Heartlands High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

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

The headteacher of this school is Elen Roberts. This school is part of Search Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school.

The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Elen Roberts, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Vikram Dilip Gandhi.

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff at this school are passionate and highly dedicated. Parents and carers describe the school as a caring community and value the quality of communication they get from staff.

The school has high expec...tations for pupils' academic success. The quality of education has improved, and this is reflected in strong academic outcomes. Pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make very good progress as they move up the school.

Pupils are clear about the expectations for behaviour. The high standards are evident in pupils' conduct in lessons and around the school. Where pupils struggle with their behaviour, staff help them to get back on track.

Support for pupils' mental health and well-being is very strong. This helps pupils make positive choices about their behaviour and learning.

Lunchtime and after-school clubs meet a wide range of interests.

These include music, photography, basketball, debating and cooking club. Some pupils have leadership responsibilities, for example, as student ambassadors and class representatives. The school provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their confidence, including the Duke of Edinburgh's Award and university visits.

These opportunities prepare pupils well for the next stage in their education.

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

The school is determined that every pupil should succeed. Since the last inspection, the school has undertaken work on the curriculum to ensure it is well sequenced, broad and ambitious.

The school has worked collaboratively to develop a clear and consistent approach to teaching. This has been successful. In lessons, routines are well established.

This helps pupils to settle quickly and to focus on their learning. Typically, pupils behave very well in lessons. Disruption is rare, and where it does occur, it is dealt with promptly.

Staff are proud to work here and have a shared commitment to achieving the best outcomes for pupils. There is a thriving learning culture and staff at all levels are supported to develop professionally. Leaders are highly reflective.

This supports their continuous drive for improvement. For example, the school has made it a priority to ensure that the gap seen nationally between boys' and girls' attainment is addressed at Heartlands.

Pupils study a broad range of subjects from Years 7 to 11.

In lessons, there are frequent opportunities for pupils to revisit and build on prior learning. This helps to deepen pupils' knowledge over time. For example, in science, pupils draw on their knowledge of compounds and mixtures to learn about solids, liquids and gases.

In art, pupils build on their knowledge of graphic artists to develop their own mosaic pieces. Sometimes, pupils do not get as much time as they need to practise what they have learned before moving on.

The school makes effective use of information to ensure pupils have the additional support they need.

For example, weaker readers are quickly identified using nationally recognised tests. Appropriate interventions are put in place to help them become confident and fluent readers. These are carefully checked to ensure pupils are making the progress needed.

Pupils with SEND benefit from suitable adaptations to the teaching of reading. This helps secure the knowledge pupils need to access the wider curriculum.

There is a broad and ambitious personal development offer.

This includes a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their confidence and broaden their horizons. Pupils have strong knowledge of citizenship, including systems of governance and how laws are made and enforced.

The school has an experienced pastoral team that provides targeted support to pupils and families.

The team works with external agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need. This helps pupils to overcome barriers to learning. Overall, there is a positive learning culture.

However, some pupils do not have as positive an attitude to the school as their peers. This limits their engagement in the life of the school, and as a result, some pupils do not take up the opportunities available to them.

Attendance remains a high priority.

While there have been significant improvements, it is not yet where leaders would like it to be. There is a robust system for tracking attendance, which supports the team of staff who are securing these improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some pupils do not feel as invested in their school as their peers. As a result, they do not make use of the many opportunities available to them to make a positive contribution to the life of the school. The school should make sure pupils are clear about how they can contribute and encourage them to do so, so they develop the positive character traits needed for them to thrive.

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 to be 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 February 2016.

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