Langley Park School for Boys Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that there are comprehensive plans in place for disadvantaged pupils, which are regularly checked, to ensure that they are achieving outcomes in line with their peers from similar starting points.
• Ensure that the quality of teaching and learning across all subjects is of a consistently high quality so that the most able pupils can achieve the highest possible outcomes.
• Ensure that the local governing body provides a robust challenge to school leaders.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have high aspirations to provide an all-round education which develops ‘the whole child’, and which is embraced by all staff. They care about the pupils and want them to achieve the best they possibly can.
• Senior leaders have a good understanding of the strengths of the school. They recognise that 2018 GCSE outcomes in some areas were not good enough, for example overall progress and progress of the most able pupils and disadvantaged pupils.
• Plans are in place to tackle areas that need further improvement. However, in a few areas, these do not clearly define the actions that are to be taken. Also, leaders do not always check robustly enough or in a timely way the impact of their plans, which is limiting their success.
• Middle leaders clearly understand the school’s priorities. The stronger leaders are reflective and sharp about what needs to be done to improve outcomes for all pupils. They have the autonomy to drive forward improvements in their areas of responsibility.
• Leaders have clear systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching. There are a range of professional development opportunities in place for staff to develop their practice. These include ‘peer to peer’ interaction, mentoring and moderating work with colleagues from other schools. Teacher underperformance is challenged and support from leaders is available for those whose teaching is not up to the required standard.
• Staff who are new to the profession feel valued and supported, and they enjoy their work.
• There is a lack of clarity around procedures currently in place to track the impact of the pupil premium spending. The analysis of the impact of last year’s spend has not been completed. Leaders recognise that their focus has been more on key stage 4 pupils rather than on key stage 3 pupils. As a result, pupils who are disadvantaged are making inconsistent progress.
• The Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up funding are used effectively. Year 7 pupils who join the school behind their peers in reading and writing are making good progress.
• There is a strong rationale behind the curriculum to educate ‘the whole child’. A wide range of courses meet the learning needs of pupils. Leaders regularly review the impact of the curriculum in order to ensure that it contributes successfully to pupils’ progress, behaviour, personal development and welfare.
• The range and quality of extracurricular activities offered are impressive, and they enable pupils to develop many skills and interests. These include sports, performing arts, outdoor education and a variety of visits. The school has introduced the ‘Langley Park School for Boys Charter’, which sets out what experiences pupils should have. Leaders are aware of the need to develop better systems to collate information about pupils who attend this provision. This is to ensure that all groups are benefiting from the opportunities.
• The school makes good use of tutor time and assemblies to promote British values and prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent and permeates all aspects of school life.

Governance of the school

• Members of the local governing body are proud of the school and are determined to ensure that all pupils receive a good education. They give willingly of their time and visit the school regularly. They are aware of their statutory responsibilities.
• Governors are very supportive of the school. Scrutiny of the minutes of Governors’ meetings show that they do challenge school leaders, but at times they are too accepting of the response they receive. They are not robust enough when analysing performance data on pupils’ outcomes.
• Governors understand their responsibility in relation to safeguarding pupils and have received appropriate training. They audit the school’s safeguarding processes by checking records, and the governor responsible for safeguarding meets regularly with the school’s designated safeguarding lead.
• The school has recently joined the Langley Park Learning Trust and the Trust has spent time sorting out the delegation of duties.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that there is a culture of safeguarding in the school and that all staff know and understand their responsibilities in relation to keeping pupils safe.
• Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training and are knowledgeable about the signs to look for when pupils may be at risk. However, a few staff, although clear that they would report concerns, are not familiar with whom they should report concerns to as laid down in safeguarding policy. The school needs to ensure that staff training in some areas is more regular and detailed, particularly around the ‘Prevent’ duty. Also, administration records of what training staff have received needs to be kept up to date.
• Strong working relationships between staff who have specific safeguarding responsibilities and outside agencies exist to safeguard pupils’ welfare. Staff work appropriately with parents, carers and external agencies when pupils need support.
• Pupils said that they feel safe and are sure that any concerns they raise will be dealt with swiftly.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Working relationships between pupils and staff are strong. As a result, the majority of pupils engage very well with their learning. There is a strong sense of enjoyment, and pupils are interested and curious to find out more. Inspectors saw pupils collaborating effectively with each other.
• Teachers have sound subject knowledge and use this well to plan activities which extend pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Inspectors saw some excellent questioning, which led to some in depth discussions among pupils. However, some teachers do not challenge and develop the thinking of the most able pupils as consistently as they could. This leads to some not making the progress of which they are capable.
• Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that most teachers give helpful feedback in line with the school policy. As a result, pupils are provided with useful guidance, which enables them to understand their mistakes and develop their learning further. However, where feedback does not happen regularly, and is not specific, pupils do not always have the opportunity to address misconceptions and improve their work in a timely way.
• Homework and the schools ‘virtual learning’ platform are used effectively in order to support pupils and develop their learning outside the classroom.
• The school has an overarching assessment policy and pupils are assessed at regular intervals throughout the school year. This year has seen the introduction of an additional mock examination for Year 11 pupils to check more closely those pupils who fall behind. They are offered additional support to make improved progress.
• Most teachers are well organised and support pupils to make good progress over time. Teachers are aware of disadvantaged pupils, but extra support or intervention is not always provided.
• Pupils with SEND are taught well because teachers are aware of their individual learning needs. Pupils with a range of needs, including those who have autistic spectrum disorder, are fully integrated into lessons. Teaching assistants are generally well deployed and support pupils’ learning sensitively and effectively.
• Leaders have prioritised the development of extended writing. Opportunities for extended writing are in place across the curriculum but are not yet fully embedded.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• The pastoral team supports pupils effectively, particularly those who are vulnerable, through a range of bespoke strategies.
• Leaders work to provide pupils with effective, impartial careers advice and guidance is a strength. Pupils are appreciative of the support and information they receive when they make important decisions about their futures. They particularly value the individual careers interviews which take place in Year 11.
• There are numerous opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills and contribute to school life, for example as members of the school council, and as anti-bullying ambassadors. Pupils develop a strong sense of individual and community responsibility through these roles. Pupils spoken to by inspectors are proud of the different ties they wear, which indicate sustained success in sport and the performing arts.
• Pupils told inspectors that that they feel safe in school and know how to keep safe, for example online. They said that there are always adults they can talk to who would help them if they have any problems. There are very few instances of bullying and pupils said that if it does happen, staff deal with it effectively.
• Pupils said that they are taught effectively about how to manage risks they face out of school, for example concerning alcohol and drugs. However, most pupils spoken to are not aware of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. Leaders recognise they need to do more to educate pupils in this area.
• The school’s programme for personal development enables a wide range of learning opportunities. Assemblies, tutor sessions and the taught curriculum are used effectively to promote British values.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Leaders have put a new system in place, called ‘SPOIL’, in order to help teachers manage the behaviour of pupils effectively. Pupils are clear about the school’s expectations of their conduct when in school. They understand that poor behaviour will have consequences, but they welcome the strategies the school has to support individuals in managing their own behaviour better.
• Pupils are polite and well mannered. They are confident, articulate and respectful when speaking to inspectors. A convivial and calm atmosphere permeates the school.
• Effective pastoral systems are in place which are supporting pupils to manage their behaviour effectively. As a result, the number of pupils who are excluded from school is well below the national average.
• Whole-school attendance is now above the national average. Although the attendance of disadvantaged pupils has improved, it is still below the national average. Plans in place to secure good attendance are working because the number of pupils regularly absent from school is rapidly reducing. Punctuality to school in the morning has improved considerably this year. However, the school remains focused on ensuring high levels of attendance from every pupil.
