Duke's Aldridge

Inspection of Duke’s Aldridge Trulock Road, Tottenham, London N17 0PG

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

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The executive principal of this school is Moira Green. The school is part of Aldridge Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Jane Fletcher, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Rupert Nichols. 29 and 30 April 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Duke’s Aldridge has recently undergone a period of significant change. Pupils have benefited from raised expectations of what they can achieve. Pupils follow a curriculum that reflects the school’s vision of ‘inspire to excel’. Pupils embrace new knowledge, and they are keen to show what they have remembered. While many pupils achieve well, the support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not sufficiently robust. As a result, some pupils are not well supported to achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically show positive attitudes to their learning and listen attentively to staff. Routines are now clearly understood and followed. These support most pupils to behave well. Staff and pupils report how new procedures and expectations are becoming embedded and have resulted in a more calm and orderly school environment. Pupils enjoy their learning and are kept safe in school. They understand the importance of respecting and celebrating the differences between people.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to learn beyond the academic curriculum. For example, pupils take part in a wide range of activities, such as swimming, Haringey Young Musicians and a range of sports clubs. The school uses its links with local organisations and employers to help develop pupils’ character and resilience, such as through mentoring programmes and assemblies that help pupils learn how to stay safe in their local community.

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

The executive principal, governing body and trust share a clear strategic vision. They have ensured that there is an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum in place and that the school has the expertise required to fulfil its role effectively. Across the school, pupils’ achievement is improving, although this was not fully reflected in the published outcomes in 2024.

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

Staff benefit from high-quality training and development, which enables them to continually improve their teaching. Teachers at the start of their careers appreciate the excellent mentoring support they receive. Teachers are knowledgeable. They explain new topics clearly and typically select appropriate activities that support pupils’ learning. The school has identified the most effective strategies to deliver the curriculum. For example, teachers ensure that pupils regularly revisit the most important content in each subject. The school makes regular checks on what pupils know. Teachers use this information to adapt their teaching and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge as they arise.

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

There have been some recent refinements to ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are identified accurately. Sometimes, the information provided to staff is not sufficiently precise to ensure pupils with SEND receive the specific support they need. In these instances, learning is not consistently adapted in an appropriate way to help pupils with SEND achieve consistently well across all the curriculum. 29 and 30 April 2025

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The school promotes a love of reading. Pupils read regularly during tutor time. Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read are identified quickly and are given support to improve their reading fluency. Well-trained staff help these pupils to catch up with their peers.

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The school is tenacious in its work to understand causes of absence and to remove any barriers that pupils may have to attending well. This work is proving effective. Careful thought has been given to ensuring that the school is a welcoming and safe place where pupils like to be.

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Pupils have generally positive attitudes to learning, and they work well together in lessons. They are rewarded when they show positive conduct over time. Management of breaktimes and lunchtimes has recently been improved. The school provides well- considered support for pupils that need help to manage their own behaviour. Most pupils respond well to this help. However, there are still some pupils that miss learning too frequently due to their conduct.

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The provision to support pupils’ personal development is comprehensive. Through this, pupils learn about healthy and respectful relationships and how to keep themselves safe, including when online. Pupils study a carefully crafted programme that prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Pupils are provided with a range of high-quality enrichment opportunities, including visits that underpin the curriculum. These help pupils broaden their skills and develop their confidence. The school has developed a strong careers programme that includes meaningful work experience.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Over time, pupils with SEND have not consistently received the support they need to access and progress through the curriculum. As a result, some of these pupils do not achieve as well as they should. The school should ensure that staff have the information and support they need to meet the specific needs of pupils with SEND. This includes ensuring tasks and activities are adapted in a meaningful way.  Despite the majority of pupils benefitting from the school’s revised policies for managing behaviour, there remain some pupils who miss important learning. The school should reduce the number of incidents of poor behaviour by improving early intervention strategies and support for pupils with additional behavioural needs. 29 and 30 April 2025

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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). 29 and 30 April 2025

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School details

Headteacher Moira Green (Executive Principal)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 November 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive principal of this school took up their post in January 2025.  The school currently 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. 29 and 30 April 2025

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, physical education and history. 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.  Inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  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

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safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with members of the local governing committee. They also spoke with a representative from the Aldridge Education Trust.  Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation, including records related to attendance, behaviour and pupil movement.  The inspectors considered the views of pupils and staff, including through their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys. They also considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Robert Grice, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cristalina Fernandes-Bates Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Jonathan Newby Ofsted Inspector 29 and 30 April 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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