St Ambrose Barlow RC High School

Overview: Pupils feel valued, cared for, and happy at St Ambrose Barlow RC High School, with positive relationships with staff and a welcoming atmosphere. The school has improved significantly in recent years, with a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND.

Strengths:

• Pupils feel valued, cared for, and happy at the school.
• Pupils develop their knowledge well over time, receiving appropriate help and support from staff who understand and recognise individual needs.
• The school promotes pupils' personal development extremely well, teaching about democracy, diversity, and careers, and providing opportunities for debate and leadership.
• The school has a comprehensive approach to ensuring pupils come to school regularly, with staff working closely with pupils and their families to improve attendance.
• The school is well led, with governors providing appropriate challenge and support, and staff feeling valued and proud to work at the school.

Areas to improve:

• In some subjects, the school's strategies to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge are less effective, leading to misconceptions and difficulties in building on prior knowledge.
• A small group of pupils do not meet the school's expectations of their behaviour around the school, undermining the positive and respectful culture established by the school.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.