Harris Lowe Academy Willesden

Inspection of Harris Lowe Academy Willesden Doyle Gardens, Willesden, London NW10 3ST

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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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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The principal of this school is Josh Deery. This school is part of the Harris Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sir Dan Moynihan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Philip Harris. There is also an executive principal, Nick Soar, responsible for this school and two others. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well and are prepared successfully for their next academic steps. The school fosters a sense of belonging, mutual respect and ambition among its pupils. New senior leaders are determined to raise further the academic and behavioural expectations of pupils across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy, make friends easily and enjoy learning. They settle in classes quickly and respond positively to the school’s high expectations. The school follows up quickly and supportively on the rare occasions that pupils do not meet its high expectations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school organises extra-curricular activities for pupils that help them to develop their talents and interests. These include chess club, an annual school production and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Pupils take part in competitive sports fixtures, including girls’ and boys’ football. All pupils learn to swim during Year 7.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school arranges educational outings that expand pupils’ understanding of subjects. For example, pupils who study drama visited a central London theatre and pupils visited the Houses of Parliament to learn about democracy and government. A level biology students completed fieldwork in the countryside to learn how the environment affects different species.

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

The school has modified and enhanced the curriculum recently. Pupils now study national curriculum subjects for longer in Years 7 to 9. From Year 10, they have even more subject options from which to choose. The school has also improved the quality of education, as seen in the higher quality of the work that pupils produce in Years 10 to 13 in many subjects. In the sixth form, students are guided closely to select the best subjects and courses. They achieve well. For example, students who study psychology A-level show a secure understanding of data distribution and sixth-form art students are supported to create quality art portfolios.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and outlines clearly what pupils should learn and when, across subjects. For example, in modern foreign languages, the curriculum outlines precisely the vocabulary that pupils learn and how often pupils encounter each new word. In class, teaching typically supports pupils to build their curriculum knowledge. For example, pupils who study GCSE English had a secure understanding of the Shakespeare texts that they study, and they write with fluency and accuracy. Teachers with strong subject knowledge check that pupils understand and remember what is taught. Pupils in examination years are given focused and effective support to ensure that they are fully prepared for their exams. Teacher subject knowledge shines through in the sixth form, where students are supported by subject experts.

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

Sometimes in Years 7 to 9, the new knowledge and work provided is not matched to some pupils’ prior knowledge. This means that sometimes, for example, these pupils find 12 and 13 November 2024

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the work overly challenging and do not progress through the curriculum as smoothly as they could.

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The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly and these pupils are often given the help that they need to succeed. Support for pupils who are learning to read English, or who are developing their reading fluency, is currently being developed. As a result, these pupils do not catch up with their peers as quickly as they could at present and sometimes struggle to understand what is taught across some subjects.

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Pupils are regularly focused in class and disruption to learning is rare. The school works closely with the pupils who struggle to meet the school’s high behavioural expectations. Staff supervise the school carefully between classes and during break times. For example, when a few pupils become over-excited during breaktimes, staff intervene swiftly and appropriately. Pupils’ attendance at school remains high. This is because the school has prioritised the importance of attendance and punctuality. In the sixth form, students are mature and work hard.

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The school organises a comprehensive careers programme which raises pupils’ professional aspirations and widens pupils’ understanding of their future career options. As part of the careers curriculum, pupils receive independent careers advice and speak to employers from banking to the armed services.

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Those responsible for governance hold the school to account effectively. The trust provides teachers with access to its curriculum expertise, resources and administrative support where relevant. Staff are proud to work at the school and say that the school is mindful of their workload and wellbeing. Teachers at the early stages of their career are given the training that they need to develop their teaching craft and subject knowledge.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The teaching for pupils at the early stages of learning to read English is not as developed as other parts of the curriculum. Sometimes, these pupils therefore struggle to understand what they have learned. The trust should ensure that pupils at the early stages of learning to read English are supported to catch up quickly with their peers, so that they can access all learning and read with age-appropriate fluency.  At times, the curriculum at key stage 3 is not routinely adapted to meet the needs of a few pupils. When this happens, sometimes pupils do not understand fully the subject matter that has been taught or what they have been asked to do. At other times, pupils do not have enough practise to master what they have been taught. The trust 12 and 13 November 2024

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should ensure that the curriculum is routinely adapted for the needs of all pupils, so that they can achieve their best.

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1145

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form

Date of previous inspection 30 January, 2019 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Harris Federation.  Before September 2023, this school was called Capital City Academy, a single academy trust. In September 2023, the school joined the Harris Federation and became the Harris Lowe Academy Willesden.  The school uses five, registered, alternative provisions.  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. 12 and 13 November 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the principal and other senior leaders. The inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, sixth form and pupils’ wider development.  The inspectors met with representatives from the board of trustees, local governing body and the director of secondary at the trust.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, modern foreign languages, English, physical education and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke

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Information about this inspection

to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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 considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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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