Buxton School

Inspection of a good school: Buxton School 234 Cann Hall Road, Leytonstone, London E11 3NN

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Outcome

Buxton School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, staff and pupils all embody the school values of ambition, honesty, academia, kindness and family. Members of the school community described how Buxton School is like a family.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value how attending an all-through school helps them to feel settled. Staff know pupils very well, and because of this, they make sure that pupils are inspired by their learning. Leaders have developed a curriculum based on their high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders and staff understand pupils’ needs fully, including those who attend the additional resource provision (ARP). These pupils benefit from well-tailored additional support, including support for accessing the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have ensured that there is a clear behaviour system in place, with well- understood rewards and consequences. All staff have high expectations about the behaviour of pupils. Pupils display positive attitudes to learning in their lessons. Pupils are kept safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders use trips and other enrichment activities to increase pupils’ exposure to the wider world. They want all pupils to have certain key experiences, such as taking part in in- person work experience. Leaders also use the pupil voice to help them to decide on the extra-curricular offer. This has led to the introduction of clubs for ballet and debating.

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

Leaders have made curriculum development a priority in recent years. They have ensured that there is an ambitious curriculum in place for all pupils at the school, including children in early years. The curriculum matches the aims of the national curriculum. Leaders have identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn in each subject. Starting in early years, what is taught in each year group builds on what has been learned before. Teachers use well-chosen strategies to make sure that pupils embed this learning 20 and 21 June 2023

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into their long-term memories. They use questioning purposefully to check pupils’ understanding.

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The history curriculum is an example of how leaders have carefully planned an all-through curriculum. For instance, in Year 5, pupils learn about empire and migration. When they enter Year 7, pupils draw on this prior learning when studying the transatlantic slave trade. Leaders’ curriculum thinking identifies and responds to gaps in pupils’ knowledge, with modifications made to the future curriculum to address any gaps identified. Subject leads in the primary and secondary phases work closely together to make sure that the curriculum is sequenced to support strong progression in knowledge.

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In the previous academic year, pupils’ outcomes in national assessments were not as strong as leaders would have liked. In response, leaders have continued to develop the curriculum. They are providing training for staff to improve their understanding and delivery of the curriculum. This has strengthened how well pupils are learning. However, some curriculum areas are more developed than others. This includes both the planned curriculum and how it is taught to pupils. While pupils learn and remember knowledge better in some areas than others, leaders are doing the right things to ensure that pupils achieve equally highly in all subjects.

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Leaders have high ambitions for the reading curriculum. They want all pupils to quickly develop fluency and to then grow a love for reading. Leaders have put in place a phonics scheme that offers strong support and inspiration for pupils. All staff receive thorough training in the programme, and leaders provide further training as needed. In lessons, the scheme is followed with fidelity. Pupils’ phonics knowledge increases securely and in logical steps. Assessments identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, which are quickly filled through well-targeted extra help. Pupils enjoy reading. They can recall the favourite stories they have read and have had read to them. Close checks on pupils’ reading continue in the secondary phase. This also enables leaders to provide extra support for any pupil who is struggling to keep up in their reading.

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Rigorous procedures are in place to identify children with SEND from day one of them entering the school. Leaders make sure that appropriate plans are put in place for those children, monitoring how these plans work in practice. If plans are not supporting the needs of the child, leaders are quick to make adaptations. Similar approaches are used in the rest of the school. ‘Learner profiles’ allow staff to quickly know what strategies might work with a particular pupil. In lessons, adaptations give pupils with SEND the confidence to take part in learning, allowing them to follow the curriculum. The ARP provides specialist education for small groups of pupils. The provision enables pupils to take qualifications appropriate to their stages of learning, supporting them in moving on to their next stage of education.

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Leaders make sure that the behaviour policy is applied consistently. Lessons are rarely disrupted. Leaders have created a kind environment, and pupils support this view.

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Leaders have thought carefully about the wider development of pupils. They ensure that there are many leadership opportunities for pupils at the school. These include membership of the student council and opportunities for pupils to lead their peers as 20 and 21 June 2023

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prefects. Pupils are very enthusiastic about the offer of educational visits at the school. They like that opportunities are tailored around their requests, such as mindfulness clubs and visits to the Tate Gallery. Pupils are also particularly appreciative of the careers support they receive.

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The governing body knows the school well. It supports and challenges leaders effectively.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a good understanding of the local context of the school, and they ensure that training delivered to staff and pupils reflects this. There is a rigorous approach to safeguarding. Staff are alert to concerns, and they respond promptly and appropriately when these arise. When needed, leaders work closely with different agencies to support pupils according to their specific needs or circumstances.

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Safeguarding

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils have trusted adults in school that they feel confident to talk to if they have a concern.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is newer than others. In these subjects, where the curriculum is new, the way the curriculum is designed and taught is not consistently enabling pupils to develop and retain their understanding in detail and in the longer term. Leaders should continue with their work to develop a rich and well-sequenced curriculum for all subjects and to provide training to allow all staff to successfully deliver the curriculum.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. 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 good in November 2017. 20 and 21 June 2023

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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. 20 and 21 June 2023

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School details

Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest

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School details

Inspection number 10255446 Type of school All-through

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,158

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Executive headteacher Jacqueline Bowers-Broadbent

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14, 21 and 22 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is an all-through school with pupils aged three to 16.  The school has an ARP for 10 pupils in the secondary phase with speech, language and communication needs.  The school uses seven alternative providers, of whom two are unregistered.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders, including the executive headteacher. They also met with the chair of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.  The inspection included deep dives in these subjects: early reading, history and mathematics. The inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, 20 and 21 June 2023

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reviewed samples of pupils’ work, met with pupils to discuss their learning, and met with subject leaders and teachers.  The inspectors also visited lessons and reviewed samples of pupils’ work for some other subjects.  Through discussion with leaders, governors, pupils and staff, the inspectors considered how effectively pupils are safeguarded. The inspectors also looked at records related to safeguarding, including records of checks carried out before staff are appointed.  The inspectors met with pupils to discuss aspects of safeguarding. They spoke to pupils during lesson visits. The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at break and lunchtimes. The inspectors spoke to staff about behaviour and about their workload in the school.  The inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Luke Stubbles, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cristalina Fernandes-Bates Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lisa Strong His Majesty’s Inspector 20 and 21 June 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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