London Academy of Excellence Ofsted Report

Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

2 of 14

Full report What does the provider need to do to improve further?

 Develop the broader employability skills of students as part of their study programme. Ensure that all students who would benefit from completing a work experience placement are supported to arrange a placement and develop their employability skills.  Further develop the initial advice and guidance, initial assessment and short term target setting for students and monitor these to ensure that all students make the full progress of which they are capable.  Further develop the use of information and learning technology (ILT) to illuminate lessons, support independence and further develop learning.  Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by sharing more widely the good practice that already exists in the academy.  Further develop self-assessment and quality improvement processes to ensure that self-assessment is inclusive, self-critical and brings about sustained improvement in student outcomes and progress.

Inspection judgements

Outcomes for learners

Good  Outcomes for learners are good. A high proportion of students who start AS-level courses complete them successfully; however, they do not all achieve the high grades which their GCSE grades indicate they should. In 2012/13, students studying AS-level economics, French and English literature made better progress than students nationally. However, students who studied AS-level chemistry, further mathematics and religious studies made less progress than students nationally.  Students are punctual and their attendance is good. They produce good quality written work on which most receive helpful and constructive feedback from their teachers about how they can improve. Students enjoy their lessons; they behave well and treat their teachers, peers and environment with respect.  Managers and teachers have worked effectively to ensure there are no significant gaps in the achievement of different groups of students. They have identified smaller gaps in the progress that different groups of students made in 2012/13 in several subjects which they are monitoring closely in this academic year to ensure that the gap is closed. For example, male students made better progress in further mathematics, economics and physics compared to female students.  Students make good progress with the development of their English and mathematics skills in their subject lessons. Teachers’ feedback on students’ work helps students to improve their spelling, punctuation and grammar.  Students further develop excellent personal and social skills during their time at the academy. They speak with confidence and with clarity, producing well-reasoned, researched and well-constructed written work and oral presentations. For example, in an outstanding religious studies lesson, students were able to express their opinions about the ethics of euthanasia coherently and sensitively.  The vast majority of students take part in additional activities as part of their study programme. These activities include sport, volunteering and a range of special interest clubs and societies. Students who volunteer in local schools to help with reading and tutoring, develop their communication and thinking skills. Those who take part in sporting activities develop good team working skills. Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

3 of 14

 A small proportion of students complete work experience placements in a range of professional settings. They take responsibility for organising placements and develop their employability skills as a result. However, work experience placements do not form an integral part of a study programme for all students who might benefit from this.  The vast majority of A-level students have successfully applied for places at university. The large majority have secured places at prestigious universities. They receive excellent support for their university applications from teachers, who have high expectations and ambitions for their students. Support for the very few students who wish to move to further training or employment is less well developed.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment

Good  A high proportion of teaching, learning and assessment is now good or outstanding due to the implementation of focused and effective improvement strategies. This is in contrast to 2012/13 when the progress of AS-level students overall was only satisfactory. Teachers’ expectations of students are very high. Teachers set target grades that are challenging, they expect students to undertake a significant workload, demonstrate well developed independent learning skills and work to high standards. Students respond well. They are highly motivated and articulate, attend well, work hard, contribute well in lessons and now make good progress.  Teachers are well qualified academically, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. However, a high turnover of teachers, in spite of the focused and effective support new teachers receive, has resulted in inconsistency in the quality of teaching over time. Classrooms are of good quality and relevant subject displays reinforce high expectations and provide attractive subject materials. Interactive teaching technology has been installed in all classrooms this year, but teachers are yet to use this facility to full advantage to enliven and support learning.  Most lessons are planned well. Teachers make good use of the detailed information they hold on the progress of each student to ensure that teaching includes a suitable range of activities and has strategies which challenge more able students and support those who are experiencing difficulties. For example in an outstanding lesson on how well creationism takes into account current scientific knowledge, the teacher’s questioning and individual support matched the ability of each student exceptionally well. Teachers often provide good quality and useful learning materials. In economics lessons, carefully structured handouts enable students to record their developing thoughts very clearly to inform their essay writing.  Teaching is interesting and stimulating. Teachers make skilful use of questioning to ascertain and develop students’ understanding. They use praise well to help motivate and reward good responses from students. Students often work together and teach each other very well. In a lesson on the factors which led to the First World War, students had prepared well and gave very informative presentations to their group.  Teachers use a good variety of techniques to monitor progress, including questioning, the setting of short written tasks, and the observation of group work. They respond well where students need further help. Teaching usually succeeds in enabling all learners to make good or better progress. In an outstanding biology lesson, students used electrophoresis simulation to understand why deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragments from a crime scene could provide vital evidence. An animation helped to consolidate the theory and knowledge of the process. The teacher used a broad range of individual and group activities and careful questioning techniques skilfully.  In a few lessons, students make slow progress. In these lessons teaching is not always sufficiently stimulating and interesting; some students lose interest and fail to make good progress. Teachers make insufficient use of visual aids and information and learning technology (ILT) to illuminate subject development. Students’ responses are sometimes dominated by a few learners at the expense of the majority.  Teachers assess students’ subject specific skills, for example in modern foreign languages and mathematics, during the first few weeks of the autumn term, but not early enough to enable Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

4 of 14

initial teaching to be based securely on students’ ability. As a result, students’ progress early in their course is slower than it could be. Students undertake regular and effective formal assessment through the year. Teachers mark work thoroughly and helpfully, and they provide students with clear feedback on how to improve.  Teachers monitor students’ progress against their target grade and against learning behaviours, such as punctuality and readiness for lessons, closely. They collate half-termly subject progress reports for students, parents and carers. Tutors review students’ progress across their subjects and discuss students’ short term targets for improvement. However, too many short term targets are not specific enough to be useful and not all tutors record students’ progress towards achieving these targets.  Teachers provide students with effective extra help where they are not achieving their target grade. Learning and language coaches, who have been recently appointed, now provide specific individual support to students referred to them. However, it is too soon to judge their impact.  Good arrangements are in place to help students develop their English language skills. Teachers’ strategies include a focus on new terminology in lessons and wall displays of technical terminology. Glossaries of terms in each subject, and the teachers’ close attention given to marking work for spelling, punctuation and grammar, also help students to improve. Within lessons, students respond to teachers using an appropriate level of language skill and their written work demonstrates a high level of English language ability. Students’ mathematics skills are developed well through subject teaching.  Study programmes include a wide range of high quality activities to develop personal and social skills and participation is high. The large number of sporting activities, for example, are well managed and students develop a good range of specific skills from expert coaches. Activities also include a wide range of special interest societies, often organised by the students, outreach work in local primary and secondary schools, trips and visits, visiting speakers, house assemblies and extended project work.  Teachers offer many activities to help students gain a better knowledge of work, such as internships, visits and visiting speakers. However, work experience is usually left to the student to arrange. The systematic use of vocational guidance and of students’ own part-time work requires further development.  The centrally organised tutorial programme provides teaching in a good range of topics such as safety, healthy living and equality and diversity. Teaching is inclusive, enabling all students to make good progress and the diverse student population studies in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

Science

16-19 study programmes

Good  A high proportion of science students were successful in their AS-level biology and physics courses in 2013, although a lower proportion of chemistry students achieved their qualification. Similarly, the progress students made in biology and physics, in relation to their prior achievements, was good, but students studying chemistry made less progress than students with similar starting points nationally.  Most science teaching is good or better, with many lessons having outstanding features. Teachers have a deep understanding of their subject and conduct their lessons with energy and enthusiasm. For example, in an AS-level physics lesson, students were presented with new data. They analysed it swiftly and accurately, and then explained the inconsistencies they identified to fellow students. The teacher encouraged independent, critical and evaluative thinking to develop students’ learning skills. The teacher provoked students to think clearly and understand why consistent, precise and appropriate recording of data is important. Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

