Eden Boys' School, Birmingham Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Ensure that, as the school grows, pupils receive a diverse learning experience through further development in the design technology and creative arts aspects of the curriculum.
• Continue to ensure that assessments are checked and validated as part of leaders’ work to track the progress of pupils.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

• The principal has an absolute conviction that each pupil in the school will succeed academically, as well as developing a strong character with a sense of community responsibility. This uncompromising determination ensures an outstanding education for pupils in the school. This conviction is found in all staff and governors and is a shared vision with the trust board.
• Leadership at all levels is strong. Leaders have ensured that staff across the school understand their job roles and what is expected of them. Support staff and newly qualified teachers, as well as middle and senior leaders, are clear about the school’s priorities and the part that they play in delivering the best education for the pupils.
• Leaders receive exceptional support from the multi-academy trust through its formalised structure, which includes regular quality assurance visits and extensive training for staff. Similarly, school leaders provide support, and time, to other schools within the multi-academy trust. This coordinated approach, coupled with passionate leadership, ensures that there is the capacity for further improvement.
• Leaders’ use of assessment information is thorough. The school has a strong quality assurance process around its assessment systems to ensure accuracy and validity. Leaders are aware that this system is integral to monitoring how much progress pupils are making. They are also aware of the need to refine it regularly to ensure that it is as accurate as possible. Leaders are embedding systems of feedback from moderation, which is conducted within the Trust, but also across local schools and with national consultants.
• Leaders manage teachers’ performance well. They set teachers targets that focus on outstanding progress for pupils and developing the highest-quality teaching. Senior and middle leaders continually check the quality of teaching in the school. They focus staff training on specific aspects of teaching and, every week, there is training for all teachers. Leaders check that training has the desired impact.
• Teachers are proud to work at the school and morale is high. They appreciate the opportunities provided for professional development, both in the school and through the trust college, the impact of which is visible in their high-quality teaching. Newly qualified teachers and trainees value the strong leadership and support that they receive to become highly effective practitioners.
• Leaders use additional funding to support disadvantaged pupils, pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, and the Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up effectively. The spending has a strong, positive impact on pupils’ learning and progress.
• Pupils value the wide range of opportunities that are planned to help develop their understanding of spiritual, moral, social and cultural issues. Leaders support the development of pupils’ character and sense of community, and pupils work towards ‘STAR’ awards to demonstrate that they are achieving this. Over the last year, pupils have raised over £18,000 for various charities and have taken part in several inter-faith activities. As a result, pupils’ personal, social and emotional development is outstanding.
• The curriculum is broad and balanced, with a focus on subjects that contribute to the English Baccalaureate. Extra-curricular activities further enhance the curriculum. These include numerous activities, including a journalism club, Chartered Management Institute (CMI) leadership qualifications and the ‘Moth in a China Shop’ project, which helps others directly involved in sports and health. Leaders keep the curriculum under constant review. They have identified that pupils would benefit from further development in the design and creative aspects of both the formal and extra-curricular provision.

Governance of the school

• Governors and the executive directors from Tauheedul Education Trust know the school very well and are fully committed to ensuring that it provides a first-class education for its pupils. They offer incisive support and challenge, using the high-quality information provided by school leaders and by taking part in regular quality assurance activities.
• Governors and trustees carry out their duties with diligence. They carefully evaluate the impact of additional funding, including the pupil premium and funding for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, to ensure value for money.
• Those responsible for governance have been determined and successful in creating an aspirational school where pupils receive a high standard of education, so that they can become successful and contributing members of the community.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that the safety of pupils is given the highest priority. Staff receive appropriate safeguarding training during induction, and regularly during their time in school. There are strong lines of communication to report any concerns and all staff know what to do if they have worries about a pupil’s safety.
• All of the pupils spoken to by inspectors, and their parents’ responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, said that pupils feel safe, and are safe, in school. All pupils explained that they have an adult who they can speak to if they have any concerns about being safe (whether that is in school or in the community), and they know that they will be supported.
• Leaders and teachers have a thorough understanding of the risks that pupils may face. As a result, they continue to explore ways to alert pupils to the various risks and to provide them with the strategies to protect themselves. For example, pupils have taken part in anti-gang workshops run by the police and in a theatre production explaining the danger of radicalisation.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

