Uxbridge High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

There has been no change to this school's overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection.

However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

The principal of this school is Louisa Seymour.

The school is a single academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Kieran Bassan.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy, diverse and welcoming school.

Pupils tho...roughly enjoy interacting with each other and learning about different backgrounds and cultures. Pupils and staff uphold the school's 'PROUD' values, which encourage them to be positive, respectful, open minded, unique and determined. Pupils are safe and well cared for.

They know how to stay safe online and in the wider world. Pupils build very respectful working relationships with each other and with staff.

The school has extremely high expectations for all pupils to achieve well.

These expectations are realised in the consistent deep knowledge pupils gain and resulting strong examination outcomes. Pupils value studying and relish all the opportunities the school provides. These include the many sporting opportunities and other clubs such as Duke of Edinburgh Award, debate club and computer coding.

In addition, they benefit from activities related to their studies, for example visits from local members of parliament as part of the citizenship programme and trips to The Globe Theatre in English and history.

Pupils behave exceptionally well in class and around the school. As a result of the curriculum being ambitious and well-structured, pupils are focused and hungry to learn.

They take great pride in their school. Should bullying occur, it is taken seriously and dealt with quickly. Pupils trust their teachers and other staff to always 'look out for them'.

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

The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum. There is a wide range of courses available for pupils in Years 10 and 11. This extends further when students join the sixth form.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access an equally broad offer. Leaders are aware of subjects where uptake has been low, for example the proportion of pupils studying a language in Years 10 and 11. They put effective actions in place which have resulted in numbers increasing substantially.

Most pupils now study for the subjects which make up the English Baccalaureate.

Teachers are very well informed about pupils' individual needs. They make appropriate adaptations to teaching and resources.

These help pupils with SEND to achieve well and in line with their peers. The school identifies pupils who need extra help with reading quickly. Staff provide targeted support depending on individual need.

This helps those pupils to gain greater confidence and fluency, enabling them to better access the full range of subjects.

The school gives much thought to curriculum development and sequences pupils' learning with exceptional care. Leaders identify accurately the important concepts that pupils must understand to become subject experts.

They build opportunities to revisit these concepts into the curriculum. For example, in English, pupils study three Shakespeare plays and explore the important connections between each of them. They recall these links with confidence.

In history, when studying about the civil rights movement in the United States, pupils link this to the civil rights movement happening in the United Kingdom. This makes pupils ambitious and want to learn more and more. Pupils tackle more complex tasks successfully as they move through the school.

As a result, pupils remember key knowledge and concepts across the subjects and year groups. This also prepares them well for GCSE and A-level study.

Leaders and teachers ensure they have many opportunities for checking pupils' knowledge and understanding.

This includes the use of skilful questioning in lessons. The school has high expectations around accuracy in order to avoid pupils making common mistakes. Teachers use this assessment information to address any gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding.

The school also has high expectations for every pupil's attendance at school. Leaders are never complacent and follow up of any persistent absence rigorously. Across the school, pupils are eager to succeed.

They work hard and try their very best in lessons, rarely interrupting their teachers. These highly positive attitudes make a strong contribution to pupils' achievement.

Pupils enjoy a broad offer beyond their academic study.

Staff teach them about the importance of topics such as mental well-being and consent. Pupils are encouraged to build a strong understanding of fundamental British values, particularly respect and tolerance. They celebrate religious events and festivals throughout the school year.

Pupils appreciate the exceptional support they receive when applying for university or vocational routes. From Year 7, pupils access an aspirational careers programme. The school makes use of alumni, external speakers and careers fairs to ensure that pupils have high-quality interactions with employers and higher education institutions.

Trustees hold the school to account and share the same high ambitions as leaders. Together, they ensure that staff workload is manageable. The school works hard to engage parents and carers and the local community.

This results in positive feedback and confidence in the school's inclusive ethos.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in February 2018.