St Edward's Church of England School & Sixth Form College

School report St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College London Road, Romford, Essex RM7 9NX

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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 Requires improvement

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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 Requires improvement

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Despite some important improvements since the last inspection, teaching quality remains inconsistent across the school.  Work to raise standards has not had enough impact across the school. Too many pupils do not make good progress and girls continue to do much better than boys in their GCSE results.  Achievement in science requires improvement because too many pupils do not reach the higher levels.  The systems to check pupils’ progress in Years 7, 8 and 9 are not sharp enough to ensure that all make good progress.  Senior leaders are not checking closely enough that all staff apply school policies consistently. This results in wide variations in teaching quality.  Marking is inconsistent and pupils do not always receive clear advice about how to improve their work.

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The school has the following strengths

 A strong focus on GCSE examination results has resulted in improved achievement in Year 11.  Leaders have tackled some improvements effectively so that teaching and learning in English and mathematics have improved. In English, pupils are currently making good progress overall.  Pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language are well supported. They make good progress, especially in reading and writing in Years 7 and 8.  Pupils achieve well in art, music and physical education because teaching is often good.  The sixth form is good. Well thought out procedures mean that teachers know their learners well and provide effective support to meet their needs.  The school’s Christian ethos promotes pupils’ personal development effectively. Pupils are tolerant and respectful of others and most conduct themselves well.  Governors have an accurate understanding of the

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The school has the following strengths

school’s priorities and are starting to hold leaders to account more sharply. Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 2 of 9

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by: – ensuring that leaders hold teachers to account more rigorously so that agreed policies are applied consistently across the school – developing robust systems to monitor pupils’ progress in Years 7, 8 and 9 to ensure that all groups make good progress over time – ensuring the forensic analysis of data in Key Stage 3 so that gaps in achievement can be closed rapidly.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that: – the quality of feedback to pupils provides clear advice about how to improve their work – pupils respond to the advice they are given so that feedback has a greater impact on moving learning and progress forward – teachers use a range of strategies consistently well, for example effective questioning, to stretch and challenge all pupils, especially middle-ability pupils.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ outcomes by ensuring that: – achievement in science is at least as good as that in mathematics and continues to rise – boys’ achievement is raised so that they reach similar levels to girls – pupils of all abilities, especially the middle ability, are given work that is appropriately challenging. Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 3 of 9

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Leadership and management require improvement because the impact on improving teaching quality and achievement has been slower than expected. There is a strong commitment from the headteacher, among leaders, to improve teaching but this has not been matched by a rigorous system to check pupils’ progress. However, this is now changing and recent improvements to the way the school checks progress in Key Stage 4, and reorganisation of the leadership team and governing body, are starting to improve the school’s performance.  There is a strong focus on improving pupils’ outcomes at GCSE level and this has resulted in improved achievement in Year 11. Improvements in teaching and learning in English and mathematics have had a significant impact. In English, standards have improved since the last inspection and pupils currently in Year 11 are making good progress. Standards in mathematics have also improved, despite difficulties in

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

recruiting teachers.  While the quality of teaching remains variable, there is greater emphasis on managing the performance of teachers to eradicate inadequate teaching. This has resulted in a number of teachers leaving, including in mathematics, where there is a new subject leader. This is having a positive impact. In science, work to improve teaching has not had time to raise achievement.  The headteacher and governors have a clear vision for the school which is shared by middle leaders and teachers. There is a clear focus on holding middle leaders and teachers to account for the performance of pupils. However, the procedures for this are not sufficiently robust to ensure that all staff apply school policies consistently. As a result, there remain inconsistencies in teaching, including marking, feedback to pupils and the effective use of questions to provide challenge.  The curriculum is appropriate for pupils at the school. In science and mathematics, new programmes

