London Nautical School

London Nautical School 61 Stamford Street, London SE1 9NA

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Although there have been some improvements, pupils’ progress is inconsistent. The new systems for tracking and supporting pupils’ progress are not fully embedded.  The teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics skills across the curriculum is not well planned. This affects pupils’ development and is a barrier to their learning.  Leaders provide training to improve teaching, but its impact is not evident across all departments. There is variation in the quality of teaching and learning both between and within departments. Science is particularly weak.  Some middle leaders are not effective in checking the quality of teaching and learning within their departments.  Many teachers do not plan lessons well. Often, pupils do not understand how to improve their work. Pupils who fall behind are not routinely given support to catch up.  Leadership of the sixth form is not effective. This affects the quality of teaching and learning and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

has a negative impact on students’ outcomes.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Governance is a strength of the school.  Since the recent section 8 inspection, senior leaders have worked hard to bring about improvements in pupils’ outcomes.  Pupils’ behaviour is good in lessons and in social times. They want to do well and they help each other.  There is a strong team of pastoral leaders who provide care and support for pupils. The careers advice and guidance for pupils and students is very effective.  There is a broad curriculum with extensive extra- curricular opportunities, particularly in sport and nautical studies.  Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a strength of the school. They make good progress from their starting points.  Teaching in mathematics is improving more rapidly than in other subjects. Pupils’ progress and enjoyment in this subject are stronger than in other lessons.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 To improve pupils’ and students’ outcomes and secure and sustain improvements in teaching and learning, leaders should: – embed and evaluate the impact of the systems they have introduced – ensure that middle leaders hold their teams to account – evaluate the impact of training to improve teaching – improve the teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics across the curriculum.  To improve pupils’ and students’ progress, teachers should: – use information about pupils’ and students’ prior knowledge and skills to plan lessons which stretch and challenge their pupils – give pupils and students timely and appropriate support when they fall behind in their work.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Senior leaders set high expectations for pupils’ outcomes. Some middle leaders do not share these expectations and do not hold their teams to account for pupils’ progress. Because of this inconsistency, pupils’ progress is variable both within and across departments.  Leaders are ambitious for their pupils. However, their self-evaluation of standards is overgenerous and because of this strategic planning is not effectively focused.  Leaders provide training to support and challenge teachers. This training is not embedded in teachers’ practice. For example, many teachers do not use information about pupils’ prior knowledge and skills effectively to inform their planning. In many lessons, pupils are given work which is too easy or too difficult.  There is a broad curriculum which is enriched with a focus on nautical studies and sport. Pupils have opportunities for visits abroad, visits around London and to higher

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

education establishments. There is also a wide range of clubs and sporting activities, such as basketball, badminton, film, science and homework clubs. However, the inconsistency in the quality of teaching limits the effectiveness of the curriculum and broader provision.  Leaders place strong emphasis on pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They give pupils opportunities to enrich their life experiences through contact with businesses and visits to places of worship, museums and historical sites. Pupils are taught about other cultures. Pupils show respect for others and have a strong understanding of fundamental British values.  The school receives support from the local authority and from two other schools. The new systems which have been put in place because of this support are not fully embedded. Therefore, the impact of this support on pupils’ outcomes, although evident, is not established or strong.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 Leadership of SEND is strong. Additional funds for pupils with SEND are used very effectively and there is a positive impact on the progress of this group of pupils.

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Governance of the school

 Since the previous inspection, the local authority has provided support for governance. The impact of this support is evident in governors’ understanding of their roles and responsibilities. They support and challenge school leaders over standards in public examinations. They challenge senior leaders on the progress of groups of pupils. They track the spending of additional funding for disadvantaged pupils and those pupils eligible for the Year 7 catch-up funding to ensure that this is used effectively.  Governors audit their skills annually and ensure that appropriate recruitment and training takes place when gaps in their skills are identified.  Governors attend school events to meet parents and listen to their views. They also visit the school regularly to meet with pupils and staff. Governance is a strength of the school.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  Pupils are taught how to keep safe and avoid local risks. There is a vigilant culture of safeguarding in the school. The strong pastoral support team carefully tracks pupils at risk and ensures that all staff are fully aware of pupils’ personal needs. Pastoral leaders communicate regularly with parents so that they work effectively with them in partnership to keep pupils safe.  All appropriate checks are carried out before staff are employed in the school. Senior leaders check that pupils’ medical needs are carefully monitored. Appropriate risk assessments are carried out for school trips and all the sports activities pupils undertake, including the high number of sports visits for pupils in the football academy.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Leaders’ high expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently shared by teachers. The quality of teaching and learning varies across key stages and both within and between subjects.  Teachers do not routinely give pupils opportunities to reflect on their mistakes and improve their work. Pupils are often confused about how to improve their work. Many pupils’ books show gaps in their learning.  Teachers do not consistently use assessment information to plan work which challenges all pupils effectively. This is particularly the case in English and science, but is also found in other subjects. In some lessons, pupils cannot access the tasks set because work is not adequately explained or modelled. This contributes to variability in pupils’ progress.  The school does not have a coherent or developed approach to the teaching of reading writing and communication. As a result, there are entrenched weaknesses in pupils’

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

work, particularly in terms of spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary development. Leaders have plans in place to address this, but they are not fully implemented. Some reading support for pupils has started but the impact is not clear. There is some evidence of additional development of mathematical skills across the curriculum, but this is not fully planned or evaluated by leaders.  There are some strengths to teaching, including teachers’ subject knowledge, and there are good relationships between pupils and staff. Where pupils are given regular and effective guidance, they respond and improve their work. Most pupils show willingness to work hard and a willingness to learn from their mistakes.  Good practice was seen in mathematics, with work planned to match pupils’ abilities and tasks that deepened and consolidated pupils’ knowledge and skills. In these lessons, teachers skilfully identified and supported pupils who fell behind.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 Assessments are regularly planned and follow curriculum planning. Leaders use this information to monitor pupils’ progress overall, and there is evidence that pupils’ progress is improving towards the national average.  The quality of teaching and support for pupils with SEND is strong. Teaching assistants are effective in supporting pupils with SEND in mainstream lessons. These pupils are tracked carefully and given additional intensive support when they fall behind. Pupils with SEND make strong progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.  Pupils are given very effective careers advice and guidance. There is a strong programme of careers information, which is embedded across the curriculum. There are regular talks by visitors to enhance pupils’ understanding of different types of employment. These talks sometimes have a nautical focus. Teachers help pupils make their choices for GCSE and post-16 study. The proportion of pupils in appropriate employment and training is above the national average. In 2018, all pupils were in education, training or employment after they left school.  Pupils feel safe in school. They are well cared for because of the effective systems for pastoral support. Teachers help them to understand how to keep safe and avoid local risks, such as gangs and knife crime.  Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development effectively,

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Personal development and welfare

through assemblies and lessons. In nautical studies, there is a focus on teamwork and resilience, where pupils learn skills in water sports.  Pupils’ confidence is developing. They are happy to talk with adults and each other. However, they do not fully understand how to manage their own learning and need to be prompted by teachers to extend their learning and move on to the next stages in their work.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Leaders and teachers set high standards for pupils’ behaviour and pupils respond well. Pupils are polite and courteous. There is a calm and orderly environment both in lessons and around the building. Pupils take pride in their appearance and most pupils take pride in their work.  Pupils work collaboratively with each other and often support their peers in lessons. They have very positive attitudes to learning and they want to do well.  Pupils value their education. They attend school regularly and are punctual. Pupils’ attendance is at the national average because of leaders’ actions to improve attendance and reduce persistent absence. Pupils settle to their work quickly in lessons. Disruption to learning in lessons is rare.  Leaders and teachers model positive behaviour for their pupils. There is very little bullying and when it does occur pupils say it is dealt with effectively. Exclusions are

