Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Hyde High School

Following my visit to your school on 5 July 2022, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the monitoring inspection 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 improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Hyde High School

The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and has taken place because the school has received two successive judgements of requires improvement at its previous section 5 inspections.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Hyde High School

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. I discussed the ongoing impact of the pandemic with you and have taken that into account in my evaluation.

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Hyde High School

Having considered the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time:

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for governance are taking effective action toward the school becoming a good

The school should take further action to:

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for governance are taking effective action toward the school becoming a good

 continue to build on the work already started to improve teachers’ use of assessment strategies so that they can identify errors and misconceptions in pupils’ work and understanding.

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Context

There have been no significant changes in leadership or staffing since the previous inspection. A new special educational needs coordinator was appointed during the previous academic year. The subject leader for mathematics is currently seconded to the senior leadership team.

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Context

Although the COVID-19 pandemic did have an impact on staffing, leaders continued with their actions to improve the school.

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Main findings

You, together with leaders, have continued to build on the improvements to the school that were noted at the previous inspection. Staff and pupils are supportive of your actions. They share your ambition to bring about further improvement. Staff are proud to work at the school. They spoke highly of the subject-specific training that they have received. Staff believe that leaders and governors are considerate of their workload and well-being.

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Main findings

The effective action plan is a useful document. It enables leaders and governors to keep a sharp focus on the areas for improvement that were identified in the previous inspection report. This plan is helping to bring about swift and positive change to the quality of education that pupils receive.

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Main findings

Pupils are benefiting from a broader and more ambitious curriculum than they did previously. For example, you have reviewed and developed the structure of the modern foreign languages curriculum in key stage 3. Pupils in Year 7 are now able to build their knowledge of languages as they move through the school. In addition, you have improved the range of subjects that pupils can follow at key stage 4. Consequently, the proportion of pupils studying the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is rising.

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Main findings

You have raised staff’s expectations of what pupils can do and should know. Subject leaders are taking effective action to improve their curriculums. These are typically well designed. The curriculums identify the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. This knowledge is ordered carefully so that pupils build on their prior learning. As a result, pupils’ achievement is improving over time.

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Main findings

You have improved the way that teachers use assessment strategies. This is helping them to check that pupils have learned the knowledge in the curriculum. However, on occasions, some teachers’ checks on learning are not effective. This means that teachers sometimes fail to spot pupils’ misconceptions.

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Main findings

You have made reading a high priority. Pupils who find reading difficult, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, get the extra help that they need to catch up. You have invested in high-quality texts that are encouraging pupils to read more widely and often. Older pupils enjoy reading to younger pupils. You place a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ comprehension skills and technical vocabulary. This means that pupils can explain their learning well.

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Main findings

Governors are committed to their work. They continue to provide good levels of support and challenge to you and other leaders. Governors are aware of the school’s strengths and the priorities for improvement.

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Main findings

The school is a calm and orderly environment. Pupils have positive relationships with each other and their teachers. Pupils from a wide range of backgrounds work well together in lessons. They behave sensibly at breaktimes and around the school.

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Main findings

Pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of relationships and sex education and health education. They have the opportunity to learn about different cultures and religions. They respect the differences between people. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Additional support

You have used the support that you receive from the local authority well to aid school improvement. You value the support that you receive from a local multi-academy trust and external consultants. This has helped to develop subject curriculums and improve the quality of education. You are also working with other local secondary schools to share ideas and expertise.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I met with you, two deputy headteachers, other senior leaders, subject leaders, staff and pupils. I also met with governors and a representative of the local authority. This was to discuss the actions taken since the previous inspection.

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Evidence

I discussed the curriculum with the subject leaders of English, geography and modern foreign languages. I also met with the leaders responsible for supporting pupils’ reading. I visited a sample of lessons with a senior leader. I met with a group of pupils from Year 10 to discuss their experience of school life. I looked at samples of pupils’ work. I also observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktimes and throughout the school day. I spoke with pupils informally around the school. I examined a range of documentation, including the school improvement plan and attendance records. I reviewed the school’s safeguarding policies and checked the single central record on the suitability of staff to work with children. 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 reports website.

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