Haberdashers' Aske's Knights Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of teaching further, especially in the secondary school, by:
  • ensuring that teachers give pupils work that motivates them to deepen and extend their understanding and skills
  • providing timely support for new or temporary teachers.
• Improve the behaviour of pupils in the secondary school further by:
  • ensuring that all staff take responsibility for challenging boisterous behaviour, especially in corridors
  • ensuring that behaviour management in lessons is consistent, especially from new or temporary teachers
  • ensuring that incidents of off-task chatting in lessons are reduced to a minimum.
• Ensure that information about additional funding is up to date on the school’s website.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The school is led effectively. The principal’s strong commitment to giving pupils the best education possible is driving improvement successfully. The steadfast support provided by senior leaders ensures that actions to raise standards are effective. All leaders are ambitious for the school and its pupils. As a result, leadership has a strong impact on pupils’ personal and academic achievements.
• Subject leaders are equally committed to raising standards so that pupils are prepared well for life beyond school. They understand fully the school’s priorities and their responsibilities for ensuring high standards in their subjects. Similarly, pastoral leaders, including heads of year and pastoral managers, work effectively to support pupils with their learning.
• Leaders evaluate and review the school’s work effectively. As a result, the priorities for improvement reflect accurately the most significant weak points in the school’s work. For example, the action plan following the previous inspection rightly identified teaching, behaviour and the curriculum as the three priorities. This has enabled leaders to ensure that actions to improve its work have maximum impact on pupils’ achievements.
• Systems to track pupils’ achievements are secure. Teachers use a range of evidence to check that pupils are making sufficient progress. This includes information from lesson observations, regular assessments and book scrutinies. Leaders use the information effectively to identify those who are falling behind. Assessments are moderated with other schools in the trust, ensuring that they are accurate and reliable. The evidence in pupils’ books, and from the school’s assessment information, shows that achievement is improving well. Where pupils attend alternative provision, staff in the inclusion team monitor their progress carefully.
• The curriculum provides pupils with a broad range of experiences that give pupils a depth of knowledge and understanding. Developing new schemes of learning has been a school priority and has had a noticeably positive impact on achievement. This is especially so in English, where standards in last year’s GCSE results were poor. Standards in other subjects, such as foreign languages, science and the humanities, have also improved because of the work to improve what is taught.
• The curriculum is organised to ensure that pupils study a wide range of subjects. All pupils study music and drama up to the end of Year 9 and the range of GCSE courses is matched effectively to pupils’ needs and aspirations. In addition, the wide range of extra-curricular activities extends the experiences of pupils further. A variety of sports and clubs are available in addition to extra support for subjects such as mathematics and English. Pupils welcome this wide range of opportunities.
• Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted effectively. Pupils’ moral and social skills are especially strong. They have a strong sense of right and wrong and are respectful of others. Cultural development is promoted effectively through the wide range of trips, visits and activities. For example, Year 11 pupils organise Black history month each year, taking responsibility for a range of events across the school. In Year 6, pupils are currently rehearsing for a production of ‘Annie’. Not only is the quality of their acting and singing impressive, their enjoyment is palpable.
• The school promotes pupils’ understanding of life in modern Britain well. For example, pupils took part in a ‘mock’ general election and elections for head boy and head girl, including holding hustings. Pupils learn about British values and show respect and tolerance to others of different faiths. They understand the principles of upholding the rule of law and how parliament works. As a result, pupils are well prepared for life after school.
• A range of professional development opportunities is used effectively to develop staff expertise and drive improvement. For example, subject leaders and middle leaders are involved in programmes to raise their understanding of their role in raising standards and holding others to account. Newly qualified teachers and trainees praise the support they receive from the school. Sharing ideas for successful teaching is a regular feature of staff briefings.
• A feature of the school is the close partnership with other schools in the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust. This provides a broad range of opportunities for teachers to learn from others as well as share their practice more widely. For example, the school’s approach to development planning has been adopted by the trust for all its schools. Such opportunities mean that teachers broaden their expertise effectively.
• Leaders use the additional funding that the school receives effectively to help boost pupils’ progress and self-confidence. This is having a significant impact on achievement and has eliminated the difference between disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally. Leaders evaluate the effectiveness of this work appropriately but this is not available in full on the school’s website. Similarly, the school uses the Year 7 catch-up funding and the primary physical education (PE) and sport premium funding appropriately. These have a positive impact on pupils’ progress but, again, this information is not included on the school’s website.
• The funding for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is used well. The school reviews the impact of its work on pupils’ outcomes and makes changes to its support programmes where appropriate. Teaching assistants and support staff in the primary and secondary schools are deployed effectively so that pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are given help to make suitable progress.
• Careers education and advice are a strength. There are a wide range of opportunities for pupils to visit local businesses or access high-quality advice about options for the future. For example, students in the sixth form receive effective support for applying to university and the proportion going to ‘good’ universities is rising significantly. Careers education is a feature of the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme from Year 7. This helps to ensure that pupils are prepared well for the next stage of their education.

