St Patrick’s Catholic Voluntary Academy in Sheffield has recently undergone an inspection that has raised significant concerns regarding its overall effectiveness. The school has been rated inadequate in key areas including the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision. This marks a stark decline from its previous inspection grade of good. The headteacher, Sharon McKeown, also serves as the CEO of the standalone academy trust, which adds to the complexity of governance and leadership within the school.
The inspection highlighted that pupils' experiences have been negatively affected by considerable instability in staffing and governance. Many staff members are new to their roles, which has resulted in a lack of leadership capacity to support existing staff effectively. Consequently, this has hindered the necessary improvements in the quality of education provided to pupils. The curriculum is not being taught to a high enough standard, and expectations for pupil achievement, particularly for those with special educational needs and disabilities, are insufficient. As a result, many pupils, including those with SEND, are not achieving their potential.
Behaviour within the school is another area of concern. While some lessons are calm, others are disrupted by low-level behaviour and noise, indicating a lack of effective implementation of the behaviour policy. Pupils have reported frequent incidents of poor behaviour and bullying, leading to varying levels of confidence in staff to address these issues. Despite these challenges, many pupils express enjoyment in attending school, as evidenced by their good attendance rates. They receive some education on personal safety and have limited opportunities to take on leadership roles, which helps build their confidence.
The curriculum is coherently designed for most subjects, but its delivery is inconsistent. Teachers do not always select appropriate tasks and resources to support learning, particularly in mathematics, where practical resources are rarely utilized. The school has prioritized reading, with staff trained in phonics instruction; however, disruptions during phonics lessons impede pupils' ability to learn effectively. Additionally, the early years curriculum does not provide equitable access for all children, negatively impacting their readiness for Year 1.
Assessment practices vary across subjects, with some teachers effectively identifying gaps in knowledge while others do not adequately prepare pupils for complex tasks. The school struggles to provide a high-quality education for pupils with SEND, lacking a suitable system for identification and support. This results in many pupils' needs going unmet, particularly in the early years.
The behaviour management approach is inconsistent, with staff unclear on how to apply the new behaviour policy. This has led to noisy classrooms and a lack of confidence among pupils regarding the school's ability to handle bullying incidents. The pastoral team, intended to support pupils with behavioural difficulties, has not effectively communicated with other staff or parents, causing further concern.
The governance of the school is fragile, with the governing body failing to act swiftly to stabilize leadership and improve the school. Staff morale is low, although there have been some improvements in managing workload. Safeguarding arrangements are effective, but there are weaknesses in recording concerns, which need to be addressed.
To improve, the school must strengthen leadership capacity, ensure effective curriculum delivery, and provide adequate support for pupils with SEND. Consistent implementation of behaviour management strategies is essential to create a conducive learning environment. The school must also ensure that all pupils have equitable access to the curriculum and that safeguarding concerns are recorded and addressed promptly.
