Logic Studio School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Leaders and teachers must ensure that:
  • the focus on improving pupils’ literacy skills, particularly the quality of their writing, continues to be a high priority
  • expectations for how students in the sixth form maintain and present their work are high so that they can reflect and act upon teachers’ feedback.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The principal, senior leaders, trust directors and governors have a clear vision for the specialist school they have created and the learning culture they have established. They have the highest aspirations for the pupils and students in their care and are proud of what they have achieved so far.
• Leaders are highly reflective and, consequently, understand that some of their initial actions did not have enough impact on pupils’ progress. They are quick to react to any underperformance. For instance, leaders were disappointed by the GCSE results of some pupils in some subjects in 2018. As a result, they have implemented a number of initiatives, including a focus on improving writing skills. These actions are having a demonstrable impact on pupils’ outcomes.
• The specialist curriculum has been designed to meet the needs of pupils within the local economy and enable them to be very well prepared for the next stage of their education and training. At key stage 4, English Baccalaureate subjects complement vocational creative media and business studies. Employability skills are enhanced through links with local businesses and termly project-based learning.
• Leaders are highly committed to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development within this tight-knit and inclusive school community. Pupils spoke of how much they are respected by their teachers and, consequently, they show respect to their teachers. Leaders ensure that pupils have opportunities to explore what it means to be British and to live in London. Trips and visits, debates and visiting speakers all ensure that pupils develop strong British values. The school community works cohesively together, and the views of pupils, parents and staff are regularly sought to ensure that there is equality of opportunity for everyone.
• Leaders have very high expectations of the quality of teaching. Consequently, they provide weekly professional development for all staff, either in-house or with other schools in the trust. All staff have regular opportunities to observe each other and reflect on their teaching. Teachers greatly value this professional development.
• Leaders have an effective system for assessing pupils’ ability, aptitudes and skills when they arrive in Year 10. Some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and understanding. Some find expressing their understanding of facts, concepts and ideas difficult. Some pupils arrive with complex learning needs.
• Leaders have invested heavily in an intensive coaching programme that is targeted to meet the academic, social and emotional needs of individual pupils. While all pupils have access to this programme, leaders ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are specifically targeted. These sessions contribute to the good progress these pupils make within a supportive and ambitious learning environment. Leaders know each pupil individually and understand the progress they make. This informs the need for additional coaching or teaching sessions. In this way, leaders ensure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, make good progress.

