Ormiston Bridge Academy

Inspection of Ormiston Bridge Academy Finlay Street, London SW6 6HB

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Insufficient evidence Previous inspection grade Good 24 and 25 June 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and comfortable because of the school’s positive culture. Staff are empathetic and patient. They encourage pupils to make a fresh start as they join the provision. Due to highly effective relationships, pupils trust staff and leaders to help them. Staff consistently apply high expectations for behaviour. For instance, staff ensure that pupils’ language is respectful. This helps pupils learn to communicate in a way that prepares them well for the future.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school rightly takes an ambitious view of what pupils can achieve. Staff have a good understanding of pupils’ needs and starting points. This helps to ensure that pupils get the education, social and mental health support they need. As a result, pupils integrate successfully into mainstream schools, produce work of a high quality, and develop positive attitudes towards further education, employment and apprenticeships.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The school works in partnership with external agencies to enrich the curriculum and provide further opportunities for pupils. For example, pupils develop their social communication skills through work with a local football club. The school’s approach to supporting pupils’ behaviour is successful. It reflects the needs and emotional maturity of pupils. For example, staff expect older pupils to consistently behave in a way that shows they understand that the school is ‘a place of business’.

p.2

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

The school has planned the curriculum carefully to ensure that pupils build step by step on what they know. This helps pupils to understand and secure new ideas before they move on. The school adjusts its curriculum to address gaps in knowledge for pupils when they join. Teachers consistently deliver the intended curriculum. They revisit the most important knowledge to help pupils remember what they learn. However, sometimes teaching does not check pupils’ understanding precisely enough, nor use this information to then deepen and extend pupils’ knowledge. When this happens, pupils do not learn and remember all they could.

p.2

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

Relationships between staff and pupils are kind and respectful. Staff eat with pupils in the dinner hall, which is a calm, ordered and social time. Staff know pupils well and help them to learn to manage their feelings. This helps pupils return to their mainstream school, or to start at a new school when they are ready. The school prioritises pupil attendance. Pupils value the rewards for good attendance and the careful checks the school makes if they are absent. A Year 10 pupil said, capturing the views of many, ‘teachers are understanding, but not too lenient.’ As a result of a culture of high expectations and strong relationships between staff and pupils, attitudes to learning are positive.

p.2

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

Reading is prioritised across the whole school. Staff are skilled in teaching phonics to primary pupils through specific lessons. Older pupils get plenty of practise to develop their reading fluency. The school teaches key vocabulary clearly. This helps pupils understand and remember key concepts. Older pupils draw effectively on their knowledge of the text to tackle complex questions and ideas The school carefully selects books to reinforce key 24 and 25 June 2025

p.2

3

content from the wider curriculum. For example, Year 10 pupils read a book exploring the harmful impact of criminality. This enables pupils to reflect on topical issues and share their views maturely.

p.3

3

The school helps pupils to find the right education and career pathways for them. It provides a range of work experience opportunities, which help prepare pupils for the world beyond school. For instance, the school has links with West London Careers Hub. The high-quality opportunities and work to build confidence and aspiration prepares pupils well for the future.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive strong support. Staff identify pupils’ needs effectively. They also speak with pupils to understand what they find difficult and what helps them. Staff have the expertise to understand and meet pupils’ needs. Pupils with SEND achieve well.

p.3

3

The provision for pupils’ wider development is effective. For instance, the school creates opportunities to enhance pupils’ confidence, resilience and leadership skills. Primary pupils are part of an ‘eco-team’ and secondary pupils are preparing to take part in undertaking the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education helps pupils to learn about important issues. Pupils understand the risks they may face, both online and offline. For example, they learn about the risks of scams and gangs. Pupils learn about respect, inclusivity and fundamental British values through activities, such as mock elections.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, the strategies that teachers use to check what pupils understand are not used effectively to adjust curriculum delivery to best meet pupils’ needs. As a result, some pupils do not deepen and broaden their knowledge as much as they could. The school should ensure teachers have the skills they need to become more proficient at checking pupils’ understanding and adapting their teaching, in the moment and from lesson to lesson, to meet pupils’ needs so that they can achieve more.

p.3

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. 24 and 25 June 2025

p.3

4

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 24 and 25 June 2025

p.4

School details

School category Academy alternative provision sponsor-led

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 September 2021, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school uses one unregistered alternative provider.  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.

p.5

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. 24 and 25 June 2025

p.5

6

 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 that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English (including early reading), mathematics and personal, social, health and PSHE, including citizenship. 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, 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

p.6

6

safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The views of pupils, staff, and parents and carers were considered through discussions and considering their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys, including Ofsted Parent View.

p.6

Inspection team

Barney Geen, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Alison Colenso Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 June 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7