St Michael's Catholic Academy

Overview

St Michael’s Catholic Academy is described as a “caring and welcoming school” where the religious ethos is evident and pupils are “polite and courteous.” Leaders have created “well-designed curriculum plans” that ensure pupils are well prepared for future learning, supported by teachers with “strong subject knowledge.” The inspection highlights a positive environment with harmonious relationships, though some inconsistencies in teaching practice and assessment remain.

Strengths

• Pupils feel “safe and looked after,” with bullying dealt with quickly and a high-profile anti-bullying initiative.
• Curriculum plans identify important content clearly, allowing pupils to “recall prior learning” and build knowledge effectively.
• Teachers present information clearly and use “recall and retrieval tasks” appropriately to check understanding.
• Pupils benefit from a “strong personal development curriculum” and extra-curricular activities like musical theatre and debating.
• Safeguarding arrangements are “effective,” with staff well trained to identify risks and case file notes being “comprehensive.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure all teachers use assessment “consistently and with purpose” to identify knowledge gaps and misconceptions.
• Plans to support the “weakest readers” must be fully implemented, with relevant staff receiving phonics training swiftly.
• Leaders need to evaluate management information in more detail to ensure staff receive the data needed to improve their work.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective,” noting that leaders have a good understanding of local risks and that staff are well trained to report concerns.