Inspection report
| Unique Reference Number | 100006 |
| Local Authority | Camden |
| Inspect ion number | 354787 |
| Inspect ion dates | 9–10 March 2011 |
| Reporting inspector | Kay (Kathleen) Charlton |
This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) regulates and inspects to
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 Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and
skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure
establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children,
safeguarding and child protection.
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| Type of school | Pupil referral unit |
| School category | Pupil referral unit |
| Age range of pupils | 14–16 |
| Gender of pupils | Mixed |
| Nu mber of pupils on the school roll | 22 |
| Appropriate authority | The governing body |
| Chair | Sue Ladipo |
| Headteacher | Poppy Berry |
| Date of prev ious school inspection | 15 May 2008 |
| School address | Agincourt Road |
| Camden | |
| London NW3 2NY | |
| Telephone number | 02079748030 |
| Fax number | 0207 9748031 |
| Email address | admin@camden-spru.camden.sch.uk |
| Age group | 14–16 |
| Inspect ion dates | 9–10 March 2011 |
| Inspect ion number | 354787 |
This inspection was carried out by one additional inspector. Teaching and learning were
observed in eight lessons, with all five teachers seen. Meetings were held with students,
members of the management committee, staff and a representative from the local
authority. The inspector observed the school's work and looked at documentation
including the school improvement plan, assessment information, policies and students'
work. Fourteen questionnaires from parents and carers were scrutinised.
The inspector reviewed many aspects of the school's work and looked in detail at a
number of key areas.
Agincourt House caters for students from the London Borough of Camden who have
usually been excluded from their mainstream schools after a period of disrupted
education. Students arrive at the centre at different times but once they are on roll they
remain until age 16. All have behavioural, social and emotional difficulties. A small number
have a statement of special educational needs related to these as well as to other learning
difficulties. The great majority of students are from White British backgrounds. A small
minority are from Black African backgrounds. None are at the early stages of speaking
English. The proportion of students known to be eligible for free school meals is high. The
centre has Healthy School status.
Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
| Overall effectiveness: how good is the school? | 2 |
| The school's capacity for sustained improvement | 2 |
Agincourt House provides good education for its students. The care, guidance and support
that students receive are outstanding and ensure that students make excellent progress in
developing their confidence and self-esteem from a very low base. Students' progress in
their academic learning is good and students gain qualifications in a range of GCSE and
vocational subjects, through which all are able to move successfully into further education,
training or the world of work. The centre uses very effective strategies to re-engage
students in education and enable them to address their anxieties about school. Attendance
is average overall. Behaviour is good with all students showing great improvement from
when they first started at the centre.
The well-balanced curriculum gives a clear focus to the development of basic skills in
literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology and engages students
very effectively. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers establish excellent relationships
with the students and these are the basis of the exemplary guidance and support for
students' personal development. Staff know each student extremely well and they use
assessment information effectively to match work to the level of understanding of each
one. The centre is aware, however, in a few lessons staff do not make the most of every
opportunity to involve students in assessing their own learning or that of their peers, for
students' achievements to be maximised. Staff training in this aspect is paying off with
some excellent practice seen.
The headteacher has a very clear vision about how the provision should develop. She is
very well supported by her senior management team. Together they have established
effective teamwork across the teaching and support staff, based on a good understanding
of the centre's strengths and weaknesses. They have mapped out a clear path for
improvement. There have been changes in the structure of the management committee
since the previous inspection and these are effective in ensuring that it provides the centre
with a good level of challenge. The leadership has developed rigorous systems to track
students' progress, and monitor and evaluate the quality of the provision, ensuring that
any student in need of extra support is quickly identified. These systems form the basis of
a well-focused programme of staff development and underpin an effective cycle of school
improvement. However, the school does not make best use of its data about students'
progress to show clearly to all, particularly its management committee, how well it is
performing in relation to the national picture. Excellent links are established with parents
and carers to help them to understand and support the needs of their children.
Partnerships with other professionals are used extremely well to help meet students'
needs, especially to support their personal development. The centre works tirelessly to
support students whose circumstances make them vulnerable to overcome their personal
difficulties. It makes sure that all students have high-quality opportunities for a 'second
chance' in education. The improvements which the centre has effected on students'
Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
achievements, their attendance, behaviour and attitudes to learning, coupled with the
effectiveness of its self-evaluation, show that the capacity for further sustained
improvement is good.
| Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils | 2 |
Since the previous inspection, the number of students gaining five or more good GCSE
passes has risen as has the number attaining passes at grades A* to G, so that attainment
is broadly average. Given students' below, and sometimes well below, starting points on
entry, this represents good progress and achievement. Students' achievement in English is
particularly good. There are no differences in the progress made by different gender,
ethnic or ability groups, including for those with a statement of special educational needs.
In all the lessons seen, the excellent relationships between staff and students were used
extremely well to engage and motivate students so that they enjoy their lessons. In an
excellent art lesson the staff were very skilful in involving the students in assessing their
learning at all stages of the lesson. This increased the students' determination to succeed,
deepened their understanding of difficult concepts related to surrealism and ensured that
their learning was of a very high quality. Such practice is not, however, consistent in all
lessons.
