Orion Eden Park

Orion Eden Park

Address: Balmoral Avenue, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3RD Unique reference number (URN): 144465

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have worked relentlessly to support pupils to come to school every day. Overall, attendance has risen notably and is now above national figures. The school has clearly articulated high expectations, finely tuned systems and individualised approaches to support attendance. These approaches come together seamlessly to ensure that the school's work is highly effective at removing barriers that pupils face. Families now recognise the importance of attendance and pupils are increasingly keen to attend because of the school’s welcoming, kind and supportive culture.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Leaders have established a calm, orderly and respectful environment where routines are clear and consistently applied. Pupils behave well across the school. There are warm and respectful relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils, staff and parents and carers appreciate how leaders have established and sustained positive behaviour at the school in recent years. Staff know pupils well and respond quickly when concerns arise. The significant reduction in suspensions reflects leaders’ determined work to improve behaviour and strengthen relationships. During social times, well-established systems ensure that pupils interact positively with each other. Leaders closely track the rare incidents of bullying and have measures in place to ensure these are not repeated. Staff apply behaviour policies consistently, including making reasonable adjustments for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning and take pride in their

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have brought clarity, ambition and a strong moral purpose to the school following a period of significant turbulence. Strategic priorities are clear and well executed, with inclusion and ambition embedded throughout. Leaders' highly effective work to improve behaviour, strengthen safeguarding and raise expectations has had a marked impact on the school’s culture. Staff morale is high, and leaders are mindful of staff's workload and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

The decisions that leaders make are in the best interests of pupils. They know the school well and have an accurate understanding of its strengths and areas for development. They use this insight to drive improvement at a fast rate, supported by the trust’s effective oversight and professional development offer. This programme has focused on aspects of teaching that the school has prioritised in order to secure the best possible outcomes and experiences for pupils. Early career teachers also benefit from highly effective, structured support.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders, trustees and governors share a common, ambitious vision for the school and its future. Trustees and governors are knowledgeable about their roles. They clearly understand and fulfil their statutory duties. Trustees and governors hold leaders to account effectively so that improvements continue to have a positive impact on pupils' learning and experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed a clear and ambitious programme for pupils’ personal development. This programme supports pupils extremely well. Staff encourage all pupils, particularly, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, to explore their talents and interests. Pastoral support is very strong and pupils receive the right help and advice when they need it.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils benefit from a coherent and well ‑ sequenced curriculum that develops their spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. Leaders promote fundamental British values effectively. Pupils understand diversity, equality and the importance of contributing positively to their community. They learn to reflect on their beliefs, respect others’ values and engage thoughtfully with ethical issues. Pupils learn about the importance of consent and forming healthy, positive relationships. They also know about online risks, as well as the dangers of other behaviours like drug abuse. This helps pupils to be fully prepared for life outside of school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school’s enrichment offer is extensive and increasingly well attended, particularly by disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND. Clubs such as Mandarin, mathematics mastery, sports and creative arts broaden pupils’ experiences and help them to develop their talents. Pupils develop strong social skills through leadership opportunities, community engagement and collaborative activities. The newly established student leadership team is active and influential. Student leaders make real changes and value their roles. These roles develop characteristics such as confidence and teamwork. Through school council elections, pupils learn about democracy in action.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Careers education is comprehensive and well established from Year 7 onwards. Pupils speak confidently about their ambitions and the steps that they need to take to achieve them. Pupils benefit from encounters with employers, universities and vocational pathways that support their informed decision ‑ making.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, make positive progress from their starting points. Leaders make effective use of assessment information to understand where pupils are achieving less securely. Key stage 4 examination results have generally been close to national averages. However, disadvantaged pupils have not achieved as well as they could. Leaders have taken decisive action to address this through targeted support, improved teaching and strengthened pastoral provision. Pupils who struggle with reading receive targeted support that helps them to catch up and access the wider curriculum.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils are articulate about their learning. They recall prior knowledge successfully and apply it to new contexts. The school prepares pupils well for the next steps in their education, employment or training. In the sixth form, students' attainment in national examinations has been below national averages over time. However, the progress students make from their individual starting points has continued to improve and is now in line with national averages. Leaders have taken appropriate action to improve this further.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have constructed an ambitious, broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the school’s context and priorities. They have a clear understanding of the quality of teaching and use this insight to drive improvement. Leaders promote the consistent use of effective teaching strategies well. Staff benefit from well ‑ designed professional development which strengthens their subject knowledge and classroom practice.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is well sequenced, and pupils build knowledge securely over time. In each subject, the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn is identified and broken down. Teachers know their subjects well. They teach in a way that enthuses pupils and captures their interest. Typically, staff use assessment well to check what pupils have understood. Both in and out of the classroom, leaders focus on building pupils' firm foundations in reading, writing and mathematics. They ensure that pupils who need to catch up receive timely support.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Typically, teachers adapt their teaching so that pupils overcome barriers to their learning. However, there remains some variability in the consistency and impact with which this is done. Occasionally, adaptations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not consistently effective. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive culture where pupils’ needs are identified with increasing accuracy. There are high expectations for all pupils. Staff across the school are determined to help each pupil to achieve. Staff use a range of approaches, such as pupil passports, assessment information and regular reviews, to understand pupils’ barriers and plan appropriate support. This is particularly effective for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, whose needs are assessed promptly and supported through reasonable adjustments and targeted extra support.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders monitor the impact of support carefully. They work closely with families, external agencies and the local authority to shape provision, including for pupils known to children’s social care. Disadvantaged pupils benefit from a clear strategy that prioritises high ‑ quality teaching and targeted academic and pastoral support. All staff receive high-quality training so that they can use inclusive strategies confidently in lessons. This is beginning to reduce barriers to learning, although some disadvantaged pupils do not, at present, achieve as well as their peers. This is because, on occasions, the school's agreed approaches to support are not consistently applied. In some cases, staff do not meet pupils' specific needs as precisely as they could, lessening the progress that some pupils make.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders implement an evidence ‑ based strategy for supporting pupils eligible for pupil premium funding. This leads to improvements in attendance for disadvantaged pupils, as well as ensuring that they enjoy valuable enrichment opportunities. The small number of pupils attending alternative provision are monitored closely to ensure their safety, attendance and progress.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

