Henley Bank High School

Inspection of Henley Bank High School Mill Lane, Gloucester GL3 4QF

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 29–30 June 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Henley Bank is an inclusive school that adopts the motto ‘We are all on the same mountain, just a different journey to the top’. Pupils are taught to celebrate difference and live out the school values, which include ambition and respect. Pupils belong to a college system. This develops their sense of community and belonging. Pupils also enjoy the competitive side of being in different colleges.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study an exciting range of subjects on their learning journey. There are a growing number of courses to choose from as they move into Year 10. Pupils appreciate the advice that staff provide to support them with their next steps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are supportive of pupils’ well-being. One example is how the school have created the role of pupil mental health ambassadors. They are having a positive impact on how other pupils feel. Pupils can attend clubs, such as golf and Pride, and become green influencers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils benefit from disruption- free learning. They value this positive learning environment. There are respectful relationships between staff and pupils. Bullying is rare. If incidents occur, leaders take swift and effective action. Therefore, pupils feel safe in school.

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better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Across subjects, the knowledge that pupils need to learn, and the order in which to teach it, has been carefully considered. Teachers check what pupils know regularly and use this to inform future learning.

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better?

Pupils with SEND have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. They work in partnership with staff to ensure their needs are met. For example, they are involved in writing the plans that teachers use to support them. Leaders ensure that pupils with specific needs have a calm and focused start to every school day through the ‘Positive Start’ programme.

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better?

Leaders are working to increase the proportion of pupils who choose subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. In particular, they are ambitious to grow the number of pupils studying a modern foreign language at GCSE. Early signs show that the popularity for this subject is increasing.

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better?

Reading is an important part of the curriculum at Henley Bank. Pupils read a range of challenging and diverse texts. They also have regular opportunities to read for pleasure. However, leaders do not have a sharp enough focus on ensuring that pupils at the early stages of reading receive sufficient support to catch up. The 29–30 June 2022

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teaching of phonics is not frequent or detailed enough to identify specific knowledge gaps and remedy them.

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Pupils move around the site in a calm and orderly way. There are clear routines and systems in place to support behaviour. Pupils respond well to these firm boundaries. In lessons, they display a positive attitude towards their learning. Low-level disruption is rare.

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The personal development curriculum teaches pupils about a range of important themes, including British Values, healthy relationships, and staying safe when online. Pupils say they find these lessons helpful. They enjoy the chance to discuss their views on the different topics studied. Pupils learn about different cultures and beliefs. There are a range of extra-curricular clubs available for pupils to attend, but a significant number of pupils, particularly pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, currently choose not to participate in these regularly.

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There is a well-planned careers programme which provides pupils with information to support their next steps. 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.

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Staff are proud to work at this school. They say they are well supported by leaders. Early career teachers describe being welcomed into the community. Those responsible for governance support the school and provide challenge to leaders. They are understanding of staff wellbeing and consider this when making any changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that staff, including governors, receive regular and appropriate safeguarding training. Staff are vigilant in recording and reporting any concerns. There is a robust process for safer recruitment.

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Safeguarding

Leaders form positive relationships with families and external agencies. The school acts quickly to secure the help that pupils need.

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Safeguarding

The school has suitable policies in place to raise awareness among staff and parents about the dangers of sexual harassment, online sexual abuse and sexual violence. Pupils are aware of safeguarding risks. They feel safe and have a trusted adult they can report any concerns to.

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 Pupils who are at the early stages of reading do not benefit from an effective phonics curriculum. Consequently, some pupils who struggle to read do not receive the precise support they need to catch up quickly. Leaders must ensure that there is high-quality teaching of phonics, so pupils benefit from the support they need to help them learn to read well.  The proportion of pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils who participate in extra-curricular activities is lower than their peers. As a result, some pupils are not broadening their school experience beyond learning in the classroom. Leaders should ensure that a greater number of such pupils take up the opportunities provided to participate in enrichment activities beyond the curriculum.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 29–30 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10227722 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy sponsor-led

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school uses one registered alternative provider.

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Information about this inspection

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

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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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held discussions with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, the special educational needs coordinator, curriculum leaders, representatives from the trust and local governing body, the chief executive officer of the trust and the chair of the trust.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, art, and modern foreign languages. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, looked at curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked 29–30 June 2022

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at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also spoke with leaders about the curriculum in other subjects.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record of adults working in the school. The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader to consider how well the school identifies pupils who are at risk and engages with external services. Inspectors also spoke with a range of pupils and staff about safeguarding.

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 Inspectors considered 55 responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents and carers, Parent View, including 35 free-text comments. Inspectors also considered 52 responses to the staff survey and 74 responses to the survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

James Oldham Her Majesty’s Inspector 29–30 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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