Durand Academy

Durand Academy Hackford Road, Stockwell, London, SW9 0RD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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.  From average starting points, pupils make good progress to reach standards that are well above national averages at the end of Year 2 and well above by the end of Year 6.  Pupils’ good progress continues into Years 7 and 8 especially in English, mathematics, science and modern foreign languages.  All groups of pupils, including disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs and those known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding, make good progress and achieve well.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are particularly strong; conduct in lessons is very good  Teaching is good. It is consistently effective throughout the academy so pupils are very well prepared for the next stage in their education.  The monitoring of, and support for, new teachers is highly effective; they quickly become strong practitioners securing high standards in lessons.  The executive headteacher, senior leaders and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

governors are united in their aspiration to sustain a highly effective academy for the local community.  Leaders and managers have overseen the growth and expansion of the academy very effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Not all teaching is consistently good and outstanding. This is because pupils, particularly the youngest children and the most able, are not always provided with enough challenging work.  Newly introduced systems to check how well the academy is doing are not yet fully developed by leaders to provide accurate and precise performance information.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in 32 lessons; 24 were joint observations with senior leaders.  During these observations, inspectors assessed pupils’ work, spoke to pupils about their learning, looked at teachers’ planning and considered the role of additional adults in lessons.  Inspectors held discussions with senior leaders, heads of year groups, leaders responsible for special educational needs, newly qualified teachers and members of the governing body.  Academy documents and records were scrutinised, including information about pupils’ progress, pupils’ behaviour and attendance, academy improvement planning, the academy’s evidence on how well it is doing and minutes of governing body meetings.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and spoke with some about their experiences in school. Playtimes and lunchtimes were observed when inspectors talked informally with pupils.  Inspectors spoke informally to parents at the beginning and end of the day. They considered the

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Information about this inspection

18 responses to the online Parent View questionnaire, one letter and 22 staff questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Ann Debono, Lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Russell Bennett Her Majesty’s Inspector Lesley Cox Her Majesty’s Inspector Adam Higgins Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is a much larger than average sized school.  It became an academy in 2010.  The academy occupies two nearby sites, separated by a main road.  The majority of pupils are of Black African and Black Caribbean heritages; others are from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, those from service families and those in local authority care) is higher than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is above average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is below average.  The academy meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum

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Information about this school

expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Alternative provision is made for pupils through the local authority. Two inclusion centres opened in the academy during the week of the inspection for pupils with behavioural needs.  There is a high turnover of staff; 26 teachers joined in September of whom 20 are newly qualified teachers. There is an acting headteacher of school and a newly appointed inclusion manager. Most middle leaders are new to the role and two assistant headteachers are on maternity leave.  The academy will expand further to include two-year-old children from April 2014. All secondary- aged pupils will relocate to a new weekly boarding school in Sussex in September 2015.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching so that more is consistently good and outstanding by:  using assessment information more precisely to plan work so that all pupils, particularly the more able and the youngest children, are challenged by work and activities that match their abilities  ensuring that all marking shows pupils exactly what they need to do to improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management, including governance, by:  sharpening the way leaders obtain and use performance information to measure the academy’s effectiveness in tackling its priorities for improvement  strengthening the academy’s improvement plan by including tight timescales and agreed outcomes for each priority, identifying leaders’ and governors’ responsibilities in evaluating these areas  evaluate the academy’s infrastructure and approaches so that it can be adapted effectively to meet the needs of an expanding and changing organisation.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 The achievement of pupils throughout the academy is good. Children join the Nursery with skills that are broadly in line with those expected for their age. A consistent approach to teaching English and mathematics from this age ensures that attainment for most pupils at the end of each key stage is significantly above national average.  In Key Stage 3, pupils benefit from this strong foundation and continue to make good progress, particularly in English, mathematics and science.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage develop their literacy and numeracy well. A clear teaching programme means that they learn good habits in reading, writing and mathematics from an early age. In some classes, however, children do not achieve as well as they might because they do not have sufficient opportunities to develop their verbal communication skills or follow their curiosity.  A consistent and strong approach to phonics (the letters that sounds make) means that the

