Hawkley Hall High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are polite and considerate. Most pupils are proud to act out the school's values of respect, honesty and kindness. They make a positive contribution to the calm atmosphere that exists at the school.

Typically, pupils respond well to the high expectations that the school has of their achievement. Pupils are happy.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in the life of the school.

Staff provide these pupils with the care and support that they need so that they are well prepared for adulthood.

The school provides pupils with access to an impressive range of activities and experiences. These make a stron...g contribution to the development of their talents and interests.

For example, pupils take part in sports, arts and sign language clubs. In addition, pupils benefit from the school's careers fair and visits to colleges and universities.

The school ensures that pupils access opportunities that deepen their understanding of the subjects that they study.

These include cultural visits to the theatre, international trips and masterclasses in mathematics and economics. Pupils enjoy taking part in outdoor and adventurous activities during residential stays. These help pupils to become confident, independent and resilient young people.

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

Trustees, governors and the school have created a culture where everyone is valued and included. They use the information that they have about the school diligently to assure themselves about the quality of education that pupils receive. Leaders at all levels make decisions that are in the best interests of pupils.

Trustees carry out their statutory duties effectively.

The school provides pupils with a well-designed, broad and balanced curriculum. It has thought deeply about the important knowledge that pupils should acquire.

Staff appreciate the time that they have been given to work together to ensure that the curriculum is sufficiently ambitious for all pupils. This supports their workload and well-being. Most pupils are well prepared for each stage in their education and they achieve well.

In Years 10 and 11, leaders have increased the number of pupils that follow the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.

Staff use their strong subject knowledge to design activities that help most pupils to develop their knowledge and skills securely over time. On occasion, the detailed information that the school holds about the needs of some pupils is not used sufficiently well by some staff.

When this happens, some pupils do not receive the help that they need to achieve as well as they could.

Most staff make regular checks on what pupils know and remember. However, at times, staff do not promptly address the gaps and misconceptions that some pupils have about their learning.

When this happens, some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready.

The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. It provides staff with comprehensive information about pupils' additional needs.

Staff use this information well to provide these pupils with experiences that enable them to learn successfully alongside their peers.

The school identifies and addresses the reading needs of pupils with precision. For some pupils, this includes help to catch up with gaps in their phonics knowledge.

Books are well matched to each pupil's stage in their reading development. The school provides pupils with all the help that they need to become confident and fluent readers.

The books that pupils read make a significant contribution to their wider development.

They have been carefully matched to the school's values. For example, pupils read books that help them to appreciate the differences that exist between people and to recognise the features of a healthy relationship.

The school provides well-considered support to a small number of pupils that need help to manage their own behaviour.

Most pupils respond well to this help. Typically, pupils are well motivated and they engage positively with staff about the work that they are given. The school provides effective support for pupils who may need to improve their levels of attendance.

For example, the school has successfully addressed the barriers that have prevented some pupils from attending regularly. This has helped to reduce the number of pupils that are persistently absent from school.

The school's personal development provision prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils know how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. They know how to stay safe online. Pupils benefit from an extensive programme of careers education.

This helps pupils to make informed decisions about their futures. As a result, pupils move on to meaningful destinations that include further education, apprenticeships or employment with training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• At times, staff design activities that do not help pupils to develop sufficient depth of knowledge in the subjects that they study. This prevents some pupils from achieving as well as they should. The school should provide staff with the training that they need to design activities that are well matched to pupils' needs.

On occasion, the school is not quick enough to rectify the gaps and misconceptions in some pupils' knowledge. This means that these pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. The school should ensure that staff address pupils' misunderstandings in a timely manner so that pupils build their knowledge securely over time.