INSPECTION REPORT
ST. FRANCIS XAVIER’S COLLEGE
LIVERPOOL
Inspection Date Wednesday 24 February 2010
Inspectors Rev Dcn Paul Mannings Mrs Barbara Melia
Unique Reference Number 104718
Inspection carried out under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005
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Type of School Catholic foundation, boys comprehensive
with mixed Sixth Form
Age range of pupils 11-18
Number on roll 1,295
Chair of governors’ Mr H. N. King
Headteacher Mr L. D. Rippon
School address Beaconsfield Road
Liverpool
L25 6EG
Telephone number 0151 288 1000
E-mail address
Date of last inspection 30-31 January 2007
Introduction
This inspection was carried out under Section 48 of the Education Act 2005.
The report of the inspection is produced for the Archbishop of Liverpool (Code of Canon Law 804 and 806) and for the governors of the school.
The inspectors are members of the Christian Education Department and their associates approved by the Archbishop of Liverpool for this purpose.
Description of the school
St. Francis Xavier’s College is a Catholic foundation, boys’ comprehensive with a mixed Sixth form, under the trusteeship of the Brothers of Christian Instruction. It is within the Liverpool Authority. The college has specialist status for Mathematics and Computing. It forms part of a collaborative with two local Catholic high schools. There are 1,295 learners on roll (inclusive of 232 in the Sixth Form) of whom 99% are baptised Catholics drawn in the main from the associated feeder schools within the pastoral area. There are 1% from other Christian denominations and none from other World Faith traditions. Fifteen learners have statements of special educational needs, with a further 95 supported by School Action/Early Action and 112 by School Action Plus. There are 83 teachers of whom 77.27% are Catholic. The Religious Education department has seven core and two part-time members.
Key for inspection grades
Grade 1 Outstanding
Grade 2 Good
Grade 3 Satisfactory
Grade 4 Inadequate
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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.
Overall effectiveness of the school
St Francis Xavier’s is a good Catholic college with a significant number of outstanding features. It is well on course to becoming outstanding overall. The college expresses incisive leadership of Religious Education and Catholic Life through its Mission Statement, which aims ’…to live out the values of Christ and his Gospel.’ There has been outstanding improvement since the last inspection. The capacity for continued improvement is outstanding. Achievement and standards in Religious Education are good and so too is teaching and learning. The curriculum is outstanding. Leadership and management of Religious Education are outstanding. Management of the college’s Catholic Life is outstanding. Collective Worship is good. The promotion of Community Cohesion is outstanding. Learners show high levels of support for Religious Education and for the wider college life.
Grade: 2
Improvement since the last inspection
There has been outstanding progress since the last inspection. Strategies are well focused on the continued raising of learners achievement and standards. The Religious Education department has developed existing good practice to a higher level through systematic monitoring of development.
Grade: 1
Capacity to improve
Capacity for continued improvement is outstanding. This is evident from the thorough departmental self-review in which performance on the whole is accurately graded. There are clearly identified areas for improvement supported by development strategies. The informed commitment of senior and departmental leadership is at the core of continued improvement.
Grade: 1
What the school should do to improve further
Continue to raise standards in class which will impact upon overall achievement at GCSE.
Achievement and Standards
Achievement and standards in Religious Education are good with outstanding features. This grading has risen from satisfactory in the last inspection. Learners are working toward target grades set against national criteria. In class they are made aware of this challenge by teacher insistence on standards commensurate to their age and stage. This is well supported by the overall process for assessment. Consequently a rising number in Key Stage 3 are reaching good levels of attainment. In Key Stage 4 GCSE results have continued to rise from 42% for A*-C in 2006, to 70.8% in 2008, which was outstanding. Whilst results for the same grade boundaries decreased to 51% in 2009, similar performance was reflected generally for that particular cohort. In Key Stage 5 results for AS Level remain at 100% for grades A-E. In the last cohort A2 candidates achieved 95% grades A-E. An increasing number of learners are achieving accredited grades for the relatively new general course. Standards in class are also maintained through learners good enjoyment of lessons and their outstanding behaviour overall. Religious Education motivates them through content well linked to their everyday lives. This motivates their outstanding contribution to the college community.
