Eden Girls' School, Slough

Inspection of an outstanding school: Eden Girls’ School, Slough 183–187 Bath Road, Slough, Berkshire SL1 4AA

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 February 2024

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Outcome

Eden Girls’ School, Slough continues to be an outstanding school.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Sajid Khaliq. This school is part of Star Academies multi- academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Kamruddin Kothia OBE DL. There is also a Regional Director, Shahina Ahmad OBE, who is responsible for this school and five others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud and happy to be a part of this warm, welcoming school where they excel both academically and personally. Their attendance is exceptionally high. The school’s ‘STAR’ values of service, teamwork, ambition and respect are reflected in everything the school does. The school sets high expectations and pupils enjoy rising to them. Pupils achieve exceptionally well in national examinations and produce high-quality work across all their subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are immensely polite, friendly and respectful. They welcome visitors and share their school experiences enthusiastically. Working relationships between staff and pupils are extremely positive. Behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school site. Great care, compassion and calmness permeate the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The inspirational opportunities that pupils have to achieve the school’s aim of ‘Shine Like a Star’ are extensive. There are a wide range of clubs and societies that foster interest and nurture talents. Pupils engage passionately in local charity work, raising money and giving their time by, for example, providing community foodbanks. Pupils have many opportunities to take on leadership roles, including being a prefect, member of the school council or a subject ambassador. Older pupils act as mentors for those in younger year groups. 21 and 22 February 2024

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

The school’s vision of ‘Nurturing Today’s Young People, Inspiring Tomorrow’s Leaders’ underpins all of its work. The curriculum is highly ambitious, which enables pupils to flourish in all areas. The proportion of pupils studying the full English Baccalaureate is extremely high. The school is equally ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who have access to the same curriculum and achieve equally well.

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

Teachers are real specialists. They consistently demonstrate strong subject knowledge. Teachers plan and sequence lessons precisely to ensure that pupils learn the intended curriculum and develop deep knowledge in all subjects. Pupils build new learning consistently well based on secure foundations. In each subject, pupils are encouraged to revisit and apply what they have learned in the most effective way. This helps pupils to remember their learning and helps teachers to identify any misconceptions or gaps in knowledge, which they address promptly.

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

Pupils are highly motivated to do their very best. They value learning and take pride in their work. The extremely positive behaviour and attitudes of pupils ensure their full engagement in lessons. They use curriculum time extremely well and strive to make exceptional progress.

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

The school places great emphasis on the importance of reading. It identifies pupils who need additional support with reading swiftly. Staff put in place a bespoke reading programme. This ensures that pupils make rapid improvements in their confidence and fluency in reading. The curriculum incorporates a strong drive to expand pupils’ vocabulary and oracy skills. Pupils produce complex pieces of extended writing on a diverse range of subject matters. Reading forms part of the pupils’ regular morning routine in registration time. The school library is a hive of activity, with pupils eagerly participating in the ‘Star Readers Challenge’.

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

The school has a comprehensive personal development programme. Staff develop pupils’ understanding of important topics in an age-appropriate way. Pupils study a range of topics, including British values, online safety and healthy relationships. They express their views in a highly articulate manner. Pupils show respect to each other and to their teachers. They speak immensely positively about the care and support that they are given by all the staff at school.

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

All pupils access high-quality careers advice and guidance. The school welcomes a range of external speakers from universities, local schools and a variety of employers, including those who offer apprenticeships. The use of alumni, who are keen to return to their school to offer support and guidance to current pupils, is a strength of the careers programme. Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps.

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

Governance is very strong. The board of trustees and governors hold leaders to account effectively and provide helpful support in equal measure. School leaders prioritise high- 21 and 22 February 2024

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quality staff training and staff well-being. They ensure that staff workload is manageable. Staff are proud to work here.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 2018.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 21 and 22 February 2024

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School details

CEO of the trust Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Star Academies multi-academy trust.  The school uses no alternative provision.  The school has an Islamic ethos. It welcomes pupils from all faiths and those with none.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 11 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation. 21 and 22 February 2024

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 Inspectors met with the principal, trust leaders and representatives, senior leaders, subject leaders, the leader responsible for pupils with SEND, many teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with governors and the CEO of the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history and French. Inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons and spoke to teachers. They looked at curriculum planning and pupils’ work. They met with pupils to discuss their learning.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, 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 around the school site during lunchtimes and at breaktimes.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils and groups of staff to hear their views.

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Inspectors also spoke to pupils and staff informally around the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the confidential Ofsted survey for staff and pupils and Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Ann Fearon, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ginny Rhodes Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 February 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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