The East London school that turned around disruptive behaviour

A secondary school in East London has been commended on its performing arts and orchestra shows by Ofsted in their most recent inspection. Lister Community School received a 'good' rating overall - its most recent ungraded inspection was found to have maintained the standards identified in its previous inspection

The school, led by headteacher Alice Clay, was praised for its supportive environment and recent improvements in learning and behavior. Inspectors highlighted the school's ambitious curriculum and its success in creating a culture of engaged learning. Notably, the school has effectively addressed previous challenges with high suspension rates and has implemented positive behavior approaches.

"Music and the performing arts are prominently featured in the school," the report read, "The orchestra rehearsed ‘Under Pressure’ with great accuracy and energy." On the theatre side of things, other parts of the school also become involved in the productions of plays. In their version of 'Oliver' "pupils studying design and technology-assisted with the set design and construction."

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What's it like at the school

Students "behave well and work hard" and "Lister Community School is highly supportive of its pupils." There is an "ambitious" curriculum in place. The school supports students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), particularly with deaf students who "achieve well". Though some inconsistencies in how teachers apply information for SEND pupils, the report said.

The inspectors said the school has made an improvement in suspensions. It reads: "Historically, the school has had high levels of suspensions and permanent exclusions. The school is tackling these issues effectively. There is a sense of calm and order during socialtimes and within lessons. The school has focused on positive approaches to rewarding behaviour. The student support unit is successfully run to improve the behaviour and learning of individuals who may find managing their own behaviour more difficult."

The curriculum for personal, social, health, relationships and economic education is "well structured". However, "Occasionally, learning tasks do not help pupils secure the knowledge they have been taught. In these cases, pupils become disengaged from learning and do not learn as well as the school intends."

While the report identified some areas for improvement, such as more consistent teaching adaptations for pupils with SEND, overall the school was found to have maintained the high standards identified in its previous inspection

Changes to Ofsted grades

Until September 2024 schools were given an overall grade but this will not happen on future Ofsted inspections. Their old overall grades will still be visible, however. Lister Community School was awarded a 'good' grade in its last graded inspection, the second highest available.

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