Westborough High School

Inspection of a good school: Westborough High School Stockhill Street, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF13 2JE

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Outcome

Westborough High School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Westborough High School has a welcoming and inclusive culture. Pupils say that they feel the teachers care about them and make them a priority. This was clear to inspectors as we observed pupils and teachers working together during the inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders in the school are ambitious for the pupils. They want the best for them. The broad curriculum, pastoral care and positive environment in school reflect this aspiration.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils come to the school from a wide range of backgrounds. There is a culture of tolerance and respect in the school. There is occasionally some bullying, but the school intervenes and deals with this effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the range of subjects that are available to them. Behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils actively participate in lessons and show enthusiasm. They are keen to learn new things. Pupils are very well prepared for life after school because they are taught about the range of opportunities available to them post-16.

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

Leaders have made a number of changes to the curriculum in the past two years. The curriculum will change again in September 2022. Pupils will spend more time on some subjects in key stage 3. Leaders have thought carefully about the important subject knowledge that they want pupils to learn. Although the schools’ existing curriculum covers the requirements of the national curriculum, there are some subjects where there could be greater breadth and depth.

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

All pupils are able to study the set of ambitious academic subjects, which collectively are known as the English Baccalaureate. Leaders encourage pupils to take these subjects at GCSE. They are increasing in popularity.

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

In designing the curriculum, leaders have carefully considered the needs of the pupils and 8 and 9 June 2022

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the local employment market. Links with Huddersfield University are used to encourage pupils to aim high. Careers education and guidance are an important part of the personal development programme. Jobs and further education opportunities are routinely discussed in form time. Pupils know what choices are available to them when they leave school. This means the school meets the demands of the Baker Clause. The school carefully monitors what pupils go on to do after school and whether they are successful. The school uses this information to adapt the careers programme. As a result of this, very few pupils leave school without a clear destination.

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Teachers carefully assess what pupils know and can do. Inspectors saw teachers checking pupils’ understanding in a variety of ways. This meant that teachers were able to identify pupils’ misconceptions and make corrections. Because of this, pupils are learning the curriculum well.

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Teachers carefully consider the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In particular, the school makes sure that pupils with SEND have the same curriculum opportunities as every other pupil. The additional support they receive is effective. One pupil with SEND said, ‘I feel supported and encouraged.’ This comment accurately reflected the views of others.

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Most pupils behave well at the school. Good behaviour allows the lessons to proceed smoothly. Pupils follow the instructions of the teachers. They participate in lessons and show enthusiasm for their learning. Some pupils who do not meet the expectations of the school are taught for part of their timetable in a small group. This ‘Succeed’ programme has supported some pupils to spend more time in school and be more successful.

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Teachers quickly identify pupils who arrive at the school with weaker reading skills. A programme to support pupils to catch up with their reading is in place. Teachers are trained to understand how pupils learn to read in primary school. This helps them to understand the challenges some pupils face in comprehension and learning new vocabulary. As a result, teachers are carefully considering the importance of reading through their subject. The whole school approach of ‘reading to learn’ is having a positive impact.

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The overall programme of personal development is broad. A wide range of personal development topics are taught. Pupils in Year 9 could talk confidently about a range of important issues, including e-safety, prejudicial language and sexual harassment. The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic prevented many enrichment opportunities and extra-curricular activities from taking place. These opportunities are becoming available again. However, only a small number of pupils take advantage of the wider opportunities available to them. Leaders are taking steps to encourage more pupils to take part in activities beyond the classroom.

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Staff are very positive about the way that leaders support their well-being and manage their workload. The governors also take an active interest in staff’s welfare. The governing board are knowledgeable about the school and the local community. Members of the governing board bring useful skills and experience to support the headteacher in leading the school. 8 and 9 June 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders understand the local safeguarding risks very well. They have formed strong partnerships with other agencies to help protect pupils. The staff in school are well trained. This training is supplemented with weekly safeguarding updates. The safeguarding culture means that staff know how to support pupils effectively.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have introduced a series of recent changes in the curriculum. In some subjects, pupils have had to learn a lot of subject content in Years 7 and 8. There is now a better balance of curriculum time across key stage 3. Leaders should ensure that this time is used effectively to add sufficient breadth and depth in some subject areas.  Not enough pupils take advantage of the wider personal development opportunities available to them. Leaders are aware of the need to encourage more pupils to participate in activities beyond the classroom. Leaders should consider how to provide further enrichment opportunities to engage pupils and improve participation.

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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 second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2012.

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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. 8 and 9 June 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. 8 and 9 June 2022

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.w-h-s.org.uk Date of previous inspection 6 June 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding. The lead inspector met with members of the governing board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, science, history and drama. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of some lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 8 and 9 June 2022

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 The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead and reviewed the school’s safeguarding records.  A range of documentation was reviewed. This included minutes from governing board meetings, curriculum plans and behaviour records.  Inspectors considered the views given in Ofsted’s online surveys from 65 pupils and 69 members of staff. Inspectors also considered the views of 195 parents reflected in the Ofsted Parent View survey.

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Inspection team

Carl Sugden, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz Cresswell Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 June 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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