Saint George Catholic Voluntary Aided College Southampton

Overview

This is a “truly inclusive and welcoming school” where leaders have established a “highly aspirational culture.” The report describes an environment where pupils share “warm and respectful relationships” with teachers, resulting in “exemplary” behaviour and high achievement across all groups.

Strengths

• The curriculum is “highly ambitious and broad,” with well-sequenced plans that help pupils “build securely on their prior learning.”
• Teachers possess “strong subject knowledge” and provide “excellent feedback,” enabling even disadvantaged pupils to achieve “very high outcomes.”
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum and “achieve exceptionally well” due to targeted support.
• Reading is a “high priority,” with effective strategies to help those needing extra support, including pupils speaking English as an additional language.
• Leaders provide “exceptional leadership,” ensuring staff feel valued and reducing unnecessary workload, creating a community described as “one big family.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders are continuing to use strategies to work with a “small cohort of pupils who attend less often” to further reduce persistent absence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff well trained to identify risks and leaders conducting frequent visits to absent pupils to check on their safety.