Ark Burlington Danes Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve teaching and learning across all key stages so that pupils make at least good progress by ensuring that:
  • the curriculum provides a broad range of interesting and demanding learning experiences that builds upon pupils’ prior knowledge, understanding and skills
  • teachers plan activities that inspire pupils to become enthusiastic and curious learners
  • teachers use assessment information to ensure that activities sufficiently challenge pupils and can be adapted to meet individual learning needs.
• Leaders and managers must ensure that:
  • the recently introduced behaviour policy and systems have a positive impact on the conduct of pupils around the school and their attitudes to learning in lessons
  • the focus on improving attendance has an impact on all pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged
  • the most able and disadvantaged pupils, across the school, are enabled to make strong progress so that they achieve the highest possible outcomes
  • the quality of teaching across all subjects and key stages, particularly in mathematics, science, humanities and modern foreign languages, is of a consistently high quality
  • there are regular and meaningful opportunities for staff, pupils, and parents to contribute to school improvement and feedback on their experiences at the school
  • they routinely check that disadvantaged pupils make good progress from their starting points.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• During the last year, Ark directors and the governors have steered the school skilfully through a turbulent and highly emotional time. They have been mindful of events in the local area and the impact on the well-being of the school community. They have recently taken decisive action to halt a decline in standards at key stage 4 and on 16 to 19 study programmes.
• Ark directors, governors and the newly appointed leadership team have reflected incisively and accurately on their key priorities. They have very high aspirations for the school, are fully committed to making improvements and have an effective plan in place to achieve this. As a result, in a short space of time, senior leaders have already addressed some pertinent issues. For instance, they have introduced a new behaviour policy and system, and made demonstrable improvements in the sixth form.
• Leaders and governors are proud of their inclusive community school, with its Christian ethos and historical legacy. Pupils’ social, spiritual, moral and cultural development is given high priority and there is a collective mission to support and value every member of the school community. Leaders promote British values effectively and staff are quick to exploit the many opportunities available in the capital city. Leaders at all levels, and staff, promote and celebrate pupils’ diverse backgrounds, cultures and faiths. They ensure that all pupils have equality of opportunity, including those who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities.
• A broad range of extra-curricular opportunities in sport, arts and performance complement the academic curriculum. These motivate and engage pupils and their successes are celebrated through the school newsletter and twice-yearly magazine.
• The Ark network provides a high-quality professional development programme. Throughout the year, all staff benefit from regular training and sharing of expertise, linked to their performance targets. Staff value these opportunities, particularly the high number of new teachers who join the school.
• Leaders ensure that there is appropriate provision for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities across the school so that they make progress from their starting points. Pupils’ individual needs are met through accurate assessment, individual learning plans and targeted support. Teaching assistants across the school are well trained to support these pupils.
• Leaders have introduced a mathematics mastery programme across key stage 3 to address pupils’ poor numeracy skills. This has raised the profile of mathematics across the school, but it is too early to see the impact of this initiative on GCSE outcomes.
• Middle leaders in both the secondary and primary phase check regularly on the quality of teaching and learning in their areas. They have an accurate grasp of where there are strengths and areas for development. They are fully committed to making urgent improvements in some areas and have the support from senior leaders to do this.
• Leaders have used the primary sports funding to provide additional after-school sports clubs and increase the confidence of primary school teachers to deliver core physical education through a coaching programme.
• The curriculum does not enable current pupils to make enough progress. It does not build sufficiently on pupils’ prior understanding, knowledge or skills. While in some key stages there is breadth, pupils do not learn in depth. The curriculum does not challenge pupils to question, hypothesise, problem solve, explore and experience learning that will deepen their knowledge. This inhibits the progress the most able make across the school.
• Leaders have not checked carefully enough on the progress of disadvantaged pupils or intervene quickly enough when they begin to underachieve. The school’s pupil premium strategy does not identify specifically how leaders will address potential issues faced by these pupils. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils have not made the progress that they should. New leaders are aware that this is a priority they need to address urgently.
• Some pupils and staff voiced their frustration at not having a forum to present their views about recent rapid changes. They do not have enough opportunities to have their voice heard and contribute meaningfully to school improvement. The school council is currently dormant and student leadership in the sixth form undeveloped. Some pupils and staff are not convinced that their opinions will be heard.

