20th November 2024
Ofsted Inspection October 2024
Dear families
As you know, we were inspected on 8th and 9th October, and I am delighted to share with you our final inspection report, which I have just received for publication.
This was a full graded inspection. Six inspectors visited the school over two days and investigated all aspects of provision. It was a rigorous process: the inspection team observed lessons, studied data, met with school leaders, spoke with students, staff and governors, and drew on feedback from parents.
Since September 2024, Ofsted no longer awards single graded judgements to schools, but grades different aspects.
In October 2024, William Ellis was judged to be good in all areas.
Quality of Education: Good
“The school has developed an ambitious curriculum [and has] high aspirations for its pupils. Pupils build their knowledge securely over time. Teachers ensure that pupils revise their work often.”
Behaviour and Attitudes: Good
“Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They are attentive and engage well in class discussions, listening to and respecting each other’s views.”
Personal Development: Good
“There are many residential trips on offer. Most pupils attend some of the many clubs. Pupils are encouraged to become active citizens.”
Leadership and Management: Good
“School leaders and the governing body share a vision and passion. They want to enable all pupils to succeed in their learning and gain the knowledge and cultural capital they need to be upright citizens. The school has built up a strong network in the local community to enrich the school’s work and pupils’ experiences.”
Sixth Form: Good
“The sixth-form curriculum offer is extensive. It offers students a very wide choice of A-level and vocational courses. Sixth-form students make good use of the study facilities to work independently.”
The report captures some long-held strengths of the school, and reminds us that our character, culture, curriculum and community are distinctive and important. It recognises our ambitious, inclusive ethos, the importance placed on relationships and the collegiality between staff, students, and governors in the school. It also highlights directly the work that we have done since May 2022 to address the improvement points in our previous report: the coverage of the curriculum, the way that teachers check understanding, and how we address poor behaviour. In doing so, it provides us with a highly encouraging platform for future progress.
It also describes the school as students experience it:
“Pupils enjoy coming to this school. Across the school, pupils and adults establish strong and respectful working relationships. [They] behave well in the classrooms and around the school at social times.”
It goes on to make reference to the positive role of students as leaders in the school. Our students should be proud of the way that they represented themselves and the school during the days of the inspection, whether in a discussion group with inspectors, in lessons or around the school.
Ofsted has been in the news a lot recently, and I think it important to recognise the efforts of staff in what is a stressful and demanding process, that inspectors were professionally thorough but also empathetic, and how thankful we were for the support that we received from parents and the wider community during the days of the inspection.
Our wider school community has also been supportive throughout the school improvement process that began as we emerged from the Covid pandemic and accelerated by our 2022 inspection, and we have benefited from working in close partnership with Camden Learning throughout this period. This support has been valuable and important, and we are thankful for it.
The report highlighted two areas for improvement, as is always the case with inspection reports:
- Strengthening the ways that teachers act on assessment information to address knowledge gaps and misconceptions in learning.
- Implementing a comprehensive strategy to identify and support students who struggle with their reading.
We have plans in place to address these priorities over the coming months. If you would like to learn more about the inspection process, or our response to the report, please do get in touch.
I would like to thank you for your support over the past two and a half years, including the way that, as parents and carers, you have provided constructive feedback and maintained a positivity and co-operation in the way that we work in partnership. The report states that
"Leaders have established a calm and purposeful learning environment where pupils are encouraged to think big, work hard and be kind"
But the credit also sits with you. As parents and carers, you have encouraged your children, set high expectations and made sure that they are ready to learn each day.
We are very excited about continuing to work with you to build on the strengths recognised in this inspection.