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The achievement of pupils is good

proportion of pupils reaching the required standard in the end of year checks in Year 1 is significantly above the national figure for all groups of pupils.  In Key Stage 1, pupils’ achievement is good. All groups of pupils attain significantly above national averages in reading, writing and mathematics, including those eligible for pupil premium funding and those who speak English as an additional language. Writing has improved further in 2013 because of a strong focus on this area through targeted intervention groups.  Over time pupils’ attainment in the end of Key Stage 2 tests in reading, writing and mathematics has been significantly above national average. Most pupils exceed expected rates of progress. Standards rose further in 2013 with an increased number of pupils attaining the higher levels. Pupils’ performance in mathematics is a notable strength.  In Key Stage 3, targets are set in line with expectations to sustain good progress from the end

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The achievement of pupils is good

of Year 6. Setting by ability with effective teaching ensures that all pupils achieve their targets in English, mathematics, science and modern languages.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs are identified quickly and appropriate support and interventions are put into place. These pupils make expected or better progress from their respective starting points.  A strong focus on narrowing the attainment gap between pupils is successful. Pupils eligible for support through the pupil premium are approximately a term behind their peers in English and mathematics. Pupil premium and Year 7 catch-up funding is deployed efficiently through targeted interventions and setting. Pupils in receipt of this resource make the same progress in English and mathematics, and in some cases more progress, than those who are not supported through this additional funding.  The work set does not always challenge the needs and abilities of all pupils. For example, the

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The achievement of pupils is good

more able pupils in particular do not have enough opportunity to practice the things they have learned, applying their knowledge and understanding.  The academy’s performance tracking system is new. It identifies how well pupils have achieved so far but it does not yet help academy leaders or teachers to use this information to plan specifically for the needs of different groups of learners.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is good in both the primary and secondary phases, leading to pupils’ good achievement. Work in pupils’ books shows that opportunities are provided for them to develop literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum.  The overall quality of marking has improved. However, some of the comments in pupils’ books do not help them to know what they need to do to improve their work further.  Many teachers are new or less experienced. They are very well supported by academy leaders to develop their practice quickly and achieve high standards. They benefit from using the academy’s robust teaching and learning routines that both teachers and pupils are expected to apply. This successful framework is well established but it does not always meet the differing needs of the oldest or youngest pupils.  Where teaching is good, effective questioning means that pupils have to think carefully about their answers and draw upon their knowledge and understanding. As a result, pupils make good

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The quality of teaching is good

progress. In a lesson, for example, pupils were actively encouraged to use key words, with additional challenges for those who found the task easy.  In a minority of lessons, teaching does not engage pupils sufficiently. In Key Stage 1, too many worksheets are used and this means that some pupils are not able to write the extended answers of which they are capable. Conversely, at times some teachers try to move on too quickly for some pupils and so their learning is superficial.  All groups of pupils, including those from minority ethnic backgrounds, those who speak English as an additional language and those with additional needs do well and catch up quickly with the rest because of the comprehensive intervention programme that accelerates their progress.  Reading is taught well. Younger pupils read regularly to adults, they are confident to tackle new books. Pupils in the secondary phase use their school library frequently. They attend homework

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The quality of teaching is good

clubs daily; reading skills and comprehension are promoted well in these sessions.  Relationships between pupils and teachers are positive. There is a consistent approach to the routines of learning across the academy.  Teaching effectively promotes spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is a central core of the academy’s work. Pupils say that if someone is different, they try to include them.  Pupils benefit from a wide range of sporting activities. An investment in specialist sports coaching and access to the academy’s two swimming pools mean that improving pupils’ physical skills and fitness has a high profile.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are respectful and polite. They move around the building exceptionally well; the organisation of large numbers of pupils is efficient. Pupils and teachers are well prepared for learning at the start of every lesson.  Almost all pupils have very positive attitudes to school. They say that they enjoy school. They enjoy their work and they are keen to do well. All pupils respond quickly to staff instructions; when a small minority of pupils find learning and behaviour difficult, adults are adept at calmly resolving the situation.  High expectations of behaviour are consistently applied by all adults. This is a strength considering the large number of new staff every year.  The new inclusion rooms support vulnerable pupils who find academy expectations challenging. The provision is well managed, and the teaching assistants are patient and calm with each pupil.  Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in the academy. They understand the various forms that