Governance of the school

• Governance is effective. This is because governors, including trustees, are rigorous in checking the school’s performance and supporting improvement. They understand the school’s priorities and use regular visits to the school to see for themselves how well things are working. Governors also receive detailed reports from the trust’s chief executive and from the principal, including assessment information, to make informed decisions.
• Governors, and trustees challenge leaders to ensure that staff are held to account rigorously for pupils’ outcomes. However, they also support leaders equally well. For example, the trust established a task group to drive improvements following the inspection in 2013. Despite its success, and improving outcomes in 2015, governors have maintained the task group and its positive impact continues to raise standards.
• Governors take their responsibilities for safeguarding seriously. The trust has clear procedures for safer recruitment and the vetting of staff. Teachers’ performance is managed well through a clear appraisal system that is linked to salary increases. Governors fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. The school’s procedures for the safe recruitment of staff are secure. The recording of pre-employment checks and the vetting of staff meets requirements.
• Leaders and staff go the extra mile to ensure that safeguarding procedures are translated into effective everyday practice. For example, the school’s secure record-keeping shows that referrals to the local authority are followed up rigorously. There are strong links with external agencies, enabling leaders to tackle the wide range of needs. Where necessary, senior leaders, and staff in the inclusion team, leave no stone unturned to get the right support for vulnerable pupils. Watchfulness typifies the school’s approach to keeping pupils safe.
• Staff understand the range of child protection issues such as how to recognise the signs of abuse. This includes knowledge of female genital mutilation, radicalisation and extremism, and the ‘Prevent’ duty. The training of staff is regular and thorough. Policies are up to date and provide clear guidance for teachers. This ensures that staff know to whom to report any concerns they may have. This supports the school in its work to help vulnerable pupils overcome difficulties to achieve as well as they can.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Teaching in the primary school is consistently strong and consequently pupils make significant progress with their learning. Teachers have suitably high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievements. They use well-planned schemes of learning to ensure that work is challenging and stimulating. For example, work in Year 4 pupils’ books illustrate clearly how teachers deepen pupils’ writing skills over time. Teaching in the early years is outstanding because teachers and adults provide a wide range of stimulating activities.
• Teaching in the secondary school has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. This is the reason that standards are rising and pupils are achieving well. However, teaching is not as consistent as it is in the primary school. Occasionally, teaching fails to motivate pupils or develop their understanding and skills sufficiently. This lack of consistency is also the result of not always being able to recruit, and keep, high-quality subject leaders and the need to employ supply staff. Where this happens, pupils’ progress is compromised.
• Teachers in both the primary and secondary schools have a secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. They use this successfully to provide work that motivates pupils and helps them to extend and deepen their understanding. For example, in Year 7, the teacher’s excellent subject knowledge was used most effectively to correct pupils’ misconceptions and language errors.
• Across both schools, nearly all teachers have high expectations. These high expectations mean that pupils are given work that stretches and challenges their thinking. For example, Year 4 pupils learned successfully how to solve mathematical problems and were eager to demonstrate their new understanding. Similarly, in the secondary school, high expectations in science enabled pupils in Year 9 to make significant progress in deepening their understanding of the body’s digestive system.
• Teachers also have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Many are skilled in managing the very small minority of pupils whose behaviour can be challenging. Teachers set a positive learning climate in classrooms and treat pupils with respect, establishing strong working relationships with them. Teachers are often very patient with pupils who find it difficult to behave and make a striking difference to their learning.
• The great majority of pupils understand what is expected of them and respond positively to their teachers. They are motivated, engaged and take pride in their work. These attitudes contribute significantly to pupils’ learning. However, behaviour and attitudes in the secondary school are not always as positive as they could be. Occasionally, pupils spend too much time talking and this is not challenged quickly enough by teachers. This limits their learning.
• Teachers often use questions effectively to draw out pupils’ knowledge and deepen their understanding. Typically, teachers ask pupils to explain their answer or to elaborate further. Where this happens, pupils are stretched and challenged effectively, and make real progress with their learning.
• In the primary school, pupils respond well to teachers’ feedback about their work. This has a clear impact on the progress that pupils make, broadening learning and extending understanding.
• In the secondary school, teachers are increasingly providing helpful feedback to pupils about their work and how to improve it. The school’s policy of giving pupils dedicated time to respond to teachers’ comments is paying dividends; achievement is improving strongly. However, feedback is not yet consistent enough to ensure that all pupils make the strong progress of which they are capable.
• The support provided by additional adults in classrooms is effective. Teaching assistants and support staff work successfully with those pupils who need extra support or are vulnerable. Consequently, they have a positive impact on pupils’ achievements.
