The Camden School for Girls

Inspection of The Camden School for Girls Sandall Road, London NW5 2DB

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding 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. 8 and 9 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Camden School for Girls is a calm, caring place where pupils aim high. Staff help pupils to develop considerate attitudes and an awareness of the wider world. Leaders are ambitious for all their pupils. They encourage pupils to live up to the school’s motto, ‘onwards and upwards’. Pupils are safe and well cared for by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are attentive and keen to learn. Bullying is rare. Staff deal with any incidents quickly and effectively. Pupils behave with consistently high levels of respect. Pupils, including students in the sixth form, are committed to their learning and achieve highly. They persevere when work is difficult. Attendance of all pupils is excellent.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils said that they feel valued and show that they value others. They enjoy school and appreciate the diversity of their school community and its heritage. Pupils are proud of their involvement in school life. For example, sixth-form students like supporting younger pupils with their learning and development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide a range of extra-curricular activities for pupils to choose from. This includes the clubs for current affairs, GCSE Greek, various sports clubs, and the ‘eco- committee’.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is accessible to all pupils. Pupils study a wide range of subjects, including classics, in Years 7 to 9. Subjects such as languages and history are popular at GCSE. In the sixth form, students have an ambitious study programme that prepares them well for their next steps.

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better?

In many subjects, leaders have carefully considered what they are teaching and why. In English, for example, leaders have selected texts for pupils to read to highlight the origin of the English language. This is linked to pupils’ learning about the history of migration. In a few subjects, particularly in Years 7 to 9, leaders’ curriculum planning is not so well thought out. Some lessons are not well sequenced to build up pupils’ knowledge over time. In a few subjects, leaders do not ensure that pupils are taught the full range of subject content as set out in the national curriculum. This means that pupils do not develop the skills and knowledge they need in these subjects. In computing, leaders have limited the time given on the school timetable to this subject. As a result, staff have not had the opportunity to deepen pupils’ understanding.

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better?

Teachers have secure knowledge of the subjects they teach. Leaders provide effective support and subject-specific training for all staff. They provide opportunities for all staff to teach at A level to develop subject expertise. Teachers choose lesson resources and tasks carefully. They guide pupils well in lessons to draw on what they have learned before. 8 and 9 June 2022

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In most subjects, staff regularly check pupils’ understanding and pick up on pupils’ misconceptions. However, in a few subject areas, staff do not carefully check what pupils have learned. This limits their insight into what pupils know and remember. As a result, teaching does not routinely address gaps in knowledge or the next steps in pupils’ learning.

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Staff are well informed about pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They provide effective support so that pupils with SEND access the same learning and achieve well. The library is at the heart of the school and is well used by pupils. Teachers share their love of reading with pupils. Staff support pupils who are at an early stage of reading to become fluent readers.

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Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is exemplary. They are attentive and listen thoughtfully to one another’s views. In some lessons, many pupils are proud to demonstrate their knowledge to the rest of the class. There is mutual respect between pupils and staff.

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Pupils are taught about healthy and unhealthy relationships in an age-appropriate way. Pupils enjoy theology lessons where they explore different world religions and challenge their own beliefs. Leaders have a structured careers programme in place. They ensure that it meets all aspects of the Baker Clause. Pupils value the opportunity to do work experience in Years 10 and 12.

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Pupils said that they feel listened to at school. For example, the school council gathers pupils’ views and take forward pupils’ suggestions. Pupils take on various responsibilities through their leadership roles. This includes school health champions who lead on whole-school well-being. Recently, pupils led a successful campaign on promoting mental health.

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Leaders and governors listen to staff’s views when they consider making changes to the school. They support staff in managing workload as well as their well-being. Staff said that they appreciate this. Governors implement their equalities duty rigorously and hold leaders to account.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. They perform all necessary pre-recruitment checks on staff. Leaders ensure that all staff are vigilant and apply their safeguarding training. Staff are well informed about the risks pupils might face and report any concerns. Leaders are quick to follow these up and put appropriate support in place.

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Safeguarding

Pupils know who to go to if they have any worries. They are confident that staff will support them. They learn to keep safe, including online and in the local community. 8 and 9 June 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, particularly in Years 7 to 9, leaders have not given careful thought to the essential knowledge and skills that pupils need to know and remember. In computing, teachers do not have sufficient time to teach subject content in depth. This affects pupils’ learning and preparation for future study. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects is designed coherently. They should ensure that staff have sufficient time to teach all subjects in sufficient depth.  Assessment is not used consistently well across the school. Leaders do not ensure that staff in all subjects routinely and carefully check pupils’ understanding. This means that teachers do not always have an accurate picture of what pupils know and remember, and pupils’ misunderstandings can be missed. Leaders must ensure that staff use assessment effectively across the school.

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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. 8 and 9 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10211781 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,067

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 6 December 2007

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Information about this school

 The current headteacher has been in post since September 2021.  Leaders use one registered alternative provision, Westminster Kingsway College.

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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 of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the chair and vice chair of the governing body and other governors. 8 and 9 June 2022

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 Through discussion with leaders, pupils and staff, inspectors considered the effectiveness of safeguarding. Inspectors looked at records relating to safeguarding including pre-employment checks for staff and records of work with external agencies.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, classics, history, art and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors considered other subjects as well.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and at break and lunchtime. Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about their views of behaviour, their workload and well- being. Inspectors also spoke with pupils, including student leaders, to consider their views. Inspectors considered the views expressed by parents, staff and

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pupils who responded to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Anne Hudson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Sophie Healey-Welch Her Majesty’s Inspector 8 and 9 June 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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