Hessle High School and Penshurst Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Further improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that there is:
  • greater consistency in the school’s approach to the teaching of spelling
  • a clearer approach to the development of pupils’ reading skills and the culture of reading across the whole school, particularly in key stages 3 and 4
  • a greater focus upon improving the questioning skills of staff in the early years to support the development of children’s early literacy skills, particularly those of boys.
• Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management by further developing the opportunities for teachers and leaders to work together to share the best practice across the all-through school.
• Reduce the number of disadvantaged pupils who are regularly absent from school.
• Develop pupils’ understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism in British society.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• The executive headteacher, ably supported by her senior leadership team, is passionate, committed and uncompromising in her determination to realise the vision of the all-through school that ‘Every child is capable of extraordinary achievement.’
• Since the formation of the all-through school in February 2017, senior leaders and governors have established effective systems to continually review all aspects of the school. There is no complacency. The work to improve outcomes has led to pupils consistently making strong progress in their GCSE examinations.
• Middle leaders are increasingly effective. They are fully accountable. A recent restructure means that several leaders, although not new to the school, are new to their posts, and it is therefore too early to evaluate the effect of their work.
• All staff who responded to Ofsted’s online survey are proud to work at the school. They feel well supported by senior leaders. Consequently, staff morale is high.
• Leaders place high importance on pupils’ realising their full potential academically. However, they place equal importance on the development of pupils’ wider skills and experiences. As a result, extra-curricular and enrichment activities are wide and varied and complement the curriculum.
• Staff are very positive about the effect of professional development on improving the quality of their teaching. There are increasing opportunities for staff to share best practice across the primary and secondary phases. The recent work to map the curriculum, from the early years to the sixth form, means that staff are developing a more secure understanding of the progression of pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills across the curriculum.
• Leaders recognise that there is further work to do to realise the full potential of teachers and leaders working together across the all-through school to share best practice in teaching, learning and leadership, and to ensure a smoother transition for pupils from Year 6 to Year 7.
• Teachers who are at an early stage of their career feel well supported by leaders. They are happy and settled in their new roles.
• Leaders and governors place high importance on preparing pupils for life in modern Britain. Nevertheless, pupils inspectors talked to did not have a good awareness and understanding of the risks associated with radicalisation and extremism.
• Most parents and carers hold positive views about the school. In response to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, 93% would recommend the school.

