Eastbrook School

Eastbrook School Dagenham Road, Dagenham, Essex, RM10 7UR

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Overall effectiveness Requires Improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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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

 Although improving, too many pupils still do not make enough progress in mathematics.  The progress pupils make in history is not yet good.  Across the school, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment sometimes falls below the standard of stronger teaching in the school.  Teachers do not always check carefully and act promptly to make sure that pupils sustain the good progress of which they are capable.  Leaders over-rely on a narrow selection of information when checking how well pupils learn, rather than the wide range of evidence available.

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The school has the following strengths

 This is an improving school. School leaders have established learning, respect and understanding at the heart of the school. Staff, pupils and their families all have high aspirations.  Leaders, teachers and other staff learn from each other and also visit other schools. Consequently many have improved their teaching.  Pupils who need extra support, including those who learn in the two additional resource provisions, pupils who speak English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, learn well.  The vast majority of pupils who join the school at times other than the start of Year 7 settle quickly to learn.  Most pupils enjoy the interesting ideas and activities teachers choose to help with their learning. Outside lessons, many pupils benefit from the clubs and extra support the school provides.  Pupils from diverse communities use the school’s support for their safety and well-being. The

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The school has the following strengths

school’s calm stability helps them to build success for the future.  In the sixth form, learners feel safe, learn well and all go on to further education, training or employment.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education within the school helps all pupils learn and develop as part of a harmonious community.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching in the school by: – ensuring that more teaching, particularly in mathematics and history, matches the strongest teaching in the school – making sure that teachers always check carefully how well pupils make progress, and act promptly to keep them learning effectively – use a wide range of available evidence when checking how well pupils learn.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Senior leaders demonstrate an exemplary professional commitment to the success of the school. They have challenged and removed a lot of weaker teaching and made their high expectations very clear. This is partly as a result of the challenging targets for improvement they set teachers.  Training opportunities have been varied and enabled staff to learn from the best practice within the school, as well as from other schools. Training provided for leaders since the previous inspection has enabled them to share responsibilities more widely across their teams and provide the necessary help for teachers. As a result, the quality of teaching has improved in much of the school. This is particularly so in Key Stage 3.  Leaders across the consortium of schools providing sixth-form courses regularly share information about how well the courses help learners achieve. They monitor learners’ progress carefully and support their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

attendance. As a result, these learners attend regularly and work hard to secure good progress rates.  Skilful leadership of the two additional resource provisions has continued to help pupils who require extra support to make good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language also learn well because leaders help them gain confidence and settle quickly into learning.  The success of the English department and others, such as performing arts, languages, arts, physical education and science, provides powerful evidence of how leaders have improved this school. Consequently, applications for school places are rising. Pupils speak highly of the help they receive.  Leaders have developed a strong caring culture. Pupils who join the school who have had difficulties in other schools, or trauma in other countries, are very well supported. They quickly adjust to expectations when they join the school and are helped to build their emotional strength and stamina to learn well.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 Leaders share clear information and carry out regular checks of pupils who learn at alternative sites. The inspection confirmed that these pupils enjoy their courses, attend regularly and behave well. As a result they make good progress.  The school knows that there is more to do, especially in strengthening the teaching of history and mathematics, and removing the weaker teaching that remains. Leaders are totally focused on improving these areas. For example, there are now out-of-hours learning and one-to-one tutoring for pupils who need it. These types of initiative help many pupils to catch up, although more time is required for some of the support to show greater impact.  There is little difference between how well disadvantaged pupils learn compared to other pupils nationally. Although gaps are closing more slowly in mathematics, pupil premium funding is used effectively to improve the learning of disadvantaged pupils and provide extra opportunities for pupils at

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

risk of falling behind.  Leaders understand their school. They act upon the most important priorities to bring about improvement. For example, White British girls now learn as well as other pupils in the school. Likewise, White British boys now make better progress than previously. Leaders evaluate their school accurately. Nonetheless, sometimes staff do not check how well pupils learn in lessons. The school knows that, in addition to assessment information, it needs to use a wider range of evidence to measure more accurately the effectiveness of its actions.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, and supported by wide range of extra-curricular activities. These range from subject learning to sports clubs and wider learning opportunities, including a debating club and challenging outdoor learning programmes. Pupils visit places of interest, such as museums and theatres, and recreate a high standard of performance when they are learning in school. Teachers

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

evaluate the curriculum regularly and adjust it during the year, thus helping to maintain pupils’ interest and motivation.  Spiritual, moral, social and cultural education within the school has built a community of staff and pupils who recognise that life’s challenges can be overcome with a calm determination to learn. The diverse backgrounds of pupils are valued as learning opportunities about how people can live differently but still be responsible for each other’s welfare in a democratic society.  Leaders within the local authority have monitored the school intensively, meeting with school leaders three or four times a term. They have provided leadership training for governors and subject leaders, as well as challenge and support for senior leaders.  The school has clear policies for safeguarding pupils. These are understood by all staff and implemented with care. Staff are trained in a wide range of possible safeguarding issues and respond promptly to any

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

concerns raised. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe through a comprehensive personal, social and health education programme which covers decision-making skills as well as wider issues such as how to use the internet safely. The school works closely with the local police to anticipate issues and help ensure safety outside the school. Pupils learn about human rights and democracy to help them understand British values.  The governance of the school: – Governors monitor the work of the school more closely than at the time of the previous inspection. They meet twice a term to check how well the school’s actions bring about improvement. Their understanding of pupils’ progress information is better, and they know what the school needs to do to continue to improve further. – National and local governor support and training is used to check the school’s improvements against what is expected nationally. Governors know that teachers’ pay is linked to how well pupils learn and

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

that funding, particularly the pupil premium, has sufficient impact. Governors make sure that the school meets all the necessary requirements. – Governors fulfil their responsibilities, such as for safeguarding, health and safety, special educational needs and finance, through visits to the school and meetings with different leaders. As a result, governors ask increasingly challenging questions of senior leaders to hold them to account.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Detailed policies and a cohesive staff team who speak to each other freely about any concerns or emerging issues enable the school to make sure that pupils are kept safe and feel safe in school. Issues and concerns receive prompt effective responses so that pupils can learn without any worries. There are regular reviews of key aspects of safeguarding, combined with annual health and safety audits.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The quality of teaching requires improvement because achievement information, lesson observations, discussions with pupils and checks on the quality of pupils’ work show that despite improvements in pupils’ progress and learning, more work is needed to secure consistently good or better teaching and learning.  In mathematics, staff have good subject knowledge and there is some effective teaching. Nonetheless, sometimes teachers do not notice which pupils need help either with understanding what is being taught or, for example, when recording work in their books so that this can be used effectively to support future learning.  In history, pupils have only recently begun to learn important skills that they need to develop their understanding of historical ideas beyond facts and information. A very recently appointed senior leader of humanities has identified this, as well other key priorities, in order to improve teaching further.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 A few teachers do not use information about pupils’ progress effectively enough when judging the impact of their teaching. As a result, they do not act promptly to adjust lessons to manage challenging behaviour and to support and extend in their learning.  The feedback that pupils receive from teachers is improving. In some subjects, such as English, performing arts, physical education, French and art, it is used skilfully to help pupils improve their work. When this is the case, pupils demonstrate impressive learning. For example, during a theatrical performance pupils built up to confidently use high-quality language through a range of emotions. In other subjects, such as mathematics and history, teachers’ feedback is sometimes not clear or specific enough to help pupils improve their work as well as in other subjects.  In most of the school, the quality of the teaching is supported well by positive relationships between

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

teachers and pupils. Pupils enjoy their learning. Established routines and expectations and, sometimes, probing questioning help teachers to challenge pupils to explore ideas deeply and express themselves thoughtfully. In English lessons, careful questioning helps pupils to think deeply about poetry and to make inferences.  Leaders have successfully prioritised improving pupils’ literacy skills across the school over the last two years. Teaching is strong within the English department. As a result of extra support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability, and for pupils who speak English as an additional language, most pupils read and write well. Pupils practise their skills regularly and the school motivates most pupils to want to improve. Teachers across subjects are increasingly working together to strengthen numeracy skills across the school. Subject leaders lead by example in their own lessons and this good practice is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

well supported by the senior leader responsible for developing the teaching of mathematics.  Pupils are well supported in the additional resource provisions. They learn well. They are taught with patience and encouragement. As a result, they gain confidence quickly, see their speech and language difficulties as temporary and are motivated to learn thoughtfully and with ambition. This determined and positive approach enables pupils to make good progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Leaders check that pupils who attend alternative provision enjoy their learning and benefit from courses well suited to their aspirations.  Pupils join the school with a wide range of needs. The school helps them start learning as soon as possible. They quickly build confidence and motivation in an environment where expectations are high and teachers help them reduce obstacles to learning. Pupils show increasing maturity, consideration and self-management as they pass through the school. This includes those pupils who attend the additional resource provisions.  Most pupils choose to attend Eastbrook School because they recognise it as an improving school where they can learn and develop well. Pupils say that they are proud and happy here. They appreciate how the teachers help them learn and to enjoy school. The pastoral care is of high quality. Teachers are skilled in

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Personal development and welfare

restoring pupils’ emotional well-being so that they can engage with learning and be less reliant upon support.  The school’s programme of personal and social development creates an environment where pupils say they feel safe. The online survey (Parent View) and the school’s own most recent survey indicate that the vast majority of parents agree. Older pupils have responsibilities within the school, for example reading to younger pupils, and staff set a good example for the pupils.  Although there have been incidents of bullying, pupils say they have no worries about any prejudice- driven bullying of any sort, including cyber bullying. The school helps them learn about each other’s lives and how we all need the support of friends. Staff respond quickly to incidents, and the school’s diverse and inclusive culture ensures that all pupils feel welcome.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Most pupils have or quickly develop a positive attitude to learning. Many join the school with some frustration about how they have struggled to access learning in the past, either because they found it too difficult in a local school or because it was not available to them in their country. Skilful teaching, particularly of reading, writing and speaking English, enables many pupils to promptly start learning.  Teachers communicate well with each other about pupils learning at alternative providers. These pupils also demonstrate good behaviour and enjoy the courses they have chosen.  Staff speak to pupils calmly and instil and expect good behaviour. Pupils learn that teachers will remain calm and show that any issue can be better resolved without commotion or confrontation. As a result, disruption of learning through inappropriate behaviour is low. Just occasionally it is due to weaker

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Behaviour

teaching.  Most pupils want to learn and control their behaviour. When pupils are excited by the teaching, in subjects such as in English, science, physical education and the arts subjects, they think deeply, are responsive and ask questions. The school is aware that this is not as consistently strong in some subjects and lessons.  Pupils attending the additional resource provisions are fully included in the school. They understand how to keep themselves safe and they feel safe in school. Their good behaviour helps them to learn well and also to relate appropriately to teachers and other pupils.  Exclusions are low. Attendance for all pupils is improving and is higher than this time last year. Helping pupils learn well by supporting them through any lack of confidence or overanxiety has also reduced persistent absence.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 In mathematics, although pupil progress has improved, attainment levels are still not high enough, because there are too few pupils who make better than expected progress. Although a stable staff team is improving learning, the department recognises that it needs more time to have a significant impact.  Although there are clear signs that progress in geography is improving, this upward trend is still not secure in history. Currently, pupils only make expected progress at best, because recent improvements in teaching have yet to secure consistent improvements in pupils’ learning and progress.  The progress made by White British pupils has been lower than that made by other pupils in school. Improved targeting and monitoring of progress has improved the progress made by White British girls. Progress made by White British boys remains lower but is improving.  Progress has speeded up since the last inspection. Pupils who made slower progress previously are now

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

making better progress. In Years 7, 8 and 9 and in the sixth form, pupils are beginning to make similar progress to pupils in Years 10 and 11.  Pupils who have special education needs or disability make good progress. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make strong progress and gain important language skills quickly and learn well in other subjects. Progress for these groups of pupils matches and sometimes exceeds rates of progress made by all pupils nationally.  Pupils in the additional resource provisions continue to make good progress. They gain confidence quickly, are given targeted support and work hard. They learn as well, and sometimes better than other pupils in the school.  The progress made by the most-able pupils is improving, but too few achieve the highest grades of which they are capable. Their progress has improved more in English and other strong subjects than in history

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

and mathematics  The standards reached by pupils, as measured by the percentage of pupils who achieve five or more A* to C grades including English and mathematics has only risen from 39% in 2014 to 41% in 2015. The school’s own progress information and wider inspection evidence suggests that this figure will be higher in 2016. Across the curriculum, rates of progress continue to improve. Together with a more stable and strong team of staff and leaders, this shows that the school is in a strong position to raise attainment further.  The Year 7 literacy catch-up programme is having a good effect on the development of pupils’ reading and writing skills. Pupils use the library well and choose suitable books that they enjoy reading.  The small number of pupils who learn with other providers make good progress in basic literacy and mathematics skills, as well as in their confidence and independence.

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

 Most learners make good progress because the leaders of the sixth form know them well. Progress is good in both academic and vocational courses.  Leaders track learners’ progress carefully and use individual learning plans successfully to help those who fall behind to catch up. They also check the quality of teaching and tackle any underperformance. For example, they have strengthened the teaching of art through their monitoring and support.  The sixth-form consortium arrangements enable learners to access a wide choice of course taught by the teachers who teach these courses well. Learners can choose a mixture of academic and vocational courses. As a result, learners enjoy their work and learn well. All those who start in Year 12 continue onto courses in Year 13, and all go on to further education, training or employment.  Learners show mature attitudes to their studies. They take opportunities to learn wider personal and

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

social skills through awards such as sports leadership, together with trips and visits and opportunities to volunteer and help younger pupils. All learners have the opportunity to do work experience. Learners at risk of falling behind in their learning are particularly targeted to help motivate and develop them. Learners are also given opportunities to gain experience relevant their particular interests.  The school provides early information advice and guidance for all learners about the choices they have in their learning. This helps maintain high aspirations and focus, and almost all learners stay at the school at the end of Year 11 and join the sixth form. A strong induction programme helps learners settle and develop the sense of responsibility for their learning essential for the sixth form.  Leaders successfully support English and mathematics retakes so that students attain the higher grades

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16 to 19 study programmes are good

necessary for their further study, employment or training.  Learners have no concerns about bullying and know who to ask for help if they have any worries. A learner who joined the school two years earlier summed up the views of many others when he said, ‘It feels like a family.’

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School details

Unique reference number 101243 Local authority Barking and Dagenham Inspection number 10002023

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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 comprehensive School category Community Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Philip Waker Headteacher/Principal/Teacher in charge Valerie Dennis Telephone number 020 8270 4567 Website www.eastbrookschool.co.uk Email address office@eastbrookschool.org.uk Date of previous inspection 8–9 October 2013

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Information about this school

 Eastbrook School is an average-sized secondary school. Since the previous inspection, the school has been successful in gaining funding to become an ‘all-through’ school serving pupils from ages 3 to 18. Building plans are well advanced and the school plans to operate in this new way from September 2016. It is being helped with planning for an effective start by a local outstanding primary school.  The number of boys and girls is broadly equal. Proportions of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those speaking English as an additional language are much higher than average. The largest group of the pupils on roll are of White British heritage, followed by Black African pupils. The remaining pupils are made up from a variety of other backgrounds.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium is well above average. This is additional funding is allocated by the government for groups of pupils including those looked after by the

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Information about this school

local authority and those known to be eligible for free school meals.  The proportion of pupils supported for special education needs, including those having an education, health and care plan, is much higher than average.  The number of pupils who join the school at other than the usual times is well above average. Some of these pupils arrive having transferred from other schools locally, or are recent arrivals to the country.  A small number of pupils study vocational courses at other locations. These are Barking and Dagenham College and Havering Business Education Partnership.  Eastbrook cooperates with three other schools to provide sixth-form education locally. They operate as the North East Consortium. These schools are All Saints Catholic School and Technology College, Robert Clack School of Science and The Warren School, a Specialist College in Engineering and Sport.  Twenty-two pupils with additional speech, language and communication needs attend the school’s

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Information about this school

additional resource provision (ARP). A further eight pupils attend a second additional resource provision for social, emotional and mental health issues.  The school meets the current government floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress. Some members of the governing body who had educational expertise have now left and the governing body are actively recruiting to strengthen these skills within the team.  Since the previous inspection the school has received intensive support from the local authority. It has also developed partnerships with some other good and outstanding schools.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning across a wide range of lessons and subjects. Five lessons were observed jointly with senior leaders. In addition, shorter visits to lessons took place through two learning walks. One of these was with the headteacher. During these visits to lessons, the inspection team spoke with students and looked at their books to find out more about how well they were learning.  Inspectors observed student’s behaviour in lessons and around the school. This included short discussions during social time. Formal meetings were held with three groups of students, of different ages, abilities and backgrounds, to find out more about their views of the school.  Additional meetings were held with senior leaders, subject leaders, four governors and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors observed the work of the school more broadly and looked at documentation. This included

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Information about this inspection

policies and improvement plans relating to leaders’ checks on how well the school is improving, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, pupil and student achievement, curriculum, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding.  The team took account of the 28 Parent View questionnaires returned to the school and the results of the school’s own questionnaires from parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Mehar Brar, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Dr Ann Hudson Ofsted Inspector Alison Moore Ofsted Inspector Anthony Felsenstein 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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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