Harris Academy Tottenham

Inspection of an outstanding school: Harris Academy Tottenham Ashley Road, Tottenham Hale, London N17 9LN

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2023

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Outcome

Harris Academy Tottenham continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Harris Academy Tottenham belong to a diverse and inclusive school community. This is a school where pupils mix happily with each other. Staff care about the pupils and build positive relationships with pupils and their families. Pupils are safe here. They enjoy school life and show a commitment to their education.

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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 succeed. They instil this belief in pupils from an early age. Pupils respond well to teachers. They focus on their learning and work hard. Teachers praise and reward pupils for their achievements. For example, teachers select pupils as ‘stars of the week’ in the primary phase.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show consideration and respect for each other. Lessons are free from disruption and pupils conduct themselves in a calm and orderly manner. Bullying is rare. When it does happen, leaders deal with it effectively. Indeed, pupils’ behaviour and conduct are exceptional.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders show a determination to provide pupils with a wide range of experiences. There is a programme of trips and visits to places of cultural significance, such as museums and galleries. Pupils also attend clubs and activities, including dance, sports, steel pans and choir.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. From the early years to the sixth form, they have identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn. This knowledge is well-sequenced. Pupils revisit what they have learned before and build on this learning. They develop their knowledge and understanding in increasing depth and complexity. As pupils move through the school, they also develop subject-specific skills. This helps them to think and work like subject specialists, such as mathematicians and geographers. 11 and 12 January 2023 The curriculum focuses on the foundations of literacy and numeracy in the early years. Leaders continue to prioritise these aspects of pupils’ education throughout the primary phase. They also introduce the teaching of specific subjects early in the primary phase. This lays the basis of a strong academic education. In Years 7 to 9, pupils study classics as well

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

as subjects such as dance and drama. A high proportion of pupils go on to study the full range of English Baccalaureate subjects at GCSE. Pupils progress on to sixth form study with the depth of knowledge and range of skills they need. In the sixth form, pupils can choose from an increasing number of academic and vocational courses. Leaders are extending the sixth-form curriculum to meet pupils’ needs and interests.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to help pupils know and remember more. They explain new ideas with clarity and secure pupils’ understanding through effective questioning. Teachers help pupils to improve their work. They give pupils frequent feedback. They ensure that pupils correct any mistakes that they make. Pupils learn without disruption. They show very positive attitudes to their learning. Pupils at all stages of their education achieve well, including pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Leaders identify the specific needs of pupils with SEND. They give staff the training they require to meet the needs of these pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders understand the fundamental importance of reading. They know how crucial it is, both to pupils’ success in education and to their future life chances. From the start of Reception, all pupils learn to read using phonics. Teachers are skilled in the teaching of reading and pupils begin to read with fluency quickly. Pupils who need extra help receive it. This helps them to catch up with their peers. By the end of Year 1, a very high proportion of pupils reach age-related expectations. Leaders prioritise reading throughout all phases of the school. Leaders choose class texts in primary and English texts in secondary with clear purpose. For example, they select texts to help pupils understand their own place in the world or to introduce them to new genres. Teachers encourage pupils to read for pleasure. Pupils read often in school, both in class and in tutor time.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have developed an extensive personal development programme. Pupils learn about relationships in an age-appropriate way. They also learn about physical and mental health, and equality and diversity. Pupils celebrate ‘international culture day’ and there are anti- bullying and ‘proud to be me’ weeks. Pupils develop a sense of their own identity and an increasing awareness of the identity of others. In the secondary phase, pupils receive regular careers information and guidance. This helps them to make well-informed choices about their next steps in education and employment. In the sixth form, leaders prepare students well for university and apprenticeship applications.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have high aspirations for every pupil. They provide pupils with a high-quality education, founded on a positive and respectful culture. Governors share these aspirations. They hold leaders to account for the achievement of pupils, including pupils with SEND. Trust leaders support the continuous development of the school through research-led professional development. Leaders value staff and prioritise staff well-being. Staff welcome initiatives such as ‘secret friends’, which involve staff taking actions to thank and reward their colleagues. Leaders also seek staff views on workload and respond accordingly, for example with regard to marking and email policies. Staff enjoy working here. 11 and 12 January 2023

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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 provide staff with regular training and updates. This ensures that staff have the knowledge and skills they need to identify potential risks to pupils. Staff are alert to safeguarding risks and report concerns about pupils immediately. Leaders are knowledgeable about the local community and the contextual risks this can present. They work effectively with a wide range of external agencies to secure the help pupils need. They also work with parents to raise their awareness of the risks to their children. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in May 2017.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 11 and 12 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10231302 Type of school All-through

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1181

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form

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 May 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Harris Federation.  Leaders use one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this ungraded inspection under section 8 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 and trust leaders, and members of the local governing body. 11 and 12 January 2023  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, Spanish and geography. 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 English and science. They visited lessons in these subjects. They also visited sixth-form lessons in history and economics.  Inspectors met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and members of the

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Information about this inspection

school’s safeguarding team. 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 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey, staff survey, and to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ian Rawstorne, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Hayley Follett Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 January 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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