Governance of the school

• The local governing body are committed, experienced and highly reflective. They work closely with the Ark Schools Board to ensure that school leaders focus on relevant aspects of school improvement. Governors are steadfast in their desire to support and professionally challenge the new senior leadership team.
• Governors are proud of their community school, especially the new primary phase they have created. Governors are dedicated to procuring resources and improving the school premises. Consequently, additions such as the new primary library, the school gym and improvements to the listed building have had a positive impact on the school community.
• Governors scrutinise information provided by the school. However, they have been slow to question the validity and extent of this information. Governors have not systematically asked pertinent questions about the progress of pupils such as the disadvantaged and the most able.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Governors and leaders are clear about their statutory safeguarding responsibilities and have created a culture of vigilance to ensure that they keep pupils and staff safe. They are aware of the potential risks that pupils face in the wider community and have systems to protect and support pupils and their families.
• Checks on the suitability of staff to work at the school are in line with current guidelines. Record keeping is of a high quality. Safeguarding referrals to the local authority and external agencies are regular and actions followed up in a timely way. Where necessary, leaders ensure that families receive early and effective support and help.
• Staff are aware of the potential risks faced by pupils and have received relevant training. This includes knowledge of the ‘Prevent’ duty, local gangs, violent crime, female genital mutilation, and child sexual exploitation. They are alert to potential concerns and understand the process for sharing information.
• The large school site is extremely secure and well maintained. Careful thought has been given to the new primary building to ensure that while it is highly visible within the school community, it is safe and secure for even the youngest children.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• The quality of teaching and learning across the school is variable, particularly in subjects such as science, mathematics, modern foreign languages and humanities. High staff turnover has had a detrimental effect. Consequently, some pupils do not make the progress they are capable of.
• While teachers plan activities together, their execution of these plans is sometimes inconsistent and often formulaic. Some teachers do not adapt their plans to meet pupils’ changing needs. They do not always use assessment information effectively. Some teachers set tasks that do not build on pupils’ prior knowledge, understanding and skills or deepen their learning.
• Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are sometimes too low. Teachers do not ensure that there are opportunities for pupils to solve problems, reason or produce extended pieces of high-quality writing. Consequently, some pupils, particularly the most able, do not make the progress they are capable of.
• Pupils say that they want to do well and enjoy their learning. However, where teachers’ expectations are low, and tasks completed quickly, pupils lose concentration, are not able to sustain their interest in their studies and become bored and complacent learners. Sometimes, these pupils disrupt the learning of others in the class.
• Pupils’ books show that teachers, overall, give feedback in line with their department’s policy. However, this does not necessarily lead to improvements in pupils’ work. Where teachers set follow-on tasks or questions, they do not always check that these have been completed.
• Senior and middle leaders have prioritised improving the quality of teaching and learning so that it is of a consistently high quality across the school. They have introduced more regular and accurate assessments so that they can check pupils’ progress and put in place timely interventions where relevant. Leaders are aware of which teachers require further support and have introduced a mentoring system to complement staff training and development.
• Some teachers have strong subject knowledge and expertise which they use to plan interesting and stimulating activities. They use their knowledge of pupils’ ability to challenge and inspire pupils. In these lessons, pupils make stronger progress. For instance, during the STEM day, pupils in key stage 1 could articulate their experiments on reflection, using mathematical and scientific language. Others talked about the difference between transparent and opaque when making telescopes, so that ‘Jack’ could see from the top of the beanstalk. Year 8 pupils leaving a lunchtime drama club talked enthusiastically about how they ‘express themselves’ and their next production.
• The new leadership team has introduced ‘every lesson, every day’, a policy which sets the minimum expectations required by all teachers. It includes elements such as keeping books tidy and neat. This has helped to bring some consistent practice across the school.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• As an inclusive faith school, pupils’ spiritual development and their social and emotional well-being is a high priority. Pupils are encouraged to celebrate diversity and reflect on different faiths, cultures and opinions. The social, spiritual, moral and cultural programme is comprehensive and permeates throughout the curriculum. The school works closely with a local project to support identified disadvantaged pupils and this has had a profound impact on some pupils.