• Pupils who attend alternative provision have their attendance and progress monitored. Sometimes a third party provides this information and the school is looking to strengthen this with direct contact, where appropriate.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2018 GCSE public examinations, pupils’ progress overall was below average. It was not as strong as it had been in the previous two years, when it had been significantly above national averages. Pupils’ attainment remains above national averages.
• Results in 2018 show that overall progress for disadvantaged pupils is below their peers with similar starting points. In addition, results in 2018 show that overall progress for pupils with SEND is below their peers with similar starting points.
• In 2018 GCSE examinations, while the progress of all pupils in humanities and modern foreign languages was above national averages, two subject areas, mathematics and English, dipped, after being a strength of the school. Overall progress in science was below national averages, but progress in biology, chemistry and physics was above national averages. Leaders have taken action to address this dip in performance, and the school’s current assessment information shows that, overall, pupils are making better progress in these subjects.
• Leaders have analysed the performance of all subject areas, and individual plans are in place to improve outcomes where performance was below average. These include design and technology, English literature, science, religious studies and media studies. The impact of this work shows some pupils making better progress, but there is still inconsistency.
• Current pupils with SEND are making strong progress compared with their peers, regardless of their starting points.
• Current pupils who are disadvantaged are making better progress, but there is still inconsistency across classes.
• The progress of the most able pupils in Year 11 in 2018 was below that of other pupils with similar starting points. Current progress data provided by the school shows that progress for most-able pupils is slightly improving, but the progress of the most able group remains a key priority for improvement.
• At key stage 3, in most subjects, most pupils are working well towards their targets.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• The leadership of the sixth form is good. Leaders have a clear understanding of the strengths and areas that need improving.
• The quality of teaching in the sixth form is good. Most teachers plan effectively for the needs of the students. Across a range of subjects, the majority of students are confident in their learning. The high quality of students’ written work reflects their commitment to their studies.
• Feedback provided to students is detailed and mostly in line with school policy. In the sixth form study areas visited during the inspection, students were demonstrating maturity in their study habits.
• The sixth form is a large vibrant community. Students enjoy the sixth form and attend well. They are very positive about the support they receive and the way in which teachers care about how well they achieve.
• In 2018, student outcomes were in line with national averages and stronger than in the two previous years. The school has analysed outcomes and found that some girls did not make the progress from starting points of which they were capable. As a result, strategies have been put in place, which current progress data shows are beginning to have an impact, for example the ‘CORGI’ programme to support high-performing students.
• Clear monitoring and checking systems are in place. The school has worked with an external consultant to ensure that the assessment systems are fit for purpose and that they are robust in tracking both progress and attainment.
• There are many different courses available in the sixth-form curriculum. Leaders regularly review the curriculum to ensure that the available programmes of study effectively meet the needs of all students.
• Safeguarding is effective in the sixth form and students feel safe. Staff and external agencies provide students with information and support them to become independent young adults. However, some students would welcome more specific guidance and support about managing risks they face in their local community.
• Sixth-form students take part in a wide range of enrichment activities that enable them to develop their interests and skills, including those of leadership. These include sports, volunteering and performing arts events. Sixth-form students are integrated into the main school, act as mentors to younger pupils and are actively involved in promoting equality and diversity.
• Students receive helpful careers information about university applications, apprenticeships and employment opportunities. More students than the national average go on to higher education or apprenticeships when they leave school.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 136586 Bromley 10086812 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11 to 18 Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Number of pupils on the school roll Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Boys Mixed 1731 602 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Enkanah Soobadoo Steve Parsons 020 8639 4700 www.lpsb.org.uk parsonss@lpsb.org.uk Date of previous inspection 18 to 19 June 2015

Information about this school

• Langley Park School for Boys is a non-selective academy in the London Borough of Bromley and is part of the Langley Park Learning Trust.
• The proportion of high-attaining pupils on entry is above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. The school has a specialist resource base, the Sunil Centre, for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder.
• The school uses a range of alternative providers. There is currently one pupil receiving alternative provision at the Bromley Children’s Home.

Information about this inspection

• This was a section 8 inspection which converted to a section 5 inspection
• Inspectors observed learning in a range of subjects throughout the school. Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work. They observed pupils’ behaviour during breaktimes, lunchtimes, at lesson changeover times and during registration.
• Documentation, external performance data, policies and the school’s practice were considered, with regard given to behaviour, bullying, safeguarding, welfare, and notes of local governing body meetings.
• Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, new staff, representatives of the local governing body and the chief executive officer of the Trust.
• Inspectors spoke to pupils informally and formally, including during visits to classrooms.
• There were no parental responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey.
• There were no pupil or staff responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

Inspection team

Sarah Parker, lead inspector James Whiting Kanwaljit Singh Terry Millar Ben Thompson

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector