Lampton Academy

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Not previously inspected This inspection: Outstanding 1

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Overall effectiveness

Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Students’ achievement is outstanding, particularly in English and mathematics. By the end of Key Stage 4 students have made more progress than most students nationally.  Teaching is outstanding and enables students to make exceptional progress whatever their starting points. Checking of learning and understanding, through questioning, ensures students make fast progress.  Lessons include a mix of different activities which students enjoy and which ensure they learn rapidly. Teachers quickly adapt learning activities if at first some students do not understand what they are meant to do.  Students demonstrate maturity, strong social skills and good humour in their behaviour in lessons. Students’ outstanding behaviour continues outside of lessons. They have the maturity to self-regulate and behave responsibly.  Staff are fully committed to doing their utmost for students, and one said, ‘This is an

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

outstanding school and I am proud to be part of it. The students are fantastic and I feel very well supported by senior leaders.’  The school is extremely well led. The senior team clearly communicates the message that the school’s key function is to enable outstanding outcomes for all students, including disabled students and those who have special educational needs.  Monitoring of teaching and learning by leaders and managers is accurate. There are well- established support and training programmes for teachers to further improve how their work helps to raise students’ achievement.  The sixth form is good. Results are particularly strong at the end of Year 13. Students are well supported and the school is determined to ensure they do even better.  The school shares its best practice and is active in supporting other schools. The training it provides both new and experienced teachers, particularly in its role as a National Teaching

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

School benefits many schools, way beyond Lampton.  Governors know and understand the school well and provide highly effective challenge and support for the school. They are fully committed to its continued improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 53 lessons, of which 47 were joint observations with senior staff.  In addition, inspectors made shorter visits to a number of other lessons, in order, for example, to look at students’ work.  Inspectors also visited tutor periods and listened to students read.  Inspectors talked to many students about their learning and experiences at school both formally and informally throughout the inspection. Meetings were held with five groups of students across the age and ability range.  Meetings were held with senior and middle leaders and the Chair of the Governing Body.  Inspectors took account of 51 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire. In addition inspectors looked at an external survey of parents’ and carers’ views that the school had commissioned, which had a much larger response rate.  Inspectors took account of the 108 responses to the staff questionnaire.  A wide range of documentary evidence was looked at during the inspection, including the

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Information about this inspection

school’s own self-evaluation, external quality assurance reviews, the school improvement plan, minutes from meetings, tracking data of students’ progress, safeguarding documents, and records related to attendance and behaviour and a sample of performance management reviews.

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Inspection team

Kevin Harrison, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Mina Drever Additional Inspector Patricia MacLachlan Additional Inspector Clifford Walker Additional Inspector Kewal Geol Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average-size secondary school.  The school became an academy in 2010. When its predecessor school, Lampton School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding.  The proportion of students from minority ethnic backgrounds is five times higher than the national average. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is also significantly above the national average.  The proportion of students for whom the school receives additional funding through the pupil premium is just below a third. Pupil premium is the additional government funding provided for students who are known to be eligible for free school meals, students looked after by the local authority, or those with a parent or carer serving in the armed forces.  The proportion of disabled students and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is just over one in eight pupils. This is above the national average.

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Information about this school

 The proportion of students with a statement of special educational needs or who are supported at school action plus, about one in 12, is just above average.  The school includes a speech and communication unit for 16 students. Students enrolled in this unit are fully integrated into the main school.  The school has specialist status in humanities. It established a basketball academy in 2010, which caters for more than 50 students before and after the normal school day.  The school is a designated National Teaching School. The school is also a Senior Partner in a group of schools who work together known as ‘Challenge Partnership’ and provides both initial teacher training and on-going training for both Lampton teachers and for teachers from other schools.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress.  Some students attend specialist courses at West Thames College, The Lighthouse Group, The

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Information about this school

Skills Centre, The Redwood Group and Capel Manor College.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all marking is consistently effective by making sure that:  all teachers’ written feedback clearly explains how well students are doing and how to further improve their work  students are given opportunities to use the written feedback to improve their work, and this is followed up by the teacher  all leaders check regularly that written feedback is consistent and is helping to improve students’ achievement.

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Students make outstanding progress, regardless of their starting points, gender or ethnic background, from when they join the school to when they leave.  The proportion of students who gain five or more higher grades, including English and mathematics, has been consistently above the national average in recent years.  The school’s robust and reliable information about the current attainment of Year 11 students, including passes they have already achieved, shows that a significantly larger proportion of students are likely to gain five A* to C grades, including English and mathematics, this year.  Year 7 catch-up funding is used well to provide strong support to those students who had previously underachieved in English and mathematics. The school makes very good use of an accelerated reading programme. This is popular with students who say, ‘We know it is helping us to improve our work in class’, and ‘We find the books more interesting and fun to read because

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

they are at the right level.’ This is an excellent example of the school’s commitment to providing equal opportunities for all pupils and ensuring they attain the very highest standards they possibly can.  In 2012, students achieved better in English than in mathematics. The school has put in place actions which have already improved achievement in mathematics. This is seen in lessons, in the school’s tracking of progress and in the proportion of students who have already achieved a higher grade.  Students entered early for GCSE examinations in mathematics make similar, and sometimes better, progress than their peers, and the school’s policy has not prevented them from gaining the highest grades of which they are capable.  Students’ achievement in the sixth form is good and has been so consistently over time. It is particularly strong in Year 13 and continues to improve  Progress for students with special educational needs, including those who are enrolled in the

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

speech and communication unit, is significantly above that found nationally because they are provided with very well-targeted support and guidance. This is further underpinned by strong care which ensures they learn well.  Students who speak English as an additional language make progress in line with other students because staff provide them with clear guidance, ensuring that these students fully understand exactly what needs to be done to make progress.  The school makes very effective use of the pupil premium funding to provide additional staff and support to help students to make progress. In 2012, Year 11 students who were eligible for the pupil premium had attained the equivalent of a third of a grade lower in English and a quarter of a grade lower in mathematics. However, the rate of progress from their starting points for these students was better than for their peers and significantly better than nationally. The school’s

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The achievement of pupils is outstanding

current tracking data show that the gap between pupil premium students’ attainment and that of other students is narrowing further.  Those students who attend courses at other educational establishments make outstanding progress and benefit from the wider experiences they are given in a different context. In 2012, all students successfully completed and passed their courses.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teaching is consistently good and a high proportion is outstanding, which enables students to make outstanding progress throughout the school.  A member of staff commented, ‘I feel so satisfied with the quality of teaching in this school that I have decided to send my child here.’  There are examples of outstanding teaching in all three key stages and in a wide range of subjects including English and mathematics.  Teachers skilfully gain and maintain students’ attention throughout lessons by including a range of different activities which the students enjoy and which stimulate their interest in learning.  Students are keen to learn and respond enthusiastically to the good and better teaching. For example, in a mathematics lesson, students reviewed their progress against real examination questions on the topic they had been studying. This greatly built their confidence and gave them a most effective opportunity for revision.

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Teachers make effective use of information they receive about students’ prior levels of attainment and understanding to plan lessons that accurately match their precise learning needs, so ensuring they make outstanding progress.  Teachers know their subjects very well and are highly effective in developing students’ interest in and understanding of the topic being studied. In one typical lesson in English, the teacher used a poem to stimulate discussion and ensured all students participated. The teacher used challenging questions very effectively to check students’ understanding, enabling them to make extremely rapid progress.  Teachers give regular clear feedback on students’ current progress and how to improve their work further, throughout lessons and in their marking of students’ books. However, this does not always happen as frequently as it should.  Questioning is used particularly well to assess students’ understanding. Teachers probe and

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The quality of teaching is outstanding

challenge, rewording questions to draw out answers from students if they do not succeed straight away.  Additional staff work in strong partnership with teachers and are used highly effectively to support students that need extra help with their learning. This ensures these students make at least good progress.  Teaching in the sixth form is strong and students benefit from very good working relationships with their teachers and their own positive attitudes to learning, enabling rapid progress.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Students’ behaviour is outstanding. They act in a mature, responsible manner and are able to take responsibility for their own behaviour, rather than requiring narrow boundaries to ensure behaviour is appropriate.  Students are eager to learn and are proud of their school, showing care and respect for one another, creating a calm, harmonious community. A member of staff commented, ‘I love working here. The staff and students make this school a very special place.’  Students listen attentively, work effectively both independently and with others, enjoy a challenge and respond confidently to questioning.  Relationships between students and staff are a central strength of the school. A student commented, ‘Opportunities are always available to speak to teachers at any time.’  Students say staff are helpful and comment on how there is always someone they can talk to about any concerns that they may have.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school has a wide range of excellent extra-curricular activities from which many students benefit, and extremely good opportunities for students to channel their energies appropriately, for example by taking part in activities organised through its basketball academy.  Attendance is high and school data shows that internal exclusions are reducing because students clearly understand the expectations for appropriate behaviour and the majority of students are keen to do well. Fixed-term exclusions are below the national average and continue to fall.  Students feel safe and generally free from bullying. They know about and understand different forms of bullying, such as cyber bullying, and racist and homophobic name calling. Students are confident that the very few instances of bullying which do occur will be swiftly and effectively dealt with as the school is fully committed to tackling discrimination in all its forms.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The year group and school councils provide excellent opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills. The councils are respected by both students and staff and help ensure that senior leaders take account of students’ views. Currently the school council is reviewing the bullying and behaviour policies.  The vast majority of parents and carers agree that their children are safe and happy at school and that it promotes outstanding behaviour.  The school makes sure that students who attend courses at other institutions are safe and that they behave extremely well.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 All leaders focus on ensuring students make progress and achieve their full potential, regardless of their starting points. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership and her vision and determination are shared throughout the entire school. She has created the right atmosphere for staff to thrive and develop. She works in strong partnership with other leaders who in return provide her with outstanding support.  Lampton’s role as a National Teaching School ensures that its strengths and best practice spread far beyond the school gates for the benefit of other children, teachers and schools.  The school benefits from working together and gaining challenge and support from a number of sources, such as the Challenge Partners network, where the school is a lead partner. These are schools, who work together locally and nationally. The school benefits from being the lead school of a Teaching School Alliance leading school improvement across schools in London.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 Middle leaders clearly understand that their key focus is on enabling students to make outstanding progress and achieve well. One commented that, ‘There is a very strong ethos among staff and a sense of collective responsibility for students, both in terms of achievement and well-being.’  Arrangements for safeguarding children and young people fully meet requirements.  Leaders know the school’s strengths well, but are not complacent. They recognise that improvement only happens because they are ready to address aspects of the school’s work that do not live up to their high expectations.  Teachers are continually working to further improve their teaching. This helps to explain why so much is of such a high quality. Many benefit from training courses both within school, via Teaching School, and at higher education institutions. Teachers often work together to support one and other, sharing ideas on how to make lessons more effective.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 A broad range of courses both at Key Stage 4 and in the sixth form provides good choice for students and enables high levels of achievement. Subjects studied are challenging and academically rigorous and provide outstanding preparation for future study and employment. An extensive range of extra-curricular activities and visits makes a strong contribution to students’ sense of enjoyment, and enhances their learning.  Humanities subjects are central to the school’s highly successful promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and to teaching the importance of respecting different views, cultures, opinions and lifestyles. This is seen in the way the students relate to one another, regardless of their personal beliefs or background. Recently some sixth form students raised a very large sum of money to travel to Mozambique and work with a charity which supports orphans and other vulnerable groups.

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The leadership and management are outstanding

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is highly effective. Governors use their specialist knowledge to provide both support and challenge. They have a clear understanding the school’s many strengths, including the quality of teaching, and of students’ achievement and areas for further development. Governors know about the quality of teaching and fully understand the arrangements for improving teachers’ performance and rewarding good teaching. They have a clear understanding and oversight of financial arrangements including the pupil premium funding. They know how it is spent and evaluate the impact of additional resources on students’ progress.

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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.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Grade Judgement Description

A school that requires special measures is one where the school is 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 136341 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 412416

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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 Academy School category Non-maintained Age range of pupils 11 – 19 Gender of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,409 Of which, number on roll in sixth form 342 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Moira Stuart Headteacher Susan John Date of previous school inspection Not previously inspected Telephone number 020 8572 1936 Fax number 020 8572 8500 Email address info@lampton.hounslow.sch.uk 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

to 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.

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School details

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 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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