Hastings High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hastings High School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Hastings High School is a pleasant school community where pupils enjoy learning. Leaders want pupils to be the best that they can be.

Pupils appreciate leaders' high expectations for them. The school's core values of 'Community, Ambition, Responsibility, Enrichment and Self-development' (CARES) are central to school life. Staff and pupils are proud to be part of the 'Hastings Family'.

Pupils achieve well, including the most disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is because, in most lessons, teachers at the school deliver the curriculum... well.

Pupils behave in a calm and orderly way.

This helps all pupils to learn and concentrate well. Bullying is rare. Where it occurs, leaders take swift actions to deal with it effectively.

Pupils say that they feel safe at school.

Leaders provide extra-curricular activities to further enhance pupils' learning. Pupils enjoy the many clubs on offer, as well as external visits.

For example, some pupils attend a journalism club that produces the 'Hastings Herald'. This magazine informs all pupils about developments at their school.

Leaders ensure that the school's curriculum builds sequentially over time.

In a few subjects, leaders will need to continue to check that it is being implemented as intended.

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

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision for the curriculum. The school offers a broad range of subjects for all pupils.

This includes pupils with SEND. The curriculum in most subjects is well sequenced. This helps pupils to access the knowledge they need to learn more and remember more over time.

For example, in geography, Year 7 pupils learn about being UK citizens and how current geopolitical events may change their current and future lives. In later years, pupils learn about how the increase in extreme weather is affecting our world. Leaders are developing a curriculum that has fluency and flair.

They want pupils to achieve their best and encourage them to study a wide range of subjects, including humanities and languages, at key stage 4.

Leaders recognise that the curriculum is not yet implemented consistently across the school. In a small number of subjects, the distinction between knowledge and skills is blurred.

This occasionally prevents pupils from recalling the key knowledge precisely. However, pupils are achieving well in most subjects, and leaders want pupils to do even better.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

This helps them to teach lessons well. They use 'First 5 minutes tasks' at the start of each lesson to check that pupils are secure with what they learned before. This allows pupils to build their learning from what they already know.

They take great pride in their work. Teachers also regularly test what pupils know through quizzes.

Leaders have prioritised oracy and vocabulary development in the school's curriculum.

This enables pupils to articulate what they learn in lessons with confidence. Leaders make sure that pupils receive the right support to become fluent and confident readers. Staff are trained to provide specific support for pupils who may need additional help.

Teachers use resources well to make adaptations to the curriculum for pupils with SEND. Leaders continue to develop systems and routines to ensure that these pupils are well supported. For example, leaders are considering how teaching assistants can further enhance lessons.

Leaders have developed a behaviour system focused on positive rewards. Pupils like to receive these and want to do well. For example, in modern foreign languages (MFL), pupils receive an 'étoile' which builds towards achievement points.

Pupils receive a comprehensive personal development curriculum. The 'super-curriculum' helps pupils to understand the wider world. The curriculum is effective and ensures pupils are ready for their next phase in education.

Pupils receive a detailed programme of careers advice and guidance. In Year 9, pupils receive comprehensive careers information that helps them to choose subjects that reflect their aspirations.

Staff appreciate the support leaders provide for them.

They welcome professional development opportunities that enable them to deliver the school's curriculum.

Trustees and governors support and challenge school leaders well. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities with diligence.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders always act in the best interests of pupils. They have strong systems in place that record and track concerns.

Staff receive regular training that helps them to identify and help pupils who may be at risk. This includes training related to the school's local safeguarding context. Leaders ensure that all adults at the school undergo rigorous pre-employment checks.

The school's single central record meets statutory requirements.

Pupils feel safe at school. They know how to report concerns.

They learn how to stay safe online. Leaders work closely with families to ensure they receive the best possible support.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum is not yet fully embedded in a small number of subjects.

This inhibits pupils from knowing these areas of the curriculum as well as others. Leaders must ensure that the curriculum is consistently implemented in all subjects so that pupils recall more knowledge over time.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.