George Green's School

George Green's School 100 Manchester Road, Isle of Dogs, London, E14 3DW

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Good 2 Achievement of pupils Good 2 Quality of teaching Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Since the previous inspection, the proportion of students achieving five good GCSE passes, including English and mathematics, has risen securely. Attainment is now broadly average and students make good progress from their very low starting points.  Students known to be eligible for the pupil premium make good progress because of well-timed and carefully targeted support from teachers and support staff.  Teaching is good and improving. This is because of the better use of data and the sharing of good practice across the school. Recent appointments are having a positive impact.  Students are polite, confident and proud of their school. They have positive attitudes to learning which is contributing well to their progress.  The Principal and senior leaders have been successful in their determined and relentless focus on improving teaching and achievement. This is driven by a passionate belief that all

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

students, irrespective of their circumstances, are entitled to the best possible education. Staff morale is high.  The school enjoys excellent relationships with parents, carers and the community.  The sixth form is good. Students are well taught and achieve well. Strong support for literacy and numeracy, as well as opportunities for students to take International Baccalaureate examinations, ensures that provision is inclusive.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 There is not enough outstanding teaching to ensure that all students make rapid progress from their starting points. Lessons occasionally have insufficient challenge for higher-attaining students and too few opportunities to relate work to other subjects and to real life.  Students are not given sufficient opportunities to develop their higher-order thinking skills through questioning which makes them think more carefully about their answers and helps them to develop their responses.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 50 lessons, of which six were joint observations with senior leaders. Inspectors also made a number of shorter visits to lessons.  They spoke to groups of students and looked at samples of their work, focusing on progress as well as the achievement of those known to be eligible for pupil premium funding and those supported by school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs.  Meetings were held with senior leaders, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  There were not enough responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) for these to be viewed, although inspectors took account of the school’s own parent surveys, along with 128 responses to the staff questionnaire.  Inspectors looked at a range of documentation including information showing students’ progress over time, performance management records, safeguarding information, the governing body

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Information about this inspection

minutes and records relating to students’ behaviour.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, Lead inspector Additional inspector James Bowden Additional inspector Jennifer Bray Additional inspector Clare Gillies Additional inspector Babrul Matin Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 George Green’s School is an above-average-sized 11–18 mixed school situated in the Isle of Dogs.  Nearly half the students are Bangladeshi, with a quarter White British, as well as small numbers of African and Chinese students. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is well above the national average.  The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional government funding to support pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and children from service families, is well above average. Currently, there are no children from service families and very few in local authority care.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action is in line with national averages. The proportion of students supported by school action

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Information about this school

plus or with a statement of special educational needs is well above the national average. The majority of these are for speech, language and communication needs, behaviour, emotional and social difficulties and moderate learning difficulties.  A small number of students attend alternative provision off-site programmes at City Gateway for courses in sports leadership and creative media, and the Old Ford College for City and Guilds qualifications in construction work.  The school has a specialism in humanities focusing on English, citizenship and drama as specialist subjects. The school is also an International Baccalaureate World School and has a number of awards including an Equalities Award.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Increase the proportion of outstanding teaching and raise students’ achievement by:  raising the level of challenge in lessons, especially for higher-attaining students  making better use of open-ended questions to develop students’ higher-order thinking  ensuring that work is better linked to other subjects and more relevant to students.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Students enter the school with levels of attainment which are significantly below the national average. A very high proportion of students are known to be eligible for the pupil premium and many students have a range of complex social and emotional needs. The school’s highly effective support systems, careful monitoring of progress and quality teaching enable students to make good progress from their starting points.  Students’ attainment by the end of Year 11 has risen significantly since the previous inspection and is now in line with national averages. The proportion of students gaining five or more GCSE A* to C grades including English and mathematics has continued to rise and is now average. Other key indicators, including the proportion of students gaining five or more GCSE grades and the average point scores, have risen significantly with further improvements anticipated in 2013.  Students make good progress in mathematics over time. Progress in English fell in 2012, but

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The achievement of pupils is good

achievement in lessons, work samples and school data confirm that progress is now good as a result of effective teaching, earlier intervention and carefully tailored support.  Many students enter the school with very low reading and writing abilities. The school’s recently introduced whole-school approach to improving literacy enables them to make rapid and sustained progress.  Students from different ethnic groups, as well as the high proportion of students who speak English as an additional language, make good progress. Students attending off-site alternative provision and those with special educational needs or disabilities make similarly good progress, taking into account their individual starting points.  Staff are well aware of the needs of every individual student and ensure that effective support is put in place to help them do well. The school is effective in ensuring equality of opportunity for

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The achievement of pupils is good

students’ learning. This reflects the school’s vision of raising achievement within a framework of equality and inclusion.  The school has successfully narrowed the gap between the attainment of students in receipt of pupil premium so that those entitled to this support now achieve similar average points scores for GCSEs as well as similar average point scores in English and mathematics. Precisely targeted interventions, including personalised student mentoring, have been instrumental in bringing about these improvements.  The sixth form provides courses which are extremely well suited to the needs of learners. High- attaining students do particularly well on the International Baccalaureate examinations while other students are supported to develop their basis skills including literacy and numeracy. The school’s rigorous and accurate tracking indicates that students are making good progress in the

