Frederick Bremer School

Inspection of a good school: Frederick Bremer School Siddeley Road, Walthamstow, London E17 4EY

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Outcome

Frederick Bremer School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Frederick Bremer enjoy coming to school. They attend well and are keen to learn. Pupils typically behave respectfully towards each other, and few have ever encountered any bullying or derogatory behaviour. Pupils know how to report any concerns they may have and trust adults to deal with them quickly and effectively. As a result, pupils feel safe and are kept safe here.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel they really can be themselves at school. Social inclusion is at the heart of this community. Leaders and staff expect every pupil, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are neurodivergent, to engage fully with school life. The school equips and empowers pupils to achieve academically as well as to succeed as adult citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy school. Pupils, parents and carers recommend it unreservedly. They value its creative ethos and enrichment opportunities. In line with the school motto, pupils strive to be ‘the best they can be’. Pupils follow an ambitious and well-designed curriculum. They typically work hard and produce work of good quality in different subjects. Most pupils achieve well, including in national assessments, and are, therefore, well-prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training.

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

The school is highly inclusive. The broad and often complex range of pupils’ needs are swiftly identified. Information relating to pupils’ prior attainment and particular needs is well communicated with teachers. This enables them to make swift and appropriate adaptations to activities. As a result, pupils access the same curriculum as their peers, wherever this is possible. The school prioritises reading, including a phonics programme and other interventions, to support the weakest readers to catch up. As a result, pupils’ confidence, accuracy and fluency are improving, and these pupils are well placed to access the full curriculum. 4 and 5 June 2024

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The curriculum is designed and organised in a way that helps pupils build knowledge and skills over time. Teachers typically select tasks that help pupils revisit, practise and embed important ideas. This helps to ensure that pupils generally develop a depth of understanding in different subjects and are well placed to tackle more complex ideas. Assessment is typically used well to check pupils’ understanding and to address any errors or misconceptions that may arise. On occasion, some teachers do not consistently communicate leaders’ high expectations. In these instances, the standard of some pupils’ work is variable. These pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge and understanding they are capable of.

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The school works successfully with parents and outside agencies to promote attendance. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and attitudes to learning are typically positive. This is because they understand the expectations placed on them and the systems that are in place.

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Pupils’ personal development is well considered. All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or with SEND, benefit from a broad and well-designed programme of enrichment opportunities. For example, pupils regularly travel to London and further afield for visits to theatres, art galleries and museums that enhance the curriculum. Pupils also enjoy outdoor pursuits, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and a wide range of clubs that help to develop their talents and interests. This includes, for example, every pupil in Years 7 and 8 learning a musical instrument.

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The personal, social, health and citizenship education programme is designed to help pupils to keep safe and healthy and to develop self-confidence and resilience. Within and beyond the curriculum, the school celebrates diversity and invites pupils to reflect on beliefs different from their own. Pupils enjoyed the recent ‘Harmony Day’, which celebrated all their cultural identities. They learn, including through a mock general election, about how democracy works. Comprehensive careers provision includes personalised advice. All pupils have meaningful opportunities to engage with the world of work. Pupils develop leadership skills through the school council. Many are trained to be youth health champions and anti-bullying ambassadors.

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The school is well led and managed. Staff enjoy working here. They feel trusted and supported, and they benefit from fulfilling professional development. Leaders constantly check on staff well-being and make appropriate adjustments to reduce workload. Leaders and those responsible for governance understand and fulfil their statutory duties. They have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and priorities for further improvement.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 June 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, leaders’ high expectations are not consistently promoted or understood. As a result, some pupils do not organise their work well enough or seek to build on their strong previous achievements. The school should ensure that their high expectations are consistently conveyed so that pupils fully embrace the school motto of being ‘the best you can be’, and this is reflected in their work and achievement.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2015.

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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 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). 4 and 5 June 2024

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School details

Local authority London Borough of Waltham Forest

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Community school

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2019

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Information about this school

 The school operates a specialist provision for pupils with autistic spectrum disorder.  Leaders currently make use of three registered 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 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.  This was the first routine inspection the school 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 school leaders. Discussions were also held with the chair and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in history, mathematics and science. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, 4 and 5 June 2024

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spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  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.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were gathered through both discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Anne Hudson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Bruce Goddard Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 June 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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