Setting

Andrea Radcliffe Headteacher Hyde High School Old Road Hyde Cheshire SK14 4SP

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Hyde High School

Following my remote inspection with Ahmed Marikar, Her Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), of your school on 30 March 2021, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions that have been taken to provide education to all pupils during the current circumstances.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Hyde High School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 (2) of the Education Act 2005 (as amended) and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for visiting schools while routine inspections remain temporarily suspended. It was additional to the usual monitoring process for schools that are judged to require improvement.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Hyde High School

This monitoring inspection was carried out remotely. As such, the range of evidence available to inspectors was narrower than would normally be the case during an on- site inspection. As a result, this letter provides a more limited level of assurance than our usual monitoring reports.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Hyde High School

The inspection took place because the school has two successive judgements of requires improvement. The school’s most recent section 5 inspection took place in October 2019.

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Additional, remote monitoring inspection of Hyde High School

Having considered all the evidence and taking into account the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the school, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

to provide education in the current circumstances. Ofsted

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted Leaders and those responsible for governance should take further action to:

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Leaders and those responsible for governance are taking effective action

 develop subject teachers’ expertise in adapting their curriculum plans to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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Context

 Approximately nine out of ten pupils were educated at home when the school was closed to most pupils at the start of the spring term 2021. Around two thirds of vulnerable pupils, and two thirds of pupils with an education, health and care plan, were educated on site during this period.

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Context

 At the time of this inspection, almost all pupils were attending on site.

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Main findings

 Despite the impact of the COVID-19 restrictions, pupils at Hyde High School have continued to follow their usual range of curriculum subjects throughout the pandemic. You have ensured that pupils learned well whether they were at home or in school.

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Main findings

 Pupils have benefited from the depth of training that staff received on the delivery of remote education. You also decided to offer training to pupils. This gave them the confidence to access their learning while working remotely. It also helped them work more independently. As a result of this training, you and the staff put effective remote learning in place for all pupils when the third national lockdown began.

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Main findings

 Before the pandemic, you had successfully reviewed the curriculum. Subject leaders had focused effectively on refining the content to be taught in each subject. For example, they made it clear in their curriculum plans what important knowledge pupils must learn and in what order. More recently, subject leaders have made additional adjustments to the order in which teachers deliver some topics. This was so that pupils could learn effectively whether at home or in school. For example, the English department decided to swap the study of poetry with fiction texts and the music department delayed the teaching of composition until all pupils returned to school.

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Main findings

 When the school reopened to all pupils in March 2021, teachers took swift action to check what pupils knew and remembered of their learning since the start of the pandemic. While they have continued to deliver the usual curriculum, teachers are reteaching any missed or forgotten learning so that pupils can catch up quickly. The effective support that pupils received helped them to settle back into school quickly and maintained the momentum of learning.

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Main findings

 Pupils in Year 11 have continued to follow their usual range of examination subjects. Leaders and teachers were determined to ensure that pupils received a broad curriculum when learning remotely. Now that Year 11 pupils are back in school, they are regularly attending catch-up lessons. Pupils in Year 11 have benefited from ongoing careers guidance. They have had one- to-one advice and support to help them prepare for their next stages in their education. Pupils told us that they have been well supported with their applications to colleges.

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Main findings

 You have maintained a positive culture of reading throughout the pandemic. Leaders have a clear overview of the weakest readers across the school. Specialist teachers and teaching assistants provide effective support for these pupils, including with their phonic knowledge. Additionally, subject leaders have identified the essential subject-specific vocabulary that all pupils should know. Subjects such as science and geography have introduced appropriate academic texts for pupils to study. You are intending to extend this to all subjects soon.

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Main findings

 You and other leaders have appropriately prioritised support for vulnerable pupils, and those with SEND, throughout the pandemic. You have kept in close contact with these pupils and their families. Leaders continue to work closely with external agencies. This is to ensure that pupils and their families receive extra help when they need it. Staff have amended support plans for all pupils with SEND. This is to reflect their changing needs because of the impact of the pandemic. However, subject teachers do not have enough knowledge about how best to adapt their curriculum plans to meet the needs of pupils with SEND.

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Main findings

 Governors are committed to the success of the school and have ensured that pupils receive an appropriate education in the current circumstances. Governors regularly meet remotely with you and other leaders to discuss the priorities for improvement. Members of the governing body have been effective in holding you to account. They have kept a watchful eye on staff’s workload and well-being.

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Main findings

 The local authority has provided support and challenge to the senior and middle leadership teams. The staff have also received support to develop their practice, knowledge and confidence in delivering remote education. This has enabled pupils to learn effectively whether at home or in school.

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Evidence

This inspection was conducted remotely. We spoke with you, other senior leaders, subject leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, a pastoral lead, staff and pupils. We also spoke with governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority to discuss leaders’ actions to provide education to all pupils during a national lockdown. We examined a range of documents provided by the school, including the minutes of the governing body meetings and a sample of the school’s curriculum plans. We looked at 92 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including 88 free-text responses. We reviewed 69 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Evidence

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Tameside. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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