Harris Academy Rainham

Harris Academy Rainham Lambs Lane South, Rainham, Essex RM13 9XD

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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 and other leaders have high aspirations of what pupils can achieve, which permeates throughout the school.  Leaders have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and continually seek to improve the areas that still need development.  Governance provides effective support and challenge to the school.  Staff are proud to work at the school. They value the opportunities they have for continuing professional development.  Pupils feel safe in school. They feel they can speak to staff with concerns they may have.  The school works very well with a range of partners to support vulnerable pupils.  The overall quality of teaching is strong. However, there is still a degree of inconsistency across the school.  Typically, pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and courteous.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

improving to be in line with their peers with similar starting points.  Overall pupils’ attendance is above the national average.  The progress of disadvantaged pupils compared with that of pupils with similar starting points is improving, but this remains a key priority for the school.  Leaders have introduced some positive changes to the curriculum, but need to review the impact of the curriculum at key stage 3. This is to ensure it is effectively developing pupils’ knowledge and skills.  There is a good extra-curricular programme, but not all pupils participate, which limits their opportunities to develop their personal and social skills.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that there are comprehensive plans in place to check the impact of the curriculum and wider curriculum on pupils’ outcomes.  Ensure that the quality of teaching and learning across all subjects is consistently high so that all pupils can achieve the highest possible outcomes.  Ensure that disadvantaged pupils make progress in line with their peers from similar starting points.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have successfully developed a culture of ambition and high expectations. They care about the pupils and have high aspirations for what they can achieve.  Senior leaders have a good understanding of the strengths of the school. They recognise that while overall progress for pupils in the 2018 national examinations was strong, outcomes in some areas were not good enough. Effective plans are in place to tackle areas that need further improvement, for example, in English and progress of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.  Middle leaders are very clear about the whole-school priorities for improvement. Focused professional development is creating capacity and strength in middle leadership. Middle leaders are closely involved in checking standards and they work effectively with senior leaders in the school and consultants from the federation. They drive forward improvements in their areas of responsibility and are accountable.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders have clear systems in place to monitor the quality of teaching. There is a range of excellent professional development opportunities in place for staff to develop their practice. These include a ‘women into leadership’ programme, coaching and marking for the examination boards. Poor performance is challenged, and support from leaders is available for those whose teaching is not up to the required standard.  Staff are highly motivated and proud to work at the school. Staff who are new to the profession enjoy their work and feel valued.  Leaders deploy pupil premium funding appropriately. There is a wide range of support in place to enable pupils to overcome their individual barriers to learning. However, the impact of these on outcomes for disadvantaged pupils is not yet consistent.  The Year 7 literacy and numeracy catch-up funding is used effectively. The strategies used by the school to support pupils who join the school behind their peers in reading

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

and writing enable the majority of them to make progress.  Leaders are developing the curriculum, for example by introducing more courses for pupils such as Spanish and Latin in Year 7. Leaders are reviewing schemes of work to ensure that pupils are developing knowledge and skills consistently across a range of subjects. In the curriculum at key stage 3, a rotation system operates for the teaching of art, design and drama. Pupils drop subjects in Year 9 that they are not going on to study at GCSE. Leaders have not yet reviewed the impact of this part of the key stage 3 curriculum. They need to check that it contributes successfully to pupils’ progress, behaviour, personal development and welfare.  Pupils benefit from an extra-curricular programme that enables them to develop skills and interests outside the classroom. These include sports, performing arts and outdoor education experiences. Participation rates are not always consistently high. Leaders are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

aware of the need to develop better systems to collate information about pupils who attend this provision, to ensure that all groups are benefiting from the opportunities.  The school makes good use of tutor time and assemblies to promote British values and to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong and pervades all aspects of school life.

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Governance of the school

 The local governing body demonstrates ambition for pupils and is determined to ensure that all pupils achieve positive outcomes. Governors display a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They visit the school regularly.  Governors are aware of their statutory responsibilities and have received relevant training around safeguarding.  Scrutiny of the minutes of governors’ meetings shows that the support and challenge to school leaders are appropriate.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Leaders take their responsibilities for pupils’ welfare very seriously and have established a culture in which keeping pupils safe is a high priority. Arrangements to carry out the required staff pre-employment checks are thorough.  Staff receive regular safeguarding training and updates. As a result, staff understand their responsibilities in relation to keeping pupils safe. They are aware of the local risks to young people.  Those who have specific safeguarding responsibilities work effectively with outside agencies to safeguard pupils’ welfare. Staff work very well with parents, carers and external partners when vulnerable pupils need support.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 The majority of pupils engage well with their learning and respond positively to teachers’ direction. Pupils are punctual to lessons. In some classrooms, pupils are interested and curious to find out more; however, this is not the case throughout the school.  Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure and most use this well to plan activities that meet the learning needs of pupils. Inspectors saw some effective questioning and modelling of work that extended pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This enables pupils to make strong progress over time. However, where teaching is weaker, pupils are given the same tasks to complete and work is not routinely adapted to meet the needs of all learners. This leads to some not making the progress of which they are capable. This is particularly the case for low-prior-attaining disadvantaged pupils and for pupils who speak English as an additional language.  Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that most teachers give helpful feedback in line with the

