Uxbridge High School

Inspection of Uxbridge High School The Greenway, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2PR

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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

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The principal of this school is Louisa Seymour. This school is part of Uxbridge High School, a single academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Kiran Bassan. 12 and 13 November 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Uxbridge is an inclusive high school, where pupils say, ‘opportunities are provided for all’. The school values of ‘PROUD’ (positive, respectful, open-minded, unique and determined), are realised across the school. There is a relentless drive for all pupils to achieve the school’’ ‘gold standards’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe, they enjoy coming to school. This is demonstrated by pupils’ strong levels of attendance. They behave well and are eager to learn. Most pupils achieve positive outcomes in the subjects they study, including students in the sixth form. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto is ‘proud to make success happen’. An example of this in action is the exceptional opportunities on offer, which support pupils’ personal development. A well- constructed curriculum enables pupils to understand the importance of many topics necessary for life in modern society, including budgeting and personal finance. Many enrichment activities, including performing arts and backstage production, cater for pupils’ interests, and nurture their talents. The extensive range of extra-curricular activities, especially sports, enables pupils to thrive and experience success. A high proportion of pupils take up opportunities to be involved in pupil leadership. Students in the sixth form also take a lead on various activities involving younger pupils.

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

The school has carefully created an ambitious curriculum to match its high expectations of what pupils can achieve. The knowledge pupils need to learn has been organised in a logical order. For example, In Year 7 English, pupils are taught to use persuasive devices accurately. They recall quotations and analyse text for meaning. Pupils then apply this knowledge when studying Shakespeare texts in Years 8 and 9.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and ensure that learning time is not wasted. They select activities which ensure learning is maximised with opportunities for pupils to apply their prior knowledge. For example, in physical education, Year 8 pupils practise different types of passing when playing netball with greater understanding and accuracy. In physics, Year 12 students interpret graphs using their knowledge of velocity and time.

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

The school identifies the need of pupils with SEND accurately. Teachers adapt the curriculum successfully to ensure that pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