Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mr H Dastagir Headteacher London Nautical School 61 Stamford Street Blackfriars London SE1 9NA

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and communication technology (ICT)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of the staff and students, during my visit on 23 and 24 November 2011 to look at work in ICT.

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and communication technology (ICT)

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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and communication technology (ICT)

The evidence used to inform the judgements included: interviews with staff and students; scrutiny of relevant documentation; analysis of students’ work; and observation of eight lessons.

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and communication technology (ICT)

The overall effectiveness of ICT is satisfactory.

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Achievement in ICT

 Students enter the school with levels of attainment in ICT which are broadly in line with national averages. By the end of Year 9, they have made satisfactory progress. In Key Stage 4, students can choose to study either a vocational or GCSE ICT course and make satisfactory but improving progress. The progress of those students who study ICT in the sixth form is weaker.  Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities are supported very well and have good access to ICT facilities. High-quality support from teaching assistants means that these students make good progress.  Students behave well in ICT lessons. They listen to each other and work well either in groups or when working independently. The excellent relationships between staff and students when using ICT supports progress in lessons.  Students are supported to learn how to become responsible users of new technologies through ICT lessons and have a satisfactory understanding of

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Achievement in ICT

how to keep themselves safe. The impact of this teaching on students’ understanding of e-safety would be improved if a whole-school approach to this important work was developed.

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Quality of teaching in ICT

The quality of teaching in ICT is satisfactory.

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Quality of teaching in ICT

 All teachers of ICT have good subject knowledge and are confident users of ICT. In the majority of lessons teachers plan work which engages and motivates students but in some lessons all the students were asked to do the same tasks. The lack of differentiation and pace can limit the progress of some students.  The use of ICT to support learning across the school is satisfactory and improving. Students have good access to ICT and it is used appropriately in many lessons to develop their learning. Teachers in English, mathematics and Spanish lessons, for example, use ICT effectively to enthuse and engage students.  The assessment of work in ICT lessons is satisfactory at Key Stage 3 and good at Key Stage 4; students are aware of their progress and know what they need to do to improve their work. However, in other curriculum areas progress in ICT is not monitored.

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

The quality of the curriculum in ICT is good.

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Quality of the curriculum in ICT

 All students at Key Stages 3 and 4 receive their entitlement to the statutory ICT National Curriculum during ICT lessons. The curriculum is planned well and has been recently updated to allow both academic and vocational option choices at Key Stage 4. This has increased engagement with the subject and improved challenge for more able students.  The use of ICT by teachers of other subjects and the opportunities for students to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding are variable across and within subjects. In some lessons, students have access to high- quality opportunities to use ICT. In one outstanding English lesson, students were encouraged to access online class blogs to encourage and support their reading of class texts. However, the use of ICT in other curriculum areas is not monitored or coordinated by the school, and this means that some students are receiving better experiences in ICT than

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Effectiveness of leadership and management in ICT

The effectiveness of leadership and management in ICT is good.  ICT is well led at subject level and plans to develop the subject further to improve outcomes for students are in place.  Senior leaders and managers have a good overview of strengths and weaknesses in ICT. They are well-informed of current developments in the subject and effective self-evaluation has informed a well-considered ICT development plan.  Access to ICT equipment in most areas of the school is excellent. The school provides regular opportunities for student support in ICT at lunchtime and after school.  The use of data to raise standards and improve provision is excellent. This is having a significant impact on students’ achievement which has improved over the last three years and has led to improvements in the ICT curriculum.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 improving the quality of students’ learning and their progress in ICT by:  ensuring that the focus of lessons is more on students’ learning rather than the teacher imparting knowledge and skills  providing all students with activities and tasks which are suitably matched to their abilities and interests  further developing the curriculum to ensure that the use of ICT in other subjects is supported and that its impact is monitored  ensuring that the school’s detailed plans for ICT are implemented to make sure that ICT has a high profile throughout the school and makes a significant impact on students’ achievement in all curriculum areas.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop ICT in the school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As explained previously, a copy of this letter will be published on the Ofsted website. It may be used to inform decisions about any future inspection. A copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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