Hayes School

Inspection of Hayes School West Common Road, Hayes, Bromley, Kent BR2 7DB

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2022

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected since June 2013. 21 and 22 September 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

It is clear that Hayes School provides all pupils with an exceptional experience. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils gain a rich range of knowledge and skills, and this prepares them well for the next stage of their lives. This is one of the reasons why pupils enjoy school and achieve highly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The wide range of after-school activities and visits to places of interest aim to extend and enhance pupils’ learning. For example, sixth-form students recently visited CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Switzerland. Pupils learn much more than just facts about subjects. They learn how to make connections between facts, understanding how to apply these to the bigger questions about the subject and the world.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The promotion of pupils’ personal development goes hand in hand with their academic education. Each aspect complements the other most effectively. Pupils behave extremely well. They are polite, respectful of others and have excellent professional relationships with their peers and teachers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are clear that bullying, including homophobic bullying, is not tolerated. They know who to turn to in the school if they have a concern. Any issues that arise are spotted quickly and addressed thoroughly and effectively. Pupils are confident that they will be listened to by staff.

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better?

The curriculum is especially well thought out. Leaders and staff have devised subject curriculums in a way that builds pupils’ knowledge and skills in a logical series of connected ideas and facts. For example, pupils learn the fundamental ideas about a subject before moving on to new work. This is true across all subjects, including, for example, geography, physical education (PE), drama, English and religious education. However, the curriculum does not just teach pupils the knowledge and skills they need, it enables them to connect facts together so that they can tackle increasingly complex work. It is this that makes the curriculum so effective. Pupils build up a detailed and more comprehensive understanding of the subjects they study as they move through the school.

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better?

Leaders and teachers have developed a consistent approach to their work in the classroom. A great deal of emphasis is given to ensuring that teachers are experts in their subjects. Where gaps are identified, leaders help teachers to update their knowledge. What is especially strong, is that teachers base teaching on the content of their subjects. They consider carefully how to ensure that pupils learn and remember essential knowledge. Teachers frequently check that pupils can recall what they have learned previously. Only then do they move on to the next topic or unit of work. 21 and 22 September 2022

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This approach to learning means that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are given work that is demanding and ambitious. This is also the case in the sixth form, where the curriculum meets the needs of all students and includes a range of academic and vocational qualifications. Students are supported to choose the right course for them, and this helps to ensure the success of all. For example, students studying PE can opt to take either an A level or a vocational qualification.

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Pupils’ care and welfare are also given a high priority. For example, leaders work effectively with mental health experts and professionals within local authority services. Achievement coordinators know their pupils well and pick up concerns quickly. This enables leaders to ensure that pupils are given help when they need it.

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The programme for personal, social and health education includes helping pupils with their mental and physical health, online safety and diversity. It covers an understanding of how the institutions of modern Britain work as well as healthy relationships. The careers education programme provides pupils, including those in the sixth form, with helpful advice and support.

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Senior leaders and governors have a strong set of values for the school and its pupils. All who work in the school understand and share these values. This helps to ensure consistency in the way they go about their work. This is the ‘Hayes Way’. For example, pupils are clear about the way the behaviour policy works. They are confident that it is applied consistently. This is one of the reasons why pupils’ behaviour and attitudes are so strong. Governance is robust and members of the governing body carry out their roles effectively.

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Pupils and staff who responded to Ofsted’s online surveys were universally positive about the school. The great majority of pupils said that they enjoy school. Staff were especially positive about the way their well-being and workload is considered by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Governors, senior leaders and staff all have a secure understanding of the procedures to keep pupils safe. Regular training ensures that everyone knows about the most up-to-date government guidance and how to apply this in practice. For example, staff know what signs may indicate that a pupil is experiencing difficulties. They understand how to use the school’s reporting system so that concerns are picked up and acted upon swiftly. Effective links with external agencies help to ensure that pupils receive the right help at the right time. 21 and 22 September 2022

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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. 21 and 22 September 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10242484 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1736

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 5 to 6 June 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hayes School caters for pupils aged 11 to 19 in the London Borough of Bromley. It is part of the Impact Multi-Academy Trust.  The Impact Academy Multi-Trust was established on 1 September 2022 following the merger of the former Impact Multi-Academy Trust (comprising Hayes School and Ravens Wood School) with Langley Park Learning Trust.  The school has specialist provision for 25 pupils with speech and language needs.  The school uses two alternative providers that are registered with the Department for Education.  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. 21 and 22 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 carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, geography, drama, religious education and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at and spoke to leaders about some other subjects, including reading, mathematics, science and music, and sixth-form subjects such as psychology.  Meetings were held with the principal and with senior leaders, staff and pupils. Responses to Ofsted’s surveys for parents, pupils and staff were also taken into account.  Inspectors met with the chief executive officer and the chair of the trust, and with

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Information about this inspection

the chair and members of the local governing body.

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Inspection team

Brian Oppenheim, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Alice Clay His Majesty's Inspector 21 and 22 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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