Hollingworth Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and achievement. They have established a culture of respect, responsibility and resilience. Pupils strive to demonstrate these qualities through their positive behaviour and attitudes.

Most pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school.

Pupils at this school have strong relationships with each other and with their teachers. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They value the support that they get from their teachers. Pupils are confident that they can talk to staff about any problems or concerns that they face.

Bullying is rare. When it... does happen, staff take effective action to resolve incidents quickly.

Leaders and teachers expect pupils to achieve highly.

Pupils try to live up to those expectations by working hard in lessons. Leaders have ensured that pupils with vocational interests are well supported with access to specialist facilities in hair and beauty, construction and hospitality. Most pupils learn well.

Leaders enhance the curriculum that pupils receive, for example through memorable moments which include a wide range of trips and visiting guest speakers. Pupils value these experiences which bring their learning to life. Pupils enjoy the opportunities available to them to represent their school in sports teams and other areas such as drama.

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

Leaders have developed a broad and balanced curriculum which is ambitious for most pupils. They have identified the knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Leaders have carefully organised the curriculum from Years 7 to 11.

Teachers ensure that pupils regularly revisit important knowledge and skills. This helps pupils to build on their earlier learning securely.

In key stage 4, pupils choose freely from a wide range of academic and vocational subjects.

Leaders' work to improve the curriculum has resulted in a rise in the number of pupils choosing to study a modern foreign language. This has led to an increase in the proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They use their expertise to help most pupils to learn well in lessons. Added to this, teachers ensure that pupils develop the subject-specific vocabulary that they need to deepen their learning.

In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not design learning that matches the ambition of the curriculum.

While many pupils benefit from a range of suitable activities and resources, for some pupils, including some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), this is not the case. Sometimes, teachers do not choose appropriate activities to help some pupils to learn the breadth of knowledge in the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

Teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check what pupils know, and what they need to develop further. Pupils told inspectors that they value the support that they receive from teachers, which helps them to improve their understanding.

Leaders prioritise reading.

For example, they ensure that there is time in the school week for pupils to read for pleasure. Leaders have a sharp focus on supporting pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read. Leaders' work in identifying and supporting these pupils helps them to catch up quickly with their peers.

Leaders quickly identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Most staff make appropriate adaptations to the delivery of the curriculum for pupils with SEND. That said, sometimes a few staff do not have high enough expectations of what these pupils can achieve.

On occasion, pupils with SEND do not learn as well as their peers.

Pupils can learn in lessons without disruption. Leaders have established clear routines and expectations, which help pupils to behave well.

Leaders have introduced a new behaviour system which allows them to respond to any uncommon incidents of pupils' poor behaviour more rapidly.

Leaders have developed an appropriate and effective personal, social, health, cultural and economic education curriculum. This prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain.

Pupils learn about the importance of positive relationships, and physical and mental health. Pupils receive high-quality careers advice throughout their time at school. This prepares them well for their next steps.

Local governors and trustees provide school leaders with support and effective challenge. Staff at all levels are happy and proud to work at the school. Most staff said that they feel supported with their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in school. Staff and governors receive regular training in safeguarding.

They know how to report concerns about a pupil's welfare.

Leaders work tenaciously with the local authority and other external agencies to make sure that pupils get the timely support that they need. Leaders have secure knowledge of the potential risks to pupils in the local and wider community.

They use this knowledge well to provide guidance to pupils, and their parents and carers, about keeping themselves safe.

Pupils learn about personal safety, including online safety and the importance of consent. They know who they can speak to if they are feeling worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, some teachers do not choose activities that support pupils to learn the knowledge in the curriculum. This hinders how well some pupils, including some pupils with SEND, learn. Leaders should ensure that teachers are well equipped to choose activities that match the ambition of the curriculum so that all pupils can learn as well as they should.