Windsor High School and Sixth Form

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Windsor High School and Sixth Form continues to be a good school.

There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if the inspectors were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Windsor High School and Sixth Form flourish.

Leaders set high expectations of what pupils can achieve academically and socially. Pupils realise these expectations. They are encouraged to be themselves.

Pupils value the school's open and diverse culture. They say 'the school teaches us to respect difference'.

Pupils fe...el safe in school.

They are not worried about bullying. Pupils say that if they are upset at any time, they have a trusted adult they can go to who will sort it out. The school is always calm and orderly.

A strength of the school is the rich set of experiences it offers for pupils beyond the classroom. There are approximately 100 clubs on offer each week. These include sport, book club, gardening, chess and sci-fi.

There are trips to the theatre, local universities, overseas trips and residentials.

The school prepares pupils well to become respectful, active citizens who contribute to society. Most pupils take on a leadership role.

This may be as a librarian, sports leader, technician, subject or pastoral ambassador, or being a member of the school senate. Pupils support their community by bringing in food for the local food bank or raising money for charity.

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

Pupils follow a broad range of subjects at key stage 3.

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), study all subjects. The school offers many academic and vocational subjects at key stage 4 and key stage 5. Successful changes made by leaders mean that more pupils next year will be studying the English Baccalaureate (a specific set of subjects at GCSE level).

Leaders match the subjects on offer well to pupils' abilities and interests. As a result, all pupils in Year 11 and Year 13 move on to education, training, or employment at the end of the year.

Subjects are well-planned and sequenced.

Pupils successfully build on their learning year on year. Pupils apply their knowledge and skills with increasing fluency and independence, for example in mathematics lessons. Teachers use assessment well.

Work in pupils' books shows that the feedback teachers give to pupils helps them to significantly improve their learning.

The school provides effective support for pupils with SEND. Leaders provide staff with detailed information about pupils' needs and how they can meet these needs in class.

As a result, staff know their pupils well. Pupils with SEND make exceptional progress. Pupils speak with pride about moving on to destinations of their choice.

The school recently introduced new teaching resources in all subjects. These are more embedded in some subjects than others. In discussion with the headteacher, we agreed that looking at how well the school has embedded these teaching materials across all subjects may usefully serve as a focus for the next inspection.

Leaders give the development of pupils' reading high priority. For example, in key stage 3 pupils read in tutor time each week and have a timetabled reading for pleasure lesson. Leaders check how pupils are doing.

Pupils who need extra help with their reading get it. Leaders' information shows that the Year 11 and Year 12 paired reading programme for Year 7 is significantly improving the pupils' reading.

Pupils receive a high quality of pastoral care.

A small minority of pupils who find it difficult at times to manage their behaviour value the support the school gives them. This support is having a positive impact on improving their behaviour over time.

The school's work to promote pupils' personal development is a strength.

Year 13 students say the character development days at school have developed their self-confidence and improved their communication skills.

All staff speak highly of the support they get from leaders. Inspectors heard many examples from staff about how leaders have supported them with both professional and personal issues.

As a result, staff morale is high.

Trustees, the trust executive team and members of the local advisory board have high expectations for what the school and its pupils can achieve. They provide the school with an appropriate balance of challenge and support.

For example, members of the local advisory board recently asked leaders to report to them on the progress pupils with SEND are making.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong safeguarding culture in the school.

Adults take pupils' welfare seriously. Staff receive regular training. Leaders routinely follow up concerns and seek additional advice and support from external agencies.

This means that families get the support they need when they need it. Parents value this support.

The school completes the appropriate checks on all adults who work at, or visit, the school.

Staff files are detailed and orderly.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. This includes learning about e-safety.

As a result, all pupils say they feel safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have introduced new teaching resources across all subjects. These are not yet embedded consistently in all subjects.

This means that some pupils may benefit more from these materials than others. Leaders need to make sure that the new teaching resources they use to support pupils' learning fully realise the ambitious intent of the curriculum and are embedded across all subjects.

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

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2012.