Hawksmoor School

School and boarding report/School and residential report

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Hawksmoor School Bentham Road, Thamesmead, London SE28 8AS

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Early years provision Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders, managers and governors have not maintained the school’s overall effectiveness. Since the previous inspection, pupils’ outcomes have declined considerably.  Progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6 has weakened over recent years. In 2018, pupils’ progress was below the national average. The proportion of pupils in Year 6 who reached the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics was below average.  The curriculum does not meet pupils’ needs. Pupils have limited learning experiences, including in history, geography and science. In some subjects, pupils repeat work they have already mastered in previous years.  Pupils show little understanding of British values.  Governors have not held the school’s leaders sufficiently to account over the decline in the school’s overall effectiveness.  The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is weak overall. Typically, teaching

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

does not challenge pupils effectively, particularly those that are most able and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teaching does not routinely deepen pupils’ knowledge of vocabulary or concepts such as mathematical problem solving.  Middle leaders are not involved sufficiently in improving the quality of teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility.  Pupils are not routinely positive in their attitudes to learning when teaching does not capture their interest.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The co-executive headteachers have begun to address the school’s areas for development. Recent improvements, including to provision in the early years, to current pupils’ progress in Year 6 and to the management of pupils’ behaviour, show that leaders have the capacity to improve the school.  Safeguarding arrangements are effective.  Pupils are typically confident and well mannered. They know how to keep themselves safe.  Children in the early years provision make better progress than pupils in key stages 1 and 2.  Pupils’ attendance is above average.

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Full report

In accordance with section 44(2) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than it might in all the circumstances reasonably be expected to perform.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ progress and attainment by ensuring that: – a broad and balanced curriculum is in place that allows for the development of knowledge and skills across Years 1 to 6 – teachers set work that is well matched to pupils’ needs, including the most able and pupils with SEND – teaching deepens pupils’ mathematical understanding through increased opportunities for problem solving and reasoning – pupils gain a deep understanding of vocabulary – leaders improve teaching and learning across year groups.  Improve the effectiveness of leadership, management and governance by ensuring that: – governors develop the skills to hold leaders to account – middle leaders develop their roles and take responsibility for improving teaching and learning in their areas of responsibility.  In the early years provision, ensure that adults plan activities that are sharply matched to children’s abilities.  Improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by ensuring that:

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

– teaching engages pupils’ interest and motivates them to behave well – pupils conduct themselves well and behave considerately throughout the day including at breaktimes – the curriculum includes opportunities for pupils to develop fully their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and their understanding of all aspects of British values.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of the school’s use of the pupil premium should be undertaken to identify how this aspect of leadership and management could be improved.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management could be improved.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Since joining the school, the co-executive headteachers have acted with determination to address the school’s declining overall effectiveness. As a result, progress has been made in some areas within the year, demonstrating leaders’ capacity to secure the necessary improvements. Leaders have improved teachers’ management of pupils’ behaviour. They have improved the resources in the early years provision. Pupils’ rates of attendance are now above average.  Over time, leaders have not taken effective action to address the decline in the school’s performance. In 2018, pupils’ progress at the end of Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics was weaker than ever.  Leaders check the quality of teaching through visits to classes and regular scrutiny of pupils’ work. However, this has not sufficiently addressed the previous decline in progress. Middle leaders are not sufficiently involved in developing their areas of

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

responsibility. The application of the school’s written policies, including for teaching and learning and for providing guidance to pupils about how they can improve their work, is inconsistent.  Leaders do not provide a curriculum that successfully promotes pupils’ learning across subjects. The curriculum does not ensure that pupils build their knowledge and skills securely. Pupils are not prepared for the next stage of their learning. Subject plans, other than for English and mathematics, lack detail. For example, the teaching of science, French, history and geography is not sufficiently prioritised.  Assemblies encourage pupils to reflect on social and moral issues, but this is not deepened through the wider curriculum. Pupils are not adequately prepared for the experiences, responsibilities and opportunities of their future lives in modern Britain.  In Year 6, teachers ensure that current pupils have appropriate learning experiences to

