The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls Queen’s Drive, Acton, London W3 0HW

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils excel at this school due to the ambitious curriculum provided and the school’s inclusive ethos. The school has high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are provided with an excellent education that strongly prepares them for their next steps. Outcomes are exceptionally high, including in the sixth form.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is driven by its mission to empower ‘girls to create their future’. It does this by giving pupils the tools they need to succeed with a rich personal development programme. This has not been hampered, despite the significant impact of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) that the school has had to contend with. Pupils take part in a wide range of enrichment opportunities to gain valuable life experiences. These include trips, workshops, learning to play musical instruments and hearing speakers from different walks of life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy at this school. They behave very well and are committed to their learning. They are courteous and respectful to each other and adults. Where pupils struggle to meet the school’s high expectations, staff take prompt and effective action to support them. Sixth-form students take an active role in mentoring younger pupils. They endeavour to be positive role models. 14 and 15 January 2025

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

Pupils follow a rich curriculum that is sharply focused on developing intellectual curiosity. This is also evident in the sixth form, where the quality of the educational provision now matches the rest of the school. For example, in Year 13 chemistry, students explore the compounds of acids to explain how Rasputin avoided death despite attempts to poison him. In doing so, they consider Russia in the 1900s and views on the supernatural versus science. While in English, sixth-form students apply their independent research to hold sophisticated discussions about the themes of power and patriarchy in the gothic genre.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this to design and deliver exceptional learning. Knowledge is logically sequenced, so pupils return to, embed and build on key concepts. Pupils are then given ample time to apply and practise their skills. For example, in mathematics they apply their learning of quadratic equations with increasing confidence.

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

Pupils, including those with SEND, develop a strong body of knowledge across different subjects. Pupils with SEND are quickly identified and included in the ambitious learning of the classroom. Where additional help is required, they are given effective support. This includes the provision of braille and embossed images in art lessons for those who are visually impaired. Pupils with SEND benefit from the consistent approach to teaching across the school. Teachers routinely check that learning is understood and new vocabulary explored before moving on to new content. The sixth form is highly inclusive and students with SEND achieve very well.

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

Reading is a priority of the school and ambitious texts are used throughout the curriculum. Pupils who have not met the expected standard in English and mathematics at primary school are given carefully designed support. This builds their numerical understanding and literacy skills. Readers who require additional support receive help that is well-suited to them, so they quickly become fluent.

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

Pupils are highly motivated to learn in class. They conduct themselves with great maturity. Consequently, the school is calm and purposeful. Pupils take on roles of leadership, including the school council. Sixth-form students take the lead on promoting equality and give assemblies on issues that may affect young women. Most pupils attend school very well and are on time. The school takes swift action where any concerns about attendance are identified.

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

Leaders prepare pupils, including in the sixth form, extremely well for the next stage of education, employment or training. Pupils are provided with a careers’ adviser, careers fairs, workshops and talks about a wide range of future pathways. Those who are disadvantaged are given a high degree of mentoring and guidance.

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

Sixth-form students enjoy a range of initiatives and programmes, including law club, young medics society and sports leaders. They also have the opportunity to run their own magazine. Younger pupils are offered a wide range of clubs, including chess, debating, orchestra and basketball. The school provides enrichment days on a plethora of topics, 14 and 15 January 2025

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including finance, relationships, well-being and self-defence classes. Staff invest significant time to discuss mental health and strategies pupils can use. Pupils know how to stay healthy and safe, including online.

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Leaders and governors work effectively together. They have a keen understanding of the school and its context. They have responded exceptionally well to the challenges presented by the detection of RAAC and the resulting building work. Staff are dedicated to the school and feel proud to work here.

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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 outstanding 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in June 2019.

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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. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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). 14 and 15 January 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,293

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Appropriate authority The governing body

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Chair of the governing body Malcolm Elliot and Chris Pye (co-chairs)

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Website www.ellenwilkinson.ealing.sch.uk

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Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered providers of alternative provision for a small group of pupils.  The school has specialisms in science and mathematics.  The school offers a small number of places to pupils who have an aptitude for music, drama, the ‘visual arts’, sports and modern foreign languages.  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. 14 and 15 January 2025

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 took that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The school has been significantly impacted by the identification of RAAC and the building work needed for its removal since August 2023. The impact of RAAC and the work taken by school leaders and governors to maintain the day-to-day running of the school was discussed with inspectors.  The inspectors met with senior leaders, representatives from the governing body, a representative from the local authority, teachers and support staff.  The inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning, spoke to teachers and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the

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Information about this inspection

school and priorities for school improvement.  The inspectors considered the responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. They also spoke to pupils, parents and staff and took into consideration the online staff and pupil surveys.  The inspectors checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as they arrived and left the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.

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Inspection team

Sarah Saunders, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Heidi Swidenbank Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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