Orion Eden Park

Inspection of Eden Park High School Balmoral Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3RD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 2 and 3 November 2021

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils in this school. They want pupils to work hard, persevere and be polite. Leaders are keen to prepare pupils for life beyond school, regardless of their starting points. Pupils benefit from studying a broad range of subjects. They also receive well-planned careers guidance that shows the wide range of careers available.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has an extended day. The extra time is used to support pupils with their studies and to offer extra-curricular activities. These enrichment activities are well planned and organised so that pupils get the most out of them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school and they generally get on well with one another. They said that bullying is rare and, if it does happen, it is dealt with quickly. Pupils enjoy school and the opportunities that are on offer to them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well most of the time. Leaders have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils understand the rewards and sanctions systems in place. Leaders are aware that time away from school during the national lockdowns has affected pupils’ behaviour. Some pupils have struggled to follow routines and instructions following their return to school. Leaders have put systems in place to ensure that behaviour quickly returns to standards that match leaders’ and staff’s expectations.

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better?

Leaders want all pupils to receive a high-quality education. This is clear in the broad and ambitious curriculum offered to all. Subject leaders have thought about the key knowledge they want pupils to know and remember in their subject areas. They have planned the order they teach the knowledge so that pupils build up their understanding of more complex ideas over time. For example, in English, pupils read a range of non-fiction texts in Years 7 to Year 9. This helps them to develop the vocabulary they will need for their studies in Year 10 and 11. Leaders have also prioritised reading. Pupils who have fallen behind in their reading are identified and supported to catch up quickly.

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better?

Work in books shows that pupils are learning subject knowledge in the order that leaders intend. Leaders and staff want pupils to remember all of the key knowledge that they learn. Teaching regularly includes activities which help pupils to recall their existing knowledge. However, in a few cases, teachers are not systematically checking how well pupils do in these tasks. As a result, some of pupils’ misconceptions or gaps in knowledge remain.

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better?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They identify pupils’ needs and put effective programmes of support in place. Leaders have also invested in training for staff to develop their expertise in meeting pupils’ needs. Leaders responsible for the SEND provision meet regularly 2 and 3 November 2021

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with leaders and teachers from each subject department. They discuss pupils’ barriers to learning the curriculum and agree adaptations to better support pupils in lessons.

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Leaders have high expectations of behaviour in lessons. There are clear routines and pupils know what is expected of them. This means that there is very little low-level disruption and pupils can focus on their learning. When these routines are less well established, pupils sometimes get distracted and lose focus on their learning. Leaders are aware of this and have training in place to support staff where necessary.

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Leaders make sure that pupils have a high-quality enrichment and personal development programme to complement the academic curriculum. Years 7 to 9 have well-planned lessons for personal development. Pupils in Years 10 and 11 learn about this in form time, assembly and during theme days and workshops. Pupils are taught about fundamental British values and about keeping themselves safe, for example online. Some pupils raised concerns about the use of derogatory language. Leaders manage, record and analyse incidents of this nature effectively. They are also using form time and assemblies to raise and address pupils’ concerns.

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Trustees and governors know the school well. Members of the local governing body act as a critical friend to leaders. They ask helpful questions about the curriculum, safeguarding, finance and equalities. Trust leaders make sure that governors have the right training to perform their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Well-trained leaders and staff work closely together to ensure the safety and well- being of pupils. Staff are aware of the local risks that pupils face and they are trained to identify the signs of these dangers. Staff know how to report any concerns they may have. Leaders work well with local external agencies to secure the support that pupils need.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, both physically and online. Pupils know who to report any concerns to, and they trust that staff will support them.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have put in place systems to check that pupils remember the key knowledge they want them to know. Typically, this means that teachers identify misconceptions or gaps in knowledge. However, on occasions, teaching does not incorporate assessment approaches as consistently. As a result, pupils move on to 2 and 3 November 2021

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the next topic not fully understanding the previous one. Leaders must ensure that all teaching corrects misconceptions or gaps in learning as they are identified.  Pupils are typically thoughtful and respectful . They can engage with views that are different to their own. However, some pupils expressed concerns that their peers do not always speak in a respectful and considerate way. Leaders need to address this issue by further strengthening the personal development programme. They should give increased emphasis to developing pupils’ appreciation of diversity and difference.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 2 and 3 November 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10203912 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy free school

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1069

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school opened in September 2017. There are now five year groups in the secondary school from Year 7 to Year 11. The sixth form will open in September 2022.  The school uses two registered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This means that pupils in Years 8 to 11 receive information about the full range of education and training options open to them. This includes opportunities for a range of education and training providers to speak to pupils about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 2 and 3 November 2021

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 Inspectors met with the chief executive officer of the trust, the executive headteacher, the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors also met directors of the trust, the chair of the local governing body and other local governing body members.  Inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, geography, modern foreign languages and creative arts. Inspectors visited lessons, reviewed pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning and met with subject leaders and teachers. Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Through discussions with leaders, governors, pupils and staff, inspectors considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. Inspectors also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of pre-employment checks carried out before staff are appointed.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils and they observed pupils’ behaviour in

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lessons and at play times in both phases.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about safeguarding, behaviour and their workload in school. Inspectors looked at staff, parent and pupil responses to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Mark Smith, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Andy Webster Ofsted Inspector 2 and 3 November 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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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