Logic Studio School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Logic Studio School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The principal of this school is Alex Pett.

This school is part of Tudor Park Education 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), Steve Price, and overseen by a board of directors, chaired by Charlotte Warner.

What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a professional, calm and caring learning environment.

Pupils in Years 10 and 11, and students in the sixth form, focus on their studies and develop positive and respectful relationships... with each other and with staff. The school has high expectations that pupils develop the character, skills and knowledge to be successful in a range of academic and work environments. Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps in education and employment.

Staff and pupils appreciate the small size of the school community in which everyone knows each other well and no one goes unnoticed. Staff are quick to spot if anyone is not quite themselves and promptly help to resolve any concerns. The school's coaching programme ensures that pupils have regular personalised support with all aspects of their school life, including their learning and their well-being.

Pupils are safe in school.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of opportunities to broaden their outlook and gain insight into the world of work, including events with representatives from different occupations and professions, internships, educational excursions and residential trips. Through the school's employer engagement pathways, pupils see the relevance of their studies to a range of sectors.

They gain industry-specific experiences and qualifications, including in cybersecurity and games design.

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

The school's curriculum provides pupils with opportunities to gain qualifications across a broad range of academic and vocational subjects. The school sets out clearly the content of the curriculum and how it should be delivered in 'The Logic Lesson'.

Well-organised training ensures that staff know and follow the expected routines across all subjects. Teachers ensure that pupils regularly revisit and reinforce prior learning before applying this to more complex ideas. They provide pupils with helpful ways to remember key facts over time.

Teachers also draw upon their strong subject knowledge to develop pupils' use of more technical vocabulary, express their thinking clearly and deepen their learning. They design the daily 'prep' sessions to enable pupils to revise, check their understanding and apply their knowledge in all subjects.

Staff swiftly identify when a pupil is at risk of falling behind and determine the specific approaches to enable each pupil to succeed in their studies.

Pupils who need more support with reading embark on the school's reading programme so that they catch up. The school provides strong support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff use a range of effective strategies so that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as others and achieve as highly.

The school recognises and acts promptly when improvements are needed. For example, leaders identified that in a few subjects, pupils need to develop their literacy skills to improve the quality of their written responses. The school has prioritised staff training to ensure there is a clear and consistent approach to the progression of pupils' writing skills.

Pupils' work demonstrates considerable strides in the structuring and content of their written work as the school's focus on this aspect of the curriculum becomes embedded.

Staff appreciate the school's organisation of training relevant to their roles and professional development. Leaders are mindful of staff workload when making any changes to expected policy and practice in the school.

Leaders are highly considerate of pupils' contrasting experiences before starting at the school, including those who have not attended school for a while. Staff work closely with any pupils who need to overcome barriers to their engagement with school, including poor attendance. This is especially the case for those joining in Year 10, who might need time to adjust to the routines, boundaries and expectations that are new to them.

The school carefully considers the individual circumstances of each pupil, working closely with families and outside agencies to support their successful integration into school life. For most pupils, this enables their motivation and attitudes to learning to improve. Pupils in Year 11 and students in the sixth form generally attend well.

Improving attendance of some pupils in Year 10 is an ongoing challenge for the school. Staff do not stand still in their actions to support the pupils who continue to be persistently absent from school.

Pupils' readiness for adulthood and life beyond their school and local environment is enhanced through the personal, social, health, citizenship and economic education and relationships and sex education (RSE) programmes.

Pupils cover topics on physical and mental health and well-being. The RSE programme supports their understanding of risks to their safety, including online, and key themes, such as healthy relationships and consent.

The Trust provides valuable support to the school in addressing ongoing priorities, including leadership development and governance.

The local governing body is well informed about the work of the school and draw upon their training and experience to fulfil their statutory responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Levels of attendance of some pupils who join the school in Year 10 are considerably lower than those in Year 11.

The school's work to improve attendance is not reducing rates of absence swiftly enough. Pupils in Year 10 who are persistently absent miss out on the good quality of education and the high-quality experiences the school provides. The school should implement the further strategies and support needed in its work with pupils and their families, and external agencies as needed, to ensure that the attendance of pupils in Year 10 improves.

• In a few subjects, pupils' written work does not reflect their knowledge and understanding accurately. This limits pupils' achievement in these subjects. The school should continue to consolidate its work to improve the quality of pupils' writing.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in March 2019.

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