JFS

133724 Unique Reference Number Brent Local Authority 328736 Inspection number 5 May 2009 Inspection date Roger Whittaker Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Secondary Type of school Voluntary aided School category 11–18 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 2016 School (total) 518 Sixth form The governing body Appropriate authority Mr Russell Kett Chair Mr Jonathan Miller Headteacher 8 March 2006 Date of previous school inspection The Mall School address Kenton Harrow HA3 9TE 020 8206 3100 Telephone number 020 8206 3101 Fax number

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11–18 Age group 5 May 2009 Inspection date 328736 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. 2 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

The school is extremely popular. The proportion of students who are eligible for school meals is below the national average. The proportion of students who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including those with statements of special educational needs, is below national average. The school has specialist school status in humanities and a second specialism for raising standards.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009

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Grade: 1

The school's overall effectiveness is outstanding. The school is extremely popular with parents. Of those who returned the inspection questionnaire, the great majority were very positive about the school. Improved monitoring of teaching impacts on the overall quality of teaching, which is now outstanding. Progress is being made with the assessment of students' learning so that tracking data is more secure. However, it does not yet inform teachers so that they set targets to enable even more students to achieve the highest grades in GCSE examinations. When students join the school in Year 7, the standards they have reached in their work are above average. They make excellent progress in Years 7 to 9, so that standards reached are exceptionally high. Students make better progress in mathematics than in English in Key Stage 3. However, the difference has diminished but not yet disappeared by the end of Key Stage 4.

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Grade: 1

Again in Years 10 and 11 students make excellent progress and the standards reached in GCSE examinations are exceptionally high overall, as well as in English and mathematics. All students make outstanding progress, with those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, including statements of educational needs, making progress at the same rate. The school leaders continually strive for improvement. This includes initiatives to deliver outstanding teaching and learning consistently. The exceptionally strong relationships that adults build with students mean that students behave extremely well and enjoy life in a very safe environment. As one parent said, 'The school's ethos is very important and my child is very happy and safe at school.' Students' personal development is outstanding. They report that there is little bullying and that any issues are very quickly dealt with. Students are extremely polite and considerate, and most

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Grade: 1

speak articulately, and with confidence, to adults. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is outstanding. Students' ability to work independently and together, along with their positive attitudes to work and their outstanding attainment, make an outstanding contribution to their being very well prepared for their future economic well-being. Students show an exceptional understanding of how to lead healthy lives. This is encouraged by the curriculum, which includes the recommended amount of physical education. In Years 7 to 9 students participate in Sports Search, which enables them to look at their own development and select physical activities that are ideally suited to their needs. Menu choices in the canteen ensure that they are able to adopt a healthy diet. The quality of teaching is outstanding. Teachers' subject knowledge is excellent and lessons are very well planned, containing a full range of activities to engage and interest students. New

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Grade: 1

concepts are explained clearly, so that students know what is expected of them and, as a result, they tackle their work with confidence. Relationships between students and their teachers are exceptional. Students are given every opportunity to work independently and in groups, which they do extremely well. The pace of lessons is brisk and students are very well involved by the teacher's use of challenging questions, which require students to demonstrate high levels of understanding. In a small minority of lessons the use of assessment to help learning and strategies to enable students to work at their own level is inconsistent. In a few lessons learning is too dependent on the teacher. The curriculum meets the range of needs and interests of learners outstandingly well. In Years 10 and 11 it includes an appropriate balance of academic and applied courses. The specialist school status has resulted in an increase in students taking the subjects with examination

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Grade: 1

4 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009 targets being exceeded. Modern foreign languages opportunities are offered in French and Spanish as well as Hebrew. The curriculum offers personalized programmes, as with a group of boys, who have difficulty accessing the conventional curriculum, who are following a specially tailored curriculum which includes a work experience alternative. There is a wide range of extra-curricular opportunities. The care, guidance and support given to students are very strong. The school is successful at helping students to settle very quickly when they join the school in Year 7. The statutory safeguarding requirements are fully in place. The effectiveness of the work done to encourage attendance is outstanding. Excellent support is given to all students to ensure they achieve as well as they can. Academic guidance is very strong and so students are all clear about what

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Grade: 1

they need to do to achieve their targets. The school's leadership and management are outstanding. The leaders and managers are always focused on the personal and academic development of all students. They achieve this through excellent provision, including rigorous and robust monitoring and evaluation procedures. Monitoring and evaluation are very effectively carried out at all levels, so that staff, departments and the school are very well aware of what they do well and what changes are necessary to maintain the outstanding progress. Assessment procedures are improving. They are being used effectively to identify any group not achieving as well as others. When underperformance is identified, effective strategies for improvement are put in place. Additionally, assessment data are now always easily accessible so that all staff can use it to inform their planning. The school's contribution to community cohesion is excellent. Its students participate well in the local and

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Grade: 1

wider community through a very strong and well-informed strategy for engagement. Governors have very close links with all areas of the school. This enables them to offer support when necessary but also enables them to challenge if they feel progress is not sufficient. The school's capacity to improve is outstanding.

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Grade: 1

Students make outstanding progress in the sixth form and reach standards in their work, which are extremely high. The sixth form provides an excellent education for its students, who are very pleased by the large number of subjects offered, which include a wide range of both academic and applied options. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Students' personal development is outstanding. They develop really impressive assuredness during their time in the sixth form and contribute extremely well to the life of the school. They are given very effective academic support and guidance. They feel that their progress is monitored closely and value the help they are given in their applications to higher education. One student said, 'Our teachers always give of their own time to help us improve.' The leadership and management of the sixth form are excellent and teaching and learning is outstanding.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Continue to develop assessment so that targets challenge even more students to achieve the highest grades in GCSE examinations. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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meeting the needs of learners?

Yes Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection 1 1 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 1 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 1 How well do learners achieve? 1 1 The standards 1 reached by learners 1 1 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009

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well-being of the learners?

The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 1 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 1 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 1 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 1 The behaviour of learners The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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full range of learners' needs?

1 1 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 1 1 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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achievement and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 1 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

18 May 2009 Dear Students Inspection of JFS School,Harrow,HA3 9TE Following our visit to JFS School, we would like to share our findings with you. We thank you for the exceptionally warm welcome you gave us and for the helpful way you talked to us about your school and your work. We can now report to you that JFS School is providing you with an outstanding standard of education. In the sixth form the standard of education is outstanding. We are pleased that you enjoy school and the many opportunities it provides, particularly the after school activities. Standards in examinations are exceptionally high and well above the national average and you make outstanding progress. The school is an extremely happy and friendly community where everyone is valued equally. Your teachers are very committed to helping you and they look after you really well. We are pleased that you have very good awareness of how to be safe around the school. Your

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

headteacher is working extremely hard, with the rest of the staff, to give even more opportunities to learn as well as you can. We have asked your headteacher and staff to focus more on making sure that the school's assessment data is used so that you are set targets that result in even more of you achieving the highest grades in GCSE examinations. Yours faithfully Roger Whittaker Lead Inspector 9 of 9 Inspection Report: JFS School, 5 May 2009

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