The sixth form is small but growing, and leaders have established a purposeful and aspirational culture. Teachers have subject expertise and are supported by targeted professional development. Students benefit from a curriculum that prepares them well for further study or employment. Attainment in national examinations has followed a positive trajectory and is now close to average. Typically, students make steady progress from their starting points. Leaders are working astutely and at pace to improve achievement further. For example, there is ongoing work to further ensure that any gaps in students' learning are identified and addressed promptly in order to increase students' attainment.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Generally, students develop detailed knowledge across the curriculum. Typically, teachers provide clear and effective guidance to address gaps in students' knowledge and understanding. Students talk confidently about what they know and remember, and they connect new learning successfully with prior learning. Most move on to destinations that match their interests and aspirations.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students behave maturely and act as positive role models for younger pupils. They value the personalised support that they receive, including, for example, academic mentoring and careers guidance. Leaders monitor students’ progress closely and adapt support where needed. Students are encouraged to contribute to the wider life and ethos of the school, including working closely with younger pupils in the paired reading programme.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils at Orion Eden Park benefit from a calm and increasingly purposeful environment. Pupils say that behaviour has improved significantly. They understand the routines that leaders have introduced and follow them sensibly. Lessons are calm, and learning is rarely disrupted. Pupils say that bullying is not tolerated. They trust staff to deal with issues quickly, including those that happen online. Attendance is improving swiftly, and pupils understand why being in school every day matters.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders have created an inclusive environment throughout the school. Pupils who face barriers to learning are at the forefront of leaders' planning for all of the experiences and initiatives that happen in school. Staff know each pupil individually and support them to make progress from their relative starting points.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Most pupils enjoy their learning. They talk confidently about the subjects that they study and the support they receive when they find work difficult. Many pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from targeted additional teaching that helps them to keep up. However, over time, some disadvantaged pupils have not achieved as well as their peers in national examinations. Leaders know that securing greater consistency in these pupils' progress remains a priority and they have taken appropriate, timely action to address this. Reading across the school is a strength. Leaders have thought carefully about how to support pupils to develop their fluency and enjoy reading for pleasure. This focused support opens doors to success across the curriculum. Sixth-form students study a suitably aspirational curriculum. They achieve well overall, and leaders are working on improving this further.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils and students benefit from a range of wider opportunities that they enjoy and look forward to. These experiences enhance their time at school and range from educational visits, charity work, leadership opportunities, sports teams and a wide variety of clubs. Taking part in these activities builds pupils' confidence and prepares them well for life beyond school. Pupils receive valuable advice and guidance to help ensure that they understand the range of future pathways available to them.

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Next steps

The school should embed the consistency of adaptive teaching to further raise the achievement of disadvantaged pupils. The school should sustain improvements in attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that persistent absence continues to reduce. Leaders should continue the school's well-targeted work to strengthen the curriculum and how it is taught so that all pupils benefit equally and consistently from well ‑ sequenced learning and secure foundational knowledge.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Orion 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), Simon Garrill, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Dr Racheal Norman.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive principal, head of school, members of the senior leadership team, the director of secondaries, the CEO and other senior staff from the multi- academy trust, members of the local advisory body and the chair of trustees during the inspection.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Team inspectors:

Joanna Jones, Ofsted Inspector Shaun Dodds, Ofsted Inspector Piers Saunders, His Majesty's Inspector Duncan Kamya, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The school makes use of 6 alternative provisions, including one that is unregistered.

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What does this mean?

Executive Principal : Mark Ridley The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 48.2% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 43.6% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 47.4% 45.3% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 45.5 46.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 42.7 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 47.7 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.15 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 26.2% 25.8% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2023/24 (final) 33.8 34.6 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 33.02 34.99 Close to average

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 0.1 0.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (revised) -0.1 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 10.2% 8.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 9.7% 9.0% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 30.0% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 30.5% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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