The James Hornsby School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel part of The James Hornsby 'family'. Positive relationships between pupils and staff contribute to pupils feeling safe and happy.

Pupils feel well supported by the staff in their school. They know that if they report a concern of any kind, staff will act on it. Bullying is dealt with effectively.

Pupils behave well. Almost all pupils meet leaders' high expectations of behaviour. The school is calm and orderly.

Classrooms are purposeful learning environments. Staff work hard to improve the attendance and behaviour of the small group of pupils who struggle to meet expectations. Staff help these pupils to re-engage with learning.

Pupils study... a broad range of subjects. Staff encourage pupils to aim high. Pupils leave the school well prepared for future learning or employment.

Pupils participate in a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, trips and activities. Leaders ensure everyone can take part if they want to. Activities help pupils to follow or develop new interests.

They also help pupils to experience things at school that they might not do otherwise. Pupils learn about diversity and respect for others in a range of contexts. They discuss issues like equality and difference maturely.

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

Leaders have designed a curriculum that helps prepare pupils for life. Staff share leaders' vision for the school and have high aspirations for pupils' achievement.

In a wide range of subjects, leaders have organised the curriculum well.

Their plans identify the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn and ensure that pupils' knowledge builds from lesson to lesson. School leaders know the small number of subjects where this not yet the case.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge.

They explain things clearly to pupils. Teachers check regularly on pupils' understanding. Subject leaders use this information to adapt their curriculum plans so that pupils revisit the important knowledge they need to remember and use.

Staff feel valued and well led. They have embraced opportunities for training and development. Pupils make strong progress in most subjects.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers ensure that learning for pupils with SEND is appropriately challenging. Most pupils with SEND receive the help they need to make strong progress across the curriculum.

A few teachers do not make the best use of the information available to them to adapt activities to help some individual pupils. Pupils who struggle with reading get effective support to improve their knowledge and skills. This helps them to access the full curriculum.

Leaders' promotion of pupils' personal development is a strength. Pupils learn about healthy relationships, respect for the cultures and beliefs of others, and issues such as discrimination. Pupils enjoy a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

Leaders ensure that these opportunities are open to all pupils. About a fifth of pupils involved in the school production are pupils with SEND, for example.

All pupils experience a well-considered careers education programme.

Pupils receive high-quality, impartial advice about their options for future study and careers. They can make informed choices about what they will do after they leave the school. Leaders have ensured that more pupils take GCSEs in subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate.

This provides pupils with the knowledge they need for a wide range of further study and future careers.

Pupils respond positively to leaders' high expectations of behaviour. This helps learning to flow smoothly.

The school's curriculum support centre helps pupils who find it hard to make the right behaviour choices to improve their behaviour. Leaders use the trust's Zenith Minds staff to provide expert support for those pupils who have more complex emotional needs or have missed long periods of education. This helps pupils to re-engage with learning.

Trustees have recruited more expertise to the local governing body. Governors have a thorough understanding of many aspects of the school's work, such as improvements to the curriculum. They hold leaders closely to account for these areas of their work.

Leaders use alternative provision appropriately. They are analysing information on behaviour, attendance and pupils leaving the school with increasing rigour. Leaders are using this information to target more precisely provision for individual pupils with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs.

However, the systems and processes to ensure that this is making the difference intended are not fully developed. Governors provide less challenge about this area of leaders' work.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are vigilant for the signs of harm and abuse. They receive regular training and updates to keep their knowledge up to date. Staff are confident to recognise and pass on concerns.

Leaders act swiftly and work hard to ensure that pupils get the help that they need to stay safe.

Trustees and governors ensure that the checks required before someone works in the school are carried out thoroughly.

Pupils feel safe.

They are confident that staff will act on any concerns promptly. Pupils learn about keeping safe online and developing positive, healthy relationships with others.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In many subjects, curriculum plans identify the important subject knowledge that pupils should know and organise the teaching of this knowledge in a logical way.

In a small number of subjects, plans are less well developed. Pupils find it harder to remember and show understanding of the knowledge they have learned. Leaders should ensure that all curriculum plans consistently identify the important knowledge that pupils should learn and order this in a way that helps pupils to know and remember more.

• Pupils with SEND access the full curriculum and work towards the same challenging learning goals as their classmates. Some pupils with SEND do not receive the support that is specified in their learning support plans. Leaders should ensure that staff receive clear guidance so that teachers adapt their plans well to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND.

• Leaders have made use of available information to review the use of alternative provision, particularly for pupils with SEMH needs. Leaders are still developing systems to review the impact of new arrangements and the extent to which these are meeting pupils' needs well. Leaders and governors should ensure that they evaluate the effectiveness of new arrangements, and in particular the Zenith Minds provision, precisely to further refine support for those pupils with more complex SEMH needs.

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