College Francais Bilingue De Londres

Collège Français Bilingue de Londres 87 Holmes Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 3AX

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher has established effective systems that are continuing to raise standards from an already high baseline. This improvement is most evident in mathematics and languages teaching.  The school complies with the statutory requirements for independent schools.  Pupils in all year groups are making good progress. Leaders and teachers make effective use of assessment information to target support at individuals who are at risk of falling behind. This approach is less well established in the primary phase, however.  Governors are proud of the school. They have the accurate information they need about the school to play a fully effective role in its development.  Teaching is outstanding. Teachers know the pupils very well. Pupils of all abilities find that learning is exciting because lessons capture their interests. Since the previous inspection, teachers have created more opportunities for pupils to write in depth across all subjects.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Teaching has not only focused on improving pupils’ skills in English, science and modern languages, but also on the wider curriculum, including physical education, history and geography.  Pupils’ attendance is very good, reflecting the importance placed on it by leaders and staff. It is now well above that found in maintained secondary schools in the UK.  Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are doing well because care is taken to plan work that meets their individual needs.  Pupils show respect, tolerance and kindness towards others. They are very well behaved and are willing to work hard. Leaders have ensured that pupils are very well cared for and make excellent provision for their personal development.  Pupils enter the school from a wide variety of early years settings and the school ensures that they make a very good start in becoming effective bilingual learners.

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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?

 Consolidate teachers’ skills in the use of assessment information, particularly in the primary phase, to refine their teaching and further raise standards.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The headteacher leads the school with care and sensitivity, but also with ambition. His vision is to provide excellent teaching and create memorable learning experiences for the pupils. This is proving successful, particularly in mathematics, science, physical education, history, geography and modern foreign languages. Due to his diligence the school consistently meets the independent school standards.  The headteacher and deputy headteachers form an effective leadership team which is well supported by a capable governing body. Together, they have maintained an effective and consistent focus on improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ progress.  Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s strengths. Their development planning is purposeful, with clearly identified priorities. Leaders have been held to account by governors on those aspects of the school’s work identified by the previous inspection as

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

needing improvement, including raising the quality of teaching.  Middle leaders are similarly ambitious for the school. They are enthusiastic about their work to raise standards in their subjects. For example, the successful development of innovative history teaching has led to increased expertise and, in turn, to significant improvements in pupils’ progress in key stages 3 and 4.  The impact of leaders’ work is shown by improvements in the teaching of English and mathematics, but also in the development of aesthetic subjects including art and music. Leaders have high expectations of teachers and have provided support and training matched to their needs. They also encourage innovation. One teacher said of the leadership, ‘After 20 years of teaching, this is the first time I feel free to use different styles of pedagogy to develop my pupils’ creativity. The managers even encourage us to do so!’  Improvements in teaching have led to stronger outcomes. For example, pupils in the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

primary school years make a good start to their reading, which is built upon quickly as they gain independence in key stages 3 and 4. An increasing proportion of students in Year 10 attain highly in the end-of-school test, the French national diploma.  The school’s new assessment system is helping senior leaders to hold teachers to account for the progress pupils make in their classes. This system is also starting to provide useful information that can be analysed to identify any underachievement of groups of pupils.  The headteacher is keen to develop this further so that teachers can make use of the analysis in planning work for pupils.  Judicious use of the school budget ensures that pupils are well supported using a range of strategies. For example, support in lessons is augmented with more intensive intervention, where needed, and high-quality resources. Additionally, the funding is used for pupils’ personal development by providing access to extra-curricular activities.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Outstanding

 The school makes strong provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This is helping pupils gain a thorough understanding of life in modern Britain. Senior leaders have created a clear set of school values which are known to even the youngest pupils. These values place mutual respect at the core of the school’s work.  The school’s curriculum is broad and diverse. There is a focus on developing pupils’ key literacy and numeracy skills, but pupils also enjoy studying subjects such as science. Provision for geography, history and citizenship is a strength of the school. These are developed through a carefully planned approach, with bilingual teaching in the primary phase preparing pupils well for the French curriculum model adopted in the secondary phase.

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Governance

 Governors are very thorough in carrying out their duties. They make frequent visits to the school and consequently know the school well. They have acted conscientiously to enable the school to develop its vision of a caring community. They are rightly proud to be a driving force behind the changes the school has adopted since the previous inspection, not least in giving teachers greater autonomy.  Governors’ committees focus on the progress pupils make and how the school’s resources are used. Many of the governors have a long association with the school and rightly value its place in the community. They are keen to promote their mission, to provide excellent learning in a bilingual environment which leads to high standards.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  School leaders have ensured that all members of staff are trained in child protection procedures. The school’s policies and practice are thorough. The safeguarding policy is published on the school’s website. A very strong culture of safety exists in the school. Key staff engage with parents, carers and other stakeholders to ensure that all pupils are supported and safe.  Pupils are very confident that the school is a safe place; parents and staff at the school who responded to Ofsted’s surveys or spoke with an inspector agree with this view. Governors are thorough in their checks of safeguarding procedures. They place the safety of pupils uppermost in their work. School leaders work very effectively with external agencies such as social services to ensure that, when concerns are raised, they are always followed up quickly and with due care. Key staff have ensured that safer

