Orion Ravensbourne

Inspection of The Ravensbourne School Hayes Lane, Bromley, Kent BR2 9EH

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 January 2024

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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 Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Mark Ridley. This school is part of Education for the 21st Century Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Simon Garrill, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by James Toop. 23 and 24 January 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has undergone a period of rapid change. Leaders have taken decisive action to ensure that pupils feel safe and motivated to learn here. Throughout the school, including in the sixth form, pupils are welcoming and respectful. They enjoy coming to school. Working relationships between staff and pupils are strong. This is a positive place in which to work and learn.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils, both in terms of how they behave and the curriculum they learn. Students in the sixth form benefit from a range of support and guidance that help them make the right choices for their courses of study and next steps. They leave the school well prepared for their next stage in education, employment or training.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are calm and they work hard in lessons. They are taught to understand and value people’s differences. They are encouraged to keep themselves healthy both physically and mentally and taught to keep themselves safe, including when online. A wide range of clubs and activities is made available for pupils. All pupils in Year 10 and students in Year 12 take part in work experience opportunities.

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better?

School leaders and trustees have worked effectively together in order to make rapid changes to the school and to raise standards. Trustees provide support and challenge to leaders and bring strong skills and experience to the school. Staff are well supported with their well-being and workload.

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better?

The school’s curriculum is ambitious. All pupils study the same curriculum. Pupils study a broad curriculum to the end of Year 9. Subjects such as modern foreign languages, history and geography have increasingly high uptake at GCSE in Years 10 and 11. Increasing numbers of pupils study the English Baccalaureate subjects, including a modern foreign language. In the sixth form, students can choose from a variety of A-level and vocational courses, which are tailored to suit students’ preferences and aspirations for their future studies.

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better?

Pupils are encouraged to read regularly in school by trained staff. Leaders ensure that book choices reflect pupils’ interests so that pupils are motivated to read and their love of reading is fostered. Pupils who are reluctant readers receive reading support and encouragement from specifically trained students in Year 12.

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better?

The school has introduced checks in lessons to measure whether pupils have learned the curriculum that they have been taught. Teachers use information about pupils’ learning to help them to plan future learning. However, there are times when teaching does not pick up pupils’ misconceptions or check whether pupils have fully understood what has been taught. As a result, some pupils are not as well prepared for the next steps in their learning as they could be. 23 and 24 January 2024

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The school ensures that there are effective systems in place to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Information is communicated to staff who have been trained to develop ways to support pupils with SEND. However, sometimes, teaching is not routinely well adjusted to meet the learning needs of individual pupils.

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Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects they teach. In all lessons, teaching follows a consistent approach, which supports pupils to practise and become more independent in their learning.

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Pupils are taught about various careers and the options available to them through the school’s personal, social, health and economic curriculum. In Years 7 to 9, pupils have the opportunity to attend a range of enrichment activities, outings and visits, which include inter-year group competitions, careers events and visits to Greenwich Park, London and Brighton. In the sixth form, students benefit from careers guidance, support and advice. The enrichment programme supports them in making decisions about their future lives and finances. Through the school’s close links with Bromley Football Club, selected pupils have the chance to pursue their talents in football in a professional setting.

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Pupils follow the school’s clear rules and routines so that pupils learn with little disruption to their education. Pupils attend school regularly and on time and are punctual to lessons.

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Pupils attend a wide range of clubs, such as for cooking, the geography ambassadors club and a variety of sports clubs. They are encouraged to raise money for charities, including the local food bank, and for a local children’s hospital. Pupils are taught, in an age-appropriate way, about healthy relationships and how to form positive friendships.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Pupils’ understanding is not routinely checked in lessons. This means that sometimes, pupils’ misconceptions are missed and not addressed. The school should ensure that pupils’ understanding is checked so that any misconceptions are identified and addressed and pupils are supported routinely well to develop and secure their understanding fully.  Sometimes, teaching is not adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff do not use the information they are given about pupils’ individual needs routinely well. This affects how well these pupils access the curriculum. Leaders need to 23 and 24 January 2024

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build on their work to support teachers, so that the information available is used fully to tailor teaching to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 23 and 24 January 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,520

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sixth form

Chair of governing body Martin O’Leary (Chair of local advisory body) Headteacher Mark Ridley

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed and has been in post since January 2022.  The Ravensbourne School is part of Education for the 21st Century Trust.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 23 and 24 January 2024

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and a range of other senior leaders. The lead inspector spoke with a representative of the trust and members of the governing body, and with the chair of the local advisory body and the chief executive officer of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, science, physical education and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with some pupils and teachers, and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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Information about this inspection

central record; took account of the views of leaders (including the designated safeguarding lead) and staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes and lunchtimes, and in lessons. They also spoke to pupils about behaviour and bullying. Inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils about the school’s programme of personal development.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the comments submitted via the free-text facility. Inspectors also considered the responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and the staff survey.

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Inspection team

John Blaney, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat His Majesty’s Inspector 23 and 24 January 2024

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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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