College Francais Bilingue De Londres

Inspection of College Francais Bilingue De Londres 87 Holmes Road, Kentish Town, London NW5 3AX

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Inspection dates: 28 to 30 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 Early years provision Outstanding Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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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 are happy at school. They are kept safe. They said that this is because there are always teachers they can talk to if they have concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave well. They understand that bullying is not acceptable and know that teachers will take any incidents seriously. If any bullying does occur, it is always dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum. They produce work of good quality because teachers expect them to do so. Overall, the curriculum prepares pupils well for the next stage of their education, employment or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils access a range of extra-curricular activities, such as chess, sports, art and drama. They enjoy educational visits that aim to enhance their learning. These include, for example, trips to different London museums and the Supreme Courts of Justice.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the opportunities they have to take part in the special events that leaders organise. For example, all pupils take part in the whole- school show and are keen to perform in the monthly ‘Lunch Jam’. They are supportive and appreciative of their fellow pupils’ musical talents and performances.

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better?

Leaders ensure that pupils follow a curriculum that matches the ambition and scope of what is expected nationally. French and English teachers work closely together to identify the important concepts that pupils need to develop and remember in the long term.

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better?

The curriculum is well sequenced. Important knowledge and vocabulary are broken down into small steps that are revisited over time. This helps pupils to deepen their understanding and tackle more demanding learning as they move up through the school. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 1 find lines of symmetry using mirrors. They use this knowledge in Years 3 and 4 to describe symmetry in a range of two-dimensional shapes. By the start of the secondary phase, pupils extend their knowledge in this area to axis symmetry. This prepares them well to understand more complex work on transformations in Year 10. Teachers make effective use of assessment to check what pupils have learned.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised pupils’ reading. Pupils develop a love of reading and enjoy being read to, in both French and English. Phonics is taught as soon as children start school. Leaders ensure that children learn and become fluent in two languages and alphabetic codes. All staff in the primary phase have had training to use the school’s new phonics programme. As a result, pupils are well supported to read with growing accuracy and confidence. Regular assessments are used to identify any gaps or misconceptions in phonics. Additional support is provided to ensure that pupils keep 28 to 30 September 2022 up with the reading programme. However, in a few instances, staff do not provide some pupils with well-targeted opportunities to practise the sounds that they are learning and strengthen their reading fluency.

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better?

Children in the early years settle well. They are highly motivated and follow routines with remarkable maturity. They are encouraged to become confident and successful learners. Staff expect children to speak confidently and use a range of vocabulary with accuracy and precision, in both English and French. Children meet these high expectations. Leaders have ensured the curriculum is ambitious and prepares children very well for the next stage of their education. For example, children are immersed in number and the ways it is represented. This means they understand numerical values irrespective of the language they are counting in. The school meets the statutory safeguarding and welfare requirements of the early years foundation stage.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Teachers make appropriate adaptations to support their learning. This ensures that these pupils access the same curriculum as their peers. Staff work closely with families and external agencies to secure specialist support where it is needed.

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better?

Pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes towards their education. Classrooms are typically calm and conducive to learning. Sometimes pupils in the primary phase need refocusing but settle quickly with a reminder from staff. Attendance is monitored rigorously to ensure all pupils are in school and are taking part in the learning provided.

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better?

Pupils’ wider personal development is supported effectively. Leaders have implemented the statutory guidance for relationships and sex education. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education is broad and well considered. Pupils learn about important values such as equality, liberty, tolerance and respect. Their understanding of different faiths, beliefs and traditions is promoted well in the secondary phase. However, the curriculum does not cover these themes as fully in the primary phase.

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better?

Leaders ensure that older pupils receive a well-structured careers programme. This includes impartial information on different professions and courses. This helps pupils to make informed choices about their next stage of education, employment or training.

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better?

Leaders, governors and the proprietor body are ambitious. They have a detailed and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. Leaders understand their statutory duties and have ensured that these, and all the independent school standards, are met.

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better?

Staff are positive and happy to work here. Almost all say their workload is well considered by school leaders

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010. 28 to 30 September 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders and staff understand their statutory responsibilities in keeping pupils safe. Training on safeguarding is up to date and comprehensive. Staff understand the systems for reporting concerns and do so swiftly. Leaders seek advice from, and work closely with, external services to provide support to pupils and families who need it.

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Safeguarding

The curriculum is designed to help pupils know how to stay safe. For example, pupils understand how to stay safe online.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have ensured that pre-employment checks and risk assessments of the school site, as well as off-site visits, are managed and maintained effectively.

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Safeguarding

The safeguarding policy is made available to parents and carers on the school’s website. The policy is up to date and incorporates the latest statutory guidance.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 While pupils learn to read with confidence and accuracy, some pupils do not get well-targeted practice to help build up their reading fluency. Leaders should ensure that time for pupils to practise reading is maximised. This will support pupils to increase their reading fluency.  In the primary phase, opportunities for pupils to learn about different faiths and beliefs are underdeveloped. This means that pupils’ appreciation of people’s similarities and differences is not promoted as well as leaders intend. Leaders should review the curriculum in the primary phase and strengthen the way in which pupils acquire an understanding of different faiths and traditions.

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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. 28 to 30 September 2022

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School details

Proprietor College Francais Bilingue De Londres Limited Chair Benjamin Vedrenne-Cloquet

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £12,260 to £13,670

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 to 28 June 2018 28 to 30 September 2022

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Information about this school

 The Collège Français Bilingue de Londres opened in September 2011. It is currently registered for up to 710 pupils aged three to 16.  The school has an exemption in place for the learning and development requirements of the early years foundation stage.  In the primary department, half of the curriculum is taught in French and half in English. In the secondary department, pupils study a common core of subjects with a French and English bilingual approach for all the students.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school provides after-school care for pupils aged from three to 16 years.  The current headteacher took up the post in September 2021.

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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

 The inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteachers and members of staff. They also spoke with six governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, physical education, PSHE and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders and teachers, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also looked at some other subjects as part of the inspection, including computing and design and technology. Early mathematics in the Nursery and Reception classes was also considered  The inspectors looked at a range of documents, including leaders’ priorities for improvement.  The inspectors reviewed the arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with leaders, staff and pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through discussions. The 28 to 30 September 2022 responses to Ofsted’s surveys were also considered.

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Inspection team

Samantha Ingram, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jude Wilson His Majesty’s Inspector 28 to 30 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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