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Behaviour

below the national average and leaders use strategies very effectively to help pupils manage their behaviour well.  Alternative provision is not used very often. Pupils in alternative provision are tracked carefully by school leaders. As a result of the support in alternative provision, pupils’ attendance has improved.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Across year groups and subjects there is inconsistency in pupils’ progress. The school’s information indicates that Year 9 is making the most variable progress. Stronger pupils’ progress is evident in some subjects, such as mathematics, but pupils do not make strong progress across all subjects.  In recent years, pupils’ outcomes in GCSE examinations were well below national averages. Leaders predict that outcomes for the current Year 11 cohort will be broadly in line with national averages, with stronger progress evident in mathematics. The gap between disadvantaged pupils and all pupils is expected to close. Evidence from this inspection was that pupils are making stronger progress in key stage 4 than in the past. However, in key stage 3 pupils’ books show very inconsistent progress across all subjects, linked to the quality of teaching.  Pupils with SEND make strong progress from their starting points. Pupils who speak

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

English as an additional language also make strong progress. This is because of the very effective support they are given in their learning.  Pupils in the specially resourced provision for SEND make strong progress because they are supported effectively in their learning. Teaching assistants are diligent in helping pupils. Pupils’ progress in this provision is tracked carefully and additional help is given when these pupils fall behind.  Careers advice and guidance for pupils is effective. Pupils go on to appropriate education and employment when they leave school because of this support.

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

 Leadership of the sixth form is weak, and the quality of teaching and learning is inconsistent. Teachers do not use information about their students to plan lessons. Students’ misconceptions are not routinely picked up by teachers. Students’ outcomes in both academic and vocational courses are below national averages because of this inconsistency. Students’ progress on the vocational courses is improving slightly.  Many students in the sixth form are taught in the football academy. The quality of physical education and sports teaching is stronger than that found generally across the school. Students are taught about nutrition and other aspects of professional sport. Teachers and coaches give effective support for less-able students to access their courses.  The sports academy is some distance from the main school. Students’ attendance and punctuality to lessons on this site is an issue which leaders are working to address.

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16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

 Students receive strong careers advice and guidance. They are given support for UCAS applications. Over 50% of students go on to university and the remainder of the students find apprenticeships or employment. Students say that support for next steps is very effective.  Retention of students between Year 12 and Year 13 is not strong. Students who join the sixth form with weak mathematical and English skills do not improve their skills.  Support for students’ personal development and welfare is a strength. Students value the help they are given by their teachers and coaches. Students are taught how to keep safe and avoid local risks.  Students’ attitudes to learning are positive. They want to succeed. Students’ opportunities for work experience and work-related learning, particularly those within the football academy, are extensive, very regular and effective. Many football academy students are linked with professional football clubs.

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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

Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Appropriate authority The governing body

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Information about this school

 There is a specially resourced provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. There are 12 pupils in this provision. The age range of the pupils is 11 to 19.  The school uses one alternative provider. This is CACFO UK Education Centre in Croydon.  The school runs an off-site football academy in conjunction with Volenti Football Academy. This is based in Coldharbour Leisure Centre, Eltham. Teachers from London Nautical School accompany the students every day and teach the vocational courses on this site.  The local authority provides a school improvement partner. The school receives support from Oasis Southbank Academy. The school also receives support from Hayes School in Kent.  The school has been awarded the Investors in Careers Award.

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Information about this inspection

 The previous inspection was a section 8 inspection carried out on 8 July 2018.  There were 17 responses to Parent View and 14 free-text responses. One parent met with an inspector and one parent wrote to inspectors.  There were 29 responses to the Ofsted online questionnaire for pupils, of which 22 were from Year 9. There were 44 responses from staff to the Ofsted online questionnaire.  Inspectors visited lessons in key stages 3 and 4, in the sixth form and across a range of subject areas. They visited the off-site football academy. Inspectors carried out checks on pupils’ books and talked to pupils about their work.  Inspectors met with pupils, teachers, middle and senior leaders, representatives from the local authority and governors. Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents related to pupils’ behaviour, safety, teaching and learning, and pupils’ progress and attainment.  Pupils in Year 11 and students in Year 13 had completed their public examinations and

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Inspection team

Joan McVittie, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Yvonne Chisholm 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

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