East Barnet School

Inspection of a good school: East Barnet School Chestnut Grove, East Barnet, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN4 8PU

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Outcome

East Barnet School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at East Barnet School are confident and articulate. They enjoy being part of a diverse community and display a friendliness and respect to all. One of the school’s values is ‘do the right thing’. This sums up the way that pupils conduct themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They want them to succeed in their studies and develop into responsible young adults. They prepare pupils to play a positive, active role in society. Pupils appreciate this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders encourage pupils to report any inappropriate language or behaviour. Pupils feel empowered to do so. They know that leaders will address any such behaviour swiftly and effectively. Pupils are safe here. Bullying is rare.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave very well in lessons and they are keen to learn. They listen to teachers, contribute their ideas and work hard. Outside of lessons, pupils’ behaviour is calm and orderly. They socialise happily with each other at break and lunchtime.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There is a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their talents. These include choir, orchestra and African drumming, drama productions, robotics and many sports. Pupils stand for the UK Youth Parliament and work with the artist- and writer-in-residence.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have created a culture of mutual respect and understanding in the school. Their work in areas such as anti-racism and equalities is of particular note. Staff enjoy working at the school and commit to providing the best possible education for pupils. They are well supported by leaders, who prioritise matters of staff’s workload and well-being.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is broad and balanced, providing pupils with a rich education in Years 7 to 9. At GCSE, and in the sixth form, pupils 15 and 16 March 2022

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select from a wide range of subjects. Leaders make sure that pupils make well-informed choices about their programmes of study. This helps them to progress into further and higher education, training and employment.

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The curriculum is well sequenced and coherent. Leaders have selected the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn. They have ordered this knowledge well. This helps pupils build their knowledge and understanding in increasing depth over time. In a few subjects, further development will help pupils to remember more about what they have learned before. The curriculum also reflects the diversity of the school’s pupils and of wider society. Pupils appreciate this; it adds to their interest and motivation to learn.

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Teachers use their subject knowledge well to explain new information to pupils. They question pupils to check their understanding and link new learning with what pupils have learned before. This helps pupils to build on what they already know. Teachers provide pupils with the help they need to improve their work. Pupils produce work of a high quality. Pupils with SEND complete the same work as other pupils. Leaders identify the help these pupils need and train staff to adapt their teaching accordingly.

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In the sixth form, teachers select activities that allow students to work together and develop their views. This helps students to deepen their learning. For example, history A-level students can explain the complex nature of change in twentieth century American society. English students show a sophisticated understanding of the language in ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’.

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Leaders have established a programme for those pupils at an early stage of reading. These pupils learn phonics and receive individual reading tuition. This helps them to catch up with other pupils. Leaders give high priority to literacy for all pupils. Pupils read in tutor time and in lessons. The school has a writer-in-residence, who leads creative writing sessions with pupils.

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Leaders have created a positive learning environment. Low-level disruption in lessons is not tolerated. Pupils say that teachers are consistent in their use of the behaviour system. They say this stops any potential disruption from happening. This means that pupils can learn without disruption.

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Pupils’ broader development is central to the school’s ethos. They learn about subjects such as relationships, citizenship, physical and mental health. Pupils value this aspect of their education. It helps to prepare them for the changing world in which they live. Sixth-form students take on leadership roles. They volunteer to help younger pupils as part of their volunteer service programme. Pupils receive comprehensive support with their applications for university, apprenticeships and employment. 15 and 16 March 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding across the school community. They engage with parents and carers and raise their awareness of safeguarding risks. They educate pupils on how to keep themselves safe, including online. Staff receive regular training and updates. They are alert to signs of concern in pupils and they are clear about their recording and reporting responsibilities. The safeguarding team meets every week. The team monitors pupils at risk and evaluates the support provided. Leaders are knowledgeable and persistent. They work effectively with external agencies to provide the help pupils need.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, teachers do not make sure that knowledge from previous units of work is embedded in pupils’ long-term memory. This means that pupils cannot always remember what they learned further back in time. Leaders and teachers should make sure that pupils have secure knowledge from previous units of work as they move through the curriculum and need to build on this knowledge in new work.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2012.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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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. 15 and 16 March 2022

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1421

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form

Chair of trust Major John Bernard Ireton

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form

Date of previous inspection 7 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses the following registered alternative providers: Capel Manor College, Focus First Academy, and Pavilion Study Centre.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, members of the board of trustees and representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: science, English, history, geography and art. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at 15 and 16 March 2022

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curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also spoke with additional groups of pupils about personal development.  Inspectors met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead. They looked at safeguarding documentation and record-keeping, including the single central record. Inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors considered 146 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, 119 responses to the staff survey and 117 responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Umbar Sharif Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 March 2022

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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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