• Teaching, learning and assessment across the school are of a very high quality. This is because teachers have a very secure subject knowledge and share leaders’ commitment to motivating pupils to reach the highest standards. Consequently, pupils make outstanding progress from their starting points.
• Teachers know their pupils well. This contributes to extremely strong relationships and results in a studious atmosphere in lessons. Inspectors observed many lessons where pupils were focused, had pride in their learning and were committed to improving their work in response to teachers’ feedback.
• Systems to check the accuracy of teachers’ assessment are rigorous. Leaders moderate assessments within the multi-academy trust but also with other local schools and national subject leaders. This practice enables teachers to set robust assessments and check the quality of their pupils’ work against others nationally. This assessment information is used very effectively to plan for future learning.
• Evidence in pupils’ books shows that pupils make substantial progress across a range of subjects and year groups. This is because teachers explain clearly and demonstrate consistently how pupils’ responses are assessed. As a result, pupils are confident about what they need to do to produce high-quality work and how to achieve top marks in their examinations.
• Teachers nurture a safe and trusting learning environment in classrooms. Pupils are very willing to share ideas and discuss their views on a range of themes, including some sensitive topics. For example, an inspector observed pupils talking about the ethical aspects attached to in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment in a biology lesson. This ability to talk openly has meant that they are developing excellent listening and debating skills.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Pupils’ understanding of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) learning is excellent and is planned through PSHE and citizenship lessons, assemblies, visits and guest speakers.
• Pupils are proud of their school. They enjoy taking part in the many projects designed to develop their skills and understanding of the world in which they live. For example, pupils have been accepted as Anne Frank ambassadors and took part in an event in the community. On Fridays, pupils run a food bank for the local community. They have also taken part in the St Basil’s sleep out at Birmingham cathedral each year.
• Pupils’ accounts and leaders’ records indicate that bullying and the use of bad language are rare. Staff are readily available for pupils who have any worries. Pupils are confident that staff will deal quickly and effectively with any issues or concerns. Several pupils spoke to inspectors about how the school community has supported them during particularly difficult personal situations.
• Pupils value their education and they are eager to learn. They expect work to be difficult and do not give up. Teachers encourage pupils to find solutions and to work as part of a team. During the inspection, pupils regularly worked in pairs or larger groups to share ideas during the ‘we do’ part of lessons.
• Careers guidance in the school is having a positive impact on pupils’ future aspirations. Leaders are outward-facing and regularly organise for employers and higher education institutions to work with pupils. For example, the school is hosting a trial careers event in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions in June, before it is expanded to include many pupils across Birmingham.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.
• The school is calm throughout the day. Pupils behave maturely at breaktime and lunchtime and socialise in a positive way. They are courteous and polite to adults and one another. They respect the school environment, which is litter-free, and pupils are proud to wear their school uniform.
• Low-level disruption to learning is infrequent, as are serious behaviour incidents. Pupils adhere to the behaviour policy because they are respectful of leaders’ very high expectations. Rates of exclusion are extremely low. Pupils’ behaviour in class is exemplary. They are highly involved in their learning and concentrate well. There are strong relationships between pupils and between pupils and staff, which foster a positive learning environment.
• Pupils are keen to come to school and their attendance is well above the national average. The attendance of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are also significantly above national averages.

Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

• Since the school opened in September 2015, the progress made by pupils has increased each year as more subject specialists are teaching them. Pupils, from their different starting points, regularly make progress that is much higher than that of others nationally in a wide range of subjects.
• There is a comprehensive regime of assessment across the school that enables leaders to track and monitor pupils’ progress well. The school’s careful moderation of assessments and tracking of achievement information means that pupils make consistently strong progress in nearly all subjects across key stages 3 and 4. Leaders are constantly reviewing how to make this system more robust and reliable.
• The progress of disadvantaged pupils matches the outstanding progress of their classmates. Progress for this group is significantly above that made by other pupils nationally because teachers have very high expectations of all pupils. Leaders use additional funding effectively to make sure that disadvantaged pupils make the same outstanding progress as other pupils in the school.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make the same outstanding progress as other pupils in the school. They achieve exceptionally well because teachers plan well for their individual needs and teaching assistants provide highly effective support.
• Inspectors’ checks on samples of pupils’ work confirmed the accuracy of the school’s own assessment information, which shows that most pupils in all year groups are making strong progress.
• The school provides a carefully planned curriculum and a wide variety of high-quality careers education, including visits and competitions. It enables pupils to be very well prepared for the next steps in their education and to expand their career aspirations.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141969 Birmingham 10048352 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 Number of pupils on the school roll Appropriate authority Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Academy free school 11 to 18 Boys 372 The proprietor Abdul Rahim Asiyah Ravat 0121 657 7070 www.edenboysbirmingham.com info@edenboysbirmingham.tetrust.org Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• Eden Boys’ School opened in September 2015 and does not yet have a published set of data.
• The school is a smaller than the average-sized secondary school.
• Most pupils are of Asian heritage and the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is above average.
• Currently, there are no pupils who have an education, health and care plan.
• Currently, one pupil is educated off site at the City United Academy.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors held meetings with governors, representatives of Tauheedul Education Trust, senior leaders, middle leaders and a group of staff who are new to the school.
• Pupils’ current progress was evaluated by scrutinising pupils’ work and looking at information on pupils’ progress and current levels of achievement.
• Inspectors spoke with pupils both formally and informally and observed lessons in both key stages.
• Parents’ and carers’ views were considered through the 68 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the 63 free-text responses and the school’s own record of parental surveys.
• The views of staff were considered through the 14 responses to an online survey and inspectors spoke with many more informally.
• Inspectors evaluated a range of documentation, including information about leaders’ evaluations of the school’s performance, safeguarding, bullying, attendance, behaviour and exclusions.
• The inspectors observed learning in 30 lessons. Some observation was done jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also visited tutor time, listened to pupils read and observed students’ conduct at break and lunchtimes.

Inspection team

Lois Kelly, lead inspector Antony Edkins Jane Epton Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector