Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Leadership and management are outstanding.

The headteacher is uncompromising in her determination to improve the life chances of every single girl in the school. Her high expectations for students, staff and parents and carers are evident in her work in the school and across the community. The headteacher is wholeheartedly supported by highly committed senior leaders, middle leaders, teachers and governors.

They know the school well and work hard to maintain the highest standards of students' achievement and teaching. Students' behaviour is outstanding. They are extremely proud of their school and this is confirmed through their ...excellent conduct, consideration and courtesy.

Attendance rates are high as they enjoy attending. Disruptions in lessons are minimal. Students feel very safe in school and have an exceptionally well-developed sense of right and wrong.

They enjoy learning and this has a strong impact on the progress they make in their learning over time. The range of subjects taught is broad, balanced and finely matched to students' interests and aspirations. There is a strong focus on promoting literacy and encouraging reading.

Numeracy skills are supported well in science and geography. An extensive, rich programme of activities out of school time contributes considerably to students' understanding and appreciation of local, national and international communities. Student's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted extraordinarily well.

As a result, they are thoroughly prepared for life outside and beyond the school, especially in terms of appreciating life in modern Britain. Teaching is typically outstanding. Teachers have very high expectations for their students and their learning.

Positive and supportive relationships are a very strong feature of teaching. Teachers have a secure subject knowledge and a very good awareness of examination requirements. Teaching takes account of the extensive knowledge, understanding and awareness staff have of their students.

Students make excellent progress from their starting points and they achieve outstandingly well. The vast majority of students achieve above-average standards in a range of subjects at GCSE, including English, mathematics and languages. Disadvantaged students, disabled students and those with special educational needs make excellent progress and achieve highly because they are well known to staff.

Targeted funding is used very effectively to provide additional support for these students.

Information about this school

The school is a smaller than average sized 11–16 girls' inner-city comprehensive school. The large majority of students are from Bangladeshi and African heritages.

The proportion of students from minority ethnic groups, and those who speak English as an additional language, is well above average. Across the school there are 59 different ethnic groups and 55 different languages spoken. The proportion of students eligible for the pupil premium is well above average.

This additional government funding is used to support students who are known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority. The proportion of students eligible for the Year 7 catch-up premium is well above the national average. The proportion of students with special educational needs is above the national average.

A very small number of students are educated elsewhere at the City & Islington College, at New River College and Hackney City Farm. The headteacher has been recognised as a National Leader of Education and the school works cooperatively with other schools in the local authority to support improvement. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4.