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

suit their starting points. In other year groups, teachers typically plan tasks that are not sufficiently challenging. As a result, there are significant gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills in most subjects.  Leaders have not made sure that teachers have a reliable and accurate view of pupils’ starting points and their progress across key stages. The co-executive headteachers have recently introduced a new assessment system. However, it is too soon to evaluate the impact.  Leaders and governors do not have a clear, measurable picture of how additional funding is spent or what impact it has. Leaders have started to use extra funding more effectively to support disadvantaged pupils, but it is too early to see the full impact of this on improving pupils’ outcomes.

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Governance of the school

 Governors have overseen a prolonged period of decline at the school. They have not held the school’s leaders sufficiently to account for the school’s weakening performance over a sustained period.  Governors have been over-reliant on assessment information provided by the school’s leaders. For too long, they have accepted information presented by leaders and have not checked the reliability of the data they have received against other sources of information.  Governors do not have clear systems for holding the school’s leaders to account. This means that precise targets to raise standards have not been set and no clear mechanism is in place to review the impact of leaders’ work.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders have made sure that there is a strong culture of safeguarding. Appropriate checks are in place for staff recruitment and employment.  Staff understand policies and procedures. They know whom to approach with initial concerns. The school’s safeguarding team has a clear system to record referrals when there are issues about pupils’ safety. The school works well with external agencies.  Training on keeping children safe in education has raised staff awareness of potential risks, including child sexual exploitation, female genital mutilation and children missing in education. Pupils are aware of the risks of gangs and knife crime.  Pupils said that they feel safe and are listened to. They know whom to go to should they wish to report an issue. In responses to the online survey, Parent View, parents and carers reported that their children feel safe and are well cared for at school.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 There is not enough challenge for pupils, and teachers’ low expectations of what their pupils can achieve limit learning.  Teachers seldom pick up misconceptions in pupils’ understanding, and repeated errors in pupils’ work are not corrected. This means that pupils are not supported to improve their work. Teachers do not use assessment procedures confidently or consistently. Planned activities do not take account of the range of pupils’ learning needs.  The teaching of reading does not routinely ensure that pupils develop their vocabulary. Undemanding tasks and teachers’ poor questioning skills seriously impede pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics. Teachers do not demonstrate secure subject knowledge, and, typically, pupils do not know what to do next in order to move their learning forward. Pupils sometimes disengage from learning and valuable time is lost.  The teaching of mathematics mostly focuses on number and shape. Reasoning skills

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

are not developed across year groups to enable pupils to reflect, consider and understand mathematical problem solving. This restricts pupils’ progress in mathematics.  Many of the tasks set in writing over time restrict opportunities for pupils’ independent writing, particularly for the most able. Opportunities for younger pupils to write widely are limited.  In contrast, teaching provides effective support for the development of handwriting. Pupils develop strategies for improving fluent handwriting.  Pupils make weak progress when time is lost repeating what they already know. For example, in mathematics, pupils were learning about money, but they had learned a more-challenging version of the concept during the previous school year.  Teaching does not prepare pupils for secondary school because pupils have wide gaps in their knowledge, skills and understanding due to the narrow curriculum of reading,

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

writing and mathematics.  Significant variability in the quality of teaching has a considerable impact on pupils’ outcomes. In a small number of classes, teaching is effective over time and pupils are enthusiastic and motivated.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  The planned curriculum does not provide wide opportunities that promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development or their knowledge of fundamental British values. This restricts their personal development.  Pupils said that they enjoy school and they feel safe. However, pupils reported that there are incidents of bullying and name-calling. They told inspectors that adults typically deal with their concerns about unpleasant behaviour.  The school’s work to promote pupils’ safety online is effective. Pupils know, for example, not to share their passwords and that they should consider carefully what they post online. They know that they need to be alert to the issue of cyber bullying.  Most pupils demonstrate respect towards the needs of others.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Most pupils are polite and courteous. However, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are not good enough in some lessons. When pupils are not engaged in learning, they become restless, their attention wanders and noise levels rise.  Attendance rates are above those nationally.  Pupils’ behaviour at breaktime is sometimes boisterous, particularly in some parts of the playground.

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Most-able pupils are not sufficiently challenged in lessons and do not reach high enough standards. Lower-attaining pupils often find learning activities too difficult. Pupils with SEND are not routinely set appropriately challenging work.  Except for pupils in Year 6, current pupils do not make sufficient progress from their starting points in reading, and particularly in writing and mathematics. Writing in pupils’ books shows that there are weaknesses in spelling, punctuation and correct use of grammar. Pupils do not use a broad range of vocabulary.  In mathematics, pupils have weak recall skills and struggle to express explanations for their answers. They give up easily when work is demanding.  Pupils’ progress in a wide range of other subjects, including religious education, history and geography, is limited because the curriculum does not enable them to deepen their knowledge and skills.  Pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 have

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Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

declined over recent years and were weakest in 2018. In 2018, pupils’ progress in reading and mathematics was below national averages at the end of key stage 2. Progress in writing was significantly below the national average. Progress for disadvantaged pupils in Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics was significantly below national averages.  In the Year 1 phonics screening check, outcomes were in line with the national average. Outcomes at the end of key stage 1 were average.

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Early years provision Requires improvement

 Children are expected to select activities for themselves and do so. This encourages the development of children’s independence, imagination and curiosity.  Leaders have recently secured additional funding and improved the environment in early years so that it is bright and colourful.  Staff use the outdoor areas effectively to develop children’s literacy and numeracy. Children in the Reception classes are generally confident and self-assured. Staff encourage children to set up equipment by themselves and tidy resources away afterwards.  The proportion of children who attained the good level of development by the end of Reception Year in 2018 was average.  The impact of teaching is variable across Nursery and Reception. Teachers’ assessment is not consistent or fully reliable. Their use of assessment information to set tasks and support children’s learning and progress is uneven. Adults working with children are

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Early years provision Requires improvement

not typically able to identify children’s next steps in learning.  Recently, leaders have introduced a new tracking system to check children’s learning and progress, but this has not had time to show a lasting impact.  Staff are aware of potential risks to children’s safety. They make routine and regular checks on equipment, both indoors and outside.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-executive headteachers Sarah Critchell and Lucy Timmons

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School details

Email address sao@hawksmoor.greenwich.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 17–18 October 2012

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Information about this school

 The school is much larger than most primary schools.  The early years provision comprises three Reception classes and a part-time Nursery.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium funding is above the national average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average.  There have been a number of changes in staff, including in the senior leadership team, over recent years. In February 2018, two new leaders, who are also co-executive headteachers in another local school, began working at the school in the roles of co- executive headteachers. This support was brokered by the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed teaching and learning in most classrooms. School leaders accompanied most of these visits.  Inspectors spoke to pupils in lessons and looked at their work.  Inspectors listened to pupils read and observed their behaviour during break and lunchtimes. An inspector met with groups of pupils to hear their views about the school.  Discussions were held with senior leaders, middle leaders and subject leaders to discuss their areas of school improvement.  A meeting was held with members of the governing body. There was also a meeting with a representative of the London Borough of Greenwich.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including the school’s self- evaluation, minutes of governing body meetings, monitoring records and the school’s development plan.  Inspectors considered the school’s safeguarding documentation and records related to pupils’ behaviour and attendance.

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Information about this inspection

 In addition to speaking with parents in the playground, inspectors considered the 28 responses to the online survey, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Maureen Okoye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Brenda Watson 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

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

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

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

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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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