The Honywood Community Science School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning at The Honywood School.

They are polite and respectful. They develop positive working relationships with staff. A strong sense of community exists within the school.

Pupils feel and are safe.

Pupils strive to achieve the high expectations set by staff, and to live by the school's core values of trust, respect, equity and excellence. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), benefit from an ambitious, well-designed and well-taught curriculum.

The school community celebrates differences between people. Pupils aim to treat others as they want to be treated themselves. They learn about di...scrimination and bullying.

On the rare occasions when these behaviours happen, they are confident that staff will help them.

Pupils understand leaders' high expectations for good behaviour. Pupils say that behaviour 'has improved'.

Lessons are calm and purposeful, with the focus firmly on learning.

Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities beyond the classroom. Educational visits help them link their learning to the wider world.

The 'learner leadership team' coordinates projects, based on pupil feedback, to improve the school environment. This has included the development of outdoor seating areas.

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

Leaders have put a broad and ambitious curriculum in place.

It is well considered and carefully outlines the knowledge that pupils need to know and remember. Teachers deliver the curriculum effectively so that pupils know more and remember more over time.

In most subjects, teachers regularly check what pupils know through well-structured questioning.

Most teachers use this information well. They adapt their lessons to ensure that pupils have a secure knowledge in order to move to the next steps of their learning. Pupils remember what they have studied.

Pupils, particularly those with SEND, are well supported. Resources are used effectively in order to help pupils recap content from the lesson or the topic and develop pupils' independent learning skills.

Most pupils read fluently.

This helps them to access the curriculum well. Leaders identify and effectively support those who find reading difficult. This helps to improve confidence and fluency in reading.

However, not all pupils read as well, or as often, as they could. Leaders are developing pupils' love of reading through timetabled reading and the establishment of a new school library.

Leaders accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND.

Staff use effective strategies to adapt their teaching to support pupils. They effectively use the autism support centre, the specialist support hub for pupils with autism disorder spectrum. Pupils with SEND are well supported to access the same curriculum as their peers.

Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

Staff manage pupils' behaviour effectively. Disruption in lessons is uncommon.

As a result, pupils can learn without disruption. Pupils understand the behaviour policy. A small minority of pupils do not always behave as they should.

Leaders take a restorative approach in order to improve these pupils' poor behaviour. Records show that repeat negative behaviours have reduced over time as have the number of suspensions.

Absence, and in particular persistent absence, is too high.

Leaders' actions have started to improve attendance across all groups, including those pupils with SEND, within the school.

Leaders give personal, social and health education a high profile. Pupils engage enthusiastically with the programme.

They understand many issues faced by people in modern Britain and talk confidently about issues such as diversity and equality. Leaders encourage pupils to take positions of responsibility within the school community. For example, pupils can apply for roles as part of the 'learner leadership team', as prefects or form captains.

These roles play an important part in improving the school and supporting others. Pupils benefit from the careers advice and guidance they receive. This prepares them well to take positive next steps in their education or training.

Staff are positive about leaders' efforts to ensure that they have a reasonable workload. Staff appreciate the support provided for their well-being.

Governors understand their roles.

Governors and trustees understand the context of the school well. Staff benefit from the effective support from other colleagues within the trust, for example when designing their new subject curriculum areas. Governors carry out focused reviews of the school.

This gives valuable feedback and challenge to leaders around the provision.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff and those responsible for governance understand local and online contexts that pose a potential risk to pupils.

They are well trained and understand how to use the systems that are in place to report a concern.

Records relating to safeguarding are well maintained. They demonstrate that all concerns are followed up appropriately and in a timely manner.

Leaders monitor the information to help identify areas that can be improved, for example through additional staff training. All appropriate checks are carried out on adults who work with pupils.

Pupils learn through the curriculum and during form time about how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While reading is prioritised in the school, not all pupils are confident, engaged readers. While engagement in reading is improving across the school, some pupils do not read as well, or as often, as they could. Leaders need to continue to promote reading strategies that develop confident readers with a love of reading.

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly enough. As a result, these pupils risk falling behind. Leaders need to ensure that they continue to work with families and continue to implement strategies that will rapidly improve pupils' attendance.