5 of 14

 In an outstanding biology lesson, the teacher organised a broad range of individual and group activities that enhanced the students’ understanding of primate behaviour. Students extracted details about primate behaviour from scientific writings intelligently and, with careful questioning by the teacher and much interaction and group work, all members of the class made excellent progress.  In the very small minority of less effective lessons, students struggle to understand concepts and teachers supply few visual aids or interactive resources to support their understanding. They give students insufficient direction on making notes, or to suitable websites where further interactive resources could help them learn.  Teachers assess students’ progress in lessons very well, using a wide range of methods including games, and individual and group work. Within lessons, skilful questioning stimulates further discussion and deeper thinking about the subject.  Teachers provide good feedback on written work that supports students to make good progress, although in a small number of cases the feedback is too brief to allow students to understand what they need to do to improve. They use praise well to motivate students to strive for higher standards.  Teachers develop students’ vocabulary by focusing on scientific or unusual words and this improves students’ English skills. Spelling, punctuation and grammar are corrected thoroughly in marked written work. Students develop their scientific knowledge through the encouragement they receive to read and prepare for their lessons. At all times, teachers ensure students use and understand the correct scientific units to use during practical lessons.  Science laboratories are well equipped and science technicians provide a wide range of practical activities for students. Teachers develop students’ practical skills well.  Teachers provide students with good advice and guidance for progression to higher education. The large majority of students studying science subjects at A level have been offered places at university, reflecting the overall high standards of science teaching and learning.  Students work together very well. They are encouraged to work in teams and support each other in their learning. An atmosphere of mutual respect exists among students and teachers that is conducive to learning. Students have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy life at the academy. They are confident, and mature in conversation.  Teachers do not routinely incorporate diversity themes into lesson planning or promote discussion when a topic occurs spontaneously within lessons. Consequently teachers’ development of students’ understanding of diversity through teaching and learning is limited and teachers fail to enliven topics when opportunities exist.

Mathematics and statistics

16-19 study programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment are good, reflecting the high proportion of students who gained their AS level in mathematics or further mathematics in 2012/13. Students demonstrate high aspirations and most progress from AS-level to A-level study. Students are articulate, confident and they demonstrate enthusiasm for the subject. They appreciate the high levels of support they receive from inspirational teachers and they enjoy their learning. Their attendance and punctuality at lessons are good.  Teachers are knowledgeable and passionate about mathematics and they have very high expectations for their students. They plan lessons particularly well which progressively build into a coherent learning programme that supports students in developing the skills and confidence to achieve higher grades in examinations. Teachers use questioning and open discussion skilfully to motivate and interest students, to confirm learning and challenge the development of complex concepts. Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

6 of 14

 Teaching in the more effective lessons is clearly planned to develop critical analysis and independent learning skills, giving the students opportunities to work in small groups, help each other and evaluate their work. Students write on mini whiteboards, plastic wall-mounted surfaces and windows to help them think freely about exploratory solutions to equations and problems. However, in a few lessons students do not confirm or consolidate these free thinking exercises into their notes for future reference. In a small minority of lessons, good use is made of computer-based simulation software, for example in the graphical modelling of parametric equations and the use of spreadsheets to illustrate sorting algorithms.  In a few lessons, teaching and learning are less effective and well planned. As a consequence, activities take too long and slow the pace of learning, with a small minority of students becoming distracted. In these lessons, teachers fail to recapitulate key points or confirm students’ understanding.  Learning resources and classrooms are good and provide an appropriate environment for lessons. Rooms have a clear identity, with displays of mathematical topics along with examples of students’ work. All rooms have internet access and interactive projectors have been recently installed, which teachers are becoming adept at using effectively. However, the use of visual reference aids that would help some students gain a clearer understanding of complex mathematical concepts requires further development.  Teachers assess the starting points of students well, based on entry qualifications, group exercises and an interview, leading to placement into one of four sets based on their target grade. Teachers have subsequently realigned the sets based on careful monitoring of progress and a recent test of basic algebra. Teachers monitor students’ progress against their current working level and the final predicted grade rigorously, with both teachers and students acutely aware of their progress towards their target grade.  Teachers’ assessment of students’ work is frequent, regular and is clearly focused on the requirements of high grade achievement in final examinations. Teachers’ feedback to students is helpful and informative, with clear guidance on how the work could be improved to more clearly match high grade criteria. Where a student is not making sufficient progress towards their target grade they receive helpful extra support.  Students start their course with high levels of numeracy and these are naturally extended by the nature of their study. English language skills are also improved, with teachers ensuring the correct use of mathematical vocabulary and terminology. Teachers routinely correct grammar, punctuation and spelling errors in students’ written work.  Students have high aspirations and the guidance they receive from teachers for progression into higher education is very good. Teachers support students exceptionally well to develop their university applications and personal statements.  Managers and teachers have created a harmonious and inclusive working environment. There are high levels of respect between students and staff. Teachers know their students well and ensure that lessons are well planned to enable all students to make good or better progress, whatever their ability and target grade.

