Chiswick School

Chiswick School Burlington Lane, Chiswick, London W4 3UN

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is an academy that requires improvement

 Leaders do not check pupils’ progress in a systematic or thorough way. They do not routinely evaluate the progress of different groups of pupils within the academy. This leads to significant disparity in the experiences of pupils in the academy and hinders improvement.  Governors do not hold leaders to account sufficiently well. There is insufficient challenge related to the performance of different groups within the academy.  While some academic outcomes are broadly in line with national averages, the progress of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs is erratic and lags behind that of other pupils in the academy.  The provision for special educational needs within the main academy is weak and is not focused clearly on ensuring that these pupils achieve as well as they can.

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The academy has the following strengths

 There is a strong ethos, culture and sense of community in the academy. Relationships at all levels are strong and create a calm atmosphere founded on mutual respect.  The academy has had a significant change of staff. Induction is effective and is complemented by a focused programme of training resulting in good teaching, learning and assessment.  The alternative provision at the offsite Chiswick Centre is well managed and has been successful in helping a number of pupils to return to mainstream education.  The sixth form has grown steadily over a number of years and is now good. Well-considered and personalised guidance, together with appropriate programmes of study, mean that outcomes are in line with national averages and improving steadily.  The personal development of pupils is good. Pupils have an excellent understanding of issues relating to mental health and this contributes to their well- being.

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The academy has the following strengths

 The behaviour of pupils is good. They have positive attitudes in the classroom and settle quickly into learning.

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What does the academy need to do to improve further?

 Sharpen the quality of leadership and management and increase accountability at all levels by ensuring that: there is a more systematic and routine approach to the monitoring and evaluation of all aspects of the academy the governing body is provided with appropriate and detailed information to enable members to challenge leaders of the academy in a more precise manner clear and measurable targets related to whole-school development are identified and shared with governors.  Eliminate gaps in the outcomes of different groups of pupils, including disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs or those identified as being disadvantaged, by: using more purposeful and precise analyses of performance data to identify underperformance and inform future actions ensuring that academic progress and attainment are compared with the correct national comparators: for example, comparing disadvantaged pupils with non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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What does the academy need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of provision for pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs within the main academy by: strengthening the leadership of this area so that the provision takes full account of national reforms to special educational needs ensuring that support has a distinct focus on achieving the best possible outcomes, and that this support is monitored and evaluated in a more structured way.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because leaders do not monitor the performance of, or evaluate provision for, different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who are disabled or who have special educational needs. Information relating to the current performance of these key groups shows volatility: their progress varies between subjects and year groups, and in some cases is significantly below that of other pupils.  The evaluation of the many activities supported by pupil premium funding is not up to date. Leaders have considered the impact of some recent activities, such as a programme to develop reading, but have not carried out any sort of overarching review in the last year. The most recent GCSE results indicate that, in comparison to the previous year, a number of gaps reduced. This suggests that some of the many strategies in place may be effective, but the lack of diligent evaluation means that leaders are not aware

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

of what these are. Leaders accept that procedures for evaluation need to be re-introduced.  A wealth of information relating to pupils’ behaviour, attendance and achievement exists in the academy, but it is not always analysed to identify patterns, trends or issues. This means that leaders, governors and staff do not always know what needs to improve, and this hinders the rate of development of the academy. Leaders’ evaluation of the academy’s effectiveness is not accurate and externally produced reports on the academy have not aided this. Many of these reports have not considered issues such as the progress of disadvantaged pupils, special educational needs provision or safeguarding.  Leaders do not routinely consider the progress pupils make from their starting points, instead focusing largely on attainment. This approach means that leaders are not always able to gauge if all pupils are achieving their potential.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 During the early part of 2015, leaders carried out an extensive restructuring process necessitated by financial constraints. This resulted in a significant change of staff, including an influx of newly qualified teachers. These staff speak positively about the well-structured induction programme and the support they continue to receive. Middle leaders concur with this view of personalised professional development. They felt empowered by having the opportunity to lead training and were confident that this had made a further contribution to their own development. The effective induction process, tailored training and a systematic approach to performance management have resulted in teaching improving steadily over time, and teaching has quickly stabilised following the turnover of staff.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. Following a period of consultation with staff, pupils and parents, the Key Stage 4 curriculum was modified last year to increase flexibility and the range of courses on offer.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

