Frobel Independent School

Inspection of Frobel Independent School 67-73 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex IG11 8TG

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Inspection dates: 13 to 15 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Frobel Independent School are polite and friendly. They enjoy school life and mix with each other happily. Staff care for the pupils and build trusting relationships with pupils and their families. Pupils are safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils. They believe all pupils have the potential to do well in their GCSE examinations. Pupils respond well to these expectations. They work hard and show a determination to succeed. Teachers help pupils with their work, and pupils value this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. During lessons, they focus on their work without disruption. At lunchtime and breaktime, they socialise with each other and play basketball in the playground. There have been no incidents of bullying reported at the school. Leaders make it clear that bullying is not tolerated. Pupils know that they must report any negative behaviour towards them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils. They are establishing a wide range of cultural and work-related experiences. Pupils have individual piano lessons and visit museums and the theatre. They are taking part in a global project exploring significant world events through time. Pupils learn about their place in the world and how to become active citizens.

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better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. In Years 7 to 9, pupils study a wide range of subjects. These include creative arts and a modern foreign language. In Years 10 and 11, all pupils study mathematics, English language and literature, science and computer science. These subjects provide pupils with a strong academic education. Pupils also choose other subjects to study at GCSE, for example history and business studies. The curriculum is well ordered. Leaders have considered their choice of curriculum content well in most subjects. This enables pupils to build up their knowledge in increasing depth and complexity. In a few subjects, leaders need to develop the curriculum for younger pupils further. This would help pupils to remember more over time.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge and they explain new information clearly to pupils. They check pupils’ understanding of both new and prior learning. This allows teachers to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and adapt their teaching accordingly. Teachers use end-of-term tests to check what pupils have learned. Pupils have revision booklets to help them revisit previous learning independently. In Years 7 to 9, teachers often set activities such as GCSE-style questions, which are designed to develop skills, for example the skills of analysis and evaluation. However, these tasks do not routinely inform teachers about how well pupils have remembered essential knowledge.

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better?

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning and behave well in lessons. Teachers teach without disruption from pupils. Pupils ask questions, both to check and deepen 13 to 15 September 2022 their understanding. In Year 11, pupils show real enthusiasm for their learning, for example in biology and history.

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better?

Leaders prioritise reading. They understand its fundamental importance to pupils’ educational success. They assess pupils’ reading when they join the school. This allows leaders to identify pupils’ reading needs and provide extra help if needed. Leaders have ensured that staff can support pupils with reading fluency and comprehension.

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better?

Currently, there are no pupils with identified special educational needs and/or disabilities at the school. All pupils complete the same work in lessons. Teachers are alert to pupils’ social, emotional and learning needs. They know the pupils well and help them to achieve. Last academic year, all Year 11 pupils were successful in gaining places at local sixth forms. Leaders provide pupils with careers information, advice and guidance. This helps pupils to make informed choices about the next stage of their education. Leaders are increasing the range of work-based experiences and careers events for pupils.

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better?

Leaders have developed a well-sequenced and age-appropriate curriculum for pupils’ personal development. This includes relationships and sex education (RSE) and health education and citizenship. Leaders have implemented the statutory guidance on RSE. Staff take an open and sensitive approach to the teaching of these aspects of the curriculum. Pupils also learn about equality and diversity and fundamental British values. They visit museums and the theatre and support the local community, for example by working with primary school children.

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better?

The proprietor aims to provide children in the local community with access to a high- quality education. He has recruited school leaders with the necessary experience and expertise. He wants to improve the life chances of young people in the community. The governors and school leaders share the proprietor’s vision. The proprietor and governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities well. They hold school leaders to account for the educational performance of the school.

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better?

School leaders show great commitment to pupils and their families. They build strong, caring relationships with them. This provides the foundations for pupils’ happiness and achievement at school. Leaders also care for their staff. They ensure that staff’s workload is manageable and support staff’s well-being. Staff value this.

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better?

The school meets all the independent school standards and fulfils the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. Leaders show that they have both the capability and capacity to meet the independent school standards over time.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding. Staff receive regular training, including on issues such as radicalisation and online safety. This keeps staff alert to potential signs of risk in pupils. Leaders have developed a good relationship 13 to 15 September 2022 with safeguarding personnel at the local authority. They seek advice when required and know how to secure appropriate help for pupils. Pupils learn about safeguarding risks through lessons, assemblies and talks from external agencies.

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Safeguarding

Leaders complete all relevant pre-recruitment checks on staff. They publish the school safeguarding policy on the school website. The policy reflects current government guidance.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 In a few subjects at key stage 3, the choice of curriculum content and the sequencing of that content has not been fully considered. This means that pupils do not consistently build up increasingly complex knowledge and understanding. Leaders should ensure that further curriculum thinking takes place in these subjects to provide for a coherent progression in both subject knowledge and subject disciplines at key stage 3.  Pupils often complete GCSE style questions at key stage 3. This does not routinely allow teachers to check the extent to which pupils are securing essential subject knowledge and understanding. Leaders should ensure that teachers select activities at key stage 3 that help pupils to embed and use knowledge fluently.

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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. 13 to 15 September 2022

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School details

Proprietor Frobel Independent School Limited

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £6,000 – Years 7, 8, 9 £8,000 – Years 10, 11 Telephone number 020 8591 7894

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School details

Email address yiqbal@frobels.co.uk 13 to 15 September 2022

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Information about this school

 The school was registered by the Department for Education on 23 June 2021. This was the school’s first standard inspection.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school operates from 67-73 Longbridge Road, Barking, Essex, IG11 8TG.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection 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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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the proprietor, who is also the chair of governors, the executive headteacher and the headteacher.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, history and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at 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 looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about other subjects including art, music, physical education and geography.  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 responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff. They also considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, the online survey for parents.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors toured the school site and scrutinised a wide range of documentary evidence to check on the statutory requirements of the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 to 15 September 2022 Mark Smith His Majesty’s Inspector 13 to 15 September 2022 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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