Forest Hill School

Inspection of Forest Hill School Dacres Road, Forest Hill, London SE23 2XN

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Inspection dates: 13 and 14 December 2023

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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 Requires improvement 13 and 14 December 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school are safe and happy. They achieve well. The school has put in place a carefully considered and ambitious curriculum. It goes beyond the scope of the national curriculum. Leaders are determined that this rich curriculum is accessed by all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is further enriched with interesting and relevant educational visits. For example, pupils studying GCSE history visit an old operating theatre to help them visualise nineteenth-century surgery.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well around the school. They listen to their teachers and are polite to guests and to each other. Pupils feel safe in the school. They know they can talk to trusted adults if they have any concerns. As well as promoting academic achievement, the school makes sure that pupils are taught wider life skills. For example, there are workshops in place to help the boys grow into responsible and kind young men. There is a strong focus on celebrating diversity and promoting equality of opportunity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This combination of academic achievement, strong pastoral care and wider personal development means that pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education or training.

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better?

Pupils study a broad and interesting curriculum. The school has carefully considered the important knowledge that they want pupils to study. In the sixth form, a wide range of A-level choices is supplemented by several different vocational qualifications. Within subjects, the chosen topics of study have been put together in a logical way. This helps pupils to build on their prior knowledge so they learn more and remember more over time. This means that, from the start, pupils are well prepared for the rigour of GCSEs and for sixth-form studies. Leaders also make sure that content is relevant and interesting for pupils. For example, in history, pupils learn about migration by studying the Silk Road. In mathematics, pupils learn real- life examples of how to calculate average pay for different professions.

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better?

The very well-resourced library in the heart of the building exemplifies the school’s commitment to promoting reading. Pupils read widely and often. Pupils who need extra help to read with confidence and fluency are given additional support so they can keep up with their classmates.

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better?

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. Lessons follow consistent routines and teachers give pupils clear instructions. This means that pupils, including those in the sixth form, know what teachers expect them to do and how to approach the set tasks. Pupils with SEND follow the same rich curriculum as their peers. Teachers benefit from very clear information about these pupils, including how to help them access new knowledge. Teachers, therefore, make appropriate adaptations to their lessons so that all pupils can access the learning. However, occasionally the choice 13 and 14 December 2023

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of tasks in lessons is not focused well enough to help pupils learn the intended lesson content. This leads to gaps in pupils’ knowledge in those instances.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. The school has very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. These are met through the consistent routines that are in place. This means that learning is not disrupted by pupils’ behaviour. Sixth- form students are supported to be independent learners, and they develop effective study skills. Pupils know that unkind or discriminatory language is not tolerated. They are polite and considerate. Rates of attendance at school are high, supported by robust systems that are in place to address absence.

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The school is ambitious to develop pupils beyond the academic. Pupils from Year 7 to Year 13 benefit from a carefully considered programme of personal, social and health education. This teaches pupils about healthy lifestyles and relationships in an age-appropriate way. Pupils are taught to stay safe, including when online and in the local community. From Year 7 upwards, pupils are taught about careers and the different future pathways available to them. Sixth-form students benefit from detailed advice and guidance to help them with university applications and other options, including apprenticeships. A range of clubs and activities, including a variety of sports, a school newspaper and musical instrument tuition, help pupils to develop new talents and interests.

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Governors know the school very well. They share the school’s ambition to provide inclusive education. They understand the school’s strengths and areas for development. The school makes sure that staff have access to high-quality training and development. This includes teachers new to the profession, who are very well supported. Staff feel valued and said that their workload and well-being are considered by the school. Parents and carers value the ethos of the school. Staff, governors, parents and pupils are proud of their school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Occasionally, teaching activities do not help pupils gain the planned knowledge and skills as well as they could. This leads to some pupils having gaps in their knowledge. School leaders should continue to develop teachers’ pedagogical skills so that they routinely set the most useful activities that help pupils to learn new knowledge securely. 13 and 14 December 2023

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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). 13 and 14 December 2023

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,098

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Website https://foresthill.lewisham.sch.uk

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 20 June 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative education providers in the London Borough of Lewisham for a small number of pupils.  The school runs the sixth form as a consortium with Sydenham School.  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. 13 and 14 December 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in mathematics, history, science, physical education and languages. For each deep dive, they discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and talked to teachers and pupils. The inspectors talked to leaders and looked at curriculum information for other subjects and visited a range of lessons.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the leadership team and members of staff, as well as with a range of pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and

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Information about this inspection

considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors considered the survey responses from parents, pupils and staff.  The lead inspector spoke with governors, including the chair of governors. He also spoke with a representative from the local authority.

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Inspection team

Bob Hamlyn, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ogugua Okolo-Angus Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 December 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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