The academy is considering the introduction of still more courses to meet the needs of the changing and diverse cohorts. Leaders plan to reshape the Key Stage 3 curriculum with a view to developing creativity and independence in pupils.  An impressive range of extra-curricular activities support the academic curriculum and provide a wide array of opportunities for pupils to develop their confidence, learn new skills and engage with sport and the arts. Some of these activities help contribute to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development. Personal, social and health education (PSHE), citizenship lessons and assemblies provide further opportunities for pupils to develop in these areas in preparing them for life in modern Britain. The academy has recently carried out an audit of this aspect of the curriculum that correctly identified areas of strong practice and those in need of development. The academy is right to plan a more coherent

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

approach to SMSC development in the near future.  Leaders are right to be proud of the culture and ethos of the academy, and this creates a harmonious community. Staff, parents and pupils are overwhelmingly positive about the academy. Over the years, the academy has grown in popularity within the local community and is now oversubscribed. Relationships are positive throughout the academy and the leaders have worked hard to develop relationships with other organisations. The academy now supports a small number of primary schools in a range of curriculum areas and with information technology support. The link to a range of companies in the nearby business park enhances the good careers information, advice and guidance pupils receive.  The academy’s own alternative provision, the Chiswick Centre, is very well led. Monitoring of attendance and achievement is meticulous. Close liaison between academy and centre leaders means that many

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

pupils return to the main site after less than a term. The support provided is highly effective in meeting the needs of the pupils attending it. The leader of the centre provides regular updates on actions and their impact to senior leaders at the academy. This aids the monitoring of the alternative provision by leaders in the main academy.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 The governance of the academy Governors do not always challenge leaders or hold them to account. This is particularly pertinent in relation to consideration of the attendance, behaviour and achievement of different groups of pupils. Scrutiny of minutes of meetings of the governing body and other documentation shows that leaders do not provide the appropriate information to enable governors to ask insightful questions. The governing body is culpable in that it has not asked leaders for this information. Governors recognise the strengths of the academy and talk with pride about the changes in the academy over a number of years, but they are less pragmatic about identifying the areas for development in the academy. Historically, governors have not reviewed policies and procedures in a structured way. This has meant that some policies, for example those relating to special educational needs, do not take account of the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

most recent changes to guidance or practice. This lack of dynamic focus has had a negative impact on some aspects of the academy’s work. Governors recognise this to be the case and now have a well- organised means to ensure regular review. Through their own volition, governors initiated an external review of governance. As a direct consequence, the governor body restructured itself at the start of the current autumn term. The new structures are more streamlined and roles and responsibilities clear. It is too early to see the full impact of these changes.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Staff, parents and pupils all indicate that pupils feel safe in the academy. Pupils know who to go to if they have any concerns and the academy’s culture, characterised by positive relationships, strengthens this. Pupils are increasingly aware of the many dangers and risks in modern society, and learn about important issues such as child sexual exploitation

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

and female genital mutilation. Staff have received training on the dangers associated with radicalisation and extremism, and there are plans to educate young people about this in the near future.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 There have been a significant number of recent staff changes at the academy. These have been managed well and direct evidence relating to learning seen by inspectors indicates that teaching is now good. The most recent outcomes at the end of Key Stage 4 and post-16 suggest that teaching is more consistent. Current information indicates that leaders need to increase the focus on meeting the needs of some groups of pupils, in particular disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as disadvantaged pupils. This will ensure greater consistency by all staff in meeting the needs of these groups.  Where teaching is strongest over time, good subject knowledge coupled with careful planning means that the needs of all pupils are met. Skilful questioning challenges pupils, including the most able, to extend their understanding and knowledge further, and develop their skills. However, this is not always the case,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

and in some lessons the expectations of pupils, normally the least able, are not as high as they could be.  In the few areas where variation exists in lessons, it is characterised by inconsistencies in the nature of questioning, the quality of feedback that pupils receive to enable them to develop their learning further and the expectation relating to the quantity of work pupils should complete. Leaders’ assessment of which subjects need improvement to their consistency of approach is accurate, and appropriate strategies are in place to strengthen these areas. These include art, music and physics.  Literacy and numeracy are being developed across the curriculum. Literacy is more embedded than numeracy, and initiatives to improve reading are having a positive impact. The academy library is well resourced and popular with pupils. In the Chiswick Centre, literacy is used well to enable pupils to access