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Safeguarding

recruitment training and practice are up to date.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teaching is outstanding and ensures that pupils make strong progress. Teaching is characterised by high expectations of the quality of work that pupils produce and effective use of time.  The school has successfully improved the way teachers assess pupils’ work. Teachers give useful feedback during lessons which pupils can act upon immediately and so improve their work. The assessment information is also used well, particularly in the secondary phase, to identify which pupils need additional support or further challenge. The use of assessment information to refine teaching is less well established in the primary classes. Work is being undertaken to develop and improve this aspect of teaching in the primary phase.  The teaching is very effective in making lessons challenging and interesting for all pupils. For example, in a mathematics lesson, Year 10 pupils were fully engaged in using different ways to solve complex algebraic equations.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Outstanding

 Teachers make very good use of homework so that it is integrated with pupils’ classwork. This encourages pupils to become independent learners. By the time they are in the secondary phase, pupils can carry out preparatory and research tasks that give them a deeper insight into the work undertaken in school.  Teaching staff have very strong relationships with the pupils. Pupils know that the staff want them to do well. In turn, this has developed pupils’ positive attitudes towards learning.  Teachers work well with the additional adults who support pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.  Teaching in the school is greatly enhanced by effective use of the local environment and visits into London. Pupils also benefit from trips abroad, such as the German language exchange visit and the Year 10 visit to the south of France.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding. Leaders have ensured that the welfare and care of pupils are central to the school’s work.  Pupils work and play together harmoniously because they are taught to show respect for each other, even if they hold very different beliefs or points of view. Through a strong curriculum, the school develops their awareness of different faiths, ethnic backgrounds and cultures, and of people with protected characteristics. This is helping pupils to have a strong understanding of life in modern Britain.  Positive messages about how to tackle and respond to bullying have been helpful to pupils. They are particularly knowledgeable about how to keep safe while working on the internet. Pupils say that bullying does not take place at the school and that, were it to occur, they know the systems that exist to help them are robust and easily accessible.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school communicates very well with parents and carers, who are very positive about the school’s work. Staff are highly dedicated and their commitment to promoting the welfare of the pupils is recognised by the parent community.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. They are confident, friendly and polite. They hold very positive attitudes to school life, take their work seriously and are respectful of the adults who teach them. Pupils help each other and hold positions of responsibility, which add to the positive culture of the school.  The school’s records of behaviour incidents demonstrate that pupils’ conduct is a real strength of the school.  The school has worked effectively to create sensitive and respectful approaches to behaviour management. Teachers ensure that positive messages about excellent behaviour are consistently applied throughout lessons. This results in pupils behaving very well indeed.  The school is a happy and calm place. Most pupils want to come to school every day, and demonstrate a serious attitude to their work.  Attendance rates have remained high and are now frequently well above the average

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Behaviour

level for primary and secondary schools in England for all groups of pupils.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

 Pupils are making very good progress in mathematics, reading and writing. This is reflected in the school’s assessments of their progress over time, the work in their books and their learning in lessons. This is the result of consistently outstanding teaching over time.  In 2017, the proportion of primary school pupils achieving well in a pan-European test was very high. Pupils in this phase of the school take great pride in their work, which is presented impeccably, and relish the rich curriculum provided by the school. They read fluently in both English and French and told inspectors about their favourite types of books. They clearly enjoy reading and make good use of the school and local library.  In 2017, the proportion of Year 10 pupils reaching the expected standard in the French national diploma was high. Indicative results for 2018 suggest that standards are even higher this year. The proportion attaining the higher pass mark is also exceptionally high.

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Outcomes for pupils Outstanding

Students are well prepared for these exams and many receive additional support whenever needed to ensure they do well.  Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are making better progress than in the past. Their needs are now better identified, and they are given precise support by teachers and support staff. This includes pupils in both the primary and secondary age classes.  Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education when they leave the school at the end of Year 10, either if they choose to stay within the French system or transfer into the English one. This is because of the good foundation they receive at Collège Français Bilingue de Londres. Pupils are confident and positive about their future because they have learned to be successful.

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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

Proprietor Collège Français Bilingue de Londres

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School details

Date of previous inspection 10 March 2015

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Information about this school

 The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.  The Collège Français Bilingue de Londres is situated in Kentish Town, in the London Borough of Camden. It opened in September 2011 with a permitted maximum of 640 boys and girls aged from five to 15 years. It is currently registered for up to 700 pupils.  In the primary department, half of the curriculum time is taught in French and half in English. In the secondary department, pupils study a common core of subjects and follow two distinct pathways, a bilingual one and a multilingual one.  The school does not use any alternative provision. It provides after-school care until 6.00pm for pupils aged from five to 11 years.  There are currently 694 pupils on roll. None of the pupils has a statement of special educational needs. Most pupils are French or British, but other nationalities are represented. In the final year of school, pupils take the French national diploma (DNB).

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Information about this school

 The leadership structure includes a headteacher who oversees the whole school, two deputy headteachers and subject leaders.  There is a board of trustees which checks that the school complies with the standards for independent schools in the United Kingdom, oversees financial and human resources matters, and supports the development of the school.  The school aims to ‘deliver a bilingual and bi-cultural education to French-speaking pupils’.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching in a sample of lessons in all year groups, several of which were visited jointly with the headteacher and deputy headteacher.  The inspection team heard some pupils read in primary-age classes and both key stages of the secondary phase.  Inspectors looked at a range of documents, including the school improvement plan and records of pupils’ behaviour, safety, safeguarding and attendance. They also scrutinised assessment information of individual pupils and records of meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors met with teachers and spoke with pupils. A meeting was held with five members of the governing body. Several meetings were also held with the middle and senior leaders.  The views of parents were obtained through 423 responses to the online Ofsted Parent View survey, as well as the responses through Ofsted’s free-text facility.  Informal discussions were held with staff; and 55 responses to the Ofsted staff

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Inspection team

Tim McLoughlin, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kanwaljit Singh 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

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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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