Eastbury Community School’s sixth form provision has been rated Outstanding by Ofsted following a visit in July.
Barking and Dagenham’s schools have received further recognition from Ofsted for their high standards of education, with less than a quarter of sixth forms in the UK currently holding this top mark. Ofsted believe Eastbury have achieved this through ‘highly effective leadership’, the students’ determination to succeed and their high aspirations for the future.
In the report Ofsted said:
“They set high expectations and have provided rigorous training, including working collaboratively with colleagues across the consortium. The result is that teaching, learning and assessment are now outstanding.”
Councillor Evelyn Carpenter, Cabinet Member for Educational Attainment and School Improvement, reacted to the news, saying: “This is brilliant news and another example of how well schools in Barking and Dagenham are doing. The rating of Outstanding shows the incredible work the staff and pupils of Eastbury have put in and they thoroughly deserve the recognition.
“We are determined to provide our young people with the best education and life skills before they take the next step. We will continue to provide them with opportunities to fulfil their potential.”
Ofsted also praised how the Sixth Form supports students in making decisions for their next stage of their careers, saying:
“Students attend careers fairs, and have mock interviews and help with writing application forms. The school has established links to universities in many subjects, enabling students to visit and gain first-hand information.”
This news follows the announcement that the school achieved a 100% A Level pass rate, with many students securing the top grades and places at Russell group and other top universities, as well as degree apprenticeships with the Bank of England, Ernst & Young and other prestigious organisations.
David Dickson, Executive Head teacher of Eastbury Community school was delighted with the news:
“I am extremely privileged to be working with highly dedicated and caring staff, enthusiastic students and supportive parents, governors and local authority,” he said.
“This recognition by Ofsted, together with the best A Level results in the borough, is a tribute to the hard work of both students and staff. Everybody should feel proud of their achievements, and naturally I am absolutely delighted”.
Head of Sixth Form, Simon Conway was also thrilled with results but knew there was still work to be done.
“Both this years’ Sixth Form results, which place us within the top 5% in the country for progress, and our Outstanding Ofsted judgement are the result of a huge amount of hard work by the entire school community,” he said.
“Whilst we are delighted with these results, we continuously look to raise standards even higher at Eastbury Sixth Form. We look forward to excelling even further in all areas of our 16-19 provision in the upcoming academic year so that in 2019 we achieve yet another record set of results, ensuring all our students are well prepared and ready to become leaders of the future.”