• Literacy and numeracy are taught well. Across the school, in both the primary and secondary phases, there is an appropriate emphasis on pupils’ literacy skills, for example in humanities and science in Years 2 and 9. Similarly, mathematics is used effectively in science and design and technology to aid calculation and to help solve problems. Across the school, reading is given a clear focus and pupils in Years 1, 2 and 7 read fluently and with confidence.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• In the primary school, the positive climate created by teachers ensures that pupils’ personal development is promoted effectively. Pupils are encouraged to work together productively and enjoy discussing ideas and helping each other. Respect between pupils of different backgrounds is strong and boys and girls get on well together. These positive attitudes have a constructive impact on pupils’ learning, enabling them to develop excellent social skills that prepare them well for the transfer to the secondary school.
• In the secondary school the great majority of pupils also have positive attitudes. They are keen to do well and show respect for their teachers and other adults working in the school. However, a few pupils have less positive attitudes to their work and sometimes find it difficult to settle. Occasionally, this gets in the way of their learning, especially when teaching is not as strong as it should be.
• Pupils’ welfare is at the top of the school’s agenda. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn how to keep themselves safe through the PSHE programme and assemblies. Pupils know how to reduce the risks of being involved in a confrontation on their way to and from school. They can talk sensibly about internet safety and the dangers of cyber bullying.
• There are secure procedures for supporting vulnerable pupils, including those that attend the local authority’s alternative provision. Inclusion staff are knowledgeable about the range of external support available to pupils, including working with local charities and the local authority. This ensures that pupils are well cared for and that their welfare is given high priority.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• In the primary school, pupils are consistently well behaved in lessons and around the school. Their conduct around the school and at break and lunchtimes is excellent. This enables learning to proceed without disruption or wasted time. All pupils in the primary school are polite and welcoming to visitors. Relationships between pupils and staff are respectful and this promotes a positive climate for learning effectively.
• Behaviour in the secondary school is good in the main. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and keen to learn and do well in their examinations. For the most part, there is little disruption to lessons and pupils focus on their learning well. In a few cases, however, pupils behave less well and this can sometimes disrupt learning a little. Some pupils felt that behaviour was not consistently good. However, they mostly agreed that chatting and silliness happened in only a few lessons. From time to time, behaviour in the corridors is boisterous. This is usually managed well by staff, for example by supervising movement on the stairs. However, teachers do not always intervene quickly enough to stop pupils pushing or being silly as they move between lessons.
• Pupils in both the primary and secondary schools are unanimous that there is very little bullying in the school. They are confident that if there was it would be dealt with quickly and efficiently by their teachers.
• Improving behaviour has been a priority for the school in recent years. Pupils noted that behaviour is now better than in the past. Indeed, the school monitors incidents of poor behaviour and the number of pupils excluded. The figures show that the number of pupils excluded has fallen significantly in the past year, and there have been significantly fewer recorded incidents of unacceptable behaviour. However, several parents expressed concerns about behaviour. Leaders recognise that there is still more work to do to ensure that behaviour is consistently first-class, but it has made substantial progress in reducing disruption.
• The school has appropriate procedures to check attendance and for following up absences, including for those pupils who are persistently absent. Inclusion staff monitor absence rates carefully and act robustly to tackle the underlying causes. As a result, persistent absence has declined significantly and is below national figures. Attendance is above average in both the primary and secondary schools.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• Achievement in the early years is outstanding. This is because teachers and adults provide exciting work and a stimulating culture that motivates children effectively. Work in children’s learning journals shows clearly the scope of this achievement and the first-class progress that children make from low starting points.
• The outcomes for pupils in key stages 1 and 2 are consistently strong. In the 2016 tests, the proportion of pupils working at the expected standard, and those working at greater depth, was above that of other pupils in England. This has been consolidated and improved upon so that pupils currently in the school continue to achieve well and make significant progress with their learning. This includes disadvantaged pupils, the most able pupils and those who struggle with their learning. The school’s assessment information shows that disadvantaged pupils often do better than others nationally. This is confirmed by the work seen in pupils’ books.
• The results of the phonics screening check in Year 1 show a similarly strong picture. Pupils’ phonics skills are solidly good and above the national average. Disadvantaged pupils, and the most able, do equally well.
• Across the school, pupils who speak English as an additional language make similar progress to their peers, including students in the sixth form. The school has effective strategies to ensure that these pupils gain the English language skills they need to access the curriculum. The progress made by pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is also strong because of well-targeted and effective support.
• Pupils in Years 7 to 11 mostly achieve well and make considerable progress with their learning. The 2016 GCSE results were disappointing, with English, science and modern languages performing particularly poorly. Results in mathematics were broadly average. However, the school has successfully raised standards over the past year through improved teaching and a curriculum that is more carefully planned. Assessment information, and work in books, shows that current pupils are now doing well. For example, the proportion of pupils on track to get the higher grades at GCSE shows a significant improvement.
• Disadvantaged pupils, including the most able disadvantaged, make the same strong progress as other pupils. This is the result of challenging work that stretches pupils’ thinking and the way the school promotes pupils’ aspirations effectively. Pupils attending alternative provision are generally doing well.