Governance of the school

• Governors have a secure understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement of the school. They are uncompromising in their desire for continued improvement and hold high aspirations for the future of the school. They challenge both middle and senior leaders and hold them to account. They scrutinise information presented to them by leaders and compare pupils’ outcomes and attendance with national and local trends. They keep the curriculum regularly under review.
• Governors ensure that the effect of any additional funding is scrutinised and evaluated. For example, they are aware that the use of funding to support disadvantaged pupils is diminishing gaps in the progress they make, when compared with that of other pupils nationally. They also understand that further work needs to be done to reduce rates of regular absence of disadvantaged pupils.
• Governors’ commitment and dedication are shown through their regular visits to the school. As a result, they have a good understanding of what it is like to be a pupil or member of staff here. This enables them to provide support as well as challenge.
• Governors have a wide skill set. They self-reflect, evaluate and review their work as a governing body regularly. For example, governors felt that there was not enough focus on the effectiveness of sixth-form provision in governing body meetings. They therefore decided to create a sixth-form local governing board dedicated to evaluation of sixth-form provision.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Staff and governors take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously. They understand the important role they play in keeping children and pupils safe. Governors ensure that staff training is updated regularly. Staff are aware of any issues within the community through regular safeguarding briefings and updates. There is a culture of safeguarding, where staff pass on any concerns they have about children and pupils, no matter how small.
• The strong work on online safety, grooming and child sexual exploitation means that pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe outside of school. Pupils were keen to talk to inspectors about the range of activities they undertake in school to learn about keeping themselves safe, for example personal safety days, road and bike safety, talks from the prison service, workshops on raising awareness of being safe while using the internet, and talks from the police on knife crime.
• Leaders work closely with a wide range of external agencies to ensure that pupils and their families have access to timely support when needed.
• Leaders ensure that the appropriate pre-employment checks are carried out when recruiting new staff.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• Most teachers set high expectations. They know their pupils well. This fosters strong relationships between pupils and staff. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 told inspectors that ‘learning is made fun, so we want to do it.’
• Pupils learn in a calm and purposeful environment. Consequently, pupils are confident to ask questions and contribute to discussions.
• Teachers’ subject knowledge is strong. They plan activities to meet pupils’ individual needs. Most pupils in response to Ofsted’s online pupil survey said that they feel challenged in their learning.
• Pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities are well supported. Teachers have a good understanding of their individual needs.
• Pupils have positive attitudes towards the completion of homework. They told inspectors that they particularly enjoy completing their homework on the new online home-learning platform.
• Teachers ensure that pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their writing skills across the curriculum. Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy the time given in lessons to edit and improve their work.
• Work in pupils’ mathematics books in key stage 1 and 2 shows that teachers provide increasing opportunities for pupils to develop their problem-solving and reasoning skills. This is leading to a more consistent approach to the teaching of mathematics across the primary phase. Mathematics teaching in key stages 3 and 4 is particularly effective, reflected in pupils’ strong outcomes in GCSE mathematics.
• Leaders have not ensured a consistent approach to the teaching of spelling. Teachers do not routinely address pupils’ spelling misconceptions.
• There is a strong culture of reading in the primary phase. The effective teaching of phonics ensures that most pupils are well prepared for the demands of reading in Year 2. However, the culture of reading in the secondary phase is not as strong. Missed opportunities to develop pupils’ reading skills and enjoyment of reading are particularly evident in key stages 3 and 4.
• There is some variability in the quality of teaching across the all-through school. For example, teaching is consistently strong in the sixth form and more variable in key stage 1.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• E-safety is well promoted across the school. Consequently, pupils are clear about how to keep themselves safe online.
• Pupils have a wide range of opportunities to develop their leadership skills through, for example, the house system and mixed-age tutor groups, child sexual exploitation ambassadors and e-safety cadets. Pupils regularly contribute to the local and wider community through fundraising and charity work.
• Leaders place high importance on supporting pupils’ mental health and well-being. The life programme in key stages 3 and 4 and circle time in key stages 1 and 2, where pupils have discussion time in lessons, enable pupils to discuss a wide range of issues. The school’s strong links with external agencies enable pupils to access additional support when needed.
• The vast majority of parents agree that their children are well looked after and cared for. One parent’s view captured the views of many: ‘All the staff from the headteacher to the caretaker seem to genuinely care for the children from a pastoral and academic point of view.’
• Pupils understand diversity and the importance of respectful and tolerant attitudes. They talk with pride about their roles as LGBT ambassadors.
• Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. For example, pupils in primary have strong links with a school in Africa. However, some parents and pupils would like teachers to focus on a wider range of religions. This would build on the good work that the school does to foster British values and would prepare pupils even more effectively for life in modern Britain.
• Pupils have a good understanding of the different forms of bullying. The large majority of pupils told inspectors that when bullying does occur, it is dealt with effectively by staff. However, a small number of pupils in key stage 3 do not share this view. They told inspectors that sometimes bullying persists even after they have told a member of staff. A very small number of pupils do not feel that there is someone they can talk to about bullying issues they may have. A very small number of pupils said that they occasionally hear racist language on the school field and buses.
• Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy the myriad of cultural and sporting activities on offer including the number of enrichment activities to develop their wider skills and experiences.
• Although British values are woven throughout the curriculum, pupils do not have a sound understanding of the dangers and risks of radicalisation and extremism. Leaders and governors acknowledge that this is an area for further development.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Most pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils are well prepared for their lessons and most take pride in the presentation of their work. They conduct themselves well around both school sites and move sensibly in corridors. The vast majority of pupils and parents believe that pupils are well behaved. Low-level disruption is rare.
• Many pupils told inspectors that they enjoy school. As a result, they attend well. Pupils’ attendance is in line with the national average. However, the number of pupils who regularly miss school has increased slightly in key stages 3 and 4. A higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils are regularly absent from school compared to the national average. Pupils are punctual to school and to lessons.
• Pupils who attend an alternative education provision for part of the school week attend and behave well. Good systems of communication between school leaders and alternative providers enable staff to ensure that pupils are well cared for.
• Although a higher proportion of boys are excluded from school in the secondary phase, the overall proportion of pupils excluded from school is consistently below the national average.
• Most pupils wear their uniforms smartly and with pride. Pupils show respect for the school environment. There is very little litter around the sites.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• In 2016 and 2017, pupils made progress across their GCSE subjects that was in the top 20% nationally. Provisional outcomes for 2018 show that the same strong progress is likely to be maintained.
• The progress made by pupils in GCSE mathematics is stronger than the progress made in GCSE English. However, the proportion of pupils who attain a standard pass (grade 4 and above) and a strong pass (grade 5 and above), in both English and mathematics GCSE, is consistently above the national average.
• Current key stage 3 and 4 pupils continue to make good progress. Gaps between the progress of disadvantaged pupils and others are diminishing, particularly in Year 8. Overall progress made by disadvantaged pupils throughout the school is mostly in line with that of their peers. However, this progress does not always allow pupils to catch up with others nationally due to their often lower starting points.
• The progress made by the most able pupils, across a range of GCSE subjects, is above that of similar pupils nationally. The proportion of pupils attaining the top grades of 7 or above (or A* to A grades or above, in previous years) is consistently in line with the national average.
• A larger proportion of pupils in Years 10 and 11 now study the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). However, the proportion of pupils achieving a strong and standard pass in the English Baccalaureate has been below the national average in recent years.
• Pupils in Year 1 make good progress in the development of their phonics skills. For example, in 2017 the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check was above the national average. Provisional outcomes for 2018 and inspection evidence indicate that high standards have been maintained.
• In 2017, Year 6 pupils made average progress in reading and mathematics and above-average progress in writing. The number of pupils achieving the expected and higher standards in reading, writing and mathematics declined in 2017. However, provisional outcomes for 2018 show that more pupils achieved the expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics, compared to in 2017. A greater proportion of pupils achieved the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics compared to the provisional 2018 national average. Work in pupils’ books, inspection evidence and current rates of pupils’ progress demonstrate that these improved outcomes are being maintained.
• Progress in key stage 2 mathematics has been more variable over time. Leaders have taken action, and current pupils are making better progress.
• Despite some variability over time, pupils’ attainment in key stage 1 is broadly in line with the national average in reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have identified the need to improve pupils’ reading comprehension skills to ensure that a higher proportion of pupils achieve a greater depth of understanding in reading by the end of Year 2.
• Pupils who attend an alternative education provision for part of the school week make good progress on their courses. Leaders ensure that the alternative provision is reviewed regularly to ensure that it meets pupils’ needs.
• Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make good progress. This is because additional adults are generally well deployed to support these pupils. Staff effectively plan to meet pupils’ needs.
• Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for the next stage of their education, employment or training. Leaders place high importance on ensuring that pupils have access to high-quality information, advice and guidance. Pupils talk very positively about the many experiences on offer, for example employability workshops, mock interviews, visits to universities, taster days and apprenticeship talks.

Early years provision Good

• Children appear happy and are well cared for. Adults encourage children to be kind to each other. This encourages a positive learning ethos and an orderly environment.
• Because of the positive relationships between children and adults, and the nurturing environment, children settle in quickly to Nursery. Inspectors found that those children new to Nursery were engaged in activities both indoors and outdoors.
• Children enjoy their learning. For example, inspectors observed children very excitably hunting for bugs in the outdoor area. Positive relationships with staff ensure that children listen to and promptly follow instructions.
• Children in both Nursery and Reception cooperate well and share resources. Children are encouraged to be independent and take responsibility. For example, an inspector observed adults encouraging children to put on their waterproofs and wellies independently.
• Children are well prepared for their transition from Reception to Year 1.
• Leaders ensure that welfare requirements are met.
• The early years leader has a clear picture of the strengths and areas in need of further development. Recently, she has worked with the local authority to ensure that the assessment of children in the Nursery is more secure.
• The proportion of children achieving a good level of development at the end of Reception has been slightly below the national average for the last three years. However, children make good progress from their different starting points. Leaders recognise that boys’ attainment in literacy is an area for improvement.
• Questions posed by adults to children do not routinely help children to develop their early speech and language skills. Not all adults model effective language in discussions with children.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Sixth-form provision is a strength of the school. Leadership of the sixth form is highly effective. Leaders have an accurate view of strengths and areas for further improvement. They ensure that checks on the quality of provision across the sixth-form consortium are thorough.
• Strong working relationships exist between students and staff. Students are confident to seek advice from staff when they face personal difficulties and challenges. Consequently, there is a strong culture of care and mutual respect.
• In 2016 and 2017, students made progress on their A-level and vocational courses above that of students with similar starting points nationally. Although provisional outcomes for 2018 show that the proportion of students who achieved the top grades is below the national rate, a higher proportion of pupils achieved A* to C grades compared to other students nationally.
• Students make good progress on resit GCSE English and mathematics courses.
• Teaching in the sixth form is highly effective. Students appreciate the feedback they receive from their teachers. They told inspectors that this helps them to improve their work and understand the assessment framework they are being assessed against.
• The school meets the 16 to 19 programmes of study requirements. The sixth-form consortium enables students to access a wide range of vocational and academic courses to meet their needs and future aspirations. Students actively enjoy meeting other students across the sixth-form consortium.
• Non-qualification activities are wide and varied and include, for example, work experience, first aid, lifeguarding and the extended project qualification, to name a few. Students appreciate the diverse range of enrichment opportunities they have access to.
• Students in the sixth form are very proud of their sixth form. They are a credit to the school. They have high aspirations and are good role models for younger pupils.
• Students are overwhelmingly positive about their sixth-form experience. Consequently, they attend well and are rarely absent from school.
• Leaders have ensured that some weaker retention rates of students on vocational courses have been addressed. Retention rates are now at least in line with national averages. A large proportion of students in the sixth form continue their studies at university.
• Personal development and careers programmes are comprehensive. These programmes have a positive effect on students’ well-being and future employability. As a result, students are very well prepared for life beyond school. However, some students said that they would appreciate more information about sexual health, drugs and alcohol in their personal development lessons.

School details

Unique reference number 137306 Local authority East Riding of Yorkshire Inspection number 10053270 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school All-through School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Academy converter 3 to 19 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,567 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 165 Appropriate authority Board of trustees Chair Executive Headteacher Telephone number Website Email address Ian Furlong Sarah Young 01482 648604 www.thehessleacademy.co.uk hhsoffice@hessleacademy.com Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors visited a number of lessons, covering all key stages. Some lesson visits took place with senior leaders. Inspectors also looked at a wide range of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and year groups.
• Inspectors talked to pupils informally during breaktimes and lunchtimes. Inspectors also met formally with pupils in key stages 2, 3, 4 and 5.
• Inspectors listened to pupils read in Years 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8.
• An inspector held a telephone call with all three alternative education providers.
• An inspector met with the chief executive officer of the trust and three governors. A telephone conversation was held with the chair of the board of trustees.
• An inspector talked to parents collecting their children at the end of the school day at the primary site.
• Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documentation relating to the school’s work, including the self-evaluation document, the school development plan, external reviews, information about pupils’ progress, minutes of governing board meetings, and documents relating to safeguarding, behaviour, welfare and attendance.
• Inspectors took account of the 86 responses to the online survey, Parent View, including the 58 free-text responses. They also analysed the 103 responses to the staff survey and 91 responses to the pupil survey. Inspectors also considered written communication from a parent.

Inspection team

Michele Costello, lead inspector Alan Chaffey Lynda Florence Sean McClafferty Carl Sugden Janet Gabanski

Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector