Hadleigh High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hadleigh High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Nicola Shingleton. This school is part of the Penrose Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sarah Skinner, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Smyth.

What is it like to attend this school?

At Hadleigh High School, pupils are polite and respectful. They demonstrate the school's values of 'aim high, work hard and be kind' in their everyday lives.

Lessons are calm and orderly places in w...hich to learn. On the whole, pupils are confident to take part in lessons. This is because the school creates a supportive environment where pupils are helped to understand how to learn effectively.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They understand the school's high expectations of their achievement and conduct. These are mainly met.

Pupils say that there is very little unkindness. They know that they can talk to members of staff and any concerns will be dealt with effectively. This ensures that pupils feel safe and cared for.

Pupils are challenged to consider the lives of others and opinions other than their own. This helps them to understand fundamental British values and to broaden their understanding of the world.

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

The curriculum is broad and designed to build on pupils' prior learning.

This helps to make sure that the needs of all pupils are met, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged.The school has worked hard to ensure that staff use effective teaching approaches. This includes drawing out information from pupils with questions and ensuring pupils demonstrate what they have learned through speaking and writing.

Where teachers use effective learning strategies, pupils are fully engaged in lessons and so know and remember more. While effective teaching of the curriculum is increasingly consistent across the school, further work is needed to ensure that pupils get the same high-quality experience from all staff and in all subjects. In a few subjects, teaching is sometimes less effective, meaning pupils do not remember some important knowledge.

All pupils follow the same ambitious curriculum. Teachers check what pupils have understood. They adapt their teaching to ensure that gaps in knowledge or misconceptions are rectified quickly.

The school identifies pupils with SEND promptly. This helps staff to ensure pupils with SEND get the support they need and that they achieve successfully alongside their peers.

There is a strong focus on ensuring that all pupils can read well.

Pupils who struggle with reading are identified quickly and interventions are put in place to help them gain the knowledge and skills they need to become more fluent readers.

The school has clear expectations of pupils' behaviour so that learning is not disrupted. The school is typically calm.

Relationships between pupils and with staff are warm and supportive.

Attendance is a high priority. The school's comprehensive strategies for ensuring regular attendance mean that pupils' attendance is improving.

Pupils experiencing barriers to attendance work with trusted staff to support them to come to school more regularly.

The school is committed to pupils' personal development. There is a particular focus on expanding pupils' perspectives.

Pupils have opportunities to consider and debate a broad range of topics. Guest speakers, trips, visits and clubs provide further opportunities for pupils to broaden their understanding and experience.

The school prepares pupils well for their future success in education, training and employment.

Teachers explain the links between the subject and related careers. There are opportunities for pupils to encounter the world of work through trips, visits and work experience. Pupils are well prepared for making their GCSE choices.

Older pupils talk knowledgably about their next steps in education.

Leaders know their school well. The trust, school leaders and governors have an ambitious vision for the school, based on shared values and an agreed pathway to success.

Shared principles of learning have provided the bedrock for the rich curriculum and the way it is taught.

Staff feel valued as professionals. Their expertise is developed and utilised.

Staff are supported effectively by leaders, and staff workload is well managed. The positive atmosphere means that staff can focus on teaching and pupils can focus on learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's strategies for delivering the curriculum are not consistently implemented in some subjects. This means that some pupils do not always retain knowledge in their long-term memory. The school should ensure that all staff implement the school's carefully designed curriculum effectively.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2015.