Early years provision Outstanding

• Strong leadership and a first-class knowledge of how children learn ensure that the early years provision is excellent. As a result, children’s achievements have improved year on year. For example, the school’s assessment information shows a continuing upward trend in the proportion of pupils reaching a good level of development.
• Children in the early years make striking progress from low starting points. Teachers and adults provide work that engages and excites children. Classrooms are stimulating places to be and this helps to create a strong climate for learning. While this is true in classrooms, the outside space is not as stimulating. Leaders recognise that the outside space needs to be improved. However, despite limitations, teachers and adults make the best use of what they have. They provide a wide range of activities and resources for children that develop their skills effectively.
• Children’s attitudes and behaviour are excellent. They concentrate well on the range of activities that teachers and adults provide for them. Children in the Nursery play together very well and share resources without arguing, for example at the ‘mud kitchen’. Children in both the Nursery and Reception classes are often highly motivated. They have very strong social skills and know how to relate to others, including adults.
• Teachers and adults check children’s progress and achievements thoroughly. The learning journals, which track children’s work from the time they start school, are especially impressive. They show clearly how teachers have guided children’s learning and planned work to meet their needs. As a result, all children, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged children, make substantial progress.
• The school fosters the partnership with parents effectively. For example, parents send in ‘wow’ notes on which they write something positive that their child has done at home. These are displayed around the classrooms and include comments such as, ‘I was pleased because he sorted all his dinosaurs into size order.’