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

have been introduced which emphasise acquiring skills and understanding before moving onto the next topic. This is having a positive impact in mathematics. It is too early to see any clear impact in science and achievement remains low. The English curriculum provides a varied and wide range of topics that motivate and engage pupils effectively.  The curriculum is enriched effectively through the personal, social, health and economic education programme. All pupils have a structured course of personal, social and health education and religious studies, and a series of academic guidance and support sessions. There is also a wide range of out-of- hours learning including karate, links with Royal Academy of Dance, masterclasses and the observing of Holocaust Day.  With external support, the school has introduced new systems to check pupils’ progress in Years 10 and 11. As a result, pupils’ progress in these year groups has improved. The systems to check pupils’ progress

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

in Years 7, 8 and 9 lack the forensic analysis needed to ensure that progress is consistently good across and between subjects. There are plans to introduce the Key Stage 4 system lower down the school.  Senior leaders have introduced a new system to check the quality of teaching that is linked to the progress pupils make, pay rewards and a programme of professional development.  Pupil premium funding is used to support a range of interventions. These are helping to improve the progress made by disadvantaged pupils this year. However, senior leaders have only recently begun to analyse the impact of interventions, and provision has lacked focus and urgency. As a result, some disadvantaged pupils make less progress than they should.  Year 7 catch-up funding is used effectively to support pupils who start at the school with low literacy skills. A reading recovery programme in Years 7 and 8 is having a significant impact and pupils make

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

good progress.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is provided through form time, assemblies and religious studies lessons. The Christian character of the school promotes its core values effectively and pupils show tolerance and respect for those who are different, including those from different cultures. The school is rightly proud of its international links with schools in Beijing, Hiroshima, The Gambia and Cologne.  For the last three and half months the school has been supported by a local teaching school alliance, including help for English, mathematics, science and senior leaders, and moderation of teachers’ assessments. As a result, the leadership of teaching has improved and standards in Year 11 are improving. However, this support has come late and while the school worked hard last year to address its weaknesses, improvement has been too slow. Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 4 of 9

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 School leaders work successfully to develop strong links with parents. As a result, attendance at parent meetings is high.  The governance of the school – Following a review of governance, the governing body was reorganised last year. This has strengthened its ability to hold the school to account and challenge senior leaders. Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s priorities for improvement and are aspirational for its future. – The governing body has a range of skills, including governors with a knowledge of education. Governors recognise that they need to expand the range of skills, but overall they have sufficient expertise. Governors have had training on how to analyse performance information and increasingly use this knowledge to challenge the school’s leaders and set clear performance targets for the headteacher.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities for

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

safeguarding and have been trained in safer recruitment. The school’s record keeping is thorough and the member of staff in charge of safeguarding is highly knowledgeable about the legal requirements and the needs of individual pupils. All staff have received appropriate training for child protection. Pupils know about the dangers of radicalisation through tutor time and assemblies.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 Teaching requires improvement because there is too much variation in quality between classes and within subjects. The majority of teachers are highly committed to helping pupils achieve their potential and to promoting equality in their classrooms. However, inconsistencies in marking, the level of challenge and the pace of learning mean that not all pupils make good enough progress. This is especially so for middle- ability pupils.  Nearly all staff use the school’s ‘green sticker’ policy and this is helping to improve quality. Marking in books is effective in some subjects and classes because it tells pupils what they are doing well and gives advice about how to improve their work. However, this does not always result in improved work. This is because marking is sometimes too infrequent and means that pupils are not getting enough advice and feedback about their work. In addition, pupils do not always respond to the advice that is given and the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

same mistakes continue to be made. As a result, not all pupils make enough progress.  Teachers use a range of techniques to help pupils learn. However, these are not used consistently across the school and as a result their effectiveness is compromised. For example, sometimes teachers ask questions that stretch pupils’ thinking but on other occasions, questions are too simple and require one- word answers. In other cases, teachers give too little time for pupils to think and respond, and are too quick to give the answer themselves. This limits pupils’ engagement with learning, hinders their progress and makes lessons dull.  In most classrooms teachers foster good relationships and create a positive climate for learning. The great majority of pupils are willing and keen to learn. However, in too many lessons they are not challenged sufficiently by the work, and the low level of demand results in learning that is slow and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