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

the curriculum and a range of resources help develop numeracy. However, no systematic approach to evaluate literacy or numeracy is in place.  Assessment information is collected every term and the academy plans to increase the frequency of this to every half term. Teachers’ predictions of pupils’ achievement are not always accurate. Leaders have identified this as an area for development and have developed appropriate plans to improve this. Teachers have access to a range of contextual information about the pupils in their classes, but this is not always used by staff to support the learning of key groups. This aligns with a lack of sufficient emphasis on these groups by academy leaders.  The quality of teaching is checked by senior leaders and middle leaders, and is moderated by external agencies. This means that the quality of teaching has been sustained over time. The academy has successfully linked dips in performance in particular subject areas back to the classroom and has

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

appropriate strategies in place to deal with them. Leaders understand the need to develop strategies to ensure that all groups of pupils make at least the expected rate of progress in all subjects.

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Personal development and welfare

 The academy’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare, including those who attend the Chiswick Centre, is good.  Relationships at all levels are very good. Pupils are respectful of each other, staff and the academy environment. Pupils are proud of their academy and older pupils speak positively about the changes they have seen during their tenure at the academy.  Within lessons, pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils settle quickly and, in general, engage with their learning. They have opportunities to develop their self-confidence in both academic and extra-curricular settings.  The academy places significant emphasis on ensuring that pupils are aware of a wide range of issues relating to mental health, and strategies for managing them. As a result, pupils have a very strong understanding of mental health, and this has a positive contribution to their self-awareness and wider

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Personal development and welfare

well-being.  Attendance has improved steadily over a number of years and is now in line with the national average. The levels of persistent absence have also decreased over a similar period and are now below the national average. The large majority of pupils attending the offsite provision do so regularly.  The academy’s work to promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and preparing them for life in modern Britain is secure and developing further. Some strong practice does exist. For example, a PSHE lesson focused on why some people become radicalised, but the academy acknowledges the need for a more coordinated and structured approach.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. This is a view supported by the responses to the staff survey and the survey of parents commissioned by the academy.  In lessons, pupils conduct themselves well and most move around the site in an orderly, calm and measured manner.  Pupils say instances of bullying are rare. They are confident that these are always dealt with swiftly and effectively. They are certain that derogatory language is not tolerated and this concurs with the observations of inspectors.  Praise, high expectations and encouragement mean that the behaviour and conduct of those pupils in alternative provision are good. The Chiswick Centre is effective in supporting pupils to change their behaviour and return to mainstream education.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Outcomes for pupils are deemed to require improvement because of volatility in the achievement of specific groups of pupils in key subject areas. These groups include disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, as well as disadvantaged pupils.  Pupils enter the academy with standards that are either in line or above the national average. Historical assessment information shows that, as a collective, pupils in the academy achieved better than national averages. The provisional 2015 GCSE results indicate that overall attainment and progress have fallen a little. Attainment is now in line with the national average: progress in English is marginally below and in mathematics marginally above. However, these figures mask in-school underperformance of key groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs.  In 2015, many of the gaps in achievement for disadvantaged pupils in comparison to those of their peers

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

closed. Gaps in attainment closed by a greater margin than those in progress. A small proportion of this was due to non-disadvantaged pupils performing less well. However, analysis of information relating to current year groups shows that this fluctuates: the pattern does not suggest a trend of gaps closing. Leaders do not routinely analyse the progress of groups.  The progress made by disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is variable across year groups and subjects. It shows no clear trend other than general underachievement. This is because the provision for this group is not focused sharply enough on outcomes. Leaders do not routinely analyse the achievement of this group.  The achievement of those attending the Chiswick centre is monitored carefully, and staff at the centre liaise closely with the academy to ensure continuity of the curriculum.  Well-planned and personalised information and guidance relating to future careers or education is in place

