Ark Evelyn Grace Academy

Inspection of Ark Evelyn Grace Academy 255 Shakespeare Road, Lambeth, London SE24 0QN

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The principal of this school is Una Sookun. This school is part of Ark Schools, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lucy Heller and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Tina Alexandrou. There is also an executive principal, Matt Jones, who is responsible for this school and one other. 25 and 26 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and happy school. The last two years have seen many improvements for pupils at Ark Evelyn Grace Academy. Staff care deeply that all pupils achieve, both academically and personally. The trust has supported the school to establish an inclusive and aspirational culture. Most pupils enjoy the education and wider opportunities that the school provides.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school community has recently re-set the school values. The ‘culture compass’ has been established which puts ‘Community, Ambition, Integrity, Professionalism and Perseverance’ at the heart of the school. These values are also seen in the way staff and pupils treat each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Historically, pupils have not achieved as well as they should have by the end of key stage 4, including in national assessments. Leaders have acted decisively to identify and address these failings. This oversight has helped make positive changes to the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils value the way in which the school provides support for their emotional and physical welfare. For example, through counselling and mentoring. Bullying is increasingly rare and gets dealt with effectively. The school demands good conduct from everyone, and most pupils behave well. Pupils behave better and attend more regularly than was previously the case.

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

The school has strengthened the quality of the curriculum and how effectively it is taught. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. However, because of previous weaknesses in the delivery of the school’s curriculum, some older pupils have gaps in their subject knowledge and skills. Leaders have identified and implemented consistent and effective strategies to deliver the curriculum more securely. The impact of these improvements is not yet seen in the published outcomes for the school.

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

The school is aspirational for what pupils can achieve. It provides staff with targeted professional development. Teachers apply their expertise in lessons with increasing consistency and skill. For example, staff use their expert subject knowledge to explain new learning with great clarity. The school recognises that there remains further work to do to ensure that some improvements to the curriculum, and how it is taught, are sustained so that all pupils achieve as well as they can.

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

The school’s work to identify and support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is strong. Teachers make adaptations to learning for these pupils because of the precise information and guidance on their ‘pupil passports.’ Some pupils need additional support with their reading when they join the school. The school identifies precisely what kind of additional help these pupils need to become confident, fluent readers. 25 and 26 February 2025

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The school’s new behaviour systems ensure that the rules for behaviour and conduct are clear to pupils. Pupils and staff recognise that behaviour in school has significantly improved. The school works closely with families of those pupils whose behaviour or attendance needs to improve. As a result, the school is a much calmer environment and lessons are rarely disrupted. The school’s increased expectations for behaviour have resulted in an increase in the number of pupils being suspended. These pupils miss important learning.

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Pupils are taught a well-designed programme for personal, health and social education. This includes through form time and workshop days. Pupils’ understanding is further enhanced by visiting speakers and visits. Pupils learn about the importance of differences among people and how to treat one another with respect. The school’s careers advice and guidance programme aids pupils in making informed choices about their next steps in education, employment, and training.

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Leaders are ambitious for the school and its pupils. Staff are positive about working at the school. They report that workload is managed appropriately, and they are proud of the improvements that have been made over time. The trust has supported and led effective work to ensure consistency, especially around teaching, learning and behaviour. The school’s work to support disadvantaged pupils is a significant strength. This has ensured that disadvantage does not hold pupils back from participating fully in school life and aiming high.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Due to previous weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum, some older pupils have gaps in their knowledge in some subjects. The school needs to ensure that teachers have the expertise to assess accurately where pupils have gaps and implement the revised curriculum as effectively as possible.  The number of pupils suspended from school has been too high. These pupils miss out on important learning. Leaders should ensure that they continue to embed the behaviour systems so that suspensions continue to reduce

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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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Ark Schools.  The school uses two 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.

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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. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken this into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, and music. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in some other subjects.  Inspectors met with the executive principal, the principal, the designated safeguarding lead, the special educational needs coordinator and other members of the senior team.  Inspectors met with the chair of the governing body, the regional director for the trust and other senior members of the trust team.

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 Inspectors held discussions about, and scrutinised records relating to, behaviour and attendance. They also observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors spoke to a range of staff about their views of behaviour, their workload and well-being.  Inspectors spoke with pupils to consider their views.  Inspectors visited an assembly and observed form time.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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 expressed by parents, staff and pupils who responded to Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Sam Johnson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Yvonne Chisholm Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 February 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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