Haggerston School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Reduce the proportion of fixed-term and internal exclusions, particularly for those pupils who have been excluded more than once.
• Improve outcomes in mathematics, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and the most able, by ensuring that teaching challenges pupils to make the progress of which they are capable.
• Improve outcomes on academic courses in the sixth form and raise the proportion of students who go on to complete their courses successfully.
• Follow through with the planned review of the curriculum, including for the sixth form, to ensure that it continues to meet the needs, abilities and aspirations of all pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders at all levels have a sharp understanding of the current quality of education provided by the school. They are aware of what is working well and what has not been as effective. They have reacted quickly to the dip in provisional mathematics results in the 2017 GCSE examinations. The headteacher has worked with leaders to prioritise the right actions needed to further improve the school.
• Leaders have high expectations for pupils. They set ambitious targets for pupils’ achievement. These targets link well with how leaders manage teachers’ performance. Leaders monitor the quality of teaching and effectively hold teachers to account for the quality of their work.
• Staff have high morale. They are proud to work at the school and feel that leaders support them in a variety of ways. These include providing training to meet their individual needs. Teachers new to the profession value the high-quality mentoring and support that they receive. They also appreciate the career opportunities provided by the school.
• While many of the replies from parents and carers who replied to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, were positive, some raised concerns about the quality of teaching and staffing in mathematics and science. The school has been able to appoint new leaders and teachers to these subjects from the beginning of the new school year.
• Subject leaders who are new to their roles are putting effective plans in place and the quality of teaching is improving quickly. Leaders agree that teaching needs to be even more challenging, particularly in mathematics. More experienced subject leaders, such as in English, modern foreign languages and the creative and expressive arts, have maintained high standards over time.
• Leaders use additional pupil premium funding effectively. Historically, disadvantaged pupils achieved better than other pupils nationally in subjects including English and mathematics. Leaders have evaluated the reasons for the dip in provisional outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in the 2017 examinations, and amended their spending plans accordingly. There is a clear rationale to support their decisions. Year 7 catch-up funding helps pupils make good progress, particularly in improving their literacy.
• Leaders use the funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to help them make good progress. The additional adults who provide support for these pupils do not do their work for them they expect pupils to work hard but provide good support when needed.
• The curriculum offered by the school is broad and balanced. It ensures that pupils are able to access a wide range of creative and expressive arts subjects, including extra-curricular visits and in-school events. Pupils and parents say that art and music are particular strengths of the curriculum. Leaders have been more effective in developing literacy, particularly reading, across the curriculum than numeracy. Leaders are right to plan a review of the curriculum for the next academic year. This will include the sixth form, reviewing the time allocated to subjects at key stage 4, and the structure of the achievement groups at key stage 3.
• Leaders prepare pupils well for life in modern Britain. This is because pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is improved in a range of ways. One pupil’s words chimed with their peers when they said: ‘There is lots of community in this school.’ Pupils get on well with each other, showing tolerance for individual differences and beliefs. Pupils reflect on topical issues such as racial and gender equality. They show high standards of respect when celebrating the achievements of other pupils.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is supportive of school leaders. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They have challenged leaders to address the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. This has been successful, as shown for example by the above national average progress in a wide range of subjects made by pupils in both 2015 and 2016.
• The governing body uses reports from the local authority school improvement partner to gain an external review of the school’s work. Leaders, including the governing body, did not sufficiently consider the impact of staffing difficulties in mathematics and science in their evaluation of the success of the school’s work last year.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe, both in London and beyond. Pupils find their learning, for example about crime, the law, sex and drug education, helpful. They feel safe in school. Most parents agree that their child is safe and well looked after.
• Leaders have trained the staff well on recognising and reporting any concerns they have about pupils’ welfare. Staff use a range of strategies, including seeking support from external agencies to ensure that pupils receive early help should they need it. Leaders are aware that some aspects of their record-keeping for pupils who are educated off-site is not as comprehensive as it should be. Leaders have corrected this through updating records and files for relevant pupils who are educated off-site.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have good subject knowledge which they use to select interesting and engaging learning activities. They also use time effectively to ensure that pupils remain focused on their learning. Most teachers ensure that feedback to pupils helps them to improve their work.
• Teachers use questioning well. Skilful questioning helps pupils to think carefully about what they are learning. An example of this was seen in a food technology lesson, where the teacher’s questions reinforced pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the different types of knives and cutting techniques used in food preparation. Another example was in physical education where the teacher’s questioning deepened pupils’ understanding of passing skills in basketball.
• Teachers develop pupils’ reading skills effectively in lessons. Pupils read widely and often. As a result, pupils become confident in their reading, including pupils who speak English as an additional language.
• Additional adults in classrooms provide good-quality support for teachers and pupils. They are active in lessons in ensuring that pupils stay on task. They prompt pupils where needed and know when to step back and let the pupils do the work. This support is particularly effective in helping pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities to make good progress.
• Pupils told inspectors that they receive an appropriate amount of homework and that most of the homework set is useful. Most parents who replied to Parent View agree.
• Teaching has been particularly strong over time in a range of subjects including English, the creative and expressive arts, and modern foreign languages.
• Teaching in mathematics and science is improving. Inspectors reviewed a wide range of pupils’ books. In mathematics in particular, leaders are aware that some teaching is not challenging enough, particularly for the most able pupils. Sometimes the work pupils in key stage 3 learn is repetitive of the work they learned in primary school. Teachers do not give pupils sufficient opportunities to learn from making mistakes. Pupils reported to inspectors that mathematics teaching has improved when compared with last year.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Leaders have created a safe environment at the school where, for example, bullying is rare. Pupils feel safe from any physical harm. When any bullying does occur or where there is an incident between pupils, pupils are confident that staff will deal with it quickly. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including when online.
• The strong sense of community across the school ensures that differences are recognised and celebrated. Staff effectively communicate important messages about equality and fairness, including in assemblies. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 make several ‘pledges’ where they have to take part in different activities that help them to think about ‘me’, ‘school’ and the ‘community’. Pupils, through turning their pledges into actions, benefit from a range of ways of developing their personal character and understanding how to become better citizens.
• Leaders have put in place a well-considered programme of careers, advice and guidance. Pupils learn from a range of experiences and insights to help them plan for their futures.
• Inspectors reviewed case studies of pupils who are educated off-site. Pupils are safe and well cared for. Leaders are improving their record-keeping in monitoring the personal development and welfare of this group of pupils.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils look smart and wear their uniform with pride. Pupils work hard and also take pride in their work. Low-level disruption is rare.
• Pupils are typically respectful to teachers and each other. They have good attitudes to learning. Most pupils behave sensibly and safely. Corridors are calm and orderly. The playground is a safe place for pupils to socialise and play. Canteen staff told the lead inspector how well behaved pupils are when they use the canteen and that school staff actively supervise the canteen.
• Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average. The school’s systems for monitoring and tackling poor attendance are effective.
• For a minority of pupils, their behaviour and attitudes to learning are not as consistently positive as those of others. They have not reached the level of personal development where their behaviour suggests that they are focusing on improving their learning. Over time, there have been high levels of internal and fixed-term exclusions. Leaders’ actions in helping pupils avoid being excluded more than once have not been fully successful. Some pupils feel that they could benefit from further help to improve their behaviour. Inspectors agree.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2015 and 2016, at the end of key stage 4, pupils’ progress overall and the progress of most groups of pupils was above the national average in a range of subjects including English and mathematics. Pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds made progress either in line with or above other pupils nationally in both English and mathematics.
• In 2017, GCSE provisional outcomes continued to be strong, including in English, modern foreign languages, physical education, biology, chemistry, physics, and the creative and expressive arts.
• Inspectors reviewed a wide range of books including those of the most able and pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly in mathematics. These show that, from their different starting points, most pupils are making good and improving progress in mathematics and science.
• Pupils make strong progress in developing their reading skills. This is because leaders give high priority to developing reading across the school. Pupils’ progress in English from their different starting points is typically strong in all year groups. Also, pupils at key stage 3 make strong progress in a wide range of subjects.
• Most pupils who speak English as an additional language make progress in line with other pupils nationally. Pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities also make good progress. This is because of effective leadership and strong support from additional adults.
• Pupils who are educated off-site in alternative provision study a range of subjects, included work-related courses that are well suited to their needs. Case studies reviewed by inspectors show that pupils generally achieve well.
• Pupils who follow the ‘achievement pathway’ at key stage 3 and the alternative (on-site) pathway at key stage 4 make good progress in some subjects.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education. Most pupils move on to study in other local schools and colleges while some choose to move into the school’s sixth form.
• In 2017, provisional results suggest a particularly sharp fall in GCSE mathematics results, including for pupils from a disadvantaged background. The school’s drop in terms of the proportions who achieved a grade four and above and grade seven and above was more significant than any variation experienced by other schools nationally. Leaders have placed a greater priority, including the ongoing review of pupil premium funding, on improving pupils’ progress in mathematics for this school year.
• In a few subjects, including mathematics, teaching is not consistently ensuring that the most able pupils are making the progress of which they are capable.

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

• The sixth form is small and represents below 10% of the school roll. Leaders have not ensured that the quality of teaching has been sufficiently strong to secure good outcomes over time. Overall attainment has improved but overall progress has not. There is variability in the progress made by students on different courses at A and AS level year on year.
• The quality of teaching varies. Some teaching is not challenging enough and teachers are not ensuring that students develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject content. Some teachers use their knowledge of their subject and its assessment to help students understand how to develop their examination techniques effectively.
• Most students follow academic courses. While students are able to study academic courses that they feel are suited to their career aims, the progress they make by the end of some courses is not good. Also, the proportion of students who complete their courses is below the national average.
• Students are prepared well to learn about a range of career options, including apprenticeships and university. The proportion of students who move on to further and higher education is above the national average. Students have access to appropriate work experience that supports their studies.
• Students enjoy being in the sixth form. They say that teachers know them well and that they benefit from small class sizes. Teachers ensure that tutor time is helpful to students, for example in developing their research and presentation skills.
• Students are good role models for younger pupils. They behave in a mature and friendly way. They attend well. Students use their private study periods effectively. They feel safe and well cared for by adults at the school.
• Students’ progress on the small number of work-related courses is much stronger than it is on academic courses. Students who are retaking GCSE English and/or mathematics tend to make stronger progress than other pupils nationally, particularly in English.
• Leaders understand the strengths and weaknesses in the sixth form. They have demonstrated the capacity to improve the sixth form, including a planned review of the curriculum for next year.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 100277 Hackney 10023646 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 Age range of pupils 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 Community 11 to 19 Mixed Mixed 951 83 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Barry O’Brien Ciara Emmerson 020 7739 7324 www.haggerston.hackney.sch.uk haggerstonschool@haggerston.hackney.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 12 13 March 2013

Information about this school

• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of the full range of information about the sixth form, pupil premium funding or governance on its website.
• Haggerston is an average-sized secondary school with a small sixth form.
• The headteacher took up her role in September 2017.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is well above the national average.
• A significant number of pupils join the school at different points of the school year. Some of these pupils speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average.
• Most pupils who attend the school are from White, Black African and Black Caribbean ethnic origins.
• A small number of pupils at key stage 4 are educated in alternative (off-site) provision. This is through New Regent’s College, the local authority vocational college and pupil referral unit.
• The school currently meets the government floor standards which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress by the time they leave school.

Information about this inspection

• The inspection team visited lessons in a range of subjects, mostly accompanied by school leaders. Inspectors also reviewed a wide range of pupils’ books. This included, in mathematics, looking at pupils’ work with senior and middle leaders to evaluate the quality of pupils’ learning over time.
• The inspection team held a range of meetings with senior and middle leaders to evaluate the impact of their work. Inspectors also held meetings with the governing body, teachers new to the profession, staff and different groups of pupils, including students in the sixth form. The lead inspector met with two representatives of the local authority. The lead inspector had telephone conversations with the executive headteacher and the local authority representative who oversee the alternative provision used by the school.
• Inspectors reviewed 41 replies to Parent View. Inspectors also reviewed email communication and telephone messages received during the inspection. Inspectors evaluated 48 replies to Ofsted’s survey for staff and 19 replies to the pupil survey.
• Inspectors scrutinised a variety of documentation provided by leaders, including internal assessment information for pupils in all year groups, leaders’ self-evaluation, improvement plans, minutes of governing body meetings, attendance and behaviour information, a variety of school policies, the single central record of recruitment checks and a wide range of other information relating to the safeguarding of pupils.

Inspection team

Sam Hainey, lead inspector Bruce Goddard James Whiting Sarah Parker Rebecca Allott Katerina Christodoulou

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