• Pupils are aware of the risks in the wider community, including local gangs, knife crime and child sexual exploitation. They receive a range of information through the school’s personal, social and health education programme about how to keep themselves safe and healthy, including when online. Pupils are complimentary about the advice they receive. They know who to turn to should they have any concerns about their safety or well-being, including the chaplain, the counselling service and the safer schools officer.
• Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Transition from nursery to Reception is well managed and the new primary and Year 7 cohort have settled well. Pupils in the secondary phase benefit from appropriate careers guidance, so that they make informed decisions about the opportunities available to them post-16. Students in the sixth form visit university fairs and open days to broaden their horizons when choosing a university or course. As a result, a number successfully apply to study outside of London.
• Leaders ensure that the small number of pupils who study at an alternative provision attend regularly, are well behaved and make good progress from their starting points.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement. This is because it is not yet good in the secondary phase.
• The conduct of some pupils during break and recreational times is not good enough. Some pupils find it difficult to manage their own behaviour. Some areas of the site become pressure points, for instance in the long lunch and breaktime queues, where poor behaviour escalates.
• Pupils’ enthusiasm for learning wanes when teachers’ expectations of what they can do are too low. Off-task behaviour, low-level disruption and complacency become rife, which interrupts the learning of the majority.
• Pupils’ attendance overall last year was too low. Too many pupils attend school sporadically, particularly secondary pupils who are disadvantaged. Leaders have recently instigated a number of initiatives to monitor and improve attendance across the secondary phase. However, it is too early to judge the impact of these actions.
• Leaders have taken decisive action this year and introduced a new behaviour policy in the secondary phase. While staff’s and pupils’ opinions about the value of the ‘line-ups’ are mixed, many were complimentary about the positive changes in pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are clear about staff’s expectations and the consequences for unacceptable conduct.
• Leaders have recently reviewed the process for managing exclusions. They now provide more support to enable pupils to reflect on their inappropriate behaviour. This has already had a positive impact on the number of pupils excluded internally from their lessons. However, the number of secondary pupils excluded from school is still above the national average, particularly disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils in all key stages are proud of their school. They take care over the presentation of their work and wear their uniform with pride. Overall, pupils show respect and tolerance towards each other and the staff who work with them. Pupils spoken to during the inspection said that staff deal quickly with any incidences of bullying.
• The behaviour of pupils in the primary phase is good. Pupils are keen to learn, support each other effectively and work hard. They conduct themselves well around the primary school, showing kindness to younger pupils. The primary phase is a calm and ordered environment.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• Over time, there has been a steady decline in the proportion of pupils making good progress at key stage 4. This is particularly true in subjects such as mathematics, science, modern foreign languages and humanities.
• The most able pupils across all key stages do not make the progress they are capable of. At key stage 4, in 2017 and 2018, the most able pupils made significantly less progress and achieved less well than pupils did nationally. Equally, disadvantaged pupils made far less progress than all pupils nationally, particularly in mathematics and humanities.
• In key stage 1, in 2018, pupils overall, especially girls, achieved higher than the national average in reading and mathematics. However, boys, particularly those who are disadvantaged, did not achieve as well as they should have done.
• Evidence in current pupils’ books across key stages 3 and 4 indicates that pupils complete tasks diligently and have pride in their work. However, the activities that teachers set do not systematically build on pupils’ prior learning or stretch them so that they make the progress they are capable of. Poorer teaching over the last few years means that current pupils, particularly those in key stage 4 and post-16, have potentially significant gaps in their knowledge and understanding.
• In key stages 1 and 2, pupils are curious learners, articulate their ideas and ask searching questions. They enjoy working together and support each other to succeed on set activities. Many make good progress as a result.
• Careful attention is given to the support of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities and those studying at alternative provision. Leaders ensure that they meet these pupils’ learning needs and that their progress is checked carefully.
• In the early years and key stage 1, phonics is taught systematically, and children learn to enjoy reading and listening to stories. As a result, overall, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in phonics in Year 1 has been above the national average for two years. The majority of current key stage 2 pupils are consequently, competent readers. Each phase has a well-stocked and well-used library to encourage pupils to read for pleasure and research.
• Leaders expect teachers to highlight spelling and grammar errors, which they do regularly. This helps pupils to become more accurate writers.