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• The sixth form is led well and teachers foster high aspirations most successfully. This means that provision in the sixth form is good. Senior leaders have a firm grasp on the quality of teaching and the performance of students. They use this effectively to ensure that all students are following programmes for which they are best suited and that teaching is of a high quality. Where subjects are underperforming or not successful, leaders take swift action to address this.
• Students are well-mannered and polite. They conduct themselves confidently in lessons and around the school. Students develop their social and personal skills most effectively through the range of opportunities to get involved in the life of the school. For example, during the inspection, school prefects managed the ‘taster’ lessons for those Year 11 pupils wishing to go into the sixth form. They also played a central role in the prize-giving ceremony.
• Students make especially strong progress in applied courses such as business studies and health and social care. In 2016, examination results in applied courses were significantly above average, including for disadvantaged students. Results for the more-academic A-level courses were less good, with girls and disadvantaged students achieving below the average. However, the school has focused on improving students’ performance at A level and introducing a broader range of courses. This work is bearing fruit and students’ achievements are improving.
• The great majority of students continue with their sixth-form studies either at the school or at college. The proportion of students that move on to education, employment or training is similar to the national figure. However, the proportion of students going to university is increasing, with 80% taking up places in 2016. In the current Year 13, 11% of students have been offered places at the best universities. This confirms the positive impact that teaching has on students’ outcomes.
• Provision for careers advice, information and guidance is strong. Year 12 students receive regular inputs about different careers. Year 13 students are supported with their careers choices effectively through links with higher education and business partners, as well as sessions with an advisor. Students are very positive about the support they receive, noting that the advice to find the right university has been ‘excellent’. As a result, students are prepared well for the next stage in their careers.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 135070 Lewisham 10030790 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Academy sponsor-led 3 to 18 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,363 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 133 Appropriate authority Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Academy trust Mary Wetherell Dr Tesca Bennett 0208 461 9240 www.haaf.org.uk KReception@haaf.org.uk Date of previous inspection 6–7 May 2015

Information about this school

• Haberdashers’ Aske’s Knights Academy is a school for pupils aged 3 to 18. It is larger than many all-through schools in England. There is a smaller proportion of girls than in most schools.
• The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is high.
• The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is well above average.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.
• The proportion of pupils who receive special educational needs support is a little above average. The proportion with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan is below average.
• Five pupils currently attend alternative provision on other sites.
• The school is part of the Haberdashers’ Aske’s Federation Trust.
• The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about additional funding
• The school does not comply with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish about additional funding.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning in each year group, including the Nursery and Reception classes, and the sixth form. These were observed jointly with school leaders.
• Inspectors looked at pupils’ work across the range of subjects.
• Inspectors listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 7 reading.
• Inspectors looked at behaviour at break and lunchtime at both the primary and secondary school buildings.
• Discussions were held with senior leaders, governors, the chief executive of the trust, subject leaders and pupils.
• Inspectors met informally with parents at the primary building.
• A range of documentation and policies was scrutinised which included the school’s self-evaluation, records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance, assessment information and the minutes of the meetings the trust and local governing bodies.
• Inspectors scrutinised records relating to the quality of teaching and the school’s website, including information about extra-curricular activities.
• Records, policies and procedures relating to safeguarding were reviewed.
• Inspectors took account of 18 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View. They also considered 11 written responses by parents.

Inspection team

Brian Oppenheim, lead inspector Margaret Warner James Whiting Gerard Strong Yvonne Chisholm

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