Students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This is based on the
high expectations established by all staff, the role models they present and the fact they
are 'like a supportive family'. Staff are adept at encouraging students to reflect on their
own feelings and on those of others and this helps students make significant changes in
their attitudes and behaviour. Students develop a good awareness of the need for a
healthy lifestyle and this is recognised through the centre's Healthy School status. They
are very enthusiastic about timetabled physical education lessons and often take part in
voluntary activities, such as jogging on Hampstead Heath and after-school boxing
sessions. In discussions, students acknowledged how they have used information about
sexual health, tobacco and drug abuse to help change their lifestyle. Students say that
they feel safe and if any issues arise they are quickly dealt with by staff.
The first-day absence procedures are operated with rigour and most students improve
their attendance considerably. Students make a positive contribution to their school
community in a range of ways; for example they have gained funds that have contributed
to furnishing a communal area and run events that have helped towards a residential visit.
When selling tee shirts of their own design for charity they contributed well to the wider
community. The literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology
qualifications students gain, together with the gains in their personal skills, prepare them
well for their economic well-being.
Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
| Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning | 2 |
| Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹ |
3 |
| The quality of pupils' learning and their progress | 2 |
| The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress |
2 |
| The extent to which pupils feel safe | 2 |
| Pupils' behaviour | 2 |
| The extent to which pupils adopt healthy lifestyles | 2 |
| The extent to which pupils contribute to the school and wider community | 2 |
| The extent to which pupils develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being |
2 |
| Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹ |
3 |
| The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development | 2 |
1
The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4
is low
Teachers have very good subject knowledge and in their planning they identify the needs
of individual students and how these will be met, so that the range of activities is carefully
matched to students' needs. Support staff receive a high level of training and they make
an important contribution to the team, both in helping to manage students' behaviour,
develop their understanding and in one-to-one sessions, particularly in reading. All staff
use resources, including information and communication technology well, to support
students' learning and they often inject a sense of fun into lessons. In many lessons, staff
engage students well in checking what they have learnt, with useful prompts from the 'I
can do' statements that are available for each subject. In a few lessons opportunities to
extend learning in this way are not used to advantage.
The curriculum provides a good balance between academic and vocational subjects and
meets the needs and aspirations of students. A carefully planned programme of work
experience supports the provision. Visits out of school, such as recent one to see
basketball at the O2 arena, a wide range of after-school clubs and visitors to the school,
for example by local police, enhance the curriculum well. There is a strong focus on
personal and social education which forms a cornerstone of the provision. The centre
recognises that the provision in information and communication technology is not as
established as in other subjects and is rightly developing it further.
Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
Staff make sure that all students, including those who arrive at different times, settle
quickly and happily into the centre. Transition arrangements for those moving on, for
example to sixth forms and colleges, are excellent and contribute extremely well to
reducing students' anxieties. The care, guidance and support provided by all staff for
students' personal development are second to none. Staff spend a great deal of time
listening to students, giving them advice and promoting their well-being to overcome
difficulties in their lives. They work extremely well with others, including parents and
carers, mentors, the home/school link worker, the education welfare service and other
professionals to provide tailor-made advice and support. Students are given excellent
guidance about careers and opportunities available when they leave the centre.
| The quality of teaching | 2 |
| Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning |
2 |
| The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships |
2 |
| The effectiveness of care, guidance and support | 1 |
The headteacher leads by example and inspires both students and staff to want to do their
best. There is a constant focus on improving students' life chances and all show a sense of
enthusiasm about key developments with a clear focus on improving practice in
classrooms. The management committee is systematic in monitoring the work of the
centre. Its members have a good awareness of the centre's strengths and weaknesses
and challenge leaders effectively. The centre promotes equality of opportunity well
ensuring good achievement for all groups of students, including those who have a
statement of special educational needs. The difference it makes to the lives of its students
is a testament to its commitment to tackling discrimination.
All staff work extremely well with parents and carers to help them to support their
children's needs. Links are established through half-termly review meetings, parents'
group meetings, first-day absence calls, regular contact by phone and visits home that
include time for student tuition if needed. The centre has very systematic procedures for
checking the views of parents and carers and it responds very positively to their
suggestions. Safeguarding and child protection are high on everyone's agenda and fully
meet national requirements and guidelines. There are effective safeguarding policies, with
good staff training on child protection. All staff are vetted and checked before working in
the centre and risk assessments are thorough. The centre works extremely well with many
agencies, other schools and colleges, to underpin the significant progress students make
in their attitudes, behaviour and attendance.
The backgrounds of both students and staff, and work undertaken with others in the
community, are used well to support students' understanding of community cohesion.
