Waseley Hills High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff, pupils, parents and carers welcome the improvements to Waseley Hills High. Staff know pupils well and always have their best interests at heart, with many pupils saying, 'Staff here really care.' Pupils and staff feel proud to belong to this harmonious and welcoming school community.

The school's values of 'Aspire, Invest, Respect' are shared and upheld by the majority of pupils. These values exemplify the high standards the school expects. Pupils are courteous and respectful to others.

They take pride in their work and speak knowledgeably about what they have learned. Outcomes are improving, and pupils now experience an improved curriculum offer.

Most... pupils behave well, demonstrating respect and engagement.

While a small number do not meet the school's high expectations, staff manage this effectively, to ensure that learning is not disrupted.

Pupils enjoy an impressive variety of clubs and activities. For example, they participate in residential visits, charity work and social action projects.

Pupils also take part in school musical productions. These opportunities allow them to explore and nurture their talents and interests while developing important life skills.

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

In many subjects, the curriculum has undergone significant changes.

The school has worked hard to ensure that each subject is both ambitious and well sequenced. Each subject sets out the key knowledge it wants pupils to learn, and subject teachers have been trained to deliver this content effectively. All of this means that pupils learn the curriculum in a logical order.

Teachers are passionate about their subjects. Within lessons, teachers present subject matter clearly, and provide many opportunities for pupils and students in the sixth form to engage in purposeful discussions. Teachers also help pupils remember what they learned before, which supports their learning well.

The school places a strong emphasis on pupils evaluating their own learning. 'Glows and grows' are used successfully to help pupils improve their work. However, on some occasions, teachers do not check that pupils have understood what they have been taught before introducing new learning.

This means gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified or addressed quickly enough, and this slows their learning.

The needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified accurately. Teachers adapt their teaching well to support pupils' individual needs.

This helps pupils with SEND to make strong progress through the curriculum.

The school places a strong emphasis on reading. As part of this work, the school accurately identifies pupils who may need additional help to read fluently.

These pupils benefit from high-quality support. Consequently, these pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident readers.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

These are set out clearly in the school's behaviour policy. Most pupils benefit from strong relationships with both staff and their peers. Pupils typically conduct themselves well in lessons and during social times.

However, staff do not always make sure that all pupils follow the new routines and rules. Because of this, a few pupils sometimes do not routinely meet the school's expectations. The number of suspensions for these pupils is high and means they miss too much learning time.

Pupils' attendance is improving. However, the number of school days missed by some disadvantaged pupils remains high. This means that these pupils miss out on important opportunities for their education and personal development.

The personal, social, health and economic curriculum is well planned and effectively delivered, covering themes such as religion, relationships, social justice and community improvement. The school places a strong emphasis on pupil leadership. For example, pupils take pride in having contributed to the selection of the names for the school's house system.

Furthermore, high-quality careers education and guidance supports pupils well and helps them to think ambitiously about their futures.

Students have a positive experience in the sixth form and are well supported. They are involved in all aspects of the school and regularly mentor younger pupils.

Staff demonstrate strong subject knowledge and create a purposeful learning environment. Sixth-form students are highly self-motivated and benefit from a wide variety of enrichment opportunities.

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school's strengths and areas for development.

The trust provides targeted support to raise standards and works effectively with school leaders. Governors and trustees hold leaders to account well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• On some occasions, teachers do not check pupils' understanding within lessons well enough. This means teachers do not always identify gaps or misconceptions in pupils' learning and this limits the progress that some pupils make through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers know how to systematically check learning in their subjects so that they can identify pupils who need further help.

• Too many disadvantaged pupils are persistently absent from school. This means that they miss out on learning the important knowledge they need to succeed. The school should ensure that they accurately identify the barriers to good attendance for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, and work with pupils and their families to overcome these barriers.

• The school's new approach to managing behaviour is not fully embedded. A small number of pupils do not behave well, and are suspended too often. The school should ensure that staff consistently implement the new behaviour policy across the school and work with pupils to help them to manage their own behaviours more appropriately.