Hylands School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know and understand leaders' high expectations for them. Over the last year, these expectations have been strengthened and reinforced as new leaders have been appointed.

Most pupils recognise that the school has improved in recent years. Many enjoy school. However, some pupils have valid concerns about the quality of education they receive and how behaviour in some lessons disrupts their learning.

Most pupils feel safe at school. Recent changes have raised the profile of safeguarding. Pupils know there is always a member of staff available to listen to their concerns.

Bullying is rare. Typically, issues are resolved quickly. Some pupils and parents do ...not feel that problems are always dealt with effectively.

Pupils and students benefit from a range of leadership opportunities. They are proud to be Hylands Helpers, ambassadors or part of the Senior Sixth. A group of peer mentors have recently been trained to support pupils who might need help or who have worries or concerns.

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

Leaders and teachers are strengthening the curriculum in some subjects. Where this work has been more successful, pupils study a well-planned and challenging curriculum. In other subjects, this improvement work is at the early stages, and it is too soon to see its impact.

Leaders have made adjustments to the subjects that pupils can choose in key stage 4 to help increase the uptake of subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

Leaders have introduced the 'Hylands Way' approach to improve teaching across the school. However, this is not fully in place.

The quality of teaching that pupils experience is inconsistent. Where teaching is weaker, teachers do not routinely check if pupils have learned the knowledge they need before moving on to more complex subject content. This means that some pupils develop gaps in what they know or are unable to complete tasks successfully.

In the sixth form, students receive a better quality of education. They benefit from a more consistent approach to teaching. Teachers work closely with students to check their understanding and to address misconceptions as they arise.

Students enjoy their study programmes and the wider opportunities that are available to them. They receive the information they need for their next steps beyond the sixth form.

Leaders ensure that staff know how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They work closely with local primary schools and identify pupils' needs effectively. This ensures that they have an accurate picture of pupils' additional needs. However, pupils with SEND experience the same variability in teaching as other pupils.

Reading is given a high priority. Pupils have regular opportunities to read across the curriculum and in form time. Pupils who struggle to read are identified early.

They are given the help they need through targeted interventions. This helps them to become more fluent readers and to enjoy reading more.

Students in the sixth form demonstrate positive behaviour and are focused on their studies.

Pupils' behaviour is more variable in the rest of the school. Leaders and teachers now have higher expectations of pupils' conduct than they had previously. While this is having a positive impact on behaviour, too many pupils still experience disruption to their learning during lessons.

The number of suspensions and permanent exclusions is reducing, although it remains too high. Leaders have introduced more strategies to intervene at the earlier stages of poor behaviour. They work closely with local partners to identify alternatives to permanent exclusion, ensuring this is used as a last resort.

Leaders have introduced a range of approaches to improve attendance. This includes developing pupils' understanding of their own attendance and the impact that this has. This is helping some pupils to attend more.

However, there are still too many pupils who do not attend school regularly enough or are persistently absent.

There is a strong and well-developed programme for pupils' personal development. Pupils are positive about what they learn through this programme and can easily relate what they learn to their own lives.

They learn how to eat healthily or to know the range of ways in which people can be different from each other. Pupils receive appropriate and timely career information and guidance.

Leaders, including those responsible for governance, have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school.

This understanding has brought about significant changes to staffing, expectations and systems. While some of this work is new, leaders are making measurable progress in addressing the school's weaknesses.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained in safeguarding. They know how to identify and report any concerns. Leaders have ensured that the staff responsible for safeguarding are available for pupils to report concerns to throughout the school day.

This helps to keep pupils safe.

Leaders manage safeguarding incidents effectively. They have a good understanding of how to action safeguarding cases.

Leaders ensure that pupils get the help that they need. They make appropriate referrals to external agencies and are tenacious in following up concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, curriculum development is at the early stages or teaching plans are being redesigned.

This means they have not had the positive impact, at this stage, that they should. Leaders, including newly appointed subject leaders, should ensure their improved curriculum is implemented swiftly and consistently across the school. ? There is inconsistency in the quality of teaching within and between subjects.

This affects how well pupils remember what they are taught. Teachers do not always check how well knowledge has been remembered before moving on to new subject content. Leaders should help teachers teach the planned curriculum well throughout the school.

• While behaviour is improving, this is not consistent across the school. Too many lessons are disrupted, which interrupts pupils' learning. Leaders should continue to help all teachers demonstrate higher expectations of pupils' behaviour and implement the school behaviour policy consistently.

• Too many pupils do not attend regularly enough. This means that pupils miss out on their lessons or on wider opportunities at school. Leaders should continue to refine their strategies for improving pupils' attendance.

Also at this postcode