unexciting.  Teaching of pupils with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language is good. Pupils’ needs are accurately identified and interventions to help them improve their learning are effective, especially in literacy.  Teachers are keen to improve their skills and expertise. All staff attend in-house training after school focused on developing approaches to teaching. Some teachers have visited other schools to learn from others.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The school’s Christian character and its core values foster the care and welfare of its pupils effectively. Pupils say that their teachers care about them and are concerned for their welfare, helping them with their work and any problems they may have. Relationships between staff and pupils are good.  The school is a diverse and welcoming community. One pupil said about the school, ‘Peace and harmony Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 5 of 9 brings everyone together no matter what.’ Pupils are clear that bullying is rare and confident that if it does happen it is dealt with well by the school. Parents are not as confident, with a few feeling that there is too much bullying. However, evidence from the school’s records shows that bullying is infrequent and

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Personal development and welfare

when it does occur is dealt with appropriately.  Pupils feel safe at the school. This is confirmed in the parental and pupil surveys, where pupil safety is judged positively. The school teaches pupils about how to keep themselves safe, including from bullying and sexual exploitation, to help them avoid putting themselves at risk.  The organisation of the pastoral system, where each tutor group contains pupils of all ages, from the youngest to the oldest, contributes effectively to the school’s positive climate. Pupils feel that it promotes a wide set of friendships and enables them to get advice from older pupils. In tutor time, pupils discuss a range of issues sensibly and with a growing maturity.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils are willing and keen to do well. In class they listen attentively to their teachers and complete the work they are set even if the work is not demanding enough. Pupils’ attitudes towards school are positive. They are motivated, confident and the great majority take pride in their work.  Pupils were keen to share their views of the school with inspectors, formally and informally. They are proud of their school, say that it is good and appreciate the way teachers help them with their work. As a consequence, attendance is above average.  The school’s core values of tolerance, integrity and hard work are readily quoted by pupils. They show respect towards each other, have a strong commitment to diversity and generally conduct themselves well around the school. There is occasional boisterous behaviour in the corridors but the overall atmosphere of the school is calm. Behaviour in the dining hall is noisy but ordered and friendly.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 The progress made by some groups of pupils is not strong enough. Current assessment shows that pupils in Year 11 and Year 10 are making better progress than in 2015. The decline in standards in English identified at the last inspection has been reversed, and pupils make good progress overall. In mathematics, pupils are now making expected progress in Years 10 and 11. The recently introduced system to check pupils’ progress is helping to ensure that assessment and support for those falling behind is more accurate.  Progress is strong in art, music and physical education because teaching is good. Good oral and written feedback extends learning and motivates pupils to do even better. In modern languages, outcomes are generally good because pupils are taught well and begin their courses at the start of Year 7.  Attainment and progress in science require improvement. Teaching is failing to provide pupils with the

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

skills they need to tackle the new curriculum. However, there are some very early signs of improvement, especially in the way the curriculum is organised.  In 2015 the proportion of pupils who achieved five good-quality GCSE qualifications, including English and mathematics, was below average. The school is confident that GCSE results will improve this year because teaching has improved and more accurate assessments have identified those falling behind. This is confirmed by inspectors. The accuracy of assessments is checked by teachers from the partner teaching school.  The progress of pupils in Years 7 to 9 is less secure and varies between and within subjects. While the systems used to check the progress of pupils identifies those falling behind at particular points, it does not provide sufficient information about progress over time. As a result, the school cannot be sure that pupils are making enough progress from one year to the next. This is especially so for middle-ability

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

pupils and boys. Leaders have rightly identified that the way progress is assessed in Years 7 to 9 needs improving and are planning to extend the system used in Key Stage 4.  The achievements of disadvantaged pupils in 2015 were significantly lower than those of other pupils in the school and nationally. The school’s current assessments and predictions for GCSE show that in Year 11 disadvantaged pupils are making considerable gains to close the gap with other pupils. However, inspectors’ review of pupils’ books and observations in lessons found weaknesses in mathematics and variation between subjects, especially in Key Stage 3.  At GCSE, girls significantly outperform boys. The school’s current assessments show that although the gap in progress is narrowing, it remains wider than the national figures for attainment. Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 6 of 9

