Promised Land Academy

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Promised Land Academy St Cedd’s Hall, Webb Gardens, Plaistow, London E13 8SR

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(b)(i), 3, 3(a), 3(c), 3(d) and 3(g)  At the previous inspection, revisions to the curriculum had only recently been implemented. Intended outcomes for learning in some curriculum plans were too vague to enable teachers to check on pupils’ progress. Some programmes of study, for example in music and physical education, were kept by the voluntary or coaching staff who teach the lessons. Leaders did not know how effectively these schemes were implemented. They were not ensuring that the curriculum was taking sufficient account of the aptitudes and needs of all pupils. Leaders also did not know enough about pupils’ progress across the range of subjects taught.  This inspection found the afternoon curriculum offer (the time when pupils are not following the Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) programme) lacks long-term organisation and suitably detailed programmes of study. Leaders have not sequenced

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Main inspection findings

the curriculum to ensure that pupils make progress over time in subjects such as French, art, physical education, music, and design and technology. Commercial programmes of study have in some cases been downloaded and printed but have not been adapted to consider the aptitudes and needs of pupils. Leaders still do not know enough about pupils’ progress in subjects not covered by the ACE programme.  The standards listed above remain unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraphs 11 and 25  At the previous inspection, leaders did not implement their revised health and safety policy effectively enough. They did not hold those responsible for the safety of the premises to account for necessary checks being completed effectively. There was insufficient evidence available to demonstrate how leaders check the extent and quality of procedures to ensure the safety of the premises.  This inspection found this area to be, in the words of leaders, a ‘work in progress’. There has been an unacceptably long delay in resolving this situation since the October 2018 inspection. On Monday 8 July, the chair of the proprietorial body met with the building’s landlords about the way forward. It is planned that all documentation relating to the premises’ health, safety and maintenance will be shared from September 2019.  The standards listed above remain unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b), 32(1) and 32(1)(c)  These standards were judged to be met at the previous inspection.  The school’s child protection policy is compliant with the latest statutory guidance and published on the school’s website. All safeguarding requirements, including those related to staff training and the referral and recording of concerns, remain suitable.  The standards listed above remain met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools Paragraph 23(1) and 23(1)(c)  At the previous inspection, leaders told the inspector that a classroom is made available for pupils to change in, and that an arrangement has been reached with a local leisure centre for pupils to use their showers if they wish. However, these arrangements were judged as insufficient. In practice, pupils usually went to a park with a sports coach for their lessons, and then returned to school. Showering facilities for these occasions were not linked to changing facilities, and there was no plan for how showering could be incorporated into the routine following most physical education lessons.  This inspection found that nothing has changed. Pupils continue to not have consistent access to changing and shower facilities when timetabled for physical education.  The standard remains unmet. Paragraph 24(1), 24(1)(a) and 24(1)(b)

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Main inspection findings

 At the previous inspection, the medical accommodation did not include a suitable washing facility.  This inspection found a new portable washing facility in the medical room. However, it had neither water in its tank nor soap in its dispensers. The medical room, also used as a room for piano practice, is too small and cluttered to serve both purposes. It is not feasible that a sick or injured child could receive timely attention, especially as the collapsible bed would barely fit alongside the piano. There were also no medical supplies in the room.  The standard remains unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b) and 34(1)(c)  This is the third inspection since January 2018 which has judged multiple independent school standards as unmet.  None of the standards judged to be unmet in October 2018 are now met.  Leaders do not have the necessary understanding of the requirements to run an independent school.  There are a very few students aged 17 on the school’s roll. The proprietorial body is therefore in breach of its agreement with the registration authority, which allows the school to admit pupils aged four to 16.  The standard remains unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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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

Email address admin@promisedlandacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 17–19 January 2018

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Information about this school

 The school is a Christian faith school and is part of the Christian Education Europe network of schools.  The school uses the curriculum known as the ACE programme for subjects that are taught in the mornings, including mathematics, English, science and social studies. This is supplemented by other curriculum subjects, including French, art and design, technology, physical education, music and citizenship, that are taught in the afternoons.  The school is registered for pupils aged four to 16. The school has pupils aged 17 who will continue attending next year. The school is therefore in breach of its registration agreement.  There are currently no children on roll in the early years.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision or other premises.  The school was last inspected in October 2018, when a progress monitoring inspection judged some of the independent school standards to be unmet. This followed its most

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Information about this school

recent full standard inspection in January 2018, which judged a large number of the independent school standards as unmet, and the school’s overall effectiveness to be inadequate.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  Since the school’s full standard inspection in January 2018 and its first progress monitoring inspection in October 2018, leaders were asked to submit action plans. Both were judged as not acceptable and subsequently rejected by the Department for Education (DfE).  The DfE requested that this second progress monitoring inspection consider whether particular independent school standards contained within Parts 1, 3, 5 and 8 are now met.  The inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspector met the headteacher and the proprietor. He toured the premises and reviewed a range of key documents and policies in relation to the independent school

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Information about this inspection

standards that were checked. He also met with some pupils.  There were no recent responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents (Parent View) to consider.

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Inspection team

James Waite, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain unmet at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan.  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school– – 3(a) enables pupils to acquire new knowledge and make good progress according to their ability so that they increase their understanding and develop their skills in the subjects taught – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities and management of class time – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils’ work regularly and thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 11 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that relevant health and safety laws are complied with by the drawing up and effective implementation of a written health and safety policy.

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Part 5. Premises of and accommodation at schools

 23(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 23(1)(c) suitable changing accommodation and showers are provided for pupils aged 11 years or over at the start of the school year who receive physical education.  24(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that suitable accommodation is provided in order to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils, including– – 24(1)(a) accommodation for the medical examination and treatment of pupils – 24(1)(b) accommodation for the short-term care of sick and injured pupils, which includes a washing facility and is near to a toilet facility.  25 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the school premises and the accommodation and facilities provided therein are maintained to a standard such that, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils. 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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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