OA - Havering

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 February 2023

Pupils are happy to come here. Most have had a difficult time at their previous schools. Teachers understand their needs and support them to achieve success. Whether pupils attend the school for a short time or finish their education here, leaders and staff make sure that pupils are helped to overcome their barriers to learning and be ready for their next steps in education and training. Leaders want pupils to do well in education. They are proud that pupils leaving Year 11 over the last two years all secured places at college or on apprenticeships. Through well-targeted pastoral support and a carefully designed curriculum, most pupils in Years 8 and 9 successfully return to mainstream schools. In addition, leaders support pupils' emotional and mental health needs with a well-planned personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme. Pupils also enjoy their outdoor learning activities. Pupils are safe in school. Staff teach them how to stay safe when they are not there. Pupils learn in small groups and behave well. Staff use rewards and sanctions consistently and pupils are motivated to achieve and behave well, for instance through reward vouchers. Pupils, staff and parents and carers said that bullying is rare in this school. Pupils know they can speak to any member of staff if there are problems. They trust staff to respond quickly, and staff do.

What the school should improve

• Approaches and routines to support pupils to catch and keep up with learning following absence from school are not used consistently. This means that gaps in knowledge are not addressed and can lead to pupils struggling to understand more complex concepts in the future. Leaders should ensure that teaching addresses any gaps in pupils' understanding so that they are ready for the next stage in their learning.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)