StreetVibes Media Academy

StreetVibes Media Academy 6 Eltham High Street, London SE9 1DA

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders have continued to make sure that the school provides a good education in this alternative provision for highly disaffected pupils.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have raised ambitions for broadening pupils’ outcomes by expanding the curriculum offer. Additionally, they have gained accreditation as an official examination centre.  The proprietors have created a culture of dedication and vigilance to help pupils modify their behaviours and to ensure their safety and well-being.  Members of staff support pupils well to take responsibility for their actions and their future lives. As a result, pupils become successful learners and leave the school ready for further education, employment or training.  Students in the sixth form make good progress from their very low starting points. This is because teaching and support are effective.  Pupils join the school with extremely low starting points. Teachers and teaching

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

assistants plan activities to meet the needs and aptitudes of each pupil. Because teaching and pastoral support are good, pupils engage in their learning and make good progress.  Not enough teaching challenges pupils, especially the most able, to make fast progress.  The curriculum is well suited to the overall academic and personal development needs of the pupils. It is less effective, however, in providing for pupils’ scientific and physical education.  On most days, a few pupils arrive after lessons have started. This slows their progress.  Leaders have ensured that the school is compliant with all the independent school standards. Occasionally, however, they are not fully aware of changes to official guidance and new procedural requirements.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ rates of progress, especially for the most able, by: – developing teachers’ skills in challenging the most able – improving arrangements at the start of the day so that pupils consistently arrive punctually for the first lesson.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by: – developing the curriculum by increasing the opportunities for scientific and physical education – ensuring that leaders keep abreast of the latest Department for Education (DfE) guidance and implement required changes in a timely fashion.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have created a culture and ethos where all members of staff are dedicated to help pupils, all of whom arrive disaffected, to re-engage in education and improve their life chances. They work tirelessly to make sure that when pupils leave the school they have the required skills to continue to further education, training or employment.  Equally, leaders make sure that pupils, who attend for short periods of time, or on a part- time basis while remaining on roll with their referring school, are supported to make the changes necessary to ease their reintegration into mainstream schooling.  Leaders have established a vast range of links with external agencies that help to support the welfare of the pupils, all of whom have circumstances that make them vulnerable. Leaders continue to check on pupils after they have left the school to make sure that they have settled into their education, training or employment and have not gone missing.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

Leaders also help the very small number of extremely vulnerable pupils, who do not continue into further education, employment or training (NEETs). One of the proprietors sits on the local NEET panel. She thus ensures that these pupils receive intensive key worker and job centre support to help them with their future lives.  Leaders regularly check on the quality of teaching. Teachers value the feedback that they receive as they say it helps them to improve their practice. Leaders, teachers and teaching assistants often discuss together and share ideas of how to adapt their teaching to address the individual needs of pupils.  The curriculum offer has expanded this year. All pupils continue to study functional skills in English and mathematics as well as for a media-related vocational accreditation. More recently, leaders have introduced GCSE courses in citizenship and in information and communication technology (ICT). They are also beginning to enter some pupils for GCSE

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

courses in both English and mathematics.  Science learning at key stage 4 is limited to mainly physics, related to sound production, as this links to media studies. Key stage 3 pupils learned about astronomy and visited the Royal Observatory and Planetarium earlier this year. The teaching of physical education takes place at other venues, as the school site is small. There has been a lapse in provision recently. Leaders have now negotiated use of a new local venue that provides both indoor and outdoor facilities. Leaders planned that the first group of pupils would attend on the day after the inspection.  Leaders produced comprehensive schemes of learning for key stage 3 as part of their application for a material change for the age range at the school to expand from the current 13–19 to 11–19, without an increase in the overall roll. Leaders have designed plans in half-termly cross-curricular projects with a strong focus on core subjects as well

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

as on the school’s media specialism. Leaders have also produced discrete units that are flexible so that the mid-year joiners and short-term pupils will be able to integrate quickly, with support, into the learning programmes. There is enough capacity in the current staff to deliver these programmes and the premises have sufficient space to accommodate the proposed changes. Two current pupils on a short-term placement are under 13. The school is likely to meet the relevant independent school standards if the material change is approved.  Through assemblies, small-group discussions, visits and visitors plus the study of citizenship, leaders make sure that pupils learn about life in modern Britain. This also makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. For instance, pupils debated whether 16-year-olds should get the vote and considered the Human Rights Act and how that may relate to mentally ill prisoners. Pupils, including

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

those in the sixth form, participated in a volunteering project for Age UK and they visited a centre that supports the homeless. Pupils learn that all forms of discrimination are wrong and that they should tolerate all people, including those of protected characteristics.

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Governance

 The school’s two proprietors both work as leaders in the school. One is the headteacher and the other the managing director. There are no other governance arrangements. The proprietors are therefore wholly responsible for all aspects of the school’s work.  At the start of the inspection, the proprietors were not fully aware of a few aspects of the latest guidance and procedural requirements published by the DfE. They took immediate action to rectify these shortcomings. They were fully addressed by the end of the inspection. The school now meets the independent school standards and other requirements.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and members of staff are highly vigilant, as they know that pupils in the school are susceptible to a vast range of safeguarding issues, such as gangs, knife crime, child sexual exploitation and imprisonment.  There are thorough induction processes for both pupils and staff. All pupils joining the school are referred by a mainstream school or by the local authority. The managing director, who is also the school’s designated safeguarding lead, continuously liaises with her counterparts in the referring school and with the local authority’s safeguarding board. As a result, leaders have detailed information of every pupil’s vulnerabilities.  In addition to ongoing training, all new members of staff are required to undertake an online safeguarding course. They have to pass the test before they commence working at the school. There are robust reporting systems and all members of staff meet weekly to

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Safeguarding

discuss any concerns they may have about any pupil.  Leaders work closely with a range of agencies, such as social services, as well as with parents, to ensure pupils’ safety and well-being.  The school publishes its safeguarding policy on its website. The policy has proper regard to current government requirements.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teaching is good. It enables pupils to make good progress from their very low starting points. As a result, pupils achieve qualifications that enable them to proceed to further education, training or employment.  On entry, leaders test pupils on their functional skills in English and mathematics. Pupils also answer a questionnaire that identifies their preferred learning styles. Teachers and teaching assistants, who work closely together, use this information to plan activities to meet the needs of each pupil, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils, who arrive mid-term, receive intense one-to-one support to help them catch up with their peers.  Teachers continue to test pupils often throughout the year. They use the information well to identify gaps and provide extra support to those pupils who need to catch up.  Teachers and other adults welcomed the extensive training that they have had recently

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

on managing pupils’ behaviours. They have found this immensely helpful in moderating pupils’ challenging behaviour so that they can get on with their teaching and pupils can get on with their learning.  Teachers upload lesson information online. In addition, leaders have purchased more online learning tools such as for mathematics. Teachers set homework, which pupils can access online, to consolidate learning or to learn new things for themselves. This has proven to be particularly helpful in cases where pupils, owing to personal circumstances, have not been able to attend school.  Teachers and other adults ask some good questions to promote pupils’ thinking. However, teachers sometimes accept short and shallow answers and fail to probe further for deeper understanding. Occasionally, the work set is too easy. As a result, pupils, especially the most able, do not make the progress of which they are capable.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. The work that this school does transforms young people from being disengaged, sometimes having fallen foul of the law, to becoming successful citizens.  Typically, pupils who join this school have very low self-esteem, having been unsuccessful in their earlier education settings. Further, their social skills are weak. Because members of staff create a caring environment and believe that all pupils can succeed, pupils begin to develop a sense of self-worth. Their social skills improve and they settle down to learn successfully. Pupils therefore leave the school well prepared for the next stages of their lives.  Pupils told the inspector that they find that the teachers and teaching assistants work hard to support them. They said they learn to trust the adults in the school and so respond in kind by trying to work hard.

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Personal development and welfare

 Pupils benefit from one-to-one conversations with their mentors. Mentors help them to resolve their concerns and difficulties. They also gain much from visitors such as workshops on the effects of drugs on the body and causes of depression.  Pupils, including in the sixth form, receive effective impartial information and guidance. Pupils meet monthly with a specialist careers mentor to discuss their options and long- term career aspirations and pathways. This helps pupils to plan for successful careers once they leave the school.  The work done to promote pupils’ physical development is not as strong as it is in promoting the other aspects of their well-being.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Leaders make their expectations clear to pupils as they join the school. With support, pupils learn to improve their behaviours and settle down to work.  Behaviour around the school and in lessons is generally good. There are odd occasions when pupils become disruptive. Adults deal quickly and effectively to address these situations so that learning can go ahead.  Many pupils markedly improve their attendance when they join this school from extremely low attendance rates at their former provisions. Overall attendance figures for the current academic year have improved on the previous year and are in line with similar schools nationally.  The first lesson each day begins a half an hour after pupils are expected to arrive at school. Registers stay open for an extra half hour. On most days, a few pupils arrive after the start of the first lesson but before the close of registers. These instances of poor

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Behaviour

punctuality disrupt the smooth start of learning.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Pupils join this school with very low standards, including in English and mathematics. This is because they have not previously succeeded in their education and hence made little progress in their learning. Additionally, a few arrive having not attended school for an extended period.  Pupils, including the most able, make good progress from their starting points. This is because they learn to take their studies seriously and become keen to prepare themselves for the next stages of their careers.  Results, at the end of key stage 4, have improved since the time of the previous inspection. The proportions attaining a level 1 functional skills qualification rose in English from 44% in 2014 to 74% in 2016. In 2016, for the first time a very small number achieved a level 2. In mathematics, the proportions rose from 0% to 45%. Over time, all pupils have achieved a vocational qualification in creative media.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The most able pupils make good progress overall. Because teachers do not challenge them deeply enough and set harder work, they do not always attain the higher qualifications of which they are capable.  Pupils successfully continue into further education, employment or training because of the qualifications that they achieve.

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Sixth form provision Good

 Most of the students join the sixth form having failed to attain the necessary qualifications that they need to enable them to continue into further education or training. Good leadership makes sure that they help students to rectify this situation by the time they leave this school.  As in the main school, students study functional skills in English and mathematics and a vocational course in creative media. Leaders support other students whose interests and needs lie elsewhere. When appropriate, they arrange other part-time training such as in motor mechanics. Leaders liaise with any alternative provision on a daily basis to ensure that students are safe, attending regularly and making good progress.  In addition to the good impartial advice and guidance given to every student, there are other opportunities for students to develop their employability skills. For instance, visitors deliver workshops on confidence and motivation, life skills and money management.

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Sixth form provision Good

Students spend a day visiting a recording studio learning about the range of roles and responsibilities that employees have.  The quality of teaching, assessment and pastoral care are good. As a result, students make good progress from their starting points. All leave with at least a basic qualification in English and mathematics. Combined with these core qualifications and their success in their vocational studies, students continue into further education, employment or training, including through apprenticeships.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 7

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School details

Directors Sonia Ramanah and Orlando Clement

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School details

Date of previous inspection 25–27 June 2014

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Information about this school

 StreetVibes Media Academy is an alternative provision situated in Eltham, South East London. It caters for boys and girls aged from 13 to 19 years who have had a history of disrupted education or have displayed challenging behaviour.  All pupils have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties. Currently there are a few pupils on roll who have a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.  Currently two pupils at the school are below age 13.  Pupils are either placed permanently in the school by local authorities or referred by mainstream schools for fixed periods. In the latter cases, pupils officially remain on the roll of the referring school. Pupils are placed in the school at various points throughout the year.  The school works with eight London boroughs and 43 schools.  The last standard inspection of this school was in June 2014.  The school uses the Middle Park Community Centre, Middle Park Avenue, Eltham for the

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Information about this school

delivery of physical education. It also uses Ilderton Motorvehicle Project, Edward St, Deptford for motor mechanic training.  The school’s stated aims are to motivate, educate and influence young people to be productive and creative through widening access to and presenting opportunities for creative learning, achieving qualifications and securing progression into further education.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspection was carried out with one day’s notice.  Learning was observed in five lessons; all five were joint observations with the headteacher.  Samples of pupils’ work were scrutinised. The school’s information about pupils’ progress was also checked.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, leaders and teachers. There was also a formal discussion with two groups of pupils and various informal discussions with pupils during breaktimes and in lessons.  The inspector took account of the eight responses to the questionnaire for staff. He could not take account of the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents as there were too few.  Documentation, policies and all aspects of the school’s work were checked for compliance with the independent school standards.

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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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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