Setting

Mr Ashid Ali London Enterprise Academy 81–91 Commercial Road Whitechapel Tower Hamlets London E1 1RD

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Academy

Following my visit to your school on 7 June 2018, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the monitoring inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Academy

The visit was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in April 2017. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Academy

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the last section 5 inspection in order for the school to become good.

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Academy

The school should take further action to:

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Academy

 ensure an orderly environment at all social times  reduce persistent absence and the number of exclusions.

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Evidence

During my visit I met with you, other senior leaders and staff, three members of the governing body, and the school improvement partner. I listened to the views of a group of parents and spoke both formally and informally with pupils. I scrutinised a range of documents in relation to behaviour and safeguarding, including checks made on recently appointed staff. Accompanied by senior staff, I visited lessons in Ofsted

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Evidence

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted key stages 3 and 4. I also observed pupils’ behaviour between lessons and at social times.

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Context

Since the last monitoring inspection an interim vice-principal has left the school and a new assistant principal has been appointed. A new business manager and head of science started in April 2018. In addition, a leadership consultant has been appointed to work with school leaders.

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Main findings

A key focus of my visit was to look at how leaders manage behaviour in the school. This is in response to parental complaints received by Ofsted since the previous monitoring inspection.

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Main findings

Since September 2017, an effective behaviour management system, well understood by pupils and consistently applied by staff, has brought about improvements in behaviour. Teachers have received effective training and are skilled at dealing with the few instances of low-level disruption that typically occur. Both they and pupils understand leaders’ expectations. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons observed during the visit was positive. The vast majority of pupils demonstrate a keen desire to get to lessons promptly and settle down to work quickly. Teachers are skilled at ensuring that pupils start learning immediately by setting clear expectations and using effective routines.

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Main findings

With regard to movement around the school, the constraints of available space result in several areas of potential congestion. Since September 2017, leaders have planned strategically to regulate pupils’ movement. For example, a one-way system ensures that pupils are able to use the staircases safely. The introduction of staggered breaks at lunchtimes has reduced congestion in the canteen and other communal areas. Pupils noted these changes as being particularly important to their experience of school. Nevertheless, during the inspection the behaviour of a minority of pupils, particularly boys, remained boisterous at breaktime. Younger pupils stated that this type of behaviour was typical.

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Main findings

Leaders’ recording and analysis of incidents is thorough and extensive. Leaders’ identification of patterns of behaviour has resulted in revised policies and increased interventions to support the needs of individuals and groups. Case studies show that interventions are successful in modifying pupils’ behaviour. Leaders’ records of behaviour indicate that, since the introduction of the behaviour management system and the measures to reduce congestion, the number of pupils receiving an internal exclusion in the behaviour improvement room has significantly reduced. Nonetheless, external exclusions remain above the national average. Parents spoken to during the visit and those who responded to the latest school questionnaire report that their children are safe in school and that behaviour is well managed. Pupils report that they feel safe and that their lessons are largely free from disruption. Pupils are well informed on how to keep themselves safe, including

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Main findings

when using the internet. They report that should bullying occur, they know who to report to and that staff will take swift action to resolve any issues.

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Main findings

The governing body has been trained in how to understand information relating to both pupils’ progress and behaviour. Scrutiny of the minutes of governing body meetings show that they provide a suitable balance of challenge and support to leaders. Governors are working with both the leadership team and the leadership consultant to address areas identified for improvement. For example, subject reviews have been undertaken to ensure that teachers are using assessment information to plan activities which challenge the most able pupils. I observed highly effective questioning in a Year 8 English lesson. As a result of this questioning, pupils were able to build on their prior knowledge and deepen their understanding. A review of pupils’ books indicated that the most able pupils were making strong progress over time.

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Main findings

There are clear strengths in leaders’ work to support pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare. Pupils’ attendance to school is in line with the national average. However, persistent absence figures remain high, with some families taking pupils on extended holidays.

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External support

Through the Tower Hamlets Education Partnership the school has secured a leadership consultant to assist the school in addressing areas identified for improvement at the full inspection in April 2017. The school would benefit from further local authority support to help reduce both persistent absence and exclusions.

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External support

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

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