Hellesdon High School

Inspection of Hellesdon High School 187 Middletons Lane, Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk NR6 5SB

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The principals of this school are Tom Rolfe and Mike Earl. This school is part of The Wensum Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Daniel Thrower, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by John Smith. 3 and 4 October 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has raised its expectations of pupils’ achievement. Pupils benefit from an ambitious curriculum and lessons that build on what they already know. Pupils are well supported to access learning. They enjoy many of their subjects and appreciate the help that adults give them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that they have a trusted adult to talk to at school. They know to report any issues or worries. Pupils feel safe. They are confident that adults will help them and take their concerns seriously.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Although many pupils display good attitudes to learning, a minority do not. Disruption to learning is too common. Some pupils regularly interrupt their teachers, which impacts the learning of the class. Pupils get frustrated by this poor behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In the sixth form, students enjoy a warm and welcoming environment. Everyone gets along well and supports each other. Students receive a high-quality education, both academically and outside of lessons. During their ‘conferences’, they receive valuable guidance, including careers information and more general life skills. This prepares them well for their next steps. Students enjoy attending interesting and challenging lessons. They achieve highly.

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better?

The school has addressed the weaknesses in the curriculum that contributed to low outcomes in 2022 and 2023. A revised curriculum is now in place across the school. It is well designed to ensure that the knowledge and skills that pupils acquire develop well over time.

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better?

Teachers confidently deliver new information clearly. They ensure that new knowledge builds on pupils’ prior learning. They regularly check what pupils understand and can do. They use a range of effective strategies to see what pupils have remembered and take appropriate action where they find gaps in pupils’ understanding. In most instances, teachers are skilled in planning appropriate activities for pupils that allow them to develop their skills and understanding. In some lessons, pupils who are ready for their next steps have to wait for others to catch up. When this happens, they do not achieve as highly as they could.

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better?

The school has high expectations for students in the sixth form. The curriculum successfully builds on what students learn at GCSE. Teachers have good subject knowledge. There is a high degree of consistency in the delivery of lessons, which allows students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to successfully learn new content. Students are positive about their experiences and would recommend the sixth form to others.

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better?

The school accurately identifies pupils with SEND. Adults are provided with clear plans that lay out how to best help pupils. Staff are confident in supporting pupils 3 and 4 October 2023

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with SEND to do well. Pupils are also well supported outside of lessons in a quieter area known as ‘The Bridge’. This helps pupils with SEND to focus on their learning.

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Leaders know how important it is for pupils to be able to read fluently. A minority of pupils lack the skills needed to read well. More precise support is needed to help those few pupils who struggle to read confidently. There are occasions when these pupils struggle to access some parts of their lessons.

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Many pupils display positive attitudes towards their education. Where routines are clearly enforced, and expectations are high, pupils focus well on their learning. In these instances, many pupils achieve well. However, the school has not ensured that this is the case for all pupils. Too many lessons are disrupted. Some pupils regularly miss their learning and fall behind due to, for example, removal from class or poor attendance.

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The school has prioritised pupils’ personal development. Pupils are explicitly taught how to discuss important issues. They talk with maturity about fundamental British values, such as democracy. Pupils are curious about differences in people and display high levels of respect towards people of other races and religions. Leaders have ensured that there is a wide range of clubs on offer. These are well attended and popular. All pupils receive high-quality careers information, education, advice and guidance. This means they have the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about their futures.

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Leaders, including trustees and governors, work closely to identify the strengths and areas to develop in the school. They know the needs of the school, and they act in the best interests of the pupils. This includes working with external advisors, who support leaders in securing the identified improvements.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Outside of the sixth form, a minority of pupils do not display positive attitudes and can sometimes disrupt their peers. Some regularly miss lessons due to poor attendance or as a result of receiving behaviour sanctions. Leaders should ensure that a calm and orderly environment is in place across all lessons and that all pupils attend regularly so that learning is not missed.  In some lessons outside of sixth form, staff do not push pupils towards their next steps quickly enough. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils are supported to move on when they have secured the knowledge they need to consider more complex ideas. 3 and 4 October 2023

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 Pupils who struggle to read are not supported as effectively as they should be. As a result, a minority of pupils are not fluent readers and struggle to access some learning across the curriculum. The school needs to establish effective systems to support weaker readers to gain the skills needed to rapidly become fluent readers.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 October 2023

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,577

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 21 September 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Hellesdon High School is part of The Wensum Trust.  The school currently uses two unregistered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 3 and 4 October 2023

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 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, modern foreign language and drama. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs coordinator and scrutinised support plans for a sample of pupils with SEND across different classes.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors also reviewed documentation relating to school improvement.  An inspector held discussions with members of the trust, as well as with trustees and governors.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s behaviour and attendance records and met with leaders with responsibility for these areas.  Inspectors spoke to a range of pupils from different classes across both days of inspection.  The lead inspector considered the 114 responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including 99 free-text responses. The lead inspector also considered 88 responses to Ofsted’s survey of staff, and 29 responses from pupils to Ofsted’s pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Bessie Owen, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paul Wilson His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 October 2023

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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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