Harrow Independent College

Harrow Independent College 308–310 Eastcote Lane, Harrow HA2 9AH

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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 Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The headteacher, who is also the proprietor, and the chair of governors work effectively to ensure that all independent school standards are met.  Governors provide appropriate support and challenge to senior leaders to ensure that the school continues to improve.  The quality of teaching is typically good. Teachers use their strong subject knowledge well to help students make good progress. Students are prepared well for the next stage of their education. Consequently, all students proceed to further education and university.  The curriculum meets the needs of students and the expectations of parents. The curriculum enables pupils to achieve well, gain an appreciation of British values and prepares them effectively for life in modern Britain. Students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development are well promoted.  Students are respectful and their personal development and behaviour are good. They

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

have strong attitudes to their learning.  Students said that they enjoy their learning and always feel safe. This is reflected in their above-average attendance.  Students who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are supported well and make good progress.  On occasions, some students are not provided with more challenging tasks sooner to enable them to make better progress. This, in particular, slows the progress of the most able students.  Students have insufficient access to information and communication technology (ICT) to support their learning further.  Not all teachers provide written feedback to students in line with the school’s policy.  There are too few opportunities for teachers to improve their classroom practice through professional development. This limits the improvements in the quality of teaching.  The school improvement plan lacks clarity on the strengths and weaknesses of the school to

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

ensure continuous improvement.  Sometimes, leaders do not place enough emphasis on the progress of students when checking the quality of teaching and learning.

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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 the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that: – the most able students are sufficiently challenged so that they make the progress of which they are capable – students have greater access to ICT to support their learning.  Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – teachers have sufficient opportunities to improve their classroom practice through sharing and observing effective practice – students are provided with feedback in line with the school’s feedback policy – the school improvement plan has a sharper focus on strengths and areas for improvement, with clear timescales for actions – leaders have a sharper focus on what students are learning rather than what teachers are doing when checking the quality of teaching and learning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 The proprietor and governors have ensured that all the independent school standards are met. They work together well so that the school continues to improve.  The headteacher is very committed, provides strong leadership and is highly ambitious for students.  Leaders have created a culture of respect, tolerance and high expectations that enables students to achieve well. Staff are very positive about the school’s leadership and are proud to work at the school.  There are secure systems in place to monitor the progress of students from their starting points. Students who are falling behind are provided with additional support to ensure that they make good progress.  There are good links with the local authority, external services and parents to meet the needs of students who have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The EHC plans are well documented and closely followed.  Parents receive regular information about how their child is progressing and encourage

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

them to contact staff if they have any concerns. Parents are able to communicate with staff through the school’s website.  The curriculum meets the needs of students and the expectations of the parents. It ensures that pupils have excellent attitudes to their learning and achieve well. The curriculum is particularly strong in scientific, mathematical and technological education. Students participate in various clubs, including debate, table tennis and chess clubs. There are sports and gym facilities for students at a nearby sports and leisure centres. Students’ experiences and learning contribute well to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.  The school promotes British values well through the curriculum. Students learn about democracy, respect, the rule of law and equalities. Students discuss and debate current issues through the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and assemblies. Students are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  Leaders check the performance of staff to hold them to account for the progress of students. Leaders check the quality of teaching regularly and provide appropriate feedback to staff to bring about improvements. However, there are insufficient opportunities for staff to reflect on and share the strengths in teaching practice that exist in the school. This means that continuous improvements in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is sometimes hindered.  Sometimes, leaders place too much emphasis on what teachers are doing, rather than on what students are learning when observing the quality of teaching and learning. This means that leaders do not consistently have a secure view about the impact of teaching on students’ progress.  Leaders have not ensured that the school’s feedback policy is consistently implemented to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

ensure that students receive effective written feedback on their work.  Leaders have not ensured that the school improvement plan is fit for purpose. The current school improvement plan lacks specific areas of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and clear timescales for action. This means that there is some lack of clarity on the improvements leaders need to make in the future.

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Governance

 Governance is effective. Governors are committed to ongoing improvement and have high expectations for students’ outcomes.  The chair of governors brings a wealth of experience and expertise from the field of education. The chair of governors works closely with the headteacher and make visits to the school, including classrooms, to check quality of teaching. Governors maintain an overview of safeguarding to ensure that it is effective.  Governors have a secure view of the school’s priorities and provide the appropriate support and challenge in order for the school to improve.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The safeguarding policy is appropriate and has been updated to reflect the latest guidance. It is published on the school’s website.  All staff are trained on safeguarding and give high priority to keeping students safe. There is a culture of vigilance to ensure that students are protected from harm.  The school works closely with parents, carers and external organisations to ensure that students are safeguarded.  Leaders ensure that safeguarding records, processes and procedures are fit for purpose.  Leaders ensure that the building is well maintained, with an appropriate safety standard. The health and safety checks, including risk assessments, fire risks and hazards, are appropriately carried out.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 There are positive working relationships between students and staff. Teachers know individual students well and provide them with strong support so that they make good progress.  Teachers use questioning effectively to test and reinforce students’ understanding. In mathematics, students used their prior knowledge well to solve partial fractions and explained the steps involved. Students use their reasoning skills well to solve a range of mathematical problems.  Teachers routinely monitor the progress of students closely to identify and address any misconceptions. Students are provided with good verbal feedback on how to improve their work.  Teachers routinely test students’ understanding of new vocabulary to promote their skills in literacy. This was evident in an English lesson where a student’s understanding of the vocabulary used to describe a character in a text was tested.  In economics, students discussed recession, the financial crises and ‘Brexit’ and

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

considered how uncertainty in the free market has an impact on economy. Students were able to relate this learning to current issues and their everyday lives.  In PSHE, students and debate different issues in a balanced and considerate manner. For example, students discuss issues related to racism, sexism, human rights and equalities.  Students respond well to the regular homework set by teachers to reinforce learning. Students also have access to their homework online on the work covered in lessons. Students are provided with appropriate support from teachers when they find their homework too difficult.  Students who spoke to the inspector reported that they enjoy their learning and that ‘teaching is good’. However, students said that they would like their teachers ‘to provide written feedback when they have marked their work’. They said that this ‘will help them to improve their work’.  Sometimes, the most able students are not sufficiently challenged to make the progress

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

which they are capable. Occasionally, they have to wait for the next stage of learning while the teacher helps other students with their work.  Students have insufficient opportunities to use to support and extend their learning. There is also a lack of ICT for teachers to use in order to support students’ learning.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote students’ personal development and welfare is good.  Students have positive attitudes to learning, are self-confident and know how to be successful learners.  Through PSHE sessions and assemblies, students learn about healthy lifestyles and how to keep themselves safe, including online and when using the social media. They learn about the dangers of being drawn into extremism.  Students who spoke to the inspector said that there is no racist, sexist or homophobic behaviour or bullying in school. Students confirmed that they feel safe in school. Students show respect for diversity and people who have different cultures and beliefs.  Students have opportunities to debate and discuss things that are important to them, including current issues in the news.  The assessment of risk onsite and for activities, including trips, helps to keep students safe in and out of school.

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Personal development and welfare

 There is good support for students who have an EHC plan through involvement of parents, carers and the local authority services. Where necessary, the school provides counselling to students to ensure their well-being.  Students receive helpful and impartial careers guidance and are supported well for the next stage of their education.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good.  Students are respectful, courteous and friendly and conduct themselves very well around the school.  The school is a very calm, orderly and purposeful place.  Students said that behaviour is ‘always good’. School’s records show that students’ behaviour is consistently good and incidents of bullying are extremely rare. There have been no exclusions.  Students enjoy their learning and coming to school. This is reflected by their attendance, which is above the national average. There are a small number of students on the school’s roll and there are no trends in attendance in relation to students’ backgrounds.  A few students are occasionally late to lessons, particularly those who come to school from long distances. However, staff ensure that these students’ progress is not affected by their occasional poor punctuality.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Most students enter the school with lower prior attainment in their GCSEs from their previous schools to study A-level subjects. Students make good progress from their starting points, as confirmed by the school’s information and the quality of work seen in their books.  Students make good progress in GCSE English and mathematics. Students benefit from teachers’ strong subject knowledge and the individual support and advice they receive.  The school prepares students well for their next steps. The Year 13 students who left the school in 2018 all gained entries to universities. The university courses included pharmacy, biomedical science, economics, business studies and psychology.  All students who enter Year 12 for AS-level subjects transfer to Year 13 to complete their A levels. Only a small number of students took GCSE or A-level examinations in 2018.  Currently, students are either studying in Year 12 or Year 13 and there are no pupils of

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Outcomes for pupils Good

compulsory school age. There is a very small number of students studying for GCSE in English and mathematics, including students repeating these subjects who came from other schools. A levels are offered in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, including further mathematics, and economics.  Students who have an EHC plan make good progress in GCSE English and mathematics. They receive good-quality, individualised support from caring and committed staff. The strong relationships with staff and students ensure that the needs of these students are met.  All students aspire and are expected to go on to study at university. They receive frequent and impartial advice, including through an independent consultant, regarding their future studies. They are provided with appropriate advice and support with their application to universities.

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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

Annual fees (day pupils) £9,700 to £11,950

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School details

Website www.harrowindependentcollege.co.uk

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School details

Email address kandiah@harrowindependentcollege.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Harrow Independent College is registered as an independent day school for pupils aged 14 to 16 in the London Borough of Harrow. However, the school currently has 12 students between the ages of 17 to 19. This includes two students with an education, health and care plan. There are no pupils of compulsory school age.  There are no students who are disadvantaged or students who speak English as an additional language.  Harrow Independent College specialises in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects at A level.  The school also provides Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) qualifications at Higher National Certificate (HNC) in computing and BTEC Higher National Diploma (HND) in data analytics and intelligent systems. However, currently there are no students taking these courses.  Currently, students follow the A-level courses in physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics,

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Information about this school

economics and computer science. A few students study for GCSE English and mathematics.  The school had initially operated as an independent college for students aged 16 to 19 since 2016. The premises were used for tuition during weekends since 2010. The school has never operated for pupils of compulsory school age.  The school received its pre-registration inspection in May 2018 when it was judged that the school was likely to meet all the independent school standards when it opens.  The school’s current information on ‘Get information about the school’ (GIAS) does not reflect the current age range at school and that the school has two students with an EHC plan. Leaders are aware of this and have informed the Department for Education (DfE) accordingly.  The school does not have a religious ethos.  The school does not provide any off-site provision or use alternative providers.

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Information about this inspection

 This full standard inspection took place with one day’s notice.  The inspector observed teaching and learning in all of the subjects on the days of the inspection. All were joint observations with either the headteacher or the chair of governors.  The inspector held a meeting with students in Years 12 and 13 to discuss their learning and views about the school.  The inspector checked the work in students’ books and the school’s information on students’ progress. The inspector scrutinised the school’s pre-employment checks on staff and looked at students’ attendance and behaviour records. The inspector also examined policies and documents in relation to the independent school standards, including information on safety and safeguarding.  The inspector held a telephone discussion with the local authority officer in relation to the support provided to students with an EHC plan. The inspector also met a parent of one of

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Information about this inspection

the students with an EHC plan.  The inspectors met with the headteacher, who is also the proprietor, the chair of governors, teachers and the school’s administrator.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View.  The inspector considered six responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Avtar Sherri, lead inspector 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

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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