Pathways School

Inspection of Pathways School New Road, Dagenham RM10 9NH

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Inspection dates: 20 and 21 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive principal of this school is Thomas Neave. This school is part of Eko Trust which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Rebekah Iiyambo, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Phillipa King. 20 and 21 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Through the school’s strong support for pupils’ emotional and social development, pupils are helped to build their resilience and confidence. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Typically, pupils’ learning is not disrupted by the behaviours of others. Pupils are taught strategies to help them to understand and manage their emotions. They are helped to identify what may cause them to experience challenges and to understand how they think and respond to different situations. Pupils are encouraged to develop working and healthy relationships. One parent/carer comment, typical of many, was: ‘My child has learned so much, is much calmer and is learning to manage emotions and is so much happier.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ development is further enriched through a range of experiences, such as orienteering, caving and learning to play musical instruments. Pupils have opportunities to take on roles and responsibilities within the school, for example as members of the school council and helping create a legacy garden in the community by planting trees.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and trust staff to help prepare them for their future adult lives and to resolve any issues or concerns that may arise.

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better?

Over time, the school has worked with the trust and partner schools to strengthen the curriculum. Typically, subject curriculum thinking is well established and a few subjects have been reviewed and refined more recently. Subject curriculums are ambitious. They are well ordered and enable pupils to know and do more over time, as well as help pupils to practise and recall what they have learned previously. Teachers deliver subject content in a logical sequence. This helps pupils to feel confident to talk about what they know and to learn new knowledge and skills.

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better?

The school equips staff with the knowledge they need to deliver the subjects they teach coherently. Generally, teachers check that pupils have a secure understanding of key concepts before moving on to introduce new learning. However, sometimes checks to identify what pupils know and remember over time are not carried out as routinely, and as a result some misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge and recall are not identified and addressed.

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better?

Leaders have increased the range of qualifications that pupils can study towards and are continuing to do so. Through partnerships with local educational provisions and colleges, the school ensures that pupils have access to a broad academic and vocational range of studies. Pupils leave the school with the qualifications they need to continue their education or for employment. 20 and 21 February 2024

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The school prioritises the teaching of early reading and ensures that pupils know the importance of fluent reading as a life skill. Pupils said that they are proud of the progress they have made in reading. The school’s early reading programme is well sequenced and adapted to pupils’ individual needs.

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The school knows the pupils well and their specific needs. Leaders analyse information about incidents of unsettled or disruptive behaviour and identify appropriate strategies that help to reduce recurrence over time. Alongside this, pupils are supported to reflect on the impact of their actions and how they could conduct themselves differently in future. Consequently, disruptions to the curriculum reduce over time.

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The school works effectively with pupils, parents and other specialist professionals to encourage regular attendance. Leaders analyse attendance figures and identify solutions to increase attendance and ensure that pupils attend school regularly. As a result, pupils’ attendance rates improve over their time at the school.

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Pupils are encouraged to think about their future adult lives from the moment they join the school. All staff have high aspirations for pupils and encourage them to be ambitious for themselves. Pupils are guided to choose and then take their next steps. This includes information on careers, further study and the world of work. A carefully planned and sequenced personal, social and health education curriculum reinforces this further. Pupils are taught to keep themselves safe and are encouraged to think about the decisions they make and the potential consequences of these.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, what pupils know and remember is not checked routinely well in all subjects to identify where there are misunderstandings or misconceptions. As a result, sometimes gaps in pupils’ knowledge of prior learning are not picked up swiftly and addressed. Leaders should ensure that what pupils know and remember is checked routinely to identify and address any gaps or misconceptions.

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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. 20 and 21 February 2024

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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). 20 and 21 February 2024

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School details

Headteacher Thomas Neave (Executive Principal) Tasha Roby (Head of School) Website https://pathways.ekotrust.org.uk/pathways

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils with special educational needs. All pupils have an education, health and care plan.  The executive principal and head of school have been in post since September 2023.  The school makes use of two alternative providers.  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.

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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. 20 and 21 February 2024

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 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, had discussions with staff and pupils, visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects as part of this inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and

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positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, teachers and the wider school team.  Inspectors met with the chair of the trust and other trustees.  Inspectors met with the chair and other members of the academy council.  They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kieran Bird, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Joanna Tarrant Ofsted Inspector 20 and 21 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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