School report
Inspection of The Charter School North
Dulwich
Red Post Hill, London SE24 9JH
Inspection dates:
7 and 8 June 2022
Overall effectiveness
Outstanding
The quality of education
Outstanding
Behaviour and attitudes
Outstanding
Personal development
Outstanding
Leadership and management
Outstanding
Sixth-form provision
Outstanding
Previous inspection grade
Not previously inspected under section 5
of the Education Act 2005
Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was
judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act
2005. The school has not been inspected since November 2009.
Inspection report: The Charter School North Dulwich
7 and 8 June 2022
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What is it like to attend this school?
Leaders are determined that all pupils will succeed. They maintain high academic
standards through an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have worked to diversify the
curriculum to make it more relevant to pupils in the school. In art, for example,
pupils study artists from a range of cultural backgrounds. Pupils work hard. They
know their teachers want the best for them. Pupils with special educational needs
and/or disabilities (SEND) flourish here.
Pupils are happy and safe. They are polite and respectful to each other. Leaders
have the highest expectations for the way pupils behave. Bullying is rare and staff
deal with instances of bullying swiftly. Pupils are taught to treat everyone equally. As
a result, there is a strong sense of harmony among the school community.
Pupils are ambitious for the future. Leaders promote a wide range of activities that
will foster self-belief and ambition and develop pupils’ character. Pupils take seriously
the school’s core values of excellence, perseverance, responsibility, and family. Sixth-
form students are role models for younger pupils in the school. They lead school
initiatives to promote diversity and have developed their own anti-racism manifesto.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do
better?
Leaders have designed an ambitious academic curriculum. All pupils receive a high-
quality education. Students in the sixth form achieve very highly. Most pupils stay at
the school after Year 11 to attend the sixth form.
Subject leaders have clearly identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn.
This is well-sequenced so that pupils build up their knowledge securely over time.
Teachers routinely assess pupils’ understanding. They draw on what pupils have
learned in previous lessons. They swiftly identify and address any gaps in pupils’
understanding. This makes sure that pupils are clear what they need to do to
improve. As a result, pupils have a strong foundation of component knowledge on
which they can build.
Leaders know that reading fluently is important for all pupils to succeed. Pupils read
often and widely. Sixth-form students enjoy listening to younger pupils read. In
English, pupils study texts that are varied and challenging. Teachers help pupils to
understand the social and historical context of the books they read.
Leaders ensure that all pupils access the full curriculum. Staff are skilled at adapting
lessons to meet the needs of all pupils, especially those with SEND. Weaker readers
receive support to improve their fluency and comprehension. This allows them to
access and benefit from the ambitious curriculum.
Inspection report: The Charter School North Dulwich
7 and 8 June 2022
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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They are keen to learn and take great pride in their
work. Teachers frequently engage pupils in debate around current affairs. Pupils
express their views with maturity and are highly respectful of the views of others.
Pupils lead change within the school. They organise events both in school and the
local community around the issues that matter most to them. The school council has
led initiatives to raise awareness of issues around sexual harassment and racism.
Students in the sixth form develop leaderships skills. They complete voluntary
activities with local primary schools and charities.
Leaders carefully plan the experiences of pupils to develop their confidence and
determination. For example, all pupils in Year 9 and Year 10 take part in The Duke of
Edinburgh’s Award scheme. Pupils receive a well-established curriculum of careers
information, education, advice, and guidance. They learn about the many career
pathways open to them and are helped to make the choices that are right for them.
Sixth-form students are extremely well prepared for higher education and
employment.
Leaders strive for excellence in all aspects of the school’s work. Members of the
governing body share leaders’ ambition for the school and support leaders to realise
it. Leaders work with local schools to share their knowledge and expertise.
Staff work collaboratively to contribute to whole-school decision-making. They
appreciate the opportunities they are given to develop their subject expertise. This
helps to make them experts in their subjects and to get the best from their pupils.
Leaders take effective steps to help staff to manage their workload. Staff are proud
to work at this school.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Leaders ensure that the policies and procedures for safeguarding are robust. All staff
receive appropriate safeguarding training. They are alert to the signs that pupils may
be at risk of harm. Leaders work effectively with outside agencies to make sure that
vulnerable pupils and their families get the help they need. The procedures for the
safe recruitment of new staff members are secure.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increased focus on mental health
and online safety. Pupils have learned about sexual harassment and consent. They
have an age-appropriate understanding of healthy and safe relationships. They trust
the adults in the school to support them when they need it.
Inspection report: The Charter School North Dulwich
7 and 8 June 2022
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How can I feed back my views?
You can use Ofsted Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school,
or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted
Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as
part of their inspection.
The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a
school.
If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you
can complain to Ofsted.
Further information
You can search for published performance information about the school.
In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government
pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six
years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route.
Inspection report: The Charter School North Dulwich
7 and 8 June 2022
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School details
Unique reference number
136298
Local authority
Southwark
Inspection number
10229085
Type of school
Secondary comprehensive
School category
Academy converter
Age range of pupils
11 to 18
Gender of pupils
Mixed
Gender of pupils in sixth-form
provision
Mixed
Number of pupils on the school roll
1,279
Of which, number on roll in the
sixth form
388
Appropriate authority
Board of trustees
Chair of trust
Claire Maugham
Headteacher
Christian Hicks (executive headteacher),
Mark Pain (head of school)
Website
www.charternorthdulwich.org.uk
Date of previous inspection
Not previously inspected
Information about this school
The Charter School North Dulwich converted to become an academy school in
February 2012. When its predecessor school, The Charter School, was last
inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.
The school uses three registered alternative providers.
The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to
provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical
education qualifications and apprenticeships.
Information about this inspection
The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.
Inspection report: The Charter School North Dulwich
7 and 8 June 2022
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This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19
pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and
have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.
During the inspection, inspectors held discussions with the executive headteacher,
and the head of school, as well as members of the wider school leadership team.
They also met with members of the trust board, including the chair of trustees,
and members of the local governing body.
Inspectors carried out deep dives in mathematics, English, art, music and history.
They met with curriculum leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers,
spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.
Inspectors reviewed a range of school documentation, including the written
records of meetings of the governing body, school policies and improvement
plans. They looked at records related to attendance, behaviour, and pupil
movement.
Inspectors held meetings with leaders responsible for safeguarding and checked
the single central record. They also reviewed safeguarding documentation and
spoke to pupils and staff about the safety of pupils in school.
Inspectors reviewed the responses that were submitted by parents to the online
survey, Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered responses to the staff survey
and responses to Ofsted’s survey of pupils’ views.
Inspection team
Annabel Davies, lead inspector
Her Majesty’s Inspector
Bec Allott
Ofsted Inspector
Russell Bennett
Ofsted Inspector
David Lloyd
Ofsted Inspector
Sophie Healey-Welch
Her Majesty’s Inspector
Inspection report: The Charter School North Dulwich
7 and 8 June 2022
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The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted)
regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young
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children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and
child protection.
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