Bishop Justus Church of England School is based on Magpie Hall Lane and part of the Aquinas Church of England Education Trust.
It was ranked in the Requires Improvement rating in four out of five categories following an inspection on February 4 and 5.
Only the school’s sixth form retained a Good grade.
Inspectors said the school had faced “significant challenges since the previous inspection” and, while there are signs of improvement, the work is still in its early stages and not yet having enough impact.
The report stated that “expectations of what pupils can achieve have been too low” and that “published outcomes show that pupils’ achievement is significantly below national averages.”
Leaders have introduced new, more ambitious subject curriculums in an effort to address this, with clearer sequencing and a stronger focus on key knowledge.
However, these changes have not yet had time to embed and as a result, pupils are struggling to retain what they’ve learned and deepen their understanding across subjects.
Teaching was described as mixed. While many staff have strong subject knowledge and use strategies to recap previous learning, inspectors said that “staff do not check that pupils have learned the subject content in sufficient depth”.
In some cases, pupils move on to new material before they’re ready, leaving gaps in their understanding.
Behaviour also remains a concern as classrooms were said to be calmer and more purposeful, but behaviour elsewhere on site is inconsistent.
Inspectors noted that “too many pupils display boisterous behaviour when moving around the school site” and that “younger pupils can sometimes feel unsafe in the corridors”.
Some pupils “do not always respond to staff’s requests to meet basic behaviour standards”, the report added.
While suspensions remain high, there has been a slight reduction this year following the introduction of earlier intervention strategies.
Attendance is also improving due to a more proactive approach by staff.
The school’s sixth form was highlighted as a positive example, with students showing “positive attitudes to their studies”, producing good-quality work, and benefiting from strong support as they prepare for employment or higher education.
There was also some progress noted in the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
These pupils are now being identified more effectively and staff have received relevant training, though inspectors said “there is a lot more work to do” to ensure they achieve as well as they should.
Outside the classroom, inspectors acknowledged that pupils take part in clubs such as music, basketball and cheerleading, with some older students volunteering in local primary schools.
A recent school trip to Rome for religious studies students was also highlighted. However, the wider offer was found to be lacking.
Inspectors said: “The wider opportunities for pupils to understand how to become active citizens or develop their talents and interests are not as rich or as broad as they should be.”
Staff told inspectors they value the training and development provided by the trust and feel the school takes their workload and wellbeing seriously – but many said they would like more support with managing pupil behaviour.
Leadership was another area of concern. While school leaders and trust officials are aligned in their commitment to improvement, Ofsted warned that “leaders at all levels sometimes lack oversight of key aspects of the school’s work”, meaning weaknesses are not always accurately identified or addressed.
Safeguarding arrangements were found to be effective.
The school is led by headteacher Samantha Thompson. The Aquinas Trust is overseen by CEO Kathy Griffiths and a board of trustees chaired by Giles Lambert.
Ofsted has set out a series of priorities for the school and trust to address, including embedding the new curriculums, improving checks on pupil understanding, tightening behaviour expectations during unstructured times, and expanding enrichment opportunities.
Leaders must also ensure they have a clearer understanding of what is working – and what isn’t – to drive more meaningful change.
