Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS

Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) Report

Bishop Rawstorne Church of England Academy

Highfield Road, Croston, Leyland, PR26 9HH

Current SIAMS inspection grade

Outstanding

Diocese

Blackburn

Previous SIAMS inspection grade

Outstanding

Date of academy conversion

September 2011

Date of inspection

13 December 2017

Date of last inspection

28 February & 1 March 2013

Type of school and unique reference number

Secondary Academy - 137296

Headteacher

Paul Cowley

Inspector’s name and number

Allyson Taylor 768

School context

Bishop Rawstorne Academy is an average size secondary school which admits students aged 11-16 from a rural area.

There are 927 students on roll and the school is oversubscribed. The proportion of students with additional learning

or personal needs and those eligible for funding for disadvantaged pupils is generally below that seen nationally. The

academy has historic links to five parishes. A number of staff changes have taken place since the previous

denominational inspection. The headteacher is a National Leader of Education and the academy is a designated

Teaching School. This year the community has been affected by the death of two former students.

The distinctiveness and effectiveness of Bishop Rawstorne as a Church of England school are

outstanding

 Each member of the academy community, adult and student, is valued and enabled to flourish as a child of

God.

 Pastoral care is exemplary and demonstrates how the academy lives out its deeply held Christian values.

Leaders and all staff provide excellent role models of hope and compassion; they genuinely care for each

individual student and their families.

 Students are supported to believe in themselves, each other and their teachers, so that they have a secure

sense of self-worth and develop skills for their future life and learning.

 Religious education (RE) is key to the success of the academy and gives students a growing sense of their

place in our multi-cultural world.

 Spiritual development is enhanced by the richly creative curriculum and extra-curricular provision.

 Through worship and links with local clergy, students and staff are taken to the threshold of faith and enabled

to reflect positively on their own views and beliefs.

Areas to improve

 Extend students’ role, along with that of the worship council, in independently planning and leading acts of

worship on a more regular basis so that student engagement and appreciation of worship increases.

 All teachers to support students to lead tutor group worship so that the experience of worship is more

consistent.

 Ensure that governors and senior leaders engage more fully with national Church of England policy and

guidance in order to inform policies and the academy’s strategic direction as a successful and dynamic

Christian-based learning community.

The school, through its distinctive Christian character, is outstanding

at meeting the needs of all learners

Christian values, like peace and fellowship, create firm roots from which students flourish. Students are well-known and

valued and so enabled to grow and learn together in a community which is a place of safety, security and love. Individual

talents and interests are nurtured and this exemplifies the approach to valuing all God’s children. As a result of the

aspirational Christian character, most students achieve consistently strong results in GCSEs. This is particularly

impressive in the context of the recent changes to examination assessments.

There is an uncompromising stance on attendance which reflects the aim that all achieve. Students’ welfare, including

their mental health, is of paramount importance. Pastoral support and care are outstanding. In keeping with Christian

teaching, members of staff are true ‘extra milers’ who are deeply concerned that each young person is supported and

also challenged to be the best that they can be. At times, ‘tough love’ is needed and this is seen in the behaviour policy

and practice. Staff work tirelessly with parents to help them to support their children. A small number of students are

welcomed from other schools where they have been excluded. The fact that these are embraced, welcomed and

enabled to learn is testament to the academy’s deeply Christian character. This academy is a Christian community in

action, not just in intention. Additional support sessions after the school day are sought by students and willingly

provided by teachers. This is indicative of the strong sense of community and mutual cooperation which underpins the

daily life of the academy.

Students trust their teachers. They appreciate that adults will help them and want them to be happy in themselves and

so achieve. Care for those who may be more vulnerable is given sensitively and generously. One student said that

moving to Bishop Rawstorne was ‘the best thing that had happened to him.’ They are proud to belong to a Christian

school and are its best ambassadors.

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is actively promoted through the rich curriculum and extra-curricular

activities offered. Lesson plans refer to these aspects. However, the understanding and definition of what spirituality

means at Bishop Rawstorne is not consistent. This limits planning for spiritual development across the curriculum.

RE makes an important contribution to the Christian character of the academy. Within the RE syllabus, students are

made aware that Christianity is itself a multi-cultural world faith.

Students know that many of their peers who attend other schools, do not have the same emphasis on Christian values

as at their academy. As one said, ‘we are kind here, we treat each other well and we are responsible for our own

actions.’ This is evidence that the academy enables most of its students to grow into thoughtful, reflective and mature

young adults, ready to face the challenges of the next phase of their life and learning.

The impact of collective worship on the school community is good

Worship is the thread which weaves the year groups, staff and clergy into a community based on the chosen Christian

values, most importantly the value of fellowship. The deputy headteacher, curriculum lead for RE and worship and local

clergy support staff to plan worship relevant to students. For example, providing opportunities to reflect on the

meaning of Advent. Worship demonstrates how central the person and teaching of Jesus is to Christians. Weekly year

group worship and tutor group worship is supplemented by services in the parish church. These mark significant events

in the church’s and school’s year. Services of welcome and leaving ‘book-end’ the students’ time at school from Year 7

to Year 11. Worship is well-supported by clergy and members of the local churches. As a result, students have a good

understanding of aspects of Anglican liturgy, but are less familiar with the traditions of other denominations within

Christianity. The loss of the youth worker to a diocesan post is keenly felt; he was instrumental in establishing the

student worship council in 2016. Some tutor group worship is planned and led by students, but this is not consistent

across all tutor groups. In some classes, staff continue to lead all worship. Consequently, students do not have the same

opportunities to develop their voice and spiritual life through planning and delivering worship.

The academy has recognised that the student worship council is under-utilised and it is keen to take on further

responsibility. Plans are at an early stage to allow these committed and articulate young adults to develop further in

their role of monitoring worship. This includes a keenness to repeat the use of the outdoors for worship, after an act

held in remembrance of a former pupil who died. A quiet room is designated for students to take time for reflection

but this is rarely used. At this time, students have limited opportunities to write or offer their own thoughts in prayer

in tutor group or weekly year group worship. This, combined with inconsistencies in students’ experience of tutor

group worship, prevents the grade from being higher.

Much of worship is based on themes linked to the Christian calendar. However, worship is also responsive to current

events. As a result, students are regularly encouraged to take action in the service of others. Notable is the fundraising

for a local charity for the homeless, the Brick Project. This has a significant impact on students’ understanding of how

people may become homeless, often through no fault of their own. Support for Oxfam, which was initiated by the head

boy, demonstrates how worship and the wider Christian ethos of the academy helps students understand their place in

our diverse world.

The effectiveness of the religious education is outstanding

Standards in GCSE results for RE are excellent, with a significant number of students attaining the higher marks. Results

are significantly above those achieved nationally. RE in both key stages has a very high profile and so strongly affirms the

Christian character of the academy. As almost all students sit GCSE RE, the subject is central to developing students’

understanding of and respect for those of different faiths and cultures. The focus on Islam and Christianity is challenging

students to consider how there are differences but also factors common to both faiths. Students in Key Stage 3 receive

a good overview of six major world faiths. This means they are well-prepared for the academic rigour of the GCSE

course across Key Stage 4.

Students generally express positive views of RE. They state that the subject ‘broadens horizons; it opens our eyes’ and

gives insights into the wider world. The vast majority of students recognise the academic and personal importance of

RE. Most enjoy the practical aspects and find topics which link RE with other subjects, for example the Holocaust,

stimulating and of great interest. Feedback on tasks is comprehensive and enables students to know what they are

doing well and how to improve the standard of their work. It is impressive that students are regularly given an

opportunity to extend their thinking and to redraft work. Work demonstrates that students apply higher order thinking

skills. They are confident to ask questions, share their thoughts and to listen to the views of others. RE, therefore,

supports learning across the curriculum as students learn to analyse, explore, summarise, reflect and respond to topics

studied.

Teachers’ subject knowledge is good, and indeed growing, with the demands of the new syllabus. The subject leadership

structure, with new staff in post from September, is already bearing fruit. The curriculum leader and lead teacher are

skilfully modelling and developing other teachers’ confidence when teaching unfamiliar material in RE. Their mentoring

support and expertise is already having a positive effect on the standards of teaching and so learning. Including core

Christian values into planning means students have a coherent sense of the main elements of the Christian narrative, as

told in the Bible. This is an important development since new staff took up their posts at the start of term.

Action plans for RE are sharply focused on ensuring students achieve and make progress in line with English. This

demonstrates the high status of the subject.

The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the school as a church school is outstanding

Leaders at all levels are excellent role models for staff, parents and students. They articulate a powerful vision, based on

John 10:10 (I come to bring you life, life in all its fullness). This is lived out through the chosen values to create a culture

of ‘Aspire, Believe, Achieve’. High academic standards, good overall progress and positive relationships characterise the

academy. Leaders are relentless in their passionate commitment that every pupil will succeed. They regard this as their

Christian mission.

As leaders model the vision and values so well, staff buy into that vision. Teachers expect much of themselves and of

their students. There is a strong team spirit where support and camaraderie enable staff to work together to nurture

each student. Staff welfare and wellbeing are given a high priority.

A common theme shared by leaders is that they are following the example of Christ in serving each other. The

foundations of the academy, soon to celebrate its 60

Anniversary, are unashamedly and proudly Christian in origin.

The academy serves families from its founding parishes but is inclusive and welcoming to those who wish to have the

‘Bishop Rawstorne experience’. It is clear that the academy is held in high regard by the local community and beyond.

Its spirit of service extends to others schools through admirable work as a Teaching school. This manifests itself in the

number of former students who return to work or pursue their careers under the auspices of Bishop Rawstorne.

Leaders are conscious of the need to develop future leaders of church schools.

Partnerships with the local churches and community are mutually beneficial. Students themselves, express the view that

attending church is important to them. The school is fortunate to have recruited teachers of such calibre to lead RE

and worship. This proves how leaders give priority to these aspects of the school as a church school. Statutory

requirements as a church school are met.

Governors and senior leaders know the academy very well. They provide strategic direction as a church school and

continuously seek to improve provision. While governors are familiar with some Church of England guidance, academy

policies do not consistently reflect this. As a result, some documents require updating to show leaders’ engaging with

national guidance. The headteacher is ably supported by his deputy and senior team. Their enthusiasm and commitment

is palpable and attributed to the extended family feel created by the Christian character. The headteacher embodies the

aspirational ethos of the school. Under his forthright and determined leadership, the roots of the school as a church

school are strong and give students the secure foundations for now and for their future. As one parent stated ‘this is

how life can be.’

SIAMS report December 2017 Bishop Rawstorne CE Academy, Croston, Leyland PR26 9HH