Links with a school outside the area have helped to broaden students' understanding of
Inspect ion grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is sat isfactory, and 4 is inadequate
Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms
those from a wider range of cultural backgrounds and also helped them gain accreditation
in two different languages. The school is aware that, as yet, there are too few
opportunities for its students to learn about lives of others in an international context and
it is rightly developing this area of its work.
| The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement |
2 |
| Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning |
2 |
| The effectiveness of the governing body in challenging and support ing the school so that weaknesses are tackled decisively and statutory responsibilities met |
2 |
| The effectiveness of the school's engagement with parents and carers | 1 |
| The effectiveness of partnerships in promoting learning and well-being | 1 |
| The effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discriminat ion |
2 |
| The effectiveness of safeguarding procedures | 2 |
| The effectiveness with which the school promotes community cohesion | 2 |
| The effectiveness with which the school deploys resources to achieve value for money | 2 |
A higher-than-usual number of parents' and carers' questionnaires was returned for a
school of this type. These show that the overwhelming majority are very satisfied with the
centre and the provision it makes for their children. Comments such as, 'They have
worked miracles with my son,' sum this up. The views expressed confirmed the findings of
the school's own surveys. These very positive views are fully supported by the inspection
findings.
Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire
Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Agincourt House to complete a
questionnaire about their views of the school.
In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements
about the school.
The inspector received 14 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are
22 pupils registered at the school.
The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The
percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of
completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question,
the percentages will not add up to 100%.
| Statements | Strongly agree |
Agree | Disagree | Strongly disagree |
||||
| Total | % | Total | % | Total | % | Total | % | |
| My child enjoys school | 3 | 21 | 10 | 71 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| The school keeps my child safe |
5 | 36 | 8 | 57 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| My school informs me about my child's progress |
4 | 29 | 9 | 64 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| My child is making enough progress at this school |
3 | 21 | 10 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| The teaching is good at this school |
5 | 36 | 9 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| The school helps me to support my child's learning |
3 | 21 | 10 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle |
3 | 21 | 9 | 64 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) |
3 | 21 | 9 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| The school meets my child's particular needs |
4 | 29 | 9 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour |
7 | 50 | 6 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns |
7 | 50 | 6 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| The school is led and managed effectively |
9 | 64 | 4 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school |
3 | 21 | 10 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 |
| Grade | Judgement | Description |
| Grade 1 | Outstanding | These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs. |
| Grade 2 | Good | These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. |
| Grade 3 | Satisfactory | These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. |
| Grade 4 | Inadequate | These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves. |
| Overall effectiveness judgement (percentage of schools) | ||||
| Type of school | Outstanding | Good | Satisfactory | Inadequate |
| Nursery schools | 59 | 35 | 3 | 3 |
| Primary schools | 9 | 44 | 39 | 7 |
| Secondary schools | 13 | 36 | 41 | 11 |
| Sixth forms | 15 | 39 | 43 | 3 |
| Special schools | 35 | 43 | 17 | 5 |
| Pupil referral units | 21 | 42 | 29 | 9 |
| All schools | 13 | 43 | 37 | 8 |
New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now
make some additional judgements that were not made previously.
The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2010 and are consistent with
the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspec tion outcomes (see
www.ofsted.gov.uk).
The sample of schools inspected during 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker
schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools.
Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.
Sixth form figures reflect the judgements made for the overall effectiveness of the sixth form in secondary
schools, special schools and pupil referral units.
| Achievement: | the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training. |
| Attainment: | the standard of the pupils' work shown by test and examination results and in lessons. |
| Capacity to improve: | the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement. |
| Leadership and management: | the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school. |
| Learning: | how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners. |
| Overall effectiveness: | inspectors form a judgement on a school's overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be. |
| The school's capacity for sustained Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils. The quality of teaching. The extent to which the curriculum meets The effectiveness of care, guidance and improvement. pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships. support. |
|
| Progress: | the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils' attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started. |
This letter is provided for the school, parents and
carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted's
main findings from the inspection of their school.
11 March 2011
Dear Students
Inspection of Agincourt House, London NW3 2NY
I really enjoyed coming to inspect your school. I judged that Agincourt House provides
good education. I could see that you are happy being at the centre and you make
excellent progress in developing your confidence and self-esteem. You make good
progress in the subjects you study and gain a range of qualifications that help you move
on successfully to the next stage of your lives. The school keeps you safe and there is
always someone to look after you, give you extra support, for example to help you catch
up with your work, and give you advice, for instance about what courses you might study
at college. Your behaviour is much improved since you joined Agincourt House and is now
good.
I could see that you enjoy football, table tennis and activities, such as making pancakes to
celebrate Shrove Tuesday. You told me that you particularly like visits out of the centre,
for example to the O2 and activities undertaken in the various clubs.
To improve Agincourt House in future I have asked the staff to use the information about
the progress you make to make it clearer to everyone how well the centre is doing overall.
I have also asked the staff to make sure that in all lessons they make the most of
opportunities to involve you in assessing your own work as well as that of others in the
class, for example by using the 'I can' ladders. This is to improve your achievements even
more. I hope all of you will help by doing your best all of the time.
Yours sincerely
Kay Charlton
Lead inspector
Any complaints about the inspection or the report should be made following the procedures set
out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspect ions', which is available from Ofsted's website:
www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please
telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquir ies@ofsted.gov.uk.