Fulham College Boys’ School

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

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Mr Peter Haylock Fulham College Boys’ School Kingwood Road Fulham Palace Road London SW6 6SN

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

Following my visit to the school on 21 February 2018 with Aruna Sharma, Ofsted Inspector, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in January 2015.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. A crucial element of the school’s continued success is the ‘ACHIEVE’ principles that pervade all aspects of school life. This encourages pupils to ‘aim high and be ambitious, celebrate diversity, help each other, inspire through leadership, embrace opportunity, value the environment and exceed their targets’.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

You and your team provide effective leadership creating a positive school atmosphere. You and your team have introduced changes, including enhancing the sixth-form curriculum to support students’ needs. Staff and governors share school leaders’ ambition for the best possible outcomes for pupils. Governors use their range of expertise to provide effective strategic direction for the school.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

The proportion of pupils who join and leave the school during the academic year is high compared to the national average. Leaders seek to improve systems to raise the achievement of all pupils, including those who attend the school for short periods. Pupils value the community spirit of the school and settle quickly into routines because of the excellent relationships and support they receive.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

You and other leaders have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement. You have made many improvements to the quality of teaching, learning and assessment since the previous inspection. Rightly, you know that some aspects of the school’s actions require more work, specifically improving pupils’ attendance. Safeguarding is effective.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

The leadership team has ensured that safeguarding arrangements meet current requirements and are fit for purpose. Leaders have ensured that the protection and welfare of pupils receive top priority. Effective partnerships with parents, carers and external agencies ensure that pupils receive early help should the need arise. Suitably detailed and well-kept records confirm this.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

Pre-employment checks are rigorous and ensure that staff are suitable to work with children. Leaders make sure that staff and governors receive up-to-date guidance to safeguard pupils. Training enables staff to identify the signs that may indicate a pupil is at risk of harm, such as child sexual exploitation, radicalisation and extremism.

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Short inspection of Fulham College Boys’ School

Most parents who responded to Ofsted’s questionnaire agree that their child is safe and enjoys school. Pupils say that they feel safe because they are able to talk to an adult should a problem arise. Pupils receive various opportunities to learn how to keep themselves safe through assemblies, visiting speakers and special events. These include safety guidance for using the internet and the risks associated with gang-related activities.

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Inspection findings

 At the time of the last inspection, leaders were asked to increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching. One suggestion was to improve the precision of teachers’ planning to challenge pupils, especially in mathematics. Additionally, leaders were asked to develop and share effective practices to redirect learning during lessons to accelerate pupils’ progress further. We agreed at the start of the inspection that the school’s actions to address these aspects would form one of the key lines of enquiry.  The head of school, who joined the school in September 2016, has ensured together with leaders that good quality teaching and learning are at the heart of this school. Inspectors also found the assessment of pupils to be robust. Regular assessments of pupils’ learning enable leaders and teachers to know the progress pupils are making. Teachers identify and support any pupil who is falling behind,

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Inspection findings

and enable almost all to catch up.  Teachers plan and modify tasks to ensure that most pupils are suitably challenged. Some pupils, particularly the most able, receive demanding work in English, mathematics and science. However, scrutiny of pupils’ work in mathematics showed this to be inconsistent.  We agreed that the other key line of enquiry would relate to pupils’ progress, in all year groups, including that of disadvantaged pupils. We agreed this to confirm that current pupils make strong progress in comparison to published results in 2016 and 2017.  The school’s assessment information and pupils’ work confirm that most pupils make at least good progress across a range of subjects. Similarly, the most able pupils make sustained progress. Leaders have continued to strengthen the provision for disadvantaged pupils so that their progress is improving. Published 2017 results for the progress of disadvantaged pupils were broadly in line with

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Inspection findings

other pupils nationally. However, some pupils’ progress in mathematics varies and this was more noticeable in key stage 4 than in key stage 3.  This inspection also focused on how leaders promote good behaviour and encourage pupils to attend school regularly. This was because published results for pupils’ absence and exclusions were higher than the national average over the last few years.  Leaders track pupils’ attendance rigorously. Despite leaders’ concerted efforts, including working with parents, school records show that even though it is improving, attendance remains low. Pupils are rewarded for good attendance but some pupils are still persistently absent.  Pupils and staff are aware of the strategies in place to manage challenging behaviour. However, the number of pupils excluded for fixed periods slightly increased in 2017. This is partly because of the high expectations that you and your team have for pupils’ behaviour, which are consistently reinforced. Leaders

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Inspection findings

recognise that more work is required to reduce exclusions further.  Finally, we looked at the extent to which the sixth-form provision was preparing students for the next step in their education or career choice. In 2017, results showed that sixth-form students made slower progress than students nationally with similar starting points.  Inspectors spoke with leaders and students, observed learning and examined records, including students’ destinations. Students’ individualised learning programmes develop their skills in English and mathematics and in vocational studies, such as construction . Work experience is plentiful and leads to apprenticeship and employment for some students. A few students have taken up offers to follow university courses.  Inspectors found that the sixth-form provision provides excellent guidance to support students’ progression into employment or further study. The proportion

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Inspection findings

of students securing educational, employment or training places is improving every year.

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Next steps for the school

Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that:

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Next steps for the school

 pupils’ progress in mathematics is at least good from their starting points  pupils’ attendance continues to improve and persistent absence rates reduce so that these are at least in line with the national average  the work with parents continues to address the importance of good attendance  the number of exclusions for fixed periods is reduced.

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Next steps for the school

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body and the chief executive officer of the multi-academy trust, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hammersmith and Fulham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Information about the inspection

During the inspection, I met regularly with you and the head of school. Inspectors held meetings with other members of the senior leadership team, middle leaders and teachers, including two newly qualified teachers. I also met with the chair of governors, business manager, head of human resources, a member from the Fulham College Academy Trust and a consultant adviser working with the school.

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Information about the inspection

To observe learning and scrutinise pupils’ work, we visited a range of classes, some jointly with senior leaders. Additionally, inspectors observed learning in sixth-form lessons in the Fulham Enterprise Studio School, which is part of Fulham College Boys’ School. We spoke to pupils in lessons and during breaktime, and met formally with pupils and sixth-form students.

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Information about the inspection

Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation, improvement plans, records about keeping pupils safe and pre- employment checks on staff. Recent information showing current pupils’ progress, attendance and behaviour were evaluated. We considered nine responses to the staff questionnaire, 15 responses to the Ofsted online survey, Parent View, and written comments made by six parents.

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