Prendergast School

Inspection of Prendergast School Adelaide Avenue, Brockley, London SE4 1LE

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Kelly Lovegrove. This school is part of the Leathersellers’ Federation of 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), Paula Ledger, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Kate Ward.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Prendergast School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Prendergast School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness, before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade. 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

At Prendergast, pupils receive an outstanding education. The school has built a positive and aspirational culture. Pupils dedicate themselves to learning and take pride in their accomplishments. They consistently produce high-quality work, leading to excellent academic outcomes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are confident, polite and articulate individuals. They respect and value each other. Parents and carers think highly of the school. One parent commented, in a view represented by many, that ‘Prendergast is a happy school that promotes kindness and well-being’. Pupils celebrate individuality here and are encouraged to use their voice to initiate positive changes in the school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do very well. This is because the school is equally ambitious for these pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers a wide range of opportunities for pupils to explore their interests, develop their talents and strengthen their leadership skills. Pupils proudly represent their school, especially through experiences such as competing in the ‘battle of the bands’, trips to Silicon Valley and participation in a STEM club trip to Kings College. Sixth-form students enjoy the peer mentoring programme, where they support younger pupils with their GCSE preparation. The arts and creativity are at the heart of the school. For example, pupils actively participate in weekly music assemblies and serve as appreciative, mature audience members.

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

The school and the sixth form follow a well-designed and exceptionally ambitious curriculum. The school has established a clear vision and intent for each subject. This ensures that teachers understand the crucial knowledge that pupils need to learn. In all subjects, pupils are deliberately introduced to challenging vocabulary, which helps them to unlock the background knowledge that they need to be successful.

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

In Year 7, the curriculum establishes clear foundations for future learning. In music, for example, pupils begin by layering sound with just their voice and by Year 8 they successfully build on this skill with understanding harmony. In product design, Year 8 pupils use their drawing skills to produce a design; these skills are later used in Year 9 in order to design a cast for a pewter necklace.

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

Teachers have excellent subject knowledge. In lessons, they use questioning effectively to check pupils’ understanding and to adapt their teaching, where necessary. They use retrieval starters to help pupils remember more. Teaching and resources are adapted effectively to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, ensuring that they access their learning successfully.

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

Reading is a key priority across the school. For those pupils who require extra support, the school ensures that they quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become fluent readers. Initiatives such as tutor time reading, author visits and competitions all 18 and 19 March 2025

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foster a culture of reading. The school provides staff with training to support reading strategies in all subject areas. This ensures that all teachers are teachers of reading.

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Pastoral care underpins everything that the school does. The school’s high expectations and strong pastoral care mean that pupils’ behaviour is nearly always exemplary. The school’s culture is very clear and is driven by the school’s values: truth, honour, freedom and courtesy. Pupils respond positively to the well-established routines. There is a strong focus on attendance and punctuality throughout the school. As a result, pupils attend school regularly.

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The school is firmly committed to removing barriers to success. Pupils understand the power of using their voice and have effectively implemented change within the school. For example, the student council proposed changes to the school uniform which were successfully carried out. Personal, social, health and economic education is expertly planned. Pupils learn about important topics. These include healthy relationships, sexual harassment and drugs. As a result, students in the sixth form had a strong grasp of what sexual harassment looks like and how to report it.

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Students in the sixth form benefit from ‘curriculum enhancement’ days, which deliver workshops ranging from accommodation and finances to talks from alumni graduates. The school has thought carefully about careers education. Pupils learn about higher education and apprenticeships. There are frequent trips and events, where pupils find out about different careers. For example, Year 12 students attend an event on ‘which course, which university?’ They have visited the London Law Chambers and have benefited from the close links with Goldsmiths University, which hosts seminars for the students. A high proportion of students transition successfully on to higher education and university.

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Staff feel valued by leaders. They commented that their workload and well-being are considered. Governors are well informed, supportive and challenging. They fulfil their duties with diligence and professionalism. Governors know the school well and provide leaders with the support that they need to realise their vision for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 18 and 19 March 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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools. This multi-academy trust opened in January 2024. It is made up of three schools, including this school.  The school uses five registered alternative provisions.  The school is a split-site school based in Hilly Fields Park.  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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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 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 have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. Inspectors met with leaders with responsibility for pupils with SEND, behaviour and attendance, reading, pupils’ wider development, careers and the sixth form.  Inspectors met with representatives from the trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, technology and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

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Information about this inspection

 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 respective responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for parents, pupils and staff.

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Inspection team

Lisa Smith, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Andrew Hook Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 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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