Haslingden High School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Senior leaders and governors focus their work on strong support for staff and pupils.

Leaders have been successful in sustaining the strengths identified at the last inspection. Leaders have taken action to curb a downward trend in mathematics and science that has occurred since the time of the last inspection. Actions are improving outcomes for pupils in these subjects.

Middle leaders are held accountable for the quality of teaching and pupils' progress in their subjects. Staff value the support and challenge that they receive from senior leaders. Teaching overall is good.

Pupils currently in the school, including the most able,... achieve well in many subjects across the curriculum. Pupils make the strongest progress in English, languages and humanities. Some inconsistencies in teaching remain in mathematics and in science.

Leaders have effectively planned the school's provision for disadvantaged pupils. The progress they make is improving towards that of other pupils from the same starting points. Leaders appreciate there is still work to be done.

The school's work to promote pupils' personal development and welfare is good. Pupils are safe and happy in school. The school is a harmonious community where pupils show respect for one another and for staff.

Pupils' behaviour is good. The majority of pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Leaders have successfully increased attendance for all groups of pupils, including for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Attendance is above the national average. Students in the sixth form achieve well, particularly in academic subjects. Governors make a strong contribution to the school.

They are well informed and hold senior leaders to account for the quality of education provided. Governors support the school proactively. Senior leaders know the school's strengths and weaker aspects.

Plans for improvement include the correct priorities but targets to achieve them lack precision. Leaders do not evaluate the impact of actions on outcomes for pupils. This hinders the pace of change.

The teaching of mathematics and science is improving under the direction of new subject leaders but is not consistently effective. Pupils who have low prior attainment on entry to the school do not make as much progress as others in mathematics in Year 7. This is because information about their numeracy skills is not used as well as it could be to plan their learning.

Information about this school

The school does not meet the requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. Haslingden High School and Sixth Form College is a large-sized secondary school. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average.

Approximately one in seven pupils are from a minority ethnic group and one in 10 speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is slightly higher than average. The headteacher is a national leader of education and provides support for a secondary academy in Bradford.

A small number of pupils on roll attend alternative provision off the school site, including at The Heights, CoalClough and Accrington and Rossendale College. The school met the current floor standards in 2016. These are the minimum expectations of pupils' progress set by the government.