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

school’s policy. As a result, pupils are provided with useful guidance that enables them to understand their mistakes and have opportunities to improve their work. However, where feedback does not happen regularly, and is not specific, pupils do not always have the opportunity to improve their work significantly or in a timely way.  Homework is largely completed online. Most pupils feel that it develops their learning outside the classroom.  The school has a clear assessment policy and pupils are assessed at regular intervals throughout the school year. Pupils’ performance is closely checked and those who fall behind in the core subjects are given a range of support interventions to improve their progress. These include additional lessons and personal tutors.  Leaders have rightly prioritised the development of literacy across the curriculum. Teachers correct spelling, punctuation and grammar and are developing the study of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

etymology to provide pupils with a rich vocabulary. This is to enable pupils to access examination questions and develop the quality of their writing, and is beginning to have a positive impact. Opportunities for extended writing are in place across the curriculum but are not yet fully embedded.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  The ethos of the school is built around the values of ‘Belong, Believe, Become’ and these are becoming embedded in school life. The school’s work to promote tolerance is strong. Pupils said that the school is inclusive and respectful of differences between individuals, and that there are groups in school who promote this, such as a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) group.  Leaders have a programme to provide pupils with careers advice and guidance, including work experience for those in Year 10. Pupils said that they received useful support with choosing their options and with their post-16 choices, but are less clear about other careers guidance they have received.  There are some opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills and contribute to school life, for example as members of the school council and peer mentors. The school

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Personal development and welfare

council has worked with school leaders to improve the quality and price of food in the canteen. While individual pupils are confident they can talk to staff, they do not feel that there are established routes to express wider pupil views.  Pupils told inspectors that they feel safe in school and know how to keep safe, for example online. They said that they can talk to staff, who would help them if they have any concerns. There are few instances of bullying and the majority of pupils said if it does happen, staff deal with it well.  Pupils said that they are taught about risks they face out of school, for example concerning alcohol, drugs and gang violence. Pupils spoken to are aware of the dangers of radicalisation and extremism. The school’s programme for personal development enables a wide range of learning opportunities. Assemblies, tutor sessions and the taught curriculum are used effectively to promote British values.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils behave well around the school and at informal breaktimes. The school is calm and orderly.  Pupils are clear about the school’s expectations of their conduct around school and in lessons. Behaviour in lessons is good, although some pupils take less responsibility for their learning, which occasionally affects the learning of others.  The vast majority of pupils were polite, courteous and respectful when speaking to inspectors.  Effective pastoral systems are in place, which are supporting pupils to manage their behaviour better. The school’s data shows that incidents of poor behaviour are decreasing. The number of pupils who are excluded from school is falling and well below the national average.  Whole-school attendance is above the national average. Although the attendance of pupils who are disadvantaged or with SEND has improved, it is still below the national

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Behaviour

average. Plans in place to secure good attendance are working because the number of pupils regularly absent from school is rapidly reducing.  Pupils who attend alternative provision have their attendance and progress monitored regularly by the school.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 In the 2017 and 2018 GCSE public examinations, pupils’ overall progress and attainment were above the national averages. The percentage of pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and mathematics was in line with the national average.  Results in 2018 show that overall progress and attainment for disadvantaged pupils are below those of their peers with similar starting points. In addition, results in 2018 show that overall progress for pupils with SEND is below that of their peers with similar starting points.  In the 2018 GCSE examinations, while the progress of all pupils in mathematics, science and humanities was above national averages, progress in English and modern foreign languages was in line with national averages. Leaders have acted to address the decline in performance, and the school’s current assessment information shows that, overall, pupils are making better progress in these subjects.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Leaders have analysed the performance of all subject areas, and individual plans are in place to improve outcomes where performance was below average. These include in design and technology, English literature, science, religious studies and media studies. The impact of this work shows some pupils making better progress, but there is still inconsistency.  Current pupils with SEND are making better progress compared with their peers, regardless of their starting points. This is due to sharper identification of most pupils’ needs and increased training for staff working with pupils with learning needs.  Current pupils who are disadvantaged and higher prior attainers are making stronger progress, in line with their peers. However, there is still inconsistency across classes for pupils who are disadvantaged. The progress of disadvantaged pupils remains a key priority for the school.  At key stage 3, in most subjects, most pupils are working well towards their targets.

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 The percentage of pupils going on to education, training and employment at 16 is in line with national averages.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Appropriate authority The board of trustees

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School details

Chair of local governing body Tina Staples

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Harris Rainham is a non-selective academy in the London Borough of Havering and is part of the Harris Federation.  The proportion of high-attaining pupils on entry is above average.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is slightly above average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is below the national average. The school uses a range of alternative providers. There are currently 16 pupils receiving alternative provision at Koru, The Bridge, Barking and Dagenham College, Havering College, BEP Academy and LA Alternative Provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in a range of subjects throughout the school. Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work. They observed pupils’ behaviour during social times and at lesson changeover times.  Documentation, external performance data, policies and the school’s practice were considered, with regard given to behaviour, bullying, safeguarding, welfare and notes of local governing body meetings.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior and middle leaders, new staff, the chair of the local governing body, the director of secondary and the chief executive officer of the trust.  Inspectors spoke to pupils informally and formally, including during visits to classrooms.  There were 33 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey.  There were 79 staff responses to Ofsted’s online survey. There were no responses to Ofsted’s pupil online survey.

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Inspection team

Sarah Parker, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Desmond Deehan 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

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Inspection team

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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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