Grade: 2
Quality of Provision for Religious Education
Teaching and learning
The quality of teaching and learning is good. On the day of inspection lessons were well organised. There was good pace and progress with a wide range of group and independent activities. There was evidence of creativity in both teaching and learners responses, with some good examples of informed intellectual debate. There were a minority instances when starter activities were prolonged and learners would have benefited from more active engagement with the main content rather than passively listening to input. Assessment for Learning is rigorously embedded at formative and end of unit tasks. The process is well supported by marking and annotation of learners’ work, which demonstrates high levels of consistent target-setting and diagnostic commentary. This in turn results in identifiable progress in learners’ written understanding. There is a good level of teacher-led differentiation in class which the department continues to match to its overall provision of assessment for learning. This will continue to impact upon the increase rise in achievement and standards overall. The systems in place for review events and departmental contacts concerning progress, indicates a good level of parent and carer involvement in the education of their children.
Grade: 2
Curriculum
The content of the curriculum is outstanding. In Key Stage 3 Icons is well supported by departmental programmes of study. The Key Stage 4 GCSE specification is successful and accessed as a full course by the majority, apart from some fifteen learners. These are undertaking the work related curriculum and entered for Entry Level. It is recommended the college consider some alternative study pathways for this group. In Key Stage 5 there is a well established AS/A2 course in Ethics and Philosophy. There are signs of an increased uptake in Year 12. Also in Key Stage 5 the general course is undertaken by all learners either as an extended AS course or through an alternative accredited route that was successfully piloted in 2008-9 and extended in the current academic year. In Key Stages 3 and 4 there is 8% provision due to the constraints of a 25 period week. In Key Stage 4 this is supplemented by the well attended extra-curricular course focused on the continued raise in achievement at GCSE. There is 20% for the full AS/A2 course and 4% (one weekly lesson) for the general course. Consequently the curriculum is making an outstanding response to national and diocesan requirements. Its contribution to learners’ spiritual and moral development is good with outstanding features.
Grade: 1
Leadership and Management
Religious Education
Leadership and management of Religious Education are outstanding. Senior and departmental leadership are single-minded in their pursuit of continuing to raise learners’ standards and achievement. The department has highly organised administrative procedures. Effective performance management clearly identifies good progress in teaching skills and styles, together with initiatives for increased performance. This is further enhanced by their access to wide ranging continued professional development. This enables the highly motivated and committed departmental staff to ensure at least a good level of learning. There is good promotion of equal opportunities through robust assessment, rising standards of differentiation and access to accredited courses. Departmental resources are good and so too is their efficient deployment. Governors provide an outstanding discharge of their responsibilities through active engagement with and support of the department.
Grade: 1
Catholic Life of the School
There is outstanding leadership and management of the Catholic Life of the college. The Mission Statement is known, owned and lived by the college. It is well supported by clear aims and objectives. Learners can actively demonstrate the ways in which the content is relevant to their lives. The chaplaincy team consists of two members of the Religious Education department and the coordinator of Liturgical Music. It is recognised best practice for chaplaincy to remain separate from teaching. However the team does provide conscientious and focused ministry. Clearly teaching commitments could limit their future availability specifically in maintaining chaplaincy links with the pastoral area. The effectiveness of this model should be continually appraised. Governors provide good monitoring of Catholic Life through annual reports and by their own involvement in and support for the college’s active part in diocesan events.
Grade: 1
Collective Worship
The provision for and quality of Collective Worship is good. There are a number of outstanding features. Quality prayer and worship took place on the day of inspection. In both year and form groups, learners were given opportunities to actively participate and to reflect. They fully appreciate the developing scope for involvement. They are certain that the content of Collective Worship is relevant to their daily lives. There are good levels of organisation supported by a clear policy, which the college is due to review. Collective Worship is coordinated by senior leadership together with the chaplaincy team. It takes place weekly for year groups and daily in form tutorials. There are voluntary masses and other services throughout the Liturgical Year. Coordination should now include consistent monitoring of the quality of provision in form groups and the continued provision for learners to lead worship. This will identify good practice that can be shared, together with any in-service needs. Such a system will further enhance the good quality of the overall monitoring of Catholic Life. Evidence from themes and resources indicate Collective Worship is making an outstanding contribution to learners’ spiritual and moral development.
Grade: 2
Community Cohesion
Promotion of community cohesion is outstanding. Leadership at all levels are role models for learners. The whole community, through its Mission Statement, is committed to the common good expressed by a wide local and national commitment to charitable outreach and fundraising events. This is further enhanced by the college’s global dimension, specifically linked to the charism of its De La Mennais foundation. Religious Education programmes promote citizenship linked to Gospel values. They provide knowledge, understanding and celebration of other World Faith Traditions. Collective Worship themes and resources are inclusive in their coverage of challenges to contemporary society. The college is committed to being an active member of the diocesan community of schools.