Early years provision Good

• Teaching in the nursery prepares children well for their Reception Year. Children quickly settle into school and have positive relationships with each other and staff. Teachers work closely with parents to assess accurately each child’s ability on entry. They then track their progress carefully. Consequently, by the time children leave Reception, the proportion reaching a good level of development is consistently above the national average.
• Leaders have an accurate understanding of the strengths of this new provision. They have created a bright, modern and spacious environment that gives children opportunities to explore and learn both indoors and outside. Staff are well trained and set high expectations. Consequently, children behave well, learn to share, work together and demonstrate kindness and respect.
• Staff teach phonics systematically and encourage children to listen to stories and read books throughout the day. The beautiful new library, built in commemoration of the founding headteacher, encourages children to develop a love of books. Consequently, children are confident readers and well prepared for key stage 1.
• Children are eager, expressive and enthusiastic learners. They listen carefully and are keen to explain what they are doing and learning. During the inspection, a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) ‘drop down day’ provided a wealth of learning opportunities. Children eagerly explained what they were doing as they explored different textures and substances and measured and weighed different items.
• Leaders ensure that safeguarding in the early years provision is effective. Children are known well by the staff and are consequently, well cared for.
• The curriculum ensures that the majority of children achieve a good level of development by the time they complete the Reception Year. However, staff do not always plan enough demanding experiences that extend and build on children’s prior knowledge and understanding. They do not routinely channel children’s enthusiasm into imaginative activities that will ultimately lead to deeper learning. As a result, while the majority achieve the expected level in the early learning goals, fewer exceed it.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Leaders have recently focused on improving the quality of 16 to 19 study programmes and establishing a culture of high expectations. Sixth-form leaders have a solid understanding of the areas that have recently improved and what still needs to be addressed. They are proud of the achievements of the 2018 Year 13 cohort who made good progress across a range of subjects.
• A range of academic and vocational qualifications are available, including level 2 courses, based on students’ aspirations and prior ability. These are complimented by extra-curricular opportunities, clubs and sport that exploit students’ talents and interests.
• As in the rest of the school, safeguarding arrangements are effective. Students receive appropriate information about how they can keep themselves safe and know who to turn to should they be concerned.
• Students have high aspirations, work very hard and enjoy studying. They conduct themselves in a consistently mature way and act as excellent role models for younger pupils. Attendance is improving rapidly now that expectations for being on the school site have been raised.
• The sixth form area offers very good facilities, with specific areas to study and socialise, within the heart of the main school. Consequently, students feel part of this inclusive community. School leaders ensure that they provide ample opportunities for students to develop spiritually, morally, socially and culturally.
• All Year 12 students complete the Ark BDA diploma which encourages them to ‘give back’ through in-school volunteering. Though in its early stages, a number are already involved in sports coaching and reading buddy schemes.
• Leaders ensure that students are well prepared for the next stage of their education or training. Trips and visits to universities and large employers such as the Bank of America ensure that students make informed choices when they leave. Year 12 do a formal work experience during the summer term. There are opportunities to meet with a careers advisor. Consequently, the majority of students proceed onto higher education or apprenticeships, with many successfully applying to Russell Group universities.
• Teachers carefully track the progress of individual students and intervene quickly should they be at risk of underachieving. There is some strong teaching in the sixth form, which consistently supports students to achieve at their best.
• Staff turnover has had a negative impact on students’ progress in some areas of the sixth form, notably but not exclusively in biology. Formal support for this year’s UCAS applications is not yet in place, though leaders have plans to address this urgently.

School details

Unique reference number 131752 Local authority Hammersmith & Fulham Inspection number 10047356 Type of school All-through School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 3 to 18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,234 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 221 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair of the local governing board Paul Simon Executive Principal Peter Haylock Principal Paul Bhatia Telephone number 020 8735 4950 Website http://burlingtondanes.org/ Email address bda.school@burlingtondanes.org Date of previous inspection 21–22 November 2013

Information about this school

• This inspection is a section 8 deemed section 5 inspection, due to the addition of a new primary phase in 2015. Currently, the primary phase has pupils up to and including Year 3.
• Ark and the local governing board have recently appointed a new principal and a new executive principal to oversee the all-through school. There is also a new acting principal of the primary phase. The Ark regional director, the Ark director of secondary and the Ark director of primary are supporting these new leadership appointments. The post-16 Ark director is supporting the 16 to 19 programmes of study.
• In July 2017, the founding principal of the new primary phase died. Following the Grenfell Tower fire, 500 pupils from Kensington Aldridge Academy were taught temporarily on Ark Burlington Danes Academy site.
• Ark Burlington Danes Academy is an all-through, Church of England school, which is part of the Ark multi-academy trust.
• Just over half of the pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is above the national average.
• The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, which is higher than the national average.
• Almost half of the pupils speak English as an additional language.
• The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is in line with the national average.
• A small number of pupils attend alternative provision at Courtyard Alternative Provider, The Childerley Centre and West Thames College.
• The school met the government’s floor standards in 2017, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching, learning and assessment across all year groups and in a wide range of subjects. They made some of these visits jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors heard pupils read, watched the teaching of phonics and observed activities during the primary school STEM ‘drop down’ day.
• Inspectors met with Ark directors who are supporting the school and the chief executive of Ark. They met with the new executive principal, the new principal of the all-through school and the acting principal of the primary phase to discuss their plans for school improvement.
• Four groups of pupils met formally with inspectors to present their views of the school. Inspectors talked to children, pupils and students in the sixth form, during recreational times and during lessons.
• Inspectors met with middle leaders across all key stages, those new to teaching and non-teaching support staff.
• Inspectors took account of the 10 responses to Parent View, 83 responses to the staff survey and 97 responses to the pupil survey. An inspector spoke to parents as they dropped their children at school.
• The inspection team scrutinised a wide range of documentation including: records related to pupils’ behaviour and attendance, minutes of meetings, information on the progress made by pupils, the school’s self-evaluation and school development plan.
• Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, policies and procedures, including referrals to external agencies.

Inspection team

Helen Matthews, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Sarah Bailey Ofsted Inspector James Whiting Ofsted Inspector Bruce Goddard Ofsted Inspector David Davies Ofsted Inspector