Upper Batley High School

Inspection of a good school: Upper Batley High School Blenheim Drive, Batley Field Hill, Batley, West Yorkshire WF17 0BJ

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Outcome

Upper Batley High School continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Aman Singh Kang. This school is part of Batley Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sam Vickers, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Siraj Mayet.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Upper Batley High School benefit greatly from an education that supports their academic and wider personal development. They are proud to attend the school. Parents greatly appreciate the school’s work to support the all-round development of their children.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils engage actively in ‘More in Common’ lessons, where they learn about people who may hold views different to their own. Staff help pupils to explore different beliefs and cultures. Pupils show very high levels of respect for the views, and lives, of others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff expect and support pupils to behave appropriately. When behaviour does not meet these expectations, pupils are calmly reminded of what is expected and behaviour quickly improves. As a result, pupils can learn in lessons free from disruption. They feel safe in school and enjoy their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects that meet their current interests and support their career aspirations. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well in external examinations.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has mapped out the important knowledge that pupils need to learn in most subjects. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They explain new ideas clearly. Teachers know their pupils well and provide the support that pupils need when they need 11 and 12 June 2024

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it. Adults effectively remove any barriers that may exist to learning. This work supports most pupils to achieve well, including those who are disadvantaged and those with SEND.

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In some subjects, curriculums do not take full account of what pupils already know. Pupils are retaught things that they already know and can do. This limits the time that pupils spend learning more complex skills and knowledge as they move through school. This makes it harder for pupils to achieve the highest grades in their external exams at the end of Year 11.

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The school effectively identifies pupils who begin school unable to read at the level needed to be successful in high school. Teachers use assessment well to identify the reading needs of each pupil. Pupils receive the support they need to improve their reading. As a result, these pupils can access, and are successful in, their secondary school studies.

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Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. They listen carefully to adults and follow instructions given. When pupils need reminders from adults, behaviour quickly improves. Those pupils who need additional support with behaviour receive it.

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The school works extremely well with pupils and their families to overcome any barriers to learning and attendance. For example, adults work with pupils and their siblings at primary school to address barriers that families face in securing good attendance. Staff work resolutely to overcome these barriers. As a result, pupils’ attendance at school is high.

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Pupils value their ‘More in Common’ lessons, where they learn to celebrate difference and the things we have in common. Well-trained staff provide opportunities for pupils to openly discuss and explore complex issues, including sexual orientation and faith. Pupils develop a strong understanding of the rights of others to hold views that may be different to their own. Pupils demonstrate a commitment to call out and tackle all forms of discrimination.

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Pupils have a strong understanding of the importance of democracy and the rule of law. They vote in elections for headlearner, and for representatives on the school council. When the council identifies ways that the school could improve, it makes recommendations to leaders, who take appropriate steps to improve the school.

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Provision for pupils who are at significant risk of permanent exclusion and attend ‘The Smart Academy’ is exceptional. Leaders’ ambitions, to support these pupils to overcome their challenging behaviour and be successful in post-16 education, are consistently met. Staff develop bespoke provision for each pupil, which allows them to gain the qualifications to access the next stage of their education. Bespoke ‘More in Common’ provision, and intensive careers support, challenges embedded negative attitudes and supports pupils to make better choices. Support for these pupils, and their families, frequently extends beyond the end of Year 11 and into post-16 provision.

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Staff working in all roles across the school are well supported. They receive appropriate professional development to allow them to be effective in their roles and, where they 11 and 12 June 2024

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wish, seek promotions within the school, trust or elsewhere. Careful thought is given to ensure that workload is manageable.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, curriculums do not provide sufficient opportunity for pupils to study the most complex knowledge and skills. Too much time is spent re-teaching things that pupils already know and can do. As a result, pupils do not learn securely some more complicated knowledge and skills in these subjects. Leaders should ensure that curriculums better build on what pupils already know and that pupils have time to learn more complex concepts effectively.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in March 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 11 and 12 June 2024

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 11 and 12 June 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 20 and 21 March 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Batley Multi Academy Trust.  The school has its own additional provision, ‘The Smart Academy’, for pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion. This is legally part of the school but is based at Jo Cox House, Market Square, Batley. The school does not use any additional 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

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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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 the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 11 and 12 June 2024

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 During the inspection, inspectors met with leaders, including the headteacher and those responsible for safeguarding, attendance, behaviour, reading and the SEND coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in science, mathematics, modern foreign languages and physical education. 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.  An inspector visited the ‘Smart Academy’, where they spoke to staff and pupils.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including curriculum plans for ‘More in Common’ provision, analysis of pupil attendance, bullying and behaviour records, details of external reviews of the school’s work and information about destinations of pupils who had attended the ‘Smart Academy’.  Inspectors met with governors, trustees and the CEO of the trust.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; 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.  Inspectors spoke with a range of staff and pupils throughout the inspection and considered responses to the parent and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Steve Wren, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gillian Hemming Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 June 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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