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Pupils who have special educational needs or disability and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress because their needs are identified effectively and they receive good support from specialist staff.  The proportion of pupils who leave the school and move to work, study or training is very high. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their careers. In the last two years only two pupils left without a job or a college place. This shows the school’s commitment to pupils’ care and welfare.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 Leadership of the sixth form is good. Leaders have high expectations for learners and effective procedures to check their achievements. This includes a detailed but concise plan that identifies clear priorities, the specific action to be taken and the arrangements for monitoring progress. The plan also identifies the involvement of governors in checking developments. Leaders have rightly identified challenge, consistency and ensuring that the most able reach their potential as the priorities.  In the past, AS-level results were better than A-level results overall, with more learners achieving the highest grades and making expected progress. Improved teaching and structured study programmes are beginning to have a positive impact on current learners’ achievements because individual needs are being met more effectively. This is reflected in the lessons observed by inspectors, learners’ work and the range

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

of support available to them. However, leaders recognise that there is more to do to ensure that all learners, especially the most able, achieve their potential.  The sixth form provides a range of academic AS- and A-level courses as well as booster classes for those who did not achieve a grade C or above in GCSE English and mathematics at the end of Year 11.  The sixth-form enrichment programme covers a variety of topics that encourage learners’ personal development. As a result, they leave the school with a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe. Topics include drugs and alcohol, e-safety, British values and radicalisation as well as time for mentoring. Learners said they found the enrichment programme interesting and helpful. Learners mentor younger pupils as part of the programme to improve standards of reading.  Teaching in the sixth form is good in most subjects but it is not as consistent as it should be. Teachers

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

provide learners with clear advice about how to improve their work. Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 7 of 9

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School details

Unique reference number 137145 Local authority London Borough of Havering Inspection number 10001995

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School details

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

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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 1,234

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Mr T Howson Headteacher The Reverend Alan Perry Telephone number 01708 730462 Website www.steds.org.uk Email address info@steds.org.uk Date of previous inspection 5–6 November 2013

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Information about this school

 St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College is a larger-than-average mixed, non- selective academy with a sixth form.  The school converted to an academy in 2011. When it was inspected in November 2013, it was judged to require improvement.  Two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, with the largest groups being Black or Black British African, any other Black background, Black or Black Caribbean and any other ethnic group. A third of pupils are from a White British background.  Nearly a quarter of pupils are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is average. This is government funding used to support pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who are looked after.  Nearly one in ten pupils speak English as an additional language. This is below average.  The proportion of pupils who receive special educational needs support is below average. The proportion

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Information about this school

with a statement of special educational need or an education, health and care plan is above average.  The school works with specialist leaders of education at a local teaching school.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress. Inspection report: St Edward’s Church of England School and Sixth Form College, 24–25 February 2016 8 of 9

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Information about this inspection

 Learning was observed in 44 lessons across a range of year groups and subjects, including the sixth form. Some of these were jointly observed with school leaders. Inspectors also visited form time and looked at arrangements at lunchtime.  Samples of pupils’ work were scrutinised during observation of lessons.  Discussions were held with the Chair and vice-chair of the Governing Body, a parent governor, the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior and middle leaders, a range of staff, including newly qualified teachers, and groups of pupils including a group of pupils for whom the school receives extra funding.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding records, policies and procedures.  A wide range of documentation and policies were scrutinised, which included records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance, minutes of meetings and information on the progress made by pupils. They also scrutinised the school’s self-evaluation, and records relating to the quality of teaching and the

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Information about this inspection

performance of teachers.  Inspectors took account of the 107 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and looked at staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Brian Oppenheim, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Hayley Follett Ofsted Inspector Yvonne Chisholm Ofsted Inspector Paul Ferrie Ofsted Inspector Karla Martin-Theodore 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

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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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