AIM Academy North London

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an inadequate school Senior leaders do not have an accurate understanding of the quality of education in the school.

They have low expectations of what pupils can achieve. Senior leaders' self-evaluation is overgenerous. Previously, governors did not challenge information from senior leaders despite falling standards.

Pupils' outcomes are well below the standards they can achieve. Teachers' assessment of pupils' attainment is inaccurate. Teaching does not support pupils' learning.

Many pupils do not understand the content of their lessons, particularly those who are at an early stage of speaking English as an additional language. Many pupils a...re inattentive in lessons and some disrupt others' learning. The leadership of pupils' personal development and welfare is not effective.

Pupils' attendance at school and in lessons is very low. Safeguarding is not effective. Pupils have limited understanding of how to keep themselves healthy or safe.

Pupils are not aware of some risks to their safety. Staff do not follow up on pupils' absence from lessons or from school. Pupils who are disadvantaged, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who speak English as an additional language are not supported effectively.

They make poor progress. The 16 to 19 study programme does not enable students to make good progress. Students' outcomes in academic and vocational subjects are well below national averages.

The school has the following strengths The trust and the new governing board have an accurate view of achievement in the school. They now challenge school leaders and have put support in place. It is too soon to assess the impact of this support.

A few teachers plan activities which support and challenge their pupils. Pupils enjoy these lessons and speak highly of these individual teachers.

Information about this school

Nightingale Academy is part of a multi-academy trust, the London Academies Enterprise Trust, which is a subsidiary of the Academies Enterprise Trust (AET).

Previously the governing body was a local governing body. AET appointed a new governing board in September 2018 which includes AET senior officers, school improvement consultants and headteachers from other AET schools. AET delegates all governance responsibilities to this new governing body.

Between 2017 and 2018 the academy was in the process of changing its trust sponsor. The withdrawal of the proposed new sponsor gave the school a period of uncertainty until the current arrangement was confirmed. AET provides support to coach senior and middle leaders.

This support has increased markedly since September 2018, following the withdrawal of the proposed new sponsor, and now includes support for teaching and learning, and pupils' behaviour. The school uses one alternative provider, Enfield College. Over three quarters of pupils speak English as an additional language.