Hylands School

Inspection of Hylands School Chelmsford Road, Writtle, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 3ET

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Sixth-form provision Requires improvement Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have experienced a lot of changes since the last inspection. Some of these changes have increased their enjoyment of school and improved the overall progress they make. Other changes, particularly in staffing, have affected the continuity of their learning, and their progress in some subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s small size means that pupils know other pupils and staff well. It is an inclusive school. It welcomes pupils from a range of backgrounds with many different needs. Pupils are kept safe. They feel free from bullying and say that it is a friendly place to be. Pupils can choose to study a wide range of subjects and take part in extra activities in sport, music and performing arts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils are polite, pleasant and conduct themselves well. A small minority of pupils with poor attitudes disrupt the learning of others. This is because not all teachers plan learning well enough or apply the school’s agreed procedures for managing behaviour in lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Students in the sixth form praise the care and support provided for them. They are glad that they chose to continue their studies here because they are known well, have good facilities to use and staff go out of their way to meet their needs. 10–11 December 2019

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better?

A significant proportion of pupils leave or join school mid-way through the year. Many have missed long periods of schooling due to poor attendance or behaviour. Despite these challenges, the headteacher has led improvements.

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better?

In recent years there was a poor-quality curriculum. Pupils underachieved because, in both key stages, pupils completed GCSE examinations after one year of study. This has now changed. Year 11 pupils will sit GCSE examinations this year having studied them for the last two years.

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better?

The curriculum is ‘work in progress’. It is broad, balanced and underpins leaders’ vision to encourage pupils to aspire to achieve. English and history are much further on than other subjects in implementing revised planning. Changes in subject leadership means that plans in mathematics and science are developing at a slower rate.

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better?

In English, teachers have worked with other schools in the trust to develop clear steps in learning. In history, learning is structured to enable pupils to gain skills. Their historical knowledge is underdeveloped. In both subjects, the most able pupils are not challenged enough.

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better?

Shortfalls in basic literacy present a significant barrier to pupils’ learning. Reading has a low profile. Pupils do not read often enough. Leaders do not evaluate thoroughly the impact of new strategies to improve pupils’ literacy.

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better?

A new leader of mathematics is leading improvement. However, pupils show a lack of fluency in doing mental calculations. There are few opportunities for them to apply their mathematical knowledge to real-life situations. In science the most able achieve well. Less-able pupils do not do as well. They do not get the same quality of teaching or the support they need to ensure that they make progress.

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better?

Not all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the support they need. Teachers do not make effective use of information about pupils to adapt their planning to meet their needs. Support staff are spread too thinly. A new leader has responsibility for improving this. ‘The Haven’ provides a safe nurturing environment during breaks and lunchtimes for vulnerable pupils and those with SEND.

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better?

The school is calm and orderly. Older pupils feel that behaviour has improved considerably. When teaching fails to capture and retain pupils’ interest, a minority of them disrupt lessons. Not all teachers manage this effectively.

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better?

Attendance is rising. Support from another school within the trust and from the local authority is leading to better attendance. Pupils are taught how to keep safe when using social media, the dangers of knife crime and ‘county lines’. Weekly lessons introduced to develop their character and culture are at an early stage of 10–11 December 2019

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development. Steps are being taken to strengthen the quality of careers education.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The single central record is well maintained. The required checks are made when appointing new staff. Experienced safeguarding staff work together to keep pupils safe. They know the school’s complex caseload well. They are diligent in following up safeguarding matters and recording their actions. They do all they can to keep vulnerable pupils safe.

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Safeguarding

Since the last inspection, 33 pupils have withdrawn from school to be home educated. There is no indication that school is seeking to off roll or indulge in gaming.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are inconsistencies in teaching that lead to some pupils not learning as well as they should do. Leaders should continue to monitor closely how effectively teachers plan learning and gauge the impact this has on pupils’ progress, particularly for less able pupils and those with SEND.  Not all teachers plan learning that captures and retains the interest of pupils. When pupils lose interest, some staff do not apply the school’s procedures to manage pupils’ misbehaviour. Leaders should provide staff with further training and support to ensure that behaviour in lessons is managed consistently.  The most able pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders must ensure that all staff provide work that engages and challenges the most able pupils.  Pupils do not read or practise their literacy skills often enough. This presents a barrier to their learning. Leaders should ensure that new strategies introduced to

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

improve this are monitored routinely and evaluated thoroughly to ensure that they lead to improvement.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use Ofsted Parent View information when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you’re not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 10–11 December 2019

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 10–11 December 2019

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 7–8 November 2017

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Information about this school

 The school is smaller than average.  The proportion of pupils leaving and joining the school part-way through the year is much higher than average.  The school is part of the TKAT Multi-Academy Trust.  At the time of the previous inspection, there was an executive headteacher and an acting head of school in post. The acting head of school is now the substantive headteacher.  Significant staffing changes have taken place. Over 30 staff have left or joined the school. A new team of senior leaders is in place.  The school does not use alternative provision. 10–11 December 2019

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Information about this inspection

We carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited lessons with senior leaders to observe pupils and students at work. They carried out learning walks to observe the quality of support provided for SEN pupils. They also walked around school to gauge how effectively leaders promote pupils and students’ behaviour, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.  Inspectors held meetings with senior and middle leaders, teachers, including three newly qualified staff, support staff, three members of the governing body and the senior regional executive director and regional executive director of the trust. They also met with two groups of pupils and a group of sixth-form students.  Inspectors observed the school’s work. They scrutinised pupils and students’ work. They looked at safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures, self-evaluation and improvement planning, minutes of meetings of the governing body, records of behaviour and attendance, and other information provided by

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Information about this inspection

school leaders.  They considered 82 free-text responses from parents and carers, 87 responses to Ofsted’s online Parent View and questionnaires completed by 43 staff. They also read two letters of support sent by parents. The school did not use Ofsted’s questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

John Mitcheson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Fowler Ofsted Inspector 10–11 December 2019

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regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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