The Latymer School

Inspection of The Latymer School Haselbury Road, London N9 9TN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Outstanding Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected 14 years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 24 and 25 March 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Latymer School provides pupils with high-quality education. Pupils are supported to aim high and achieve well academically in most subjects. Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ learning and how pupils should conduct themselves. Pupils have a strong work ethic and show commitment to their learning. They attend school extremely well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe, are well cared for and happy at school. Pupils of all ages get on well with each other. Leaders ensure that all pupils are treated equally. Pupils are polite and respectful. They behave well and want to learn. Bullying is rare but when it happens, staff deal with it quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school life and play an active role. They take full advantage of the extensive range of societies and clubs on offer. These include plentiful opportunities to develop their musical and sporting talents as well as interests such as chess and engineering.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are highly supportive of the school. The majority of pupils continue their studies at the school’s sixth form. Here, students learn exceptionally well and respond eagerly to the high expectations that staff have of them.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Pupils study a broad range of subjects, including different languages such as German, Latin, Russian and French. In Years 10 and 11, almost all pupils follow the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects. In the sixth form, the demanding curriculum inspires students to develop a rich understanding of their A-level subjects. Students achieve extremely well. Most go on to the university or apprenticeship of their choice.

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better?

The curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Leaders have identified what pupils need to know and how their knowledge builds over time. Pupils recall their previous learning well. For example, pupils in Year 9 explored the theme of duplicity in English, using their previous learning about how writers create mystery and tension. In Years 7 to 11, leaders’ curriculum thinking in a few subjects is not as developed as it is in all the others. This means that, while concepts are typically taught, some teaching does not progressively reinforce and deepen pupils’ understanding of essential ideas in these subjects.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and are enthusiastic about their subjects. In most subjects, they check what pupils know and encourage them to use subject- specific vocabulary accurately. However, this strength is not consistent across all areas of the curriculum in Years 7 to 11. In some instances, teachers do not make full use of assessment approaches to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. 24 and 25 March 2022

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Leaders identify pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Leaders ensure that teachers have up-to-date knowledge of strategies to support pupils with SEND. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND have the same access to the curriculum as their peers.

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Leaders prioritise reading across the curriculum. Teachers support and encourage pupils to read widely. The school library is well resourced and a welcoming place for pupils to sit and read. Pupils in Years 7 to 9 enjoy their dedicated library lessons. Staff provide well-tailored support to pupils who need extra help with their reading.

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Pupils learn in an orderly environment. Pupils are positive about the school and enjoy their learning. Sixth-form students act as role models for younger pupils. They set up and run clubs for pupils across the school. Sixth-form students also provide support to pupils in local primary schools.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is a particular strength of the school. Staff prepare pupils well for their future and help them to understand their role in the wider world. Pupils have access to high-quality careers education, including work experience. Pupils are taught about positive relationships and how to manage their mental health and well-being. They have rich opportunities to debate, including on matters such as sexuality, race, religion and climate change. Pupils are proud to take on leadership responsibilities, including the recent Latymer Equalities Action Project.

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Staff said that leaders support them well. Leaders take staff workload into account when they make decisions. Staff are proud to work at the school. Leaders and governors provide staff with various opportunities for professional development. Governors are well informed and know the school well. They are reflective and work closely with leaders to improve the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Senior leaders, governors and staff take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They are vigilant and pupils feel safe in school. Staff and governors have up-to-date safeguarding training, including on how to deal with harmful sexual behaviours. Leaders explore emerging national and local safeguarding issues as part of the personal, social and healthcare curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The school has robust systems and procedures for reporting concerns. In addition, pupils have access to an anonymous online reporting system to speak up about anything that causes them to feel unsafe. Concerns are followed up quickly, including through regular work with external agencies. 24 and 25 March 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In Years 7 to 11, leaders’ curriculum thinking in a few subjects is developing further. Although leaders have defined which concepts should be taught, consideration has not been given to the order that these concepts should be taught and revisited. Where this is the case, leaders should strengthen the curriculum by ensuring that subject knowledge is taught sequentially and pupils’ understanding of essential knowledge deepens over time.  Occasionally, in Years 7 to 11, teachers do not check pupils’ understanding of previous learning carefully. This means that misconceptions are not identified and addressed in a timely way. Leaders should ensure that staff implement the assessment policy across the curriculum consistently and as intended.

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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. 24 and 25 March 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211790 Type of school Grammar (selective)

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1365

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 25 January 2008, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The Latymer School is a voluntary-aided selective grammar school.  Since the previous inspection, there have been changes in school leadership, including a new headteacher and a chair of governors. The headteacher has been in post since September 2015.  The school does not use alternative provision.  Careers guidance meets the requirement 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. 24 and 25 March 2022

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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 has 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 school leaders, including the school’s special educational needs coordinator. The lead inspector also met with a group of governors, including the chair of governors, and spoke with a representative of Enfield local authority.  Inspectors reviewed safeguarding procedures and processes. A range of documentation was scrutinised closely, including the single central record of pre- employment checks on new staff, safeguarding records and associated school policies. Inspectors talked to governors, leaders and other staff about safeguarding in the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history, business studies and economics, and art. For each deep dive,

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Information about this inspection

inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils about learning and looked at a sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with pupils across both days of the inspection. They spoke to pupils in both mixed- and single-gender groups about safety and to explore the wider curriculum. Inspectors also spoke informally with pupils around the school.  Inspectors also reviewed school policies, and documentary evidence about behaviour, attendance, bullying and relationships and sex education.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey, along with the views of members of staff and pupils submitted in Ofsted’s questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Jeffery Quaye, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Verity Cartledge Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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