DoWAT adds another ‘Good’ school to family of academies

We're proud to announce that all of the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust’s schools are now rated as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’

Every school within the Diocese of Westminster Academy Trust’s (DoWAT) family is now rated as ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’, following Our Lady Catholic Primary School’s most recent Ofsted success. We're proud to be one of the country’s top performing Catholic multi-academy trusts, with a growing number of successful schools.

Our ambitious Trust is now focusing efforts on building on this success by appointing a new Director of Primary Improvement, Ciara Nicholson, who has been promoted from the role as Executive Headteacher at Our Lady Catholic Primary School.

Ofsted’s inspection of Our Lady Catholic Primary School found: 

‘Leaders have carefully considered how the curriculum supports pupils to gain the important knowledge and understanding they need to achieve well from the Reception Year to Year 6. Pupils make good progress across the full range of subjects. Teachers plan lessons that build on what pupils have learned before. This helps pupils secure important knowledge in each subject. Teachers use assessment well to identify the specific areas of a subject where pupils need more practice. They promptly address any misunderstandings pupils may have. Leaders ensure that the curriculum is suitably adapted so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn and achieve well alongside their peers. 

‘Subject leaders are knowledgeable and enthusiastic. They support staff to teach the curriculum well. Many subject leaders are new to the role. Subject leaders monitor the implementation of the curriculum in their subject. Leaders recognise that the next step is to develop subject leaders’ confidence so that they can make a strong contribution to developing the quality of education and the curriculum.’

In the newly created role for DoWAT, Ciara Nicholson will be embedding this success across the Trust’s five primary schools. 

Patrick Murden, Chief Executive of DoWAT, said:

“I am proud to lead one of the country’s top performing Catholic multi-academy trusts and thrilled that all of our schools are either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’. 

“We are ambitious for a future where all of our schools are celebrated for their exceptional teaching, commitment to the wellbeing of students and opportunities for teacher development. We are committed to pursuing Catholic educational excellence in all our schools and working across a school led system to achieve this.

“As a Trust, we are committed to continuously improving, as a key part of that is sharing skills and nurturing talented members of staff internally. I have had the privilege to work closely with Ciara Nicholson and I am pleased to have her appointed as the Trust’s new Director of Improvement, ensuring that every child who leaves primary school, thrives in their secondary education.”

Ciara Nicholson, Director of Primary Improvement at DoWAT, said: 

“I have watched Our Lady Catholic Primary School go from strength to strength and am very pleased to see this success recognised by Ofsted. This achievement is shared by everyone, and I would like to give particular thanks to the fantastic teaching teams who have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, our bright and determined young people, and incredibly supportive families. I am looking forward to sharing this excellence across the Trust’s five primary schools in my new role as Director of Primary Improvement.