Forest Gate Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Forest Gate Academy continues to be a good school.

The head of school of Forest Gate Academy is Katy Higginson.

This school is part of the Dean 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), Tarun Kapur, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Damian McGann.

What is it like to attend this school?

Forest Gate Academy is a warm, supportive and aspirational community.

The cheerful greetings that pupils receive from staff at the start of each day helps them to feel happy and ready to learn.

The school has created a culture of respect and tolerance. Pu...pils respond well to this and strive to follow the 'Forest Gate Way'.

For example, they treat each other with kindness and with consideration. Pupils are keen to earn rainbow and star of the week awards. They spoke proudly of reaching the 'pot of gold' and appreciate recognition for following the school's values.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Overall, pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well across the curriculum.

Pupils are positive role models for younger children. For example, they relish being play leaders and reading and maths ambassadors. Pupils are proud to take on leadership roles that support the school to become better for all.

They embrace being members of the school council and the eco committee.

Pupils value many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. They spoke enthusiastically about the variety of clubs that they attend, including drama, choir, puzzle, craft and gymnastics clubs.

Pupils enjoy a range of trips and visits that help to bring their learning to life. They told the inspector that the rich experiences that they have help to make Forest Gate Academy an exciting place to be.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has worked closely with the trust to design an ambitious curriculum for pupils, including children in the early years.

It has identified the important knowledge that pupils should learn and when this should be taught.

The school is equally ambitious for pupils with SEND. It identifies the additional needs of these pupils quickly and accurately.

Staff support pupils with SEND to access the full curriculum and to learn well.

In 2023, the proportion of Year 2 and Year 6 pupils meeting the expected standards in writing was lower than national averages. The school has identified the reasons for this.

It has taken effective steps to overcome any gaps in pupils' learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, pupils are learning the curriculum well.

Staff benefit from a well-designed programme of training and support.

They are knowledgeable about the subjects that they teach. Staff explain facts clearly and model subject-specific vocabulary well for pupils.

Overall, pupils are prepared well for the next stages of their education.

Staff make regular checks to make sure that pupils remember what they learn. In the main, this helps pupils to build their knowledge across most subjects. However, in a small number of subjects, the school has recently made refinements to the curriculum.

In these subjects, some pupils struggle to connect new learning with earlier concepts. This affects how well they build up their knowledge in these subjects over time.

Reading is an important part of the school's curriculum.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of books in the 'reading room' and outdoor reading sheds. They draw inspiration for their book choices from teachers and the school's reading ambassadors. Pupils are keen to receive golden reader awards for reading regularly.

From the earliest opportunity, children in the early years begin to learn stories, rhymes and songs. Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme well. They successfully help pupils to get off to a good start with their reading.

Pupils who struggle with reading receive timely support to help them to catch up with the phonics programme. As a result, most pupils learn to read confidently and fluently.

Children in the early years settle quickly into school.

They concentrate well on their activities and play happily with their friends. These firm foundations for learning and for behaviour are built on throughout the school. The school places high priority on supporting pupils' levels of attendance.

It provides pupils and families with the necessary support to improve pupils' attendance rates.

Pupils learn about diversity. They understand that people have different families, backgrounds, cultures and beliefs.

Pupils spoke confidently about the importance of treating everyone equally. They are taught how to stay safe when online. Pupils are encouraged to live healthy lives.

They understand the importance of regular exercise for their good health.Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the time that the school provides for them to fulfil their roles effectively.

Changes to policies, for example the marking policy, have reduced staff workload.

Trustees exercise their statutory duties well. They ensure that any weaknesses are quickly addressed.

The local governing body supports and challenges the school effectively about the quality of education that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the refinements that the school has made to the content that pupils should learn are relatively new.

Some pupils struggle to make connections between earlier knowledge and new learning in these subjects. The school should embed the improvements to these curriculums so that pupils develop detailed knowledge across the curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in June 2018.