The Heathland School

Inspection of The Heathland School Wellington Road South, Hounslow TW4 5JD

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Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2024

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Good 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 under section 5 of the Act since June 2013. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and students in the sixth form, receive an exceptional education. Leaders have high expectations for all, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils are highly motivated to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are courteous and keen to help others. They learn how to stay safe including when online. Pupils know how to raise concerns should they arise and are confident staff will resolve these quickly. Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ conduct. They behave well, and those who are not consistently meeting the school’s expectations are well supported to do so. As a result, pupils are kept safe at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils benefit from the provision on offer that extends beyond the academic. For example, pupils take part in a wide range of activities to develop their interests, including basketball, chess, Japanese and philosophy. Pupils demonstrate their talents through the Gala Concert and ‘Heathland’s Got Talent’ as well as the school’s Shakespeare productions. Pupils are trusted to take on responsibility and support younger pupils across the school. For example, students in Year 12 volunteer to act as reading buddies for pupils in Year 7. They receive training and then self-manage this club, helping to foster a positive reading culture across the school.

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better?

Leaders have crafted an excellent curriculum that is broad and ambitious for all pupils. In each subject, the important knowledge and skills that pupils need to secure has been clearly identified. This is sequenced well so that pupils practise and embed key ideas and subject-specific vocabulary. This helps them to tackle more complex ideas with confidence. For example, in religious education, pupils consider key questions that build in complexity over time. Younger pupils consider the nature of God, before considering different religious and non-religious views. This supports older pupils to apply this to ethical and philosophical questions of free will and morality. Teachers use their subject knowledge expertly to explain new ideas and to check that pupils use terminology with precision. This supports pupils to understand the diversity within religions and deepen their understanding. Across the school,

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better?

pupils develop very secure understanding in different subjects. This means that they are well prepared for the next stage of their education or training.

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better?

Reading is a priority. Leaders identify any gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills, and provide intervention support for those that need to catch up. As a result, pupils develop confidence in reading and can access the ambitious curriculum on offer. Pupils with SEND are identified in a timely way. Staff are well-trained and provide appropriate support so that pupils can access the same curriculum as their peers, where this is possible.

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better?

Leaders have recently implemented new systems for behaviour. Pupils conduct themselves well, and low-level disruption in lessons is not tolerated. Bullying is very rare, and pupils know how to report concerns. During less formal times in the school 30 April and 1 May 2024

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day, recent changes are not as embedded. Leaders are aware of this and are persistent in working closely with pupils to ensure that they meet the school’s high expectations. Attendance and punctuality are checked carefully. This helps to ensure that pupils attend school regularly and on time.

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The provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. Through the carefully designed programme for personal, social and health education, pupils learn about important topics such as relationships and shared values of tolerance. The tutor programme and house assemblies revisit these key ideas and pupils in older years lead discussions with younger peers. Across the school, the careers programme provides pupils, and students in the sixth form, with a thorough understanding of the world of work. This includes subject-specific careers advice and mentoring, and using local expertise where possible to ensure that pupils have continuing opportunities to access resources.

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The programme for personal development is designed so that pupils, including those with SEND, have access to a range of activities. These include participating in a range of sports, visits to universities and meeting famous local authors. Many of these opportunities happen during the school day so that pupils have equal access to them.

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Staff, including those at the early stages of their careers, feel that their workload is considered, including when changes are made. Ongoing training is developmental. For example, staff routinely share subject knowledge and collaborate across their teams to refine the curriculum. As a result, retention of staff is high, and pupils benefit from the expertise in departments.

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Those responsible for governance have a detailed understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Governors administer their roles effectively. They have used their experience to support and challenge leaders appropriately.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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). 30 April and 1 May 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary (non-selective)

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1865

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 12 and 13 June 2013, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has undergone changes in leadership over the last two years.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.  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. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, members of the leadership team, members of staff, as well as groups of pupils and students in the sixth form.  The lead inspector met with a group of governors, including the chair of the governing body.  The inspectors did deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, history, physical education and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. The inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record of pre-employment checks; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation provided by leaders including their priorities for improvement.  The inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff through discussions and their responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Matea Marcinko, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nigel Clemens Ofsted Inspector 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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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