Hadley Learning Community - Secondary Phase

Inspection of a good school: Hadley Learning Community - Secondary Phase Waterloo Road, Hadley, Telford, Shropshire TF1 5NU

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Outcome

Hadley Learning Community - Secondary Phase continues to be a good school. There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged outstanding if we were to carry out a section 5 inspection now. The school's next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school which sits at the heart of the local community. Pupils are proud to attend here and wear their uniform with pride. Staff have strong relationships with pupils. The school’s values of ‘belong, respect, inspire, succeed and enjoy’ are evident throughout, including as part of the ‘Hadley Colours’ rewards.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. In lessons, pupils are attentive and engage positively with their learning. In corridors and at social times, there is a calm and orderly environment. Pupils are polite and respectful to staff and visitors. Bullying is extremely rare and pupils have full confidence in staff to deal with any issues that arise.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s enrichment opportunities are extensive. Pupils take part in many different activities, including engineering, cooking and coding clubs. The different sports clubs on offer, including football, netball and gymnastics, are well attended. Pupils enjoy acting and musical roles, for example in the recently staged popular musical production of ‘Back to the 80s’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are highly complimentary about the school’s work. As one parent commented in Ofsted’s survey, ‘My daughter is excelling in all subjects and she receives lots of encouragement and praise from her teachers’.

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

Leaders understand the community they serve exceptionally well. They have developed a highly ambitious and inclusive curriculum. Leaders continually review and adapt the curriculum in response to pupils’ needs and aspirations. In many subjects, pupils achieve extremely well. 24 and 25 May 2022

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The planning and sequencing of the curriculum is highly effective. This is underpinned by credible research and by drawing on the expertise of leading professionals. Middle leaders have carefully considered the order in which topics are taught and how pupils build on what they already know. Pupils have a clear sense of what they are learning and can talk with confidence about the progress they are making.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this knowledge extremely well to plan activities which are suitably matched to the curriculum. In lessons, there are clear and consistent routines for learning. Teachers use questioning effectively and provide pupils with regular opportunities to recall what they have previously been taught. As a result, pupils are knowledgeable about their subjects and make connections in their learning.

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In recent years, leaders have strengthened both the curriculum and teaching in modern foreign languages (MFL). Many pupils enjoy this subject and are keen to contribute in lessons to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding. At present, the number of pupils studying MFL at key stage 4 remains broadly average. Leaders have clear plans in place to increase this even further.

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Teachers have high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders ensure that teachers are aware of individual needs and that they adapt lessons appropriately. Pupils with SEND value the support they receive from their teachers and how their needs are successfully met.

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The school’s personal, social, health and citizenship education (PSHCE) is comprehensively planned for all year groups. Leaders have thought carefully about how pupils build their understanding of topics such as healthy relationships and consent in an age-appropriate way. Leaders also ensure that the PSHCE curriculum is adapted to respond to incidents or concerns that arise in the local area. Pupils participate in a vast array of other school events as part of their wider development. The school runs a ‘charity challenge’ event where pupils walk to the top of the Wrekin. In addition, pupils have recently taken part in a Jubilee event with local senior citizens.

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The school’s careers programme is equally strong. Pupils receive talks from local colleges and employers so that they have a clear understanding of the next steps that are available to them. During the COVID-19 lockdown, leaders ran a virtual careers fair. Pupils value the opportunity to listen and speak with various employers and further education establishments.

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Leaders are acutely aware of staff well-being and workload. The vast majority of staff feel well supported both personally and professionally. Staff appreciate the time they are given to work together in departments to plan and evaluate the curriculum. Staff are highly supportive of leaders and are proud to work at the school. 24 and 25 May 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The systems and processes for safeguarding are managed well. Leaders have ensured all appropriate checks are carried out on staff before they work at the school. Leaders have a strong understanding of the main local contextual safeguarding risks. All staff have received training on the latest government guidance and are clear about who they should speak to if they have a concern about a child. Leaders ensure that pupils who need help get this in a timely way. This includes supporting pupils with their mental health. Pupils learn to keep themselves safe through the school curriculum, including topics such as drugs and e-safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The number of pupils who opt to study MFL at key stage 4 is broadly average. This means that the proportion of pupils who complete the suite of subjects which makes up the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) remains at a similar level. Leaders should continue with their current plans so that the number of pupils who study MFL at key stage 4 increases further.

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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.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Hadley Learning Community - Secondary Phase, to be good in October 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View 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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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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. 24 and 25 May 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227731 Type of school Secondary comprehensive

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1095

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school became part of the Learning Community Trust in March 2018.  The school uses six unregistered alternative provisions. All pupils who attend these do so on a part-time basis.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. This means that pupils in Years 8 to 11 receive information about the full range of education and training options open to them. This includes opportunities for a range of education and training providers to speak to pupils about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  Inspectors focused on the following subjects: English, science, geography and PE. Inspectors examined leaders’ plans, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked with pupils about the way these subjects are taught. 24 and 25 May 2022

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◼ Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents. These included information about behaviour, attendance, the school curriculum and improvement planning. The school website was also checked. ◼ Inspectors talked to staff and leaders about safeguarding arrangements. They examined how leaders make employment checks on staff and scrutinised further safeguarding records. They also asked how incidents reported by pupils are recorded and analysed. ◼ Inspectors observed informal times of the day to evaluate safeguarding and pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors held meetings with the chair of the trust, chief executive officer, executive headteacher, chair of the local governing body and other governors, the headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and pupils. They also talked informally to pupils and staff to gather general information about school life.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and

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free-text comments. Inspectors also considered responses to Ofsted’s staff survey and pupil questionnaires.

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Inspection team

Mark Howes, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Sal Yunus Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 2022

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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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