Highfields College

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Highfields College Highfields, Essex Road, Brinnington, Stockport, Cheshire SK5 8DR

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this warm and inclusive school. They benefit from a culture that celebrates difference. Pupils join the school having had difficulties in previous settings. Here, they rebuild their trust in adults and their optimism for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy exceptionally strong, caring relationships with adults, who know them very well. This helps pupils to feel happy. They know that there is always an adult available to support them if they are worried.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff are passionate about providing the very best education for pupils. There is no ceiling to the school’s high ambitions for what pupils can achieve. Pupils, all of whom have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve highly. They are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps in education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff skilfully help pupils to regulate their own behaviour and to manage their emotions. Staff are experts at noticing when pupils experience distress or discomfort and they respond quickly and sensitively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy impressive opportunities that promote their wider development. They delight in enrichment and vocational activities that include animal husbandry, ceramics, and bicycle maintenance. The chance to participate in outdoor pursuits helps pupils to discover their hidden strengths and to develop their independence and resilience. 19 and 20 November 2024

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

Since the last inspection, the new leadership has transformed the school in several aspects of the curriculum and provision. This has ensured that pupils receive the highest quality of education.

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

The school has designed an exceptionally ambitious curriculum. This curriculum is highly developed and reflects a strong resolve that every pupil will achieve all that they possibly can. It also helps pupils to be well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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

Teachers are confident in the subjects that they teach. They pride themselves in finding interesting ways to explain new ideas clearly. This helps pupils to remember important learning. Teachers have a detailed understanding of each pupil and expertly use this information to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet pupils’ needs.

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

The school gathers comprehensive information about each pupil, including those pupils that have an education, health, and care (EHC) plan. This helps staff to identify any gaps in pupils’ learning, as well as in their social, emotional, and personal development. This information is used with great skill to create a highly personalised curriculum for each pupil. As a result, pupils flourish in their learning.

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

Reading has been an important focus since the previous inspection and has a high profile in school. There is an excellent understanding of where pupils are in their reading development. Adults provide highly effective support for pupils who find reading difficult. For example, these pupils benefit from revisiting early reading strategies and developing their comprehension skills further. Staff are relentless in seeking every opportunity to foster a love of reading among pupils.

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

Pupils behave extremely well in lessons. Many are highly motivated to learn. If struggling to concentrate, pupils are free to quietly step out of class. Most pupils join the school after having long periods of non-attendance in previous settings. The school analyses and tracks absence thoroughly. It is successful at re-engaging many pupils back into school. Staff do all they can to re-establish positive attendance habits.

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

The school offers pupils many high-quality opportunities to develop themselves personally and to prepare themselves for life beyond school. For example, pupils learn about how to understand their feelings and how to communicate and interact with others. This builds pupils’ confidence and resilience to successfully manage a range of social situations.

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

Comprehensive and extremely well-thought-out careers education, information, advice, and guidance is available to pupils. From Year 7 onwards, pupils have opportunities to experience a wide range of professions and careers. This is supported by real-life experiences in areas such as construction, catering, graphic design, and landscaping. This amply reinforces the school’s belief that there are no limits to what pupils can achieve.

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

Governors share the school’s high ambition and passion for providing the best for pupils. Many staff value the support that they receive for their workload and well-being. For 19 and 20 November 2024

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example, they appreciate how leaders encourage them to balance their work and home life.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in January 2020.

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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. 19 and 20 November 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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Highfields College provides education for pupils who have been permanently excluded, or are at risk of exclusion, from their mainstream secondary school. In negotiation with the local authority, it also offers provision for a number of pupils that have EHC plans that are not able to be placed in other special schools.  The school caters for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Some have autism spectrum disorder. Some pupils at the school have an EHC plan.  The school has a second small site based in the centre of Stockport. The address of this site is Brookfield House, Wellington Road South, Stockport SK2 6NG.  There have been several changes to the school’s leadership since the school was last inspected. The headteacher took up post at the school in April 2021.  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

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Information about this school

approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils. 19 and 20 November 2024

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 the school and have taken that into account in evaluating the school.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteacher, other leaders and staff in the school, including those responsible for SEND provision and pastoral care.  The lead inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors. She also spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, and pupils; and considered the

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Information about this inspection

extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors held discussions with staff, which focused on their workload and well-being.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including documents relating to school improvement.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils. However, inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school.

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Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Geoff Baker Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 November 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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