City of London Academy, Highgate Hill

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders are ambitious for pupils' academic achievement. They aim to provide a high-quality education through an ambitious curriculum.

Most pupils want to succeed. Teachers work hard to ensure that pupils know and remember more. They go back over work pupils find difficult.

Pupils find this very helpful.

Leaders state high expectations for pupils' behaviour and attitudes. Pupils are safe at school.

However, pupils' behaviour is not consistently good. Pupils said that lessons are sometimes disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils are removed from lessons when they do not meet leaders' expectations.

Pupils learn about bullying and discrimination. Le...aders say that bullying is taken seriously and that they encourage pupils to report it. When pupils report bullying, leaders respond, but some pupils feel that those actions are not effective.

They said that bullying sometimes continues.

Pupils have many opportunities to try new activities and gain new experiences. All pupils start learning a musical instrument in Years 7 and 8.

All pupils attend timetabled enrichment lessons. They choose from up to forty different activities. These include Russian for beginners, chess and many sports.

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

Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In Years 10 and 11, most pupils study modern foreign languages and geography or history.

Leaders are clear about the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn. They have designed a well-sequenced and coherent curriculum. In a few subject areas, more curriculum thinking would strengthen this intention further.

Teachers use their subject knowledge well to support pupils' learning. They give clear explanations and ask questions to check pupils' understanding. Pupils respond well to the work set for them.

Teachers use assessment to help pupils to improve their work. Pupils said they found teachers' assessment helpful. Some teachers' choices of activity could be better suited to what they want pupils to learn.

This would help pupils to secure a deeper knowledge and understanding.Leaders prioritise reading in Years 7 to 9. Additional support is provided for pupils at an early stage of reading.

All pupils read in tutor time and have reading lessons in the library. This widens pupils' experience of reading and develops their confidence. Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND with increasing expertise.

Pupils with SEND are well supported in lessons. They complete the same work as other pupils and achieve well.Although leaders say that bullying is not tolerated, some pupils said that leaders' and teachers' actions to address bullying do not always stop it.

It is not endemic but, when it happens, bullying too often continues. Pupils' behaviour in lessons sometimes disrupts learning. When this occurs, leaders remove pupils from lessons so that learning can continue without disruption.

Levels of persistent absence were significantly high before the pandemic. They remain high now. Leaders' actions are only slowly having an impact in reducing persistent absence.

Leaders give high priority to broadening pupils' cultural experiences. In Year 7, pupils visit Kew Gardens and the City of London. Pupils learn about equality and diversity.

Teachers encourage discussion and debate. Leaders are developing the range of careers advice and guidance for pupils. Pupils have the opportunity to meet a range of employers and education providers.

Pupils in Year 11 value the information they receive. It helps them to prepare for their next steps in education and employment.Leaders are mindful of staff's workload and well-being.

Staff feel valued and welcome changes to assessment and email policies. Leaders engage with parents and the local community to support pupils' education. But some pupils think that leaders should listen to their views more.

Governors and trustees hold school leaders to account. They help them to improve the quality of education for all pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL) works with a large safeguarding team. This provides the school with a high level of knowledge and expertise. Leaders identify safeguarding concerns quickly and manage them appropriately.

All staff receive frequent training. This ensures that they understand local safeguarding risks. Staff are alert to the potential signs of risk in pupils.

They report any concerns immediately. Leaders work effectively with the local authority and other safeguarding partners. This secures the help pupils need.

Leaders adopt a rigorous approach to safe recruitment. Pupils learn about safeguarding risks through the curriculum and assemblies.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Although leaders have ensured that pupils get a good quality of education, in some other areas they have had limited impact.

Actions to prevent bullying, and to stop it once it is reported, are not always effective. This means that bullying sometimes continues. Leaders must ensure that their actions to prevent and stop bullying are more effective so that bullying is reduced.

• Leaders have made some headway with improving attendance but, over time (before March 2020 and since March 2021), levels of persistent absence have been high. As a result, a significant minority of pupils have missed too much of their learning. Leaders must ensure that pupils who are persistently absent are more effectively managed and that their attendance improves significantly.