Haberdashers' Crayford Academy

Inspection of Haberdashers' Crayford Academy Iron Mill Lane, Crayford, Dartford, Kent, DA1 4RS

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 30 November and 1 December 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Haberdashers’ Crayford Academy are part of a strong and inclusive community. They respect each other and show kindness and consideration to all. This is a school where pupils learn how to become active citizens. They have many opportunities to develop leadership qualities in roles, such as school council representatives and prefects. Sixth-form students complete voluntary service in the local community. They help at food banks and in primary schools.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils and pupils meet these expectations most of the time. They behave well and support each other’s well-being, for example, through taking on roles as anti-bullying ambassadors. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, leaders deal with it effectively. Pupils enjoy school. They are safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils work hard in lessons, both independently and with their peers. They collaborate well with each other and enjoy their learning. They recognise and value the help that teachers give them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with a diverse range of opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Pupils can take part in sport, music, including a string ensemble and gospel choir, and drama. There are many clubs, including chess, modern foreign languages film club, and a culture and faith sharing group.

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better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. It is well sequenced, so that pupils build up their knowledge and skills in increasing depth over time. Leaders have taken action to increase the proportion of pupils studying the full range of English Baccalaureate subjects at GCSE. All pupils study a GCSE in either history or geography. Leaders are also enriching pupils’ experience of modern foreign languages in Years 7 to 9. This is leading to more pupils studying French or Spanish at GCSE. Leaders have developed the curriculum to meet the needs and interests of pupils. There is a range of vocational courses on offer in Years 10 and 11 and in the sixth form. This provides pupils with pathways onto apprenticeships and employment.

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better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge and they help pupils to remember what they have learned before. They check pupils’ work and provide them with feedback on how to improve. In sixth-form lessons, teachers promote discussion and debate and question students skilfully. This helps students to deepen and extend their learning. However, in Years 7 to 11, some teachers do not secure pupils’ knowledge and understanding before moving on to the next stage of learning. Also, some teachers select activities that do not help pupils to embed their knowledge and understanding.

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better?

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as other pupils. Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND well. Teachers and teaching assistants work together to meet the needs of these pupils. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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Leaders also prioritise pupils at an early stage of reading. They check pupils’ reading levels when they join the school and provide extra help in reading fluency and comprehension. This help includes phonics teaching for those pupils who need it. Sixth-form pupils contribute to the school’s reading programmes. They are ‘reading buddies’ for younger pupils and receive training to provide reading support to small groups of pupils in the library.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are positive. They are attentive in lessons and focus on their work. Many are keen to respond to teacher questioning. In the sixth form, students show a real interest in their chosen subjects and enjoy working in collaboration with their peers. Leaders have established an environment where learning takes place with minimal disruption.

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Leaders give high priority to pupils’ pastoral care and personal development. They provide pupils with age-appropriate information about relationships. Pupils also learn about equality and diversity and physical and mental health. They celebrate diversity through events, such as Black History Month and a school cultural day. Pupils receive appropriate careers information, education, advice and guidance. In the sixth form, students value the help they get with their university applications. Leaders prepare pupils well for the next stage of their education or training.

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Leaders are providing a high-quality education. They have established coherent approaches to curriculum design and delivery, and behaviour. Trust leaders support the school’s development, for example, through professional development programmes for staff and enrichment opportunities for pupils. Trustees and governors ensure that there is rigorous oversight of key areas of provision, such as safeguarding. Leaders show a commitment to building positive relationships with parents and carers. They play a central role in the local community. Staff enjoy working here. They are well supported with regard to their workload and well-being.

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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 use their knowledge of safeguarding and of local safeguarding risks to good effect. They provide staff with regular training and updates. Staff are alert to pupils who show any signs of concern. They take responsibility for safeguarding and report any concerns swiftly to relevant leaders. Leaders work well with external agencies to secure the help pupils need. They have also developed in-school services for pupils who they identify as being vulnerable to risk. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Leaders prioritise this aspect of pupils’ learning. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At key stage 3 and 4, some teachers do not secure pupils’ knowledge and understanding effectively. They either fail to check pupils’ understanding of that content with enough rigour or select activities that are not well suited to intended learning outcomes. This means that pupils move on to the next stage of learning with gaps in their knowledge and find it difficult to build successfully on their previous learning. Leaders should ensure that teachers become more skilled in the range of strategies they need to help pupils secure essential knowledge and build progressively on that knowledge.

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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. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10255408 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy sponsor-led

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1055

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sixth form

Principal Steve Wheatley (Executive Principal)

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sixth form

Website https://www.habscrayford.org.uk/

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 22 to 23 May 2019 under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 At the time of the last inspection the school was an all-through school. Since that time, the school has changed to become a secondary school.  The school is part of the Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 30 November and 1 December 2022

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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.  Inspectors met with the principal, members of the leadership team, other school leaders, the chief executive officer of the trust, members of the local governing body, and members of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors met 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 spoke with subject leaders for modern foreign languages, enterprise, and physical education. They visited lessons in these subjects. They also visited sixth-form lessons in law, business studies, criminology, and health

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Information about this inspection

and social care.  Inspectors met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and deputy DSL. They looked at safeguarding documentation and record keeping, including the single central record. Inspectors also spoke with staff and pupils about safeguarding.  Inspectors spoke to additional groups of pupils in relation to personal development, and behaviour and attitudes.  Inspectors considered the 60 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and the 76 responses to the online survey for parents, Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn His Majesty's Inspector 30 November and 1 December 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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