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

across all key stages. This means that nearly all pupils progress into education, employment or training when they leave the academy. Strong links with local business and other organisations are effective in developing pupils’ understanding of the world of work.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 The sixth form has grown steadily in size over a number of years. It offers a wide range of academic and vocational courses appropriate to the needs of the diverse cohort. Pupils are able to select different curriculum pathways, including a combination of vocational and academic courses, to suit their future aspirations. Rates of retention have remained steady with the large majority progressing into Year 13.  The leadership and management of the sixth form have been strengthened by the creation of posts focused on academic learning and vocational learning. This wider team monitors the quality of teaching in the sixth form effectively and is quick to tackle underperformance. A wider panel meets regularly to discuss the academic performance and achievement of different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, and is effective in meeting their

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

needs.  Levels of achievement are steady and in line or marginally above national averages. Pupils make appropriate progress, with vocational courses outperforming their academic counterparts. The provisional assessment information for 2015 indicates steady improvement to vocational achievement and AS-results. The information also provides evidence of improved outcomes for disadvantaged pupils: gaps in performance compared with others have narrowed. Very low numbers of pupils retake GCSE English and mathematics. In 2014, just under half achieved a grade C or above.  A detailed programme of activities underpins highly effective information, advice and guidance on future careers or next steps. The same is also true of the induction programme for pupils joining the sixth form. The academy is continuing to refine this guidance with a view to ensuring that all pupils are on the most appropriate course of study for their aspirations and ability. Destination information is tracked thoroughly

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

and all pupils move on to employment, education or training.  Pupils demonstrate mature and responsible attitudes to their learning and well-being, and readily support each other’s learning. They continue to develop their awareness of how to keep themselves safe. Leaders have planned a detailed programme of activities to further this.  A good range of activities support pupils’ wider development. A comprehensive programme spread throughout Years 12 and 13 provides effective work-related learning. The ‘Chiswick high achievers programme’ provides an impressive range of opportunities to complement this. Pupils are provided with work experience and other opportunities appropriate for their future ambitions and aspirations.

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School details

Unique reference number 137907 Local authority Hounslow Inspection number 10000944

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Secondary School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Number of pupils on the school roll 1307

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jane Manfield Headteacher Tony Ryan Telephone number 020 87470031 Website www.chiswickschool.org Email address enquiries@chiswickschool.org Date of previous inspection 21–22 March 2012

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Information about this school

 Chiswick School is a larger than average-sized secondary school. It converted to academy status on 1 March 2012 and is the only academy in the Chiswick School Academy Trust.  The academy runs its own offsite provision, the Chiswick Centre. This caters for vulnerable pupils at risk of permanent exclusion from the main academy, and currently supports 13 pupils.  The academy is culturally diverse, with a below-average proportion coming from White British backgrounds. The remainder of the academy population comprises smaller groups of other ethnicities and backgrounds, including those of Black African heritage and other White backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged and receive support from the pupil premium, which is additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those in local authority care, is above the national average. The proportion who speak English as an additional language is well above

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Information about this school

the national figure.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is broadly in line with the national average.  The academy meets the government’s floor targets, which are the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 39 lessons across a wide range of subject areas in all key stages. Some visits to lessons were conducted together with members of the academy’s leadership team.  Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, and other staff. Inspectors spoke to different groups of pupils from all year groups both formally and informally through the course of the inspection. An inspector met with the Chair of the Governing Body and a number of other governors including trustees.  There were too few responses to the Parent View questionnaire for inspectors to analyse and so they considered instead the academy’s own externally produced survey of parents. Inspectors also took account of 72 responses to a questionnaire for staff.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation about pupils’ attendance, achievement, behaviour and safety. Inspectors looked at the academy’s evaluation of its own performance, anonymised records

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Information about this inspection

of performance management, development plans, records relating to the quality of teaching, minutes of the governing body and other associated documentation.

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Inspection team

Sai Patel, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector David Boyle Ofsted Inspector Desmond Dunne Ofsted Inspector Niall Gallagher Ofsted Inspector Grace Marriot Ofsted Inspector Gayle Marshall Ofsted Inspector Ian Wilson Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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