Governance of the school

• Trust directors and the local governing board share the principal’s high aspirations and pride in the school’s successes to date.
• Trust directors offer highly strategic and effective direction for the school. They have ensured that the school remains financially viable in a time of economic challenge. They facilitate close relationships with the other schools in the trust and, consequently, provide a wide curriculum offer for post-16 students. Trust directors and the local governing board consistently challenge the principal and senior leaders to ensure that the highest standards of education are delivered.
• The governing board knows the school well and is highly visible in the community and known by local businesses. Governors act effectively as advocates for the school. For example, they broker services and hold school leaders to account for the day-to-day running of the school.
• Trust directors and governors work closely together to deliver their vision of ‘a relevant and connected education, focused on tomorrow’s economy’ so that pupils and students become lifelong learners.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders, trust directors and governors understand their statutory responsibilities to keep staff, pupils and students safe. Staff are well trained to identify any signs of potential concern, know pupils well and are highly vigilant. They know the risks in the wider community, such as gang affiliation, knife crime and child sexual exploitation. Staff work closely with external agencies and the police to ensure that pupils receive up-to-date and relevant information on how to stay safe.
• Leaders keep well-documented records of referrals to external bodies. They are committed to ensuring rapid and relevant help and support to individual pupils and their families. Checks on the suitability of staff to work at the school are in line with statutory guidance.
• The site is very secure and well maintained. Leaders have undertaken appropriate risk assessments to ensure that any area, such as those shared with other schools in the trust, presents no risk to pupils’ safety.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teachers have secure subject knowledge and are confident and adept at designing activities that engage and motivate pupils to achieve well. They know what pupils can do, and plan accordingly, breaking down more challenging concepts or ideas into manageable chunks. Consequently, pupils approach tasks diligently and with a can-do attitude. This raises their self-esteem and ensures that they learn effectively.
• Staff have high aspirations for all pupils and, as a result, pupils are well motivated, productive and engaged in their learning. During ‘prep’ time each morning, they complete individualised tasks and feel confident to ask for help, as required. Pupils quickly adapt to working in different ways. For example, they use technology to complete a task or revise, and work in groups to generate ideas or undertake practical and creative activities. Pupils’ highly positive attitudes to learning ensure that they learn in a safe and supportive environment.
• Teachers give regular and informative feedback to pupils about their work, and explain what they need to do to improve. They provide ‘next step’ activities so that pupils can demonstrate what they have learned. Pupils value this dialogue and the opportunities they have to reflect and respond.
• The school focus currently is to ensure that all pupils have the skills to speak and write in standard English. This is so that they can demonstrate their knowledge and understanding across all subjects. A detailed literacy strategy was introduced in September 2018 and is consistently applied across all subjects. Pupils have regular opportunities to practise how to articulate their ideas verbally and in writing. This is beginning to have an impact on pupils’ work. However, pupils’ literacy skills remain variable, particularly with regard to some pupils’ written work.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Leaders have established a strongly supportive and nurturing learning environment. They have high aspirations for all pupils, irrespective of their starting points. Pupils are known well as individuals and, as a result, individualised support and guidance are provided for all.
• Pupils are welcomed warmly, and staff are committed to ensuring that any barriers to their learning are quickly addressed. A large proportion of pupils stay throughout key stage 4, and many progress into the sixth form. Consequently, pupils establish trusting relationships with staff, who they believe offer them bespoke and exceptional support.
• The personal, social, health and economic education programme is highly effective. Leaders ensure that assemblies, visiting speakers, debates and tutor time equip pupils with the necessary information and skills required for adulthood. Pupils have a very detailed understanding of how to stay safe and healthy in modern Britain.
• Pupils are knowledgeable about issues such as radicalisation, grooming and gang affiliation. They talked confidently about healthy relationships, staying fit and understanding their emotional well-being. Pupils gave a number of examples of how they are kept up to date with relevant topics, for instance knife crime. The student council is very active and contributes to school development, for instance contributing to designs for the outside area.
• Information, advice and guidance are of a high calibre. Effective links with employers and higher education providers ensure that pupils are aware of the opportunities available to them. Pupils mix well with post-16 students and, consequently, there is ongoing dialogue around aspirations for apprenticeships, universities and work.
• From the moment they arrive at the school, the majority of pupils make outstanding progress in their social and emotional development. This has a positive impact on their academic outcomes.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• Pupils are very proud of their school, their smart attire and the mature way they approach their studies. They show respect and tolerance towards each other and the staff that work with them. Pupils work well together, irrespective of previous school, background, culture or ability. The school is a quiet, calm and productive environment. Pupils say this is typical, and parents who responded to Parent View confirmed this to be the case.
• Many pupils have made significant improvements in their behaviour, attitudes to learning and attendance since arriving at the school.
• Attendance overall is above the national average. Some individual pupils have made exceptional progress in this area. Leaders are quick to inform parents when pupils do not arrive for school, and a range of personalised strategies are used to encourage regular attendance.
• Positive reinforcement is used very effectively to encourage appropriate behaviours and consistently good attendance. Parents were highly complimentary about the communication they receive from the school regarding the conduct of their children.
• Pupils were clear that staff deal effectively and swiftly with any rare incidents of inappropriate behaviour or bullying.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• The vast majority of pupils arrive at the start of Year 10 and stay until the end of Year 11. On arrival, leaders give pupils baseline tests in English and mathematics and assess pupils’ reading and spelling ages. The ethos of the school and high expectations of staff ensure that pupils’ attitudes to learning are good. Consequently, pupils begin to fill any gaps in their previous learning. In this way, pupils make good progress over time.
• In 2018, the proportion of pupils that attained a grade 5 or above in both English and mathematics was below the national average. However, the proportion of pupils that attained a grade 5 or above in mathematics was higher than the national average. In English, it was below. This was also the case for disadvantaged pupils. While pupils, overall, attained slightly higher than the national average across a range of subjects, this was not the case for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders were quick to identify the reasons for some pupils’ underachievement in particular subjects. For some, it was an inability to express themselves appropriately in writing. For others, changes in staffing had an impact on their ability to achieve well.
• Leaders have been quick to initiate a whole-school literacy strategy. This ensures that pupils have regular opportunities to practise writing for a range of audiences and purposes. They read texts of increasing complexity and articulate their ideas more fluently in standard English. Year 10 read shared texts in small groups on a regular basis. Current pupils’ work indicates that this initiative is having an impact on pupils’ ability to communicate their knowledge effectively.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Leaders are clear about the purpose of their specialist school. Consequently, links with local businesses, employers and higher education providers are very strong. Students benefit from strategic opportunities to undertake meaningful internships, work placements and work experience. A focus is put on developing students’ preparation for the next stage in their lives, whether that be through employment or UCAS or apprenticeship applications.
• Regular project-based learning ensures that students can hone essential skills and links to an effective careers guidance programme. However, some students in 2018 did not progress onto a structured career pathway on completion of their programme. Consequently, leaders have implemented a comprehensive and coordinated induction to the apprenticeship route. As a result, the majority of Year 13 students have made a university and an apprenticeship application.
• The 16 to 19 study programme is highly individualised, and fully meets the Department for Education’s statutory requirements. The trust ensures that students can opt to study a range of academic A levels to complement the BTEC National Diploma programmes within business, information technology and digital media. Level 2 English and mathematics courses are available for those needing to resit their GCSE qualifications. Core mathematics is offered to those who are able to work at a higher level. Outcomes, particularly on BTEC National Diploma courses, are strong. There has been some variability in students achieving the higher grades on some A-level courses, and this is being addressed effectively by school leaders.
• Students in the sixth form are mature, highly motivated and aspirational for their futures. They work conscientiously and industriously, both in lessons and in self-directed study time. They act as excellent role models for younger pupils.
• Teachers know students well, and are clear about their capabilities. Consequently, they plan appropriate activities to extend their learning. Students speak articulately about their chosen subjects, career prospects and what they need to do to get the highest achievements. However, teachers’ approach to managing students’ folders is inconsistent, and they do not always promote sufficiently high expectations regarding maintaining and presenting their revision notes and work. Consequently, some students struggle to use their classwork when preparing for assessments. This impedes their ability to make accelerated progress.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 142781 Hounslow 10058829 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Other secondary 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 Studio school 14 to 19 Mixed Mixed 245 157 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair

Chief executive officer Principal Telephone number Website Email address Sandy Sehmi Victoria Eadie Jay Lockwood 020 8831 3001 www.logicstudioschool.org info@logicstudioschool.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Logic Studio School is a specialist business and media school which opened in September 2016. It educates pupils and students aged from 14 to 19.
• The school is part of the Tudor Park Education Trust.
• Girls represent just over a third of the pupil body.
• Almost half of the pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding, which is above average.
• Two fifths of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, which is higher than the national average. The largest ethnic groups are: White – British; White – any other White background; Asian or Asian British-Indian; Black or Black British – African; and any other ethnic group.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average, at almost half the school population.
• Over a tenth of the pupils receive SEND support, which is above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan is below the national average.
• No pupils attend alternative provision.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching, learning and assessment across the full range of year groups and subjects. They looked in detail at pupils’ and students’ work to see the progress that they make from their starting points.
• Inspectors held discussions with the chief executive officer, representatives from the local governing board and trust board, the principal and other senior leaders. They spoke to subject leaders, a range of staff, pupils and students in the sixth form.
• Inspectors took account of the 33 responses to Parent View, 21 responses to the staff survey and 64 responses from pupils.
• The inspection team scrutinised a wide range of documentation, including: records relating to student behaviour and attendance; minutes of meetings; information on the progress made by current students; the school’s self-evaluation documentation; and the school development plan.
• Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, policies and procedures. They checked the school’s procedures for ensuring the safer recruitment of staff.

Inspection team

Helen Matthews, lead inspector Peter Nelson Her Majesty’s Inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Katerina Christodoulou Ofsted Inspector