Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Vince Groak. This school is part of The Consortium Academy 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), Lizann Lowson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Furlong.

What is it like to attend this school?

A 'can-do' attitude runs through the school, from children aged three to students aged 19 in the sixth form. Pupils who spend 16 years of their early life at the school welcome pupils who are new to school.

The vast majority of pupils have a pos...itive mindset.

The staff embrace this. The school works with the pupils to fuel their aspirations for the future. The school is academically and socially ambitious for all.

The school ensures that pupils of all ages study a rich and diverse curriculum. Pupils' outcomes in some areas in 2023 did not meet the high aspirations of the school. Leaders have taken swift and decisive action to support pupils moving forward.

The school welcomes all pupils. Bespoke support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) helps to ensure they have access to a rich curriculum. Staff relationships with pupils are very strong.

Pupils demonstrate a sharing and caring attitude. This plays a part in the calm and purposeful climate for learning in the school. Pupils feel privileged to attend the school, and staff feel privileged to work at the school.

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

This is a school that gives pupils help and guidance as they grow. The school knows that learning does not only take place in the classroom. The outdoor areas on the primary site are stimulating and encourage purposeful play.

Beyond the taught curriculum, the clubs and extra-curricular opportunities are broad. Pupils can learn Japanese, practise crochet and/or play sports at this school. Pupils enjoy finding new interests as they progress through school.

As pupils navigate the joy and challenges of growing up, the school's staff offer help and support. All members of staff at this school are part of the effective pastoral support team. Pupils turn to any adult for help.

House captains and school councillors advocate for the pupils well. They champion good causes and have a keen eye on protecting the environment through promoting sustainably.

A curriculum that pupils enjoy and learn is in place.

Learning to read, reading to learn and reading for pleasure are common golden threads in school. This is evident from fairy tales in Nursery through to the teaching of classics in the sixth form. Pupils listen to staff reading stories on wall-mounted televisions as they travel around the school.

The teaching of phonics is strong. Well-trained staff support pupils who need additional phonics input well. In high-school English lessons, the links to pupils' prior learning and previously studied texts and poetry are skilfully woven into lessons.

In classes, pupils are attentive and willing learners. At times, the curriculum does not meet the needs of some learners well. These pupils require more complex and challenging activities that fulfil the curriculum and develop their knowledge and skills.

The school supports families to ensure pupils attend regularly. This is having a positive impact on attendance figures. The school shares the link between strong outcomes and high attendance from previous years as a motivator.

A small number of pupils fail to meet the school's high expectations in relation to attitudes towards study. Where this is the case, pupils' attendance is not as strong as the school desires. Pupils who attend school regularly benefit from the wide offer of support and extra-curricular activities.

The school develops older pupils' knowledge of the wider world and different countries well. For example, currently the school's plans include an educational visit to Kenya.

The school engages with external agencies effectively to ensure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need.

Information about pupils' needs is shared with staff so that pupils with SEND receive support in terms of resources and adult help.

In early years, children are keen to learn and share. The staff develop children's language and communication skills well.

The children understand the routines in class and at playtimes well.

As pupils move through school, the personal development offer covers a range of different areas very well. Being safe and leading healthy fruitful lives while being tolerant of others are examples of the school's practice.

In addition, careers advice, employer meet-ups and employment-related visits help pupils to focus on their next steps in education, employment and/or training.

The sixth form is attached to the main school. Students engage with younger members of the school willingly.

They support learners to read and also act as role models in the way they behave and conduct themselves in and around school.The governors, trustees and CEO know the school well. They offer challenge and support through well-established structures.

In addition, they enable the leaders, pupils and staff to grow and develop in a supportive environment.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In lessons, the implementation of the curriculum is not consistently adapted to meet the needs of all pupils.

This means that the outcomes pupils achieve are not consistently reflective of their true potential. The school should continue to ensure that teachers' pedagogical choices support and stretch pupils to realise their full potential. ? Some pupils do not meet the schools' high expectations in relation to attitudes towards school.

Where this is the case, pupil's attendance is not strong. The school should continue to embed and foster positive attitudes towards learning.

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 September 2018.