Ark John Keats Academy

Inspection of Ark John Keats Academy Bell Lane, London EN3 5PA

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 January 2023

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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 Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

This school was last inspected eight years ago and judged ‘Outstanding’ under a previous inspection framework. This reflected the school’s overall effectiveness under the inspection framework in use at the time.

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Overall effectiveness Good

From then until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections. Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection. 24 and 25 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Ark John Keats Academy are polite and friendly. This is an inclusive school where pupils treat each other with respect and kindness. Pupils are safe here. Staff encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own actions. Pupils mix happily with each other at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of every pupil. They want all pupils to achieve well at school and to go on to lead successful lives and careers. Leaders ensure that staff meet pupils’ individual needs. Pupils respond well to leaders’ expectations. They develop a growing confidence in their own abilities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Leaders have established a clear set of routines. This has helped to create a calm and orderly environment. In lessons, pupils focus on their work and listen to their teachers. If their focus wanes, teachers are quick to address it. Bullying is quite rare. When it does happen, leaders deal with it effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal and social development. They provide pupils with a wide range of experiences. Pupils can join clubs, including chess and debating, and take part in music and sporting activities. There are visits to places of cultural interest, including museums, galleries and places of worship.

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better?

Leaders have designed an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum. They have identified a broad and deep body of knowledge for pupils to learn. Pupils revisit what they have learned before and build on that learning. They develop their knowledge and understanding in increasing depth and complexity over time. Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND well. They provide staff with training to meet those needs. All pupils access the same academic curriculum and achieve well.

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better?

In the early years, leaders have created a rich and stimulating environment. This helps children’s physical and social development. Teachers also prioritise the development of children’s language and communication. Children in Nursery show high levels of independence and manage their emotions well. As pupils move through the school, they learn to work and think like subject specialists, such as mathematicians, geographers and linguists. In Years 10 and 11, a very high proportion of pupils study the full range of English Baccalaureate subjects. In the sixth form, students can choose from either an A-level or a professional programme of study. Leaders are developing a sixth-form curriculum which meets the needs and interests of students. Students are successful in gaining places at university and on apprenticeships.

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better?

Leaders know how important reading is to pupils’ educational success. They have ensured that teachers integrate reading into pupils’ day-to-day learning. From the start of Reception, pupils learn to read using phonics. They quickly learn to read with 24 and 25 January 2023

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fluency. Leaders assess pupils’ reading regularly. Pupils who need it get extra help. This helps them to catch up with their peers. A high proportion of pupils meet age-related expectations in reading by the end of Year 1. Leaders also promote a love for reading. They encourage pupils to read for pleasure. From Reception, pupils take books home for parents and carers to read with them. Time is set aside each week in all phases of the school for pupils to read.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use this well to present new information to pupils. Pupils complete starter activities to help them recall prior knowledge. Teachers give feedback to pupils on how to improve their work. In the sixth form, students have regular reviews with teachers about their progress. This helps them identify and address any gaps in their knowledge and understanding. However, in key stages 2 and 3 in particular, some teachers teach new content too quickly. They do not give pupils enough time or opportunity to consolidate their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are good, particularly in the primary phase and in the sixth form. There is occasional low-level disruption in the secondary phase, in particular in Years 7 to 9. Leaders do not tolerate this. Teachers use the school’s behaviour policy with consistency to address such disruption when it does occur. This minimises the impact on pupils’ learning.

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Leaders have developed an extensive personal development programme. They enhance the programme through assemblies and via guest speakers. Pupils learn about relationships in an age-appropriate way. They also learn about equality and diversity, and celebrate events such as Human Rights Day and International Women’s Day. In the secondary phase, pupils receive appropriate careers education and guidance. This helps pupils make informed decisions about their next steps in education, training and employment.

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Leaders and governors share a commitment to providing a high-quality academic education for all pupils. They want to give pupils the opportunity to study in higher education and to secure professional careers. Trust leaders provide additional leadership capacity and professional development for staff. This supports school leaders in providing a high-quality education. Leaders are mindful of staff’s workload and well-being. Changes to school assessment policies have reduced teachers’ workload. Staff feel valued and enjoy working here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a culture of safeguarding across the school. They have increased the capacity of the school’s safeguarding team. This helps to ensure that leaders meet pupils’ and families’ needs well. Staff receive regular training. They are alert to the signs of potential risk to pupils. They report any concerns about pupils appropriately. Leaders have developed in-school mental health provision. They have also established effective relationships with external agencies. This ensures that pupils 24 and 25 January 2023

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get the help they need. Leaders 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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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some teachers teach new content too quickly. They do not check, systematically, that pupils have secured an understanding of that content. This results in some pupils not fully understanding the new content taught and being unable to complete related work successfully. Leaders should ensure that teachers adapt their teaching to enable pupils to secure new knowledge before moving on to the next stage in pupils’ learning.

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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. 24 and 25 January 2023

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,804

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sixth form

Principal Katie Marshall (Secondary) Emma Penzer (Primary) Website www.arkjohnkeats.org

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 April 2015, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Ark Schools academy trust.  The school opened in September 2013. At the time of the previous inspection, there were 255 pupils on the school roll.  Leaders use three registered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 24 and 25 January 2023

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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 principals of the primary and secondary phases of the school, other school and trust leaders and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, English, French 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 spoke with the subject leader for history in the secondary phase of the school and visited history, science and drama lessons in Years 7 to 9. They also visited sixth-form lessons in biology, chemistry, sociology and applied business.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors met with the school’s designated safeguarding lead and members of the 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 and 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

Alison Cartlidge Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 January 2023

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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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