Lambeth Academy

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Ms Jan Shadick Executive headteacher Lambeth Academy Elms Road Clapham London SW4 9ET

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Lambeth Academy

Following my visit with David Plumeridge, Ofsted Inspector, to your school on 4 July 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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No formal designation monitoring inspection of Lambeth Academy

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements at the school.

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Evidence

Inspectors scrutinised the single central record of recruitment checks and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements. We met with you, the headteacher and senior leaders, including the designated safeguarding lead. We also met with the chair of governors, and the director and deputy director of academies for United Learning, the academy’s sponsor. I also spoke to a representative from the local authority’s safeguarding team on the telephone.

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Evidence

Inspectors toured the school site. We scrutinised responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire, Parent View, United Learning’s audit of safeguarding procedures at the school, minutes of governors’ meetings, attendance and admission records and risk assessments. We looked at case studies relating to safeguarding and child protection, records of the school’s handling of complaints and met with groups of pupils from Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12. We inspected the medical room and checked procedures relating to the storage of medication for pupils.

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Evidence

Having considered the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Context

The academy has 956 pupils on roll. The majority of pupils are from minority ethnic groups. Almost half of pupils speak English as an additional language and the proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is significantly above the national average. The proportion of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs is higher than that found nationally.

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Context

Leaders and governors ensure that safeguarding and child protection measures are in place which help to promote pupils’ safety and prioritise their protection from harm. The school’s processes relating to child protection and safeguarding are effectively implemented. Leaders ensure that staff recruitment procedures and record keeping comply with statutory guidance. Staff are trained regularly on the latest guidance relating to safeguarding. Leaders with responsibility for safeguarding meet regularly to ensure that information is shared appropriately. The school works well with external agencies. Leaders take prompt action to ensure that necessary information is shared, for example when pupils leave mid-year. Leaders undertake risk assessments in accordance with statutory guidance in relation to the ‘Prevent’ duty. Leaders respond promptly to any concerns raised by staff.

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Context

Governors take an active role in scrutinising the school’s processes relating to safeguarding, including appointing a link governor with responsibility for safeguarding. Minutes of governors’ meetings show that leaders regularly report safeguarding matters to governors and that governors review how effectively they hold leaders to account.

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Context

Pupils who spoke to inspectors were consistently positive about the school’s focus on their safety. Pupils report that they feel safe and supported at school. They know who to speak to if they need to, and recognise the range of different ways that the school provides advice and guidance. Pupils understand that teachers have clear expectations regarding their behaviour, which are effectively implemented. Older pupils say that behaviour has improved in recent years. The school is orderly and pupils are engaging and polite.

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Context

Pupils say that bullying is rare. The school’s records show that incidents of bullying and serious behaviour incidents are followed up promptly within school and that appropriate action is taken. The school undertakes appropriate risk assessments for educational trips and visits. The school has a clear procedure for handling complaints and the school’s records show that investigation of complaints is thorough. Leaders recognise that prompt communication with parents helps to reassure parents, and that occasionally this has not happened quickly enough.

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Context

The school has a clear policy for the storage and administration of medication for pupils. The policy states that parents are responsible for ensuring that medication kept by the school for administration to pupils is within its expiry date. Leaders recognise that they could do more to ensure that parents are aware of the need to replace medication when it expires, and that they do so in a timely way.

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External support

The academy’s sponsor, United Learning, provides effective support in helping the school to keep pupils safe. The director and deputy director of academies for United Learning know the school and its context very well. They use this knowledge to emphasise the importance of safeguarding and provide practical support, for example during staff recruitment.

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Priorities for further improvement

 To ensure that leaders communicate promptly with parents regarding the management of behaviour incidents and the need for parents to replace pupils’ medication as it nears its expiry date.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the executive board of United Learning, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Lambeth. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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