English literature and foreign languages

16-19 study programmes

Good  Teaching, learning and assessment is good but is more effective in English literature than in modern foreign languages. As a result, almost all students completed their AS levels successfully in 2012/2013, and many achieved high grades. Students make good progress in lessons, articulating complex arguments very well when analysing extracts from texts in English literature and they use foreign language vocabulary in a confident manner. Students develop good personal skills, they are polite and respectful. Their attendance and punctuality are good. A high proportion of students progress from AS to A level. However, current progress for a few modern language Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

7 of 14

students, especially those studying Mandarin and French, has been slower, but is improving and is now at least satisfactory.  Teachers motivate students well. They have very good subject expertise and cultural awareness which effectively enhance learning. In outstanding English literature lessons examples include the teacher presenting transposition of language from novel to play format to emphasise the strength and purpose of the grammar used by the author. Students are encouraged to aspire to high achievement and many benefit by participating in additional opportunities for learning, such as meeting playwrights and authors.  Teachers plan lessons well. They plan a wide range of activities, which interest and motivate students. For example, in English literature, students use quote cards to identify whether they support the concepts of terror or horror. This stimulates their discussions and helps them formulate their essays for a Shakespearian play. In modern languages, students use description cards on healthy lifestyles in French to stimulate paired discussions. Teachers use speed speaking exercises for students to develop fluency in Mandarin. In outstanding English literature classes, teachers develop and expand students' knowledge of new terminology skilfully through directed paired and group work which enables students to produce high quality essays.  Classrooms are attractive, with relevant display material, including example posters of how to achieve high grades in essay writing. A few teachers use information and learning technology (ILT) well, such as the inclusion of a video clip of an English literature critic to aid learners with their evaluations of a play. However, in a very few instances, teachers’ annotations on interactive whiteboards hinder the clarity of subsequent slides.  Teachers assess students’ skill levels at the start of the course. This informs their lesson planning, with teachers planning activities to match their students' abilities. Teachers review students’ progress regularly and they record general targets towards achievement of their target grade. However, individual skill development targets are less precise and result in students making slower progress.  Students receive detailed and helpful feedback on their written work for English literature, which highlights the areas where students are working well and those aspects which require improvement. For foreign languages, teachers’ feedback is often bilingual, which increases the students' immersion in the target language. Teachers use questioning techniques to explore and consolidate students’ knowledge well. Students present their course work in tidy and well organised folders.  Students who need extra help are provided with extra time for assessments if required. Students who are not making good progress towards their target grade have extra study sessions to support their academic progress. These are starting to have a positive impact on improving students’ grades in foreign languages.  Students develop their English language skills well through their written work. Teachers mark work thoroughly and identify where spelling, punctuation and grammar need to be improved. However, in a very few lessons, students’ correct use of capital letters in foreign languages were not fully reinforced by teachers, and there were examples of poorly presented handouts.  Teachers’ advice and guidance are effective in placing students on the correct course and their participation in mini-taster lectures as part of the induction helps inform their study options. Career advice and guidance are excellent, with teachers providing effective support for university applications including mock interviews with teachers from partner schools.  Teachers treat all their students with respect. In most lessons, teachers set work groups to support students’ social interaction and academic development. In an English literature lesson, the teacher drew parallels with the conflicts in Gulliver’s Travels to current world conflicts to develop students’ understanding of diversity.

Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

8 of 14

The effectiveness of leadership and management

Good  The London Academy of Excellence (LAE) is the result of a very clear focus on improving the life chances of able students in the Newham borough and surrounding areas who aspire to higher education. This focus has resulted in a very clear strategy whereby potential A-level students who anticipate meeting LAE’s demanding entry criteria apply to study those subjects most likely to result in progression to prestigious universities.  All governors are closely involved in the work of the LAE. There is an exceptional range of relevant skills, with some board members being serving heads of the partner schools, and others representing the legal profession, banking and the media. The result is that expert advice is available and is given, with the successes of the LAE publicised locally and nationally. Governors have specific responsibility for aspects of the LAE’s work, they review allocated policies in pairs to ensure compliance and accuracy and pay frequent visits to observe activities such as lessons, sports activities, discuss matters related to equality, and attend talks by external speakers. As a result, they are able to challenge the headteacher from positions of first-hand knowledge.  The headteacher and governors have articulated ambitious and high expectations at all stages of the academy’s development through staff interviews, staff induction and highly effective performance management and through clear guidance to students and their parents and carers. Students, parents and carers are clear from the outset of LAE’s expectations relating to academic work, dress, behaviour, attendance and how teachers will monitor progress.  Managers have improved the standards of teaching, learning and assessment with particularly effective use of training, arising from the findings of the comprehensive programme of observation of learning and teaching. Training is supported by mentoring, professional coaching and frequent meetings where teachers share good practice. Some underperforming staff have left the LAE as a result of effective performance management and other staff have left recently to pursue careers in other schools or in other professions. Students express concern over the high level of staff turnover and the issue is recognised by the governing body. Plans to rectify this are being discussed by the board.  Self-assessment is satisfactory. Managers’ focus on improving teaching, learning and assessment and the increased and more sophisticated use of data have resulted in team leaders being able to monitor closely the progress of each student. However, managers have not recognised all of the strengths and areas for improvement at the academy through self-assessment. Again, this is recognised by senior managers who have had to respond quickly to a change in the LAE’s status from a school to a college.  Curriculum management is excellent in most respects. Managers have constructed the timetable to allow for class teaching, individual student preparation, sports participation and enrichment activities including the use of external speakers, visits to universities, businesses and voluntary work in local schools. However, work experience and a wider involvement of employers to ensure that students develop broad employability skills need further development.  The LAE meets the needs of those students, mainly in Newham, who are ambitious, academically able and keen to progress to university. The governors and the headteacher have taken into account the needs of the local community, as demonstrated by significant reports, which have identified both low progression rates and insufficient local opportunities to progress to higher education.  Of particular note is the forming of partnerships with schools seen as particularly prestigious. As a result, students have benefited from visits to the partner schools and from lessons taught by teachers with wide and differing backgrounds, seconded from partner schools. The result is a high degree of ambition in students who are both challenged and supported by their teachers to apply to prestigious universities.  The commitment to equality of opportunity is manifest. Managers undertake close monitoring of the performance of students based on gender, learning difficulty and/or disability, and by ethnic heritage. Some differences are recognised and are being addressed, for example in the somewhat Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

9 of 14

varying numbers of applications to certain universities by males compared to females. However, it is too early to judge the effectiveness of these measures. As a result of targeted training and the sharing of good practice, teachers plan their lessons to enable all students to make good or better progress. They make productive use of the students’ diverse backgrounds with informed discussion on various beliefs and customs. Students behave very respectfully, both to their teachers and each other.  LAE meets its statutory requirements for safeguarding students. Where staff have suspected or identified safeguarding concerns, appropriate actions have been taken. Managers’ emphasis on prevention, on regular staff training and very strong pastoral support have kept incidents to a minimum.

Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

10 of 14

Record of Main Findings (RMF) London Academy of Excellence

Inspection grades are based on a provider’s performance:

1: Outstanding 2: Good 3: Requires improvement 4: Inadequate

Overall effectiveness

Outcomes for learners The quality of teaching, learning and assessment The effectiveness of leadership and management

llarevO

2 2 2 2

noisivorp emit-trap 61-41

- - - -

noisivorp emit-lluf 61-41

- - - -

semmargorp yduts 91-61

2 2 2 2

semmargorp gnnraeL +91 i

- - - -

i sphsecitnerppA

- - - -

ytililbayopmE

- - - -

i gnnrael ytinummoC

- - - -

i sphseenarT i

- - - -

Subject areas graded for the quality of teaching, learning and assessment Grade

Science Mathematics and statistics English Modern foreign languages

2 2 1 2

Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

11 of 14

Provider details Type of provider

16-19 academy

Age range of learners

16-18

Approximate number of all learners over the previous full contract year

Full-time: 398 Part-time: none

Principal/CEO

Mr Robert Wilne

Date of previous inspection

Not previously inspected

Website address

www.excellencelondon.ac.uk

Provider information at the time of the inspection Main course or learning programme level

Level 1 or Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 below and above

Total number of learners (excluding apprenticeships)

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+

Full-time Part-time

- - - - - - - - 398 -

Number of traineeships

16-19 19+ - -

- - - -

Total

- -

-

Number of apprentices by Apprenticeship level and age

Intermediate Advanced Higher

16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ 16-18 19+ - - - - - -

Number of learners aged 14-16

Full-time N/A Part-time N/A

Number of community learners

N/A Number of employability learners N/A

Funding received from

Education Funding Agency

At the time of inspection the provider contracts with the following main subcontractors:

None Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

12 of 14

Contextual information

London Academy of Excellence, which opened in September 2012, is an academically selective sixth form college, situated in the London Borough of Newham. All the students are aged 16 to 18 and the very large majority are recruited from secondary schools in Newham and Tower Hamlets. The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is higher than in the local area. Approximately two thirds of the local population are qualified to level 2 or above, which is lower than the rate for all London boroughs, and the proportion of the local population who has no qualifications is higher than the national rate. Rates of unemployment locally are higher than those for London and nationally. The proportion of the local population who leaves school with five GCSEs at grades A* to C is in line with the national rate.

Information about this inspection

Lead inspector

Richard Pemble HMI One of Her Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) and five additional inspectors, assisted by one of the two assistant headteachers as nominee, carried out the inspection with short notice. Inspectors took account of the provider’s most recent self-assessment report and development plans. Inspectors also used data on learners’ achievements for the previous academic year to help them make judgements. Inspectors used group and individual interviews and online questionnaires to gather the views of learners; these views are reflected throughout the report. They observed learning sessions and assessments. The inspection took into account all relevant provision at the provider. Inspectors looked at the quality of teaching, learning and assessment across all of the provision and graded the sector subject areas listed in the report above. Inspection report: London Academy of Excellence, 18–21 March 2014

13 of 14

What inspection judgements mean

Grade

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4

Judgement

Outstanding Good Requires improvement Inadequate Detailed grade characteristics can be viewed in the Handbook for the inspection of further education and skills 2012, Part 2:

http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/handbook-for-inspection-of-further-education-and-skills-september-2012

Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set out in the guidance ‘Raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website:

www.ofsted.gov.uk If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

Learner View is a new website where learners can tell Ofsted what they think about their college or provider. They can also see what other learners think about them too. To find out more go to www.learnerview.ofsted.gov.uk