The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy

Inspection of The Archbishop Lanfranc Academy Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 3AS

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Good 14 and 15 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is an inclusive school. Pupils from a wide range of backgrounds are welcomed. Staff work hard to build positive relationships with pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders place an emphasis on the induction of new pupils. Before Year 7 pupils join the school they can attend summer school and take part in special events. Pupils enjoy attending school. They told inspectors that they feel safe and know who to talk to if they want help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for their pupils but have not ensured that the curriculum is well planned in all subjects. Sometimes teachers do not check what pupils know before moving on. This creates gaps in pupils’ learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In some lessons behaviour disrupts learning. Around the school behaviour can be boisterous. When bullying is reported leaders take action. Pupils feel that some staff take bullying more seriously than others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have prioritised the teaching of religious studies and citizenship and all pupils study these subjects throughout the school. For example, pupils learn about the British values of democracy and the rule of law in depth, comparing the British system with others from around the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the additional opportunities that are provided to everyone. These include after-school clubs and ‘Academy Days’, where pupils go on educational visits.

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better?

Leaders are developing an ambitious curriculum, which supports pupils to succeed in the future. This is because it is broad and balanced. Pupils can now choose from a range of subjects when they choose their options at the end of Year 9. The proportion of pupils entered for GCSEs in modern foreign languages and history or geography is increasing.

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better?

Leaders have not consistently identified the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn. In some subjects there are clear expectations of what should be learned at each stage. This content is set out in small steps. In other subjects this is not the case and it is harder for to pupils make progress through the curriculum.

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better?

Sometimes teachers do not check what pupils can recall from previous learning before starting to teach new content. When this happens pupils find it harder to connect new learning with what they have learned before.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are new to English follow the same curriculum as other pupils. Teachers and teaching 14 and 15 September 2022

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assistants adapt the curriculum, so these pupils make the same progress as other pupils.

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Pupils who are struggling to read are not supported to catch up. Leaders have introduced a weekly reading lesson for all younger pupils as a first step towards prioritising reading.

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Leaders have high expectations of behaviour but some lessons are disrupted by low- level disruption. This stops pupils from learning. Sometimes pupil behaviour around the school is boisterous. Leaders have clear procedures for managing behaviour but not all staff use these consistently.

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Pupils feel safe. Pastoral support has recently been expanded with additional counselling and mentoring support in a new dedicated area. Pupils speak highly about this support. Leaders have taken effective action to support attendance.

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Every pupil takes part in an after-school club every week. Pupils are proud of their achievements in these. Year 8 girls recently learned about close ball control in football while another group learned how to use computer coding to create a website.

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Leaders have recently increased the amount of time spent teaching the personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme. This will allow topics to be covered in greater depth. Leaders have started to improve careers guidance, including the provision of independent careers advice from Year 7. These changes have only just been introduced.

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Staff feel that leaders support them in managing their workload. Leaders have identified priorities for the school but have not acted with sufficient urgency to address these. Those responsible for governance do not hold leaders sufficiently to account for their work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff understand it is everyone’s responsibility to keep pupils safe. Leaders have ensured that all staff receive regular training on safeguarding. For example, recent training considered the signs that may indicate pupils’ involvement in county lines.

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Safeguarding

Staff know how to report any concerns. Pupils know who to talk to if they need help. They can also report any concerns online. Leaders have developed good working relationships with external agencies. They ensure that pupils receive any additional help that they need.

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Safeguarding

Leaders make sure that the required checks are made when appointing new staff. 14 and 15 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not identified the essential knowledge and skills pupils need to acquire. This means that pupils do not progress through the curriculum well. Leaders need to ensure that all subjects identify and break down the essential knowledge and skills pupils need to remember to meet the curriculum goals.  Teachers do not consistently check what pupils have learned. As a result, teachers do not always identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge before introducing new content. Leaders should ensure that teachers identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and provide appropriate activities to address these gaps before moving on to new content.  Leaders work to support weak readers and prioritise reading is inconsistent. Those who struggle to read do not receive enough support to become fluent readers. This means they struggle to access the curriculum. Leaders should systematically identify and support weak readers to read fluently.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have not taken effective steps to secure high standards of behaviour. As a result there is low-level disruption in some lessons. Around the school behaviour can be boisterous. Leaders need to ensure that all staff follow school policies and procedures regarding behaviour.  Governors and trust members do not have a full understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This means they have been unable to hold leaders to account and ensure rapid improvement. Governors and trust members should review their systems for oversight of the school’s work. This should include ensuring that plans for PSHE and careers education are fully implemented.

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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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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. 14 and 15 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10241871 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Date of previous inspection 29 – 30 March 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 In September 2021, a new headteacher started at the school.  Currently, leaders make use of one registered alternative provider, Saffron Valley Collegiate, 279 High Street, Croydon, CR0 1QH.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 11 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 14 and 15 September 2022

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other school leaders. Inspectors met with three governors, one of whom is also a trustee of the BEC Trust. Inspectors spoke with a representative from Croydon local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: art and design, English, geography and mathematics. 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 also met with the subject leaders of history, modern foreign languages and science to discuss their curriculum plans.  Inspectors talked to pupils and staff about other subject areas. Inspectors visited lessons and reviewed samples of pupils’ work in a range of subjects.  Inspectors held meetings with school leaders about attendance, behaviour, careers education, PSHE, off-site provision and SEND.

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 Inspectors spoke with leaders, pupils and staff about the arrangements for safeguarding and reviewed safeguarding documentation, including pre- employment checks on staff.  Inspectors observed behaviour in lessons and around the school. Inspectors held formal and informal discussions with groups of pupils from different year groups.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey of parents’ views and to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Gary Phillips, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Amanda Torpey Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 September 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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