Greenshaw High School

Inspection of Greenshaw High School Grennell Road, Sutton, Surrey SM1 3DY

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

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The headteacher of this school is Nick House. This school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, William Smith, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anne Spackman. 1 and 2 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Throughout the school, including the sixth form, pupils thrive. They receive an exceptional standard of education. The school’s purposeful ‘Big Ideas’ curriculum and academic rigour enable pupils to excel. Staff and pupils aim for excellence. They achieve it. Pupils develop a rich body of knowledge and achieve very highly. They are active participants in their learning and consistently demonstrate high levels of focus. Staff and pupils are proud of the role they play in this flourishing school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established a strong and inclusive ethos of care which underpins warm and trusting relationships. Pupils strive to meet the school’s high expectations in all aspects of school life. Pupils show high levels of respect for staff and their peers. They report that bullying is very rare. As a result, the school is a calm, safe and friendly place to be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the support and encouragement they get from staff. Pupils know there is always someone they can turn to for academic or personal reasons. The purposeful start to the school day sets pupils up for success and ensures that not a moment is wasted. This supportive environment helps to shape pupils to become confident, articulate and kind.

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

The curriculum has been carefully sequenced so that knowledge and skills build logically over time. It is highly ambitious. The school has precisely identified what they want pupils to know. This means that teachers and pupils know what is being taught and how this builds upon previous learning. This helps pupils develop their understanding and deepen their knowledge step by step.

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

Pupils receive consistently high-quality teaching that stimulates their curiosity and engagement in all subjects. Teachers have very good subject knowledge. They explicitly teach pupils the vocabulary they need to access high-quality texts. Teachers skilfully use highly effective questioning to draw out pupils’ prior learning and to deepen and challenge their thinking. They use this information to adapt lessons. As a result, pupils and students typically achieve very well in their GCSE and A-level examinations.

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

As pupils progress through the school, they become increasingly expert in the subjects that they study. In sixth-form lessons, students discuss and debate ideas and apply knowledge to different problems and contexts. The high-quality resources provided by teachers support the consistent curriculum delivery. Staff ensure that there is enough time for pupils to repeatedly practise what they have learned. For example, in English, pupils apply what they know when writing confidently about different language techniques. This high-quality work can be seen consistently across the school.

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

The school provides exceptional support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision), specifically speech, language, and communication needs, is highly effective. Staff across the school are well informed about pupils’ specific needs. Expert 1 and 2 October 2024

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staff ensure those pupils at the earlier stages of reading, including pupils with SEND, get the targeted support they need to become fluent readers. Reading is well promoted in school, for example as part of the tutor reading programme.

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The school has a well-considered approach to securing regular attendance from pupils. As a result, pupils and students across the school attend very well. From the moment pupils join, typically in Year 7 or Year 12, they quickly settle in. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are exemplary. They are extremely well prepared for lessons and listen to their teachers intently. Any disruption to learning is incredibly rare. There are effective pastoral systems in place to support any pupil who may need it. Leaders are tenacious in their work to ensure that all pupils are safe and happy.

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Personal, social, health and economic education is delivered well, and pupils explore fundamental British values and equality of opportunity. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They learn about different religions and cultures. The school equips students in the sixth form with the social experiences that help prepare them for the future, for example through the student leadership programme, leading assemblies and being sports coaches. Pupils and students receive detailed careers information, mock interviews, and visits to higher education establishments. Across the school, a new enrichment programme has been introduced which pupils are beginning to take part in. This includes activities after school and a breakfast club. This means that the take-up of these wider opportunities is not consistently strong across the school.

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Leaders’ high ambition for each pupil is shared by everyone working at the school. They ensure that the school’s priorities are evidence-based and impactful. Staff enjoy high- quality professional development which is often supported by the trust. Staff feel very well supported by leaders and are proud to work here. Those with responsibility for governance and the trust have a clear and accurate view of the school. They provide effective support and challenge to school leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the school’s provision for extra-curricular activities have only recently been introduced. This means that there is not a constantly strong take-up by pupils outside of the sixth form. The school should ensure that the opportunities provided encourage as many pupils as possible, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, to take part and therefore benefit from the wider provision in place.

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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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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). 1 and 2 October 2024

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,962

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form

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 October 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Greenshaw Learning Trust.  The school uses four registered alternative provisions to support a small number of pupils.  The school maintains a specially resourced provision for 20 pupils with speech, language, and communication needs.  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. 1 and 2 October 2024

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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.  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.  The lead inspector met with members of the trust board, the local governing board and the trust’s chief executive officer.  During the inspection, inspectors met with the headteacher. They also met with other senior and middle leaders, including those responsible for safeguarding, behaviour, attendance, and personal development.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, physical

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Information about this inspection

education, geography, 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 looked at a range of documentation regarding the support pupils with SEND receive. They looked at the quality of the provision for pupils with SEND in lessons and in the specially resourced provision.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including minutes from governing board meetings as well as the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plans.  Inspectors looked at a range of information regarding behaviour. They observed the behaviour of pupils in classrooms and at social times.  The views of pupils and staff who responded to Ofsted’s surveys were considered.  Inspectors considered the views of parents through the responses to Ofsted’s online

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Information about this inspection

questionnaire for parents, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Sam Johnson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Eliot Wong Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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Sam Hainey His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 October 2024

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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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