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Leaders' expectations for all pupils are high. Pupils have high aspirations and want to succeed in education. Leaders have established the right school climate for them to do so.
Pupils achieve very well in a wide range of subjects in the main school and sixth form.
Pupils speak proudly about 'Hestonian values', such as kindness, honesty, resilience and equality. These values are embedded in the day-to-day life of the school.
They provide a shared language for teachers and pupils, inspiring them to be the best that they can be. As a result, pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning are exceptional.
Living by Hestonian values also means pupils rarel...y experience bullying of any type.
They are safe and feel at home in all parts of the school. They know there is an adult they trust that they can turn to at any time. If any bullying should occur, it would be dealt with seriously and competently by caring staff.
Leaders ensure that pupils are exposed to a wide range of careers and future opportunities soon after they join the school. This feature is embedded in the curriculum in every year group and is particularly strong in the sixth form. As a result, when leaving the school, students move on to their chosen pathway, often higher education, and are knowledgeable about what they want to do and why.
What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?
Leaders have created an ambitious curriculum. Together with subject leaders, they have thought carefully about what pupils should know, do and understand in each subject. Careers education and literacy skills are key ideas that underpin the curriculum in all subjects and year groups.
Pupils achieve very well by the end of Year 11 and in the sixth form. Many students, including those who are disadvantaged, go on to study academic and vocational courses at university.
Leaders have established a very inclusive sixth form, with a wide range of academic and vocational courses at different levels.
Staff are highly skilled at teaching concepts that are difficult to understand. Students are strongly motivated and confident, asking probing questions to deepen their understanding. They are given the background knowledge they need to think more deeply about the subject matter at hand.
Teachers' subject knowledge is strong. They use this to question pupils in depth about their learning, including students in the sixth form. For example, in geography, teachers' questioning helps pupils to analyse different censuses.
This enables them to make evaluations and observations about the population.
Most teachers routinely check how well pupils have remembered the knowledge that they have been taught across different lessons and between different years. Sometimes, however, teachers move on too quickly and do not check pupils' understanding.
When this happens, teachers are less able to determine gaps in pupils' learning and address forgotten or missed knowledge.
The support provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is effective. This includes those attending the centre for deaf students.
Leaders provide teachers with up-to-date information on the additional learning needs of individual pupils. In lessons, teachers use this information to make adjustments to their teaching, so that pupils with SEND achieve well.
Effective systems are in place to support weaker readers, for instance programmes to improve pupils' knowledge of phonics.
Leaders have ensured that there is a focus across the school on reading for pleasure. They expect pupils to have regular opportunities to read texts related to every subject they study. Leaders have identified the specialist vocabulary that pupils need to learn in curriculum subjects.
However, pupils who need extra support with reading are sometimes not able to access the subject-specific text.
Pupils behave exceptionally well in lessons and listen carefully to teachers' explanations. This has a very positive effect on their learning.
They enjoy warm and positive relationships among themselves and with their teachers.
Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. Learning activities relating to character education are a significant strength.
Leaders build resilience in pupils through the academic curriculum. They support this with a wide range of external speakers. The extra-curricular life of the school is exceptionally strong.
Most pupils take up something on offer, for example writing and editing 'The Heston Voice' and 'The Heston Times'; publications for pupils and parents and carers. Form tutors deliver a considerable part of the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme. The programme is well sequenced, ambitious and taught well.
As a result, pupils remember the subject content in detail, just as they do in other subjects.
Governors have an accurate understanding of the school's work. They use their link visits to ask probing questions about the quality and impact of the curriculum.
Governors' recommendations are used by leaders to inform improvement planning.
Staff are confident that leaders and governors are mindful of their workload. Leaders listen to and involve staff in decisions that affect their working life.
Safeguarding
The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
Safeguarding is well led. Leaders ensure no stone is left unturned in order to keep pupils safe and well.
Training for staff is comprehensive. As well as formal sessions during training days, leaders provide short safeguarding reminders for staff on a regular basis. Staff are vigilant and act promptly should they have a concern.
Leaders respond quickly to individual safeguarding cases, using a wide variety of external agencies when necessary.
The school's PSHE programme has a strong emphasis on safeguarding. For example, older pupils know about the types of behaviours that, if left unchecked, could lead to harmful sexual behaviour.
What does the school need to do to improve?
(Information for the school and appropriate authority)
• The checks on pupils' previous learning are not used effectively by some teachers to identify gaps in pupils' knowledge, particularly in key stage 3. This hinders teachers' ability to address pupils' misconceptions or pick up on any missed learning. Leaders should support teachers to use appropriate assessment strategies to enable pupils to achieve well across the curriculum.
• Leaders have given high priority to the teaching of specialist vocabulary in curriculum subjects. However, some weaker readers are not able to access the subject-specific text. Leaders should ensure that all staff are able to use effective strategies in their teaching, so that these pupils are able to understand and use subject-specific vocabulary.
