Haberdashers' Hatcham College

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Haberdashers' Hatcham College Pepys Road, New Cross, London SE14 5SF

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The executive principal of this school is Katie Scott. This school is part of the Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Jan Shadick, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sally Dyson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a highly ambitious school. Staff share a belief that pupils can achieve excellent outcomes, whatever their starting point. Pupils rightly say that this encourages them to strive for high standards themselves. Staff are attentive to pupils’ needs and support them well. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve excellent outcomes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school enables a purposeful atmosphere. Staff are skilled at teaching pupils the social behaviours that they need to be successful within the school and beyond. Pupils value the high-quality education that the school offers. As a result, they are highly motivated in their studies and behave responsibly around the school site. Pupils discuss their learning confidently and courteously with their classmates and teachers. This helps to extend pupils’ thinking.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides rich experiences that broaden pupils' cultural and character education. Leaders ensure pupils make excellent use of diverse extracurricular activities. For example, yoga, sociology and jiu-jitsu. First-hand learning experiences are high quality. For example, pupils extend their Latin study on a visit to Rome. Pupils experience the arts through extensive theatre, museum and gallery visits. 19 and 20 November 2024

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Music education is extensive. Many pupils have tuition in instruments, both classical and more contemporary.

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

The school's carefully considered curriculum prepares pupils very well for the future. The curriculum is broad and interesting. Ambitious content is ordered carefully to build pupils' knowledge logically over time. For example, pupils learn about erosion and deposition in geography in Year 8 to help them evaluate river management in a case study of the Mississippi. Focused leadership has improved how pupils are taught, including in the sixth form. The school ensures that sixth form students have the prior knowledge to succeed in their courses. Following recent improvements, students currently in the sixth form are exceptionally well supported to achieve highly in their courses. As such, strengths in sixth form provision are not fully reflected in the 2023 published outcomes.

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

Teachers have strong expertise. They present information clearly to pupils and break it down carefully. Teachers focus on helping pupils first to secure fundamental knowledge and skills. Pupils go on to apply their knowledge in increasingly sophisticated ways. In art, for example, pupils learn about line, tone and texture in Year 7, three dimensional drawings in Year 8 and observational drawings in Year 9. Older pupils draw upon these techniques to create highly effective artwork.

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

Reading, writing and mathematics are prioritised by the school. Pupils read with insight and write fluently. Through English, they develop an increasingly sophisticated understanding of texts and their contexts. Pupils have accurate, secure mathematical knowledge. Teachers deliberately develop pupils' vocabulary. This enables pupils to discuss what they have learned with confidence and credibility. Pupils recall detailed knowledge across the curriculum, including students in the sixth form. Pupils say that teachers' love of their subjects inspires pupils' interest.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND with accuracy. Staff are well trained in approaches to meet the needs of all groups of pupils. They check that pupils understand key ideas and apply their learning with increasing independence. The school ensures that pupils with SEND are supported to fully participate in school life.

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

Pupils are taught clear routines and expectations for their behaviour. Over time, pupils become increasingly independent in meeting the school's high standards. Older pupils, including students in the sixth form, act as exemplary role models for strong social and learning behaviours. They are courteous, responsible and strive to achieve well. Attendance rates are high. The school identifies swiftly pupils who are at risk of low attendance and provides thoughtful support to them.

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

The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is well planned and sequenced. Pupils have a detailed understanding of healthy relationships and British values. They know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Teachers instruct pupils on the importance of challenging prejudice and discrimination. Pupils are quick to identify and 19 and 20 November 2024

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report any such behaviour. This helps to make the school an inclusive place. The school provides excellent careers guidance. There are extensive encounters with a range of employers and providers of education pathways. These prepare pupils extremely well for the next stages of their lives.

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Leaders, including those responsible for governance, know the school well. Together, they evaluate sharply the work of the school. The trust provides well-focused support to help the school achieve its ambitious aims. Professional development for staff is key to the success of the school. Staff appreciate the support they receive. They report a range of steps that the school has taken to support them with managing workload. Staff are proud to work at the school and share leaders’ ambitions. These aspects combine to ensure that all pupils become self-disciplined, mutually respectful individuals who are well equipped for their future.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in February 2019. 19 and 20 November 2024

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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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1398

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form

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 February 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Haberdashers’ Academies Trust South.  There have been several changes to leadership since the school’s previous inspection, including the appointment of a new executive principal.  The school makes use of four registered alternative providers of education.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school's education provision. 19 and 20 November 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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive principal and trust leaders. Inspectors also met with leaders with responsibility for sixth form, SEND, behaviour and attendance, and pupils’ personal development.  Inspectors met with representatives from the local governing body and the board of trustees.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of work.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, staff and pupils. Inspectors also took account of correspondence provided by parents.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Rebecca Iles-Smith, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

David Bromfield Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 2024

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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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