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The achievement of pupils is good

sixth form.  The school’s policy for early entry ensures that all students exceed their targets with appropriate courses, such as GCSE further mathematics, offered to those students who complete early.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching has improved over time and is now good with an increasing amount which is outstanding. Evidence from lesson observations and from samples of students’ work confirms that good teaching has resulted in students making good progress.  In the majority of lessons, teachers plan and set work that takes account of the needs of individual students and makes good use of support staff in the classroom. Teachers make good use of a variety of teaching styles. Relationships are a particular strength.  Subject knowledge is strong and teachers demonstrate a familiarity with examination board requirements which supports students’ good progress. Group and paired work is encouraged, and students are adept at listening and learning from one another. Where teaching is not as strong, work is not matched closely enough to students’ ability levels and higher-attaining students are not sufficiently challenged. Question and answer sessions are not always probing

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The quality of teaching is good

and do not always require students to think or develop their responses. There were too few opportunities for students to appreciate how work might be used in other subjects or else in real life.  Regular and thorough marking in most subjects provides helpful guidance to students on how to improve their work. This was particularly strong in humanities and in science where students were given targets to develop their knowledge further. Disabled students, those who have special educational needs and students who have difficulty in English and mathematics benefit from the good assistance provided by support staff. Students eligible for the pupil premium have access to specialist support such as one-to-one teaching. This has given them the same chances to learn and make similar progress to their peers.  Teaching in the sixth form is consistently good and sometimes outstanding. Students are unreservedly positive about the quality of teaching in the sixth form as well as the opportunities

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The quality of teaching is good

for self- and peer-assessment, along with regular opportunities to review progress and set targets.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Behaviour, both in lessons and around school, is good. Students enjoy positive relationships with teachers, are proud of their school and are happy with the support they receive. They show respect to one other. Behaviour seen during the inspection was good and school records show this is typical of behaviour over time.  Students feel safe at school. They understand issues related to their safety, including how to keep safe when using social media. Students are aware of different types of bullying and feel confident to report any problems to teachers. The school has a range of effective policies and procedures regarding behaviour and bullying.  The reduction in exclusions, both external and internal, reflects the school’s focus on behaviour management. Attendance is above average and effective procedures are in place for ensuring this. The attendance of students who have alternative provision is monitored carefully and the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

school ensures they are safe and well cared for. Students are invariably punctual to lessons.  Religious education and citizenship contribute very well to students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Students have a clear understanding of right and wrong, and the school pursues ambitious equalities strategies recognised through the Equalities Award. Good relations are promoted and discrimination of any kind is not tolerated.  Sixth-form students are good role models within the school and make a very positive contribution to the school’s ethos, supporting teachers in modelling appropriate behaviour and conduct. Students are very well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment.

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The leadership and management are good

 The Principal and senior staff have been relentless in driving up standards in the school. Improvements since the previous inspection have been tackled with determination, resulting in improvements in the use of data, lesson planning and teaching strategies.  Self-evaluation is accurate and used rigorously to plan for development so that staff have a shared sense of direction and are clear about how to make further improvements. School improvement targets are ambitious and the school’s better use of data is ensuring early identification and support to eradicate underperformance.  While leaders and managers have improved the quality of teaching so it is consistently good, there are still not enough lessons where teaching is outstanding. Performance management is rigorous and senior leaders are not afraid to address underperformance. Leaders monitor teaching closely, judging its quality accurately and giving good support to individuals in

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The leadership and management are good

developing their classroom practice. Teachers and support staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support given for their professional development.  Funding for pupil premium is monitored carefully and has been spent appropriately to ensure it has the greatest possible impact for those students entitled to support. For example, additional staff have been appointed to offer personalised learning programmes for students most at risk of disengagement and money used to ensure that students participate fully and benefit from enrichment activities.  The curriculum is highly personalised, regularly evaluated and carefully tailored to the range of needs of students, with extensive provision for a range of enrichment and extra-curricular activities. The sixth-form curriculum benefits from basic courses in English and mathematics as well as academic courses following the International Baccalaureate. Alternative provision, mainly

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The leadership and management are good

through courses at local colleges, supports students whose circumstances may make them vulnerable very well.  The school enjoys excellent relationships with parents, carers and the community. Parents’ and carers’ views are regularly sought and acted upon. Their responses to school’s surveys are invariably positive and a large majority have confidence in the school, especially in terms of managing bullying and improving behaviour. Community partnerships are extensive and effective, including a local bank which supports students through a five-year programme to ensure they reach their potential.  The provision for students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is the most significant strength of the school as it underpins the school’s motto ‘All different, all equal, learn today, succeed tomorrow’. Students demonstrate considerable respect for students from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils

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The leadership and management are good

meet statutory requirements.  The local authority has provided effective support for the school’s leaders and managers, and has helped in developing expertise in providing for students with English as an additional language, as well as supporting the development of the curriculum in the sixth form.  The governance of the school:  The governing body is ambitious for the school and governors have a secure knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses. The Principal provides regular and detailed reports about the work of the school, which is supported through governors’ lesson observations and learning walks. Governors have a good understanding of data and know how well students are progressing in the school. Governors bring a good range of relevant skills and have had training on their roles. They ask challenging questions of the Principal and set demanding targets. They are aware of the quality of teaching in the school and are fully involved in decisions about

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The leadership and management are good

teachers’ pay progression and how underperformance has been tackled. The governing body ensures that resources are used to help students to make progress, including the use of additional funding through the pupil premium.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 100974 Local authority Tower Hamlets Inspection number 400444

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Comprehensive School category Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,150 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 160 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Philip Wake Principal Kenny Frederick Date of previous school inspection 14–15 October 2009 Telephone number 020 7987 6032 Fax number 020 7538 2316 Email address kfrederick@georgegreens.com 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 .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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