Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy

Inspection of Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy Stoke Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 5AY

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 21 and 22 March 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy is a happy and welcoming community. Teachers know pupils and their families very well. Relationships between pupils and staff are strong and supportive. Leaders have high expectations regarding pupils’ behaviour and they ensure that responses to incidents are measured and fair. This leads to pupils behaving very well. They are courteous and respectful. Lessons and the atmosphere around the site are calm and purposeful. Pupils say that any instances of bullying or harassment are rare and always followed up. This helps pupils to feel very safe and happy at this school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of how accepting and inclusive of others the school is. They speak enthusiastically of pupil leadership groups such as ‘Agents For Change’. They are also keenly preparing a cultural day to celebrate their diverse backgrounds.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum, so that it is ambitious and relevant. All pupils study a broad range of subjects. However, the most effective teaching approaches are not yet fully consistent. Consequently, pupils do not achieve equally well in all classes. This includes some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and some who need support with reading.

p.2

better?

Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum. Leaders’ plans to implement a strengthened curriculum have been disrupted by COVID-19 and growth in the school. This situation is now stabilising. Leaders have improved the range of academic and vocational options in key stage 4. They have carefully considered where options lead to after Year 11.

p.2

better?

For each subject, leaders have mapped out what pupils must learn at each point. There are examples of positive practice across the school in terms of the delivery of the curriculum. In these areas, new learning is presented and practised effectively. Teachers often make links to the wider world to bring the content to life. In particular, they carefully check pupils’ understanding before moving on. In these lessons, pupils achieve highly. However, this is variable across the curriculum.

p.2

better?

The special educational needs coordinator ensures that teachers receive accurate information about pupils’ needs. Teachers use this increasingly well but also not yet consistently. Consequently, some pupils, including some pupils with SEND, cannot routinely remember what they have learned or apply it confidently and accurately.

p.2

better?

Leaders understand that reading is important. They have invested in training and staff to support the teaching of reading, but the school’s strategy is in its early stages. Some elements are further along, such as approaches to vocabulary development. However, reading across the curriculum is not securely in place. Furthermore, too many pupils who need help with reading do not receive the support they need early enough. 21 and 22 March 2023

p.2

3

Leaders prioritise pupils’ personal development. The programme is well organised and supports pupils to learn about healthy relationships and life in modern Britain. Specialist and industry partners support the personal development and careers programmes well. Pupils explore their interests and talents through the many extracurricular opportunities on offer, which are fully inclusive. Leaders have closely aligned the main curriculum with the school’s strong careers and enterprise programme from Year 7. This programme supports pupils to develop a range of transferable skills that support their aspirations. Pupils, including those with SEND, go on to varied and interesting courses and establishments when they leave.

p.3

3

Staff model and nurture positive character traits to help pupils to develop enthusiastic attitudes towards learning. Pupils are encouraged to be kind, confident and respectful. This enables them to focus successfully on their work during lessons and to contribute to the positive atmosphere around the school.

p.3

3

Those responsible for governance take their statutory responsibilities seriously. Governors and trust leaders know the school’s strengths and development areas. They have established strong systems to hold leaders to account. The working environment in school is collaborative and very supportive. Staff appreciate leaders’ actions to help them to manage their workload and to provide more time for curriculum development.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a strength of the school. Leaders and those responsible for governance ensure that robust safeguarding policies and procedures are in place. They complete rigorous checks to ensure that staff are fit to work with pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

The knowledgeable designated safeguarding lead provides regular, high-quality training for staff. A strong culture of vigilance ensures that staff act swiftly if they have concerns. Safeguarding staff work diligently to secure support for vulnerable pupils.

p.3

Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to manage risks. They know where to get help and they trust that staff will take their concerns seriously. Parents and carers say that their children feel safe in school.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There is a variable approach to supporting pupils with reading. As a result, pupils do not read widely across the curriculum, and not all weaker readers are supported sufficiently well. Leaders should continue their work to strengthen 21 and 22 March 2023

p.3

4

reading across the curriculum and ensure that staff identify and support pupils in the early stages of reading.  Teaching is inconsistent across the curriculum. This means that some pupils are not achieving as well as they could in some subjects. Leaders should continue their work with staff to ensure that teaching approaches support pupils to learn the curriculum and that the delivery of the curriculum in all lessons matches that seen in the best examples.

p.4

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 21 and 22 March 2023

p.4

Date of previous inspection

Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy converted to become an academy school in January 2019. When its predecessor school, Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate overall.  Lynch Hill Enterprise Academy is sponsored by Slough and East Berkshire Church of England Multi Academy Trust.  The numbers of pupils on roll at the school have risen significantly since the previous inspection as the school has grown to full capacity in Years 7 to 11.  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.  The school uses two registered alternative providers.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 21 and 22 March 2023

p.5

6

 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 headteacher, senior leaders and representatives of those with responsibility for governance and the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, religious education, and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding lead, examined school records and discussed safeguarding cases.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation, including minutes of local governing body meetings, policies, and records for behaviour management,

p.6

6

attendance and bullying. Inspectors also reviewed documents relating to the alternative providers used by the school.  Inspectors spoke with a range of pupils from different year groups and considered their responses to the pupil questionnaire. They also observed pupils at different times during the school day, including at break- and lunchtimes.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator to discuss the provision for pupils with SEND. During the lessons visited, they reviewed the support these pupils were receiving.  Inspectors considered the responses to the confidential staff survey. They took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and parents’ free-text comments.

p.6

Inspection team

Mary Davies, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Jason Philipsz Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 March 2023

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

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

p.7