‘Pupils are thriving…’ ’Behaviour in lessons is overwhelmingly positive…’ Ofsted
The Lammas School, Leyton, East London, part of the Griffin Schools Trust – a family of 12 award-winning schools – is celebrating a successful Ofsted monitoring visit, with the inspector recognising significant progress made across key areas.1 As a result of the visit, the rapid progress made has again been validated by Ofsted and marks another important milestone for the whole secondary school community; reflecting the hard work, dedication and determination of staff, students, and leadership to drive lasting improvement.
Commenting on the visit, Executive Head, Carla Kenny said, ‘We are incredibly proud that Ofsted has recognised the progress we are making at Lammas. Our vibrant school community – from our dedicated staff to our passionate and diverse students – is united in its commitment to continuous improvement and creating positive change. This visit is a welcome reflection of the hard work and shared ambition across our school.’
The inspector recognised that the school, with the support of the Trust, ‘has moved forward with determination and vigour to address the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection’, and that ‘the quality assurance processes and systems put in place are rigorous and systematic’, with leadership continuing ‘to review the systems to ensure they are working as intended’.
The improvement board who meet regularly, were commended on their mission ‘to evaluate the impact of the school’s work in improving outcomes for pupils in Key stages 4 and 5’, with ‘staff at all levels commenting on the effective use of data to inform actions’. It was noted that this had ‘sharpened the focus and is having a positive impact on many areas of improvement, including attendance’.
It was noted that refinements to the curriculum means ‘important knowledge that pupils must learn is clearly set out… helping staff to deliver the curriculum more effectively’ with ‘greater structure in lessons through the introduction of ‘smart start’ and a new lesson framework’. There is also ‘more consistency in how staff use questioning and give feedback’.
Additionally, ‘decisive steps’ have been taken, ‘with additional resource from the Trust, to fill gaps in pupils’ knowledge and provide academic support to those pupils who need it the most, helping them to catch up so they can access the full curriculum’.
Improvements have also been made ‘to the reading programme across the school and this is having a positive impact’. The inspector recognised that these ‘changes have been delivered at pace but are nonetheless working well in many areas of the school’ and that ‘the school’s current published outcomes do not fully reflect the improvements that have been made’.
The inspector praised the school’s clear and consistently implemented behaviour policy, which has helped create a calm, respectful environment. Lessons are described as ‘overwhelmingly positive’, and ‘younger students reported feeling safe and supported by staff. Corridors and communal spaces were also noted to be calm and well-managed’.
Pupils themselves were a key highlight of the report. They speak highly of their teachers, value their education, and are regularly consulted about their experience, a process they welcome. The school celebrates student achievements regularly, contributing to a culture of pride and aspiration.
The inspector praised the school for ‘continuing to prioritise pupils’ wider development, expanding the enrichment offer so that pupils have access to a wide range of cultural experiences, including trips and visits from experts in their field’. Lammas also ‘takes steps to actively challenge stereotypes, including encouraging girls into STEM and improving girls’ participation in sport’ with pupils ‘thriving through the many opportunities provided for leadership’.
The work of the school’s ‘Community Leaders is helping to establish stronger relationships with the wider community and share the positive work’ being done. In addition, ‘pupils have many and varied opportunities to take part in festivals and competitions, and the school is rightly proud of their sporting achievements’.
The school was commended for continuing to ‘welcome pupils who are new to the country’, providing them with ‘extensive support when they arrive to help them settle into the school and to learn English’.
There was additional praise for the leadership team, who ‘actively invite and welcome external feedback and challenge, schedule regular reviews and use these to check that the improvements are in line with the school’s ambitions’. Also, for responding positively to feedback which ‘helps to maintain focus on the right areas, and staff are positive about the professional development opportunities provided by external partners’.
It is evident that this monitoring visit affirms The Lammas School’s upward trajectory and the impact of bold, strategic actions taken by the school and the Griffin Schools Trust.
For more information about The Lammas School, please visit: https://lammas-gst.org/.
1 The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.