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

bullying can take. They say that there is some bullying and name-calling but they reported confidently that it is dealt with by adults. A small minority of staff and parents commented on poor behaviour but most feedback during the inspection was positive. Parents expressed strong support for the academy’s consistent expectations for uniform, homework and pupils’ conduct.  The academy has only recently standardised the system for recording exclusions. Previously, the policy allowed for pupils to be sent home informally which was against statutory guidance; this is no longer the case. Current information shows that a small number of pupils have been excluded this term for aggressive and non-compliant behaviour. These incidents are recorded correctly.  Attendance is average. Academy systems to manage attendance data by pupil groups are under- developed. Hand-completed paper registers are still used; a computerised system introduced in

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

September 2013 is too new for academy leaders to analyse attendance trends with accuracy.  Care and support for the more vulnerable pupils are highly effective, and there are very strong partnerships with a range of external agencies.

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The leadership and management are good

 The executive headteacher, senior leaders and governors have a very clear vision about the ‘Durand Way’ of managing the academy as a highly successful institution for its local community.  Leaders recognise the challenges associated with managing a large academy. They have managed its expansion effectively with a strong sense of purpose. However, there is not a clear evaluation of how the academy’s infrastructure and approaches can be adapted to meet the different needs of a wider age range.  Senior leaders have very high expectations of what all pupils should achieve. This is evident throughout the academy. Some teachers find this ethic too demanding, hence the high turnover of staff; however, the very strong outcomes for pupils are testament to its success.  A comprehensive induction and monitoring programme for newly qualified teachers is very effective. As a result of this high quality support they quickly become strong practitioners whose

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The leadership and management are good

work leads to good pupil achievement.  A consequence of the turnover of staff, however, is that many leaders are inexperienced. While senior staff are keen that the academy ‘grows its own’, some new leaders do not feel confident to adapt the academy’s systems to meet the particular needs of their key stage. This is more evident on the Mostyn Road site where a clear vision for how younger pupils should learn is not fully embedded into practice.  Forward planning and investment in resources mean pupils have access to many additional experiences that enrich their learning and prepare them for the future. Extra staff, after-school clubs and intervention groups, for example, ensure pupils’ good achievement at all times. Additionally, a performance by the new Year 4 orchestra showed great accomplishment and musicality because of the quality of the specialist tutors.  Performance management for all staff is robustly managed. It is linked to a performance-related

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The leadership and management are good

payment system and overseen by governors. Underperformance is challenged quickly with the expectation of improvement within a short timescale.  The academy’s self-evaluation is accurate. The academy improvement plan identifies appropriate priorities but thorough monitoring and evaluation of the academy’s work is not strong enough. Newly introduced systems to check how well the academy is doing are not yet fully developed by leaders to provide accurate and precise performance information.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is determined to fulfil its role and hold leaders to account so the academy becomes an outstanding and unique organisation for its local community. While governors work very closely with the executive headteacher and share his vision for the future, they also ask challenging questions and introduce new ideas, which they believe are necessary by listening to parents or taking external advice. For example, governors recommended updating the behaviour and exclusions policy and introducing a parents’ forum.  Governors have a good understanding of the academy’s performance. They receive regular updates about the quality of teaching and pupil outcomes. They track the performance of pupils who are eligible for pupil premium funding by assessing the effectiveness of the setting arrangements. They strongly support senior leaders in implementing performance

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The leadership and management are good

management procedures and act quickly if there are indications of poor results. The current format of the draft academy improvement plan does not help them to function as strategically as they need to and act on performance information generated by regular monitoring and evaluation activity. Governors ensure that statutory duties such as safeguarding are met. They manage financial resources exceptionally well.

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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 136288 Local authority Lambeth Inspection number 433142

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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 converter School category Community Age range of pupils 3 – 13 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1116 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Victoria Robinson Executive Headteacher Greg Martin Date of previous school inspection 16 – 17 January 2008 Telephone number 020 7735 8348 Fax number 020 7793 0605 Email address admin@durandprimary.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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