Haybridge High School and Sixth Form

Inspection of Haybridge High School and Sixth Form Brake Lane, Hagley, Stourbridge, Worcestershire DY8 2XS

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Ofsted has not previously inspected Haybridge High School and Sixth Form as an academy school under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 as, until November 2020, the school was exempted by law from routine inspection, so there has been a longer gap than usual between inspections.

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Overall effectiveness Good

Judgements in this report are based on the current inspection framework and also reflect changes that may have happened at any point since the last inspection of the predecessor school. 28 and 29 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

High academic achievement, respectful behaviour and positive, caring relationships are the hallmarks of Haybridge High School. Leaders have high ambitions for every pupil and want them to achieve their best, and pupils frequently do. Pupils at this school are a delight. They are courteous, welcoming and friendly. They enjoy learning and coming to school. Interactions between staff and pupils are good- mannered, friendly and respectful.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is strong. They work hard and aim to do well. Lessons are calm and orderly. Students in the sixth form behave superbly. They act as role models to their younger peers. Bullying is not tolerated, and pupils are confident that their teachers sort out any that might occur. Pupils feel safe. They have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe in a variety of real-life situations. Leaders place great emphasis on everyone’s mental well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities that extend their learning beyond the classroom and develop their personal interests. The many activities include trips, visits, residential stays and after-school clubs. Pupils gave various examples of activities they enjoy, such as the robotics club and school theatre show, for example.

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better?

Senior leaders have exceptionally high aspirations for every pupil and student. To meet these high expectations, leaders have created an ambitious curriculum that offers a wide range of subjects. For example, all pupils in key stage 4 are expected to study a modern foreign language. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders have carefully mapped out what knowledge and skills pupils should learn in most subjects, including in the sixth form. In a few subjects, these plans are not as clear yet. Leaders know this and support subject leaders with this work effectively.

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better?

Leaders usually ensure that provision for pupils with SEND helps them to be successful. Adults generally spot when pupils fall behind and give targeted support to help them catch up. The new SEND coordinator knows pupils well and checks how well they are doing. On occasion, teachers do not routinely provide appropriate work and/or learning activities for pupils with SEND. When this happens, pupils’ work is not well matched to their needs and they can become disengaged.

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better?

Teachers adapt learning and consider pupils’ prior knowledge to ensure that they remember more over time very successfully. This works particularly well in subjects such as English, mathematics, ethics and art, for example. As a result, pupils’ work is of a high quality. Equally, teachers use their knowledge about students in the sixth form to plan learning activities that deepen students’ understanding of complex topics. Students say that they enjoy learning and do well. 28 and 29 September 2022

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Teachers use assessment well, including in the sixth form. They do this by using a range of effective strategies that tell them what pupils have understood. Teachers then adjust their teaching to fill any gaps in pupils’ knowledge. As a result, pupils and students generally achieve highly.

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Pupils conduct themselves very well. Leaders have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. These are understood by all. Lessons are generally free from disruption and learning takes place unhindered. Sixth-form students’ behaviour is excellent.

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Reading is promoted effectively. For example, pupils have ‘tutor reads’, and sixth- form students are trained to be reading buddies for younger peers. Consequently, pupils, including in the sixth form, enjoy reading and do so often. Leaders act swiftly to put effective interventions in place for any pupils who may need support with their reading.

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Leaders have planned a wide range of opportunities for pupils to develop their passions outside of the classroom, for instance sporting clubs, craft clubs and theatre shows. Uptake in these activities is not as high as leaders would like. They are working well to increase participation in extra-curricular activities. Pupils’ personal development is promoted very well. Leaders ensure that all pupils and students learn about mental well-being and what it means to be kind. For example, there are mental health first aiders, and the ‘Bee Kind’ programme highlights acts of kindness around school. Additionally, all pupils and students benefit from a well- thought-out and impartial careers programme. As a result, pupils and students in the sixth form move on to appropriate destinations, including apprenticeships.

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Senior leaders have a forensic understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This is because they know their school exceptionally well. They are quick to improve any aspects that do not meet their high expectations. Staff are unanimous in their support of senior leaders and feel proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff work very well together to safeguard pupils. This is supported by regular training for every member of staff. Leaders underpin any training with timely updates on current local and regional issues. All staff know what to do if they are concerned about a pupil. The safeguarding team works well with external agencies. Staff seek help and advice to ensure pupils are safe.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that pupils are educated about how to stay safe in their daily lives. This includes a clear focus on pupils’ mental health and well-being, online safety and dangers around the use of social media. 28 and 29 September 2022

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few teachers do not routinely provide pupils with SEND with work that is well matched to their needs. Where this happens, work is either too hard or too easy. As a result, pupils’ learning slows or they become disengaged with their learning. Leaders need to ensure that staff consistently match work to all pupils’ needs.

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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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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. 28 and 29 September 2022

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1215

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a larger than average-sized secondary school. It is the founding member of the Four Stones Multi-Academy Trust.  A small number of pupils attend alternative provision at one registered provider.  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. 28 and 29 September 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded 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.  Inspectors met with senior leaders, including the headteacher, the deputy headteachers and the assistant headteachers. The lead inspector held a meeting with governors, including the chair of governors, and trustees and the trust’s chief executive officer. Meetings were held with curriculum leaders and the SEND coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, English, science, modern foreign languages and art. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils and students about their learning and looked at samples of their work. Other subjects were considered during the inspection.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at break and lunchtimes. Inspectors spoke to many pupils about their experience at the school.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of safeguarding information, including the school’s safeguarding policy, spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn to keep themselves safe. The lead inspector spoke to safeguarding leaders about the reporting and recording of any safeguarding incidents.  Inspectors took account of parents’ free-text comments and the responses on Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors also considered the responses to the pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Bianka Zemke, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Helen Reeves Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 September 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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