep up and catch up.
• The curriculum in Maths identifies the knowledge and skills pupils will learn.
• Pupils know and understand what they are learning and can apply skills well.
• Enquiry based learning is helping pupils to know and remember more and children can make links between different areas of the curriculum.

SEND has been highly recognised, identifying that pupils with SEND are fully included in lessons and all aspects of school life. Staff understand the needs of all children in their class and in the school as whole. They have great expertise and understanding to ascertain where and when help is required. Over the past two years, stronger links have been made with external agencies to ensure that the right support for pupils is there when needed.

We are always so proud of our children and are overjoyed to see that this has been reflected in the report. Our children’s attitude to learning, personal development and behaviour is outstanding.

Inspectors understood that leaders and all staff have worked extremely hard to develop responsible, active and respectful pupils. The inspectors described our children as exemplary.

We truly do have a child led school and are proud that the children’s work and mission to carry out their roles and support others extends beyond the school community throughout their work as; Mini Vinnies, eco council, liturgy leaders, school council, lunch bunch, research managers, prefects, librarians, Head Boy, Head Girl and their deputies, prayer partners, play leaders to name a few.

As you are all aware, safeguarding of all children is our top priority in school. Inspectors have rightly identified that leaders respond to concerns in a timely fashion and work with other agencies to meet the needs to children and their families.

It was reassuring to see that the vast majority of parents feel that their children are safe, happy and well taught.

Inspectors have acknowledged that we want to rebuild our school community, especially relationships with all parents which have understandably been affected during to the ongoing pandemic since March 2020. This is our ongoing mission and to achieve this we will need everyone on board. We have already begun to restore links since our return in September where parents have been invited into school to celebrate Masses, assemblies and workshops as well as meet with teachers and leaders to celebrate learning at Parents Evening and meet with parents individually to discuss any concerns raised.

Parental Feedback

Parents have welcomed the fact that they can now enter school premises and enjoy the opportunities to chat and meet friends, teachers and leaders at the beginning and end of the school day on the playground.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all staff, governors, parents and especially our children, for all of the continued support to follow our mission statement and:

‘Bring out the best in everyone, for the benefit of all, in the Spirit of Christ’