Blackfen School for Girls

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 March 2025

Blackfen School for Girls fosters a welcoming and friendly environment. Staff know their pupils well and have high expectations of them. Staff provide daily care and support when needed. Most pupils are polite and respectful towards adults and each other. Pupils feel and are kept safe and know who they can talk to about any concerns they have. Bullying is rare but, if it does occur, is resolved quickly. A growing number of pupils attend additional activities such as public speaking, art and volleyball. The school offers an ambitious range of residential visits including a ski trip to the south of France and opportunities for the pupils to perform at Disneyland Paris. Students in the sixth form take on leadership roles such as mentorship of younger pupils. These experiences enrich pupils' lives and help them experience a variety of opportunities beyond the classroom. All pupils, and students in the sixth form, receive high-quality independent advice on their next steps as part of the exceptionally well-organised careers programme. Many pupils were effusive in their praise for the support they receive in considering future careers options.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum in some subjects is not implemented with sufficient precision. In these areas, pupils do not develop the same depth of knowledge and understanding and achieve less well, including in national examinations. The school should ensure that the curriculum is delivered with consistent rigour. This includes checking that staff have the necessary subject knowledge to explain ideas with clarity and make effective use of assessment to check understanding, identify and correct misconceptions.
• The systems for managing behaviour are sometimes not applied consistently. As a result, there are different expectations, including about pupils' use of their mobile telephones and arriving to lessons on time. The school should ensure that the expectations for behaviour are applied consistently across the school.
• The provision for some pupils with SEND who attend mainstream classes is not consistently matched to their needs and starting points. As a result, these pupils are sometimes not supported to access the curriculum and achieve well. The school should check that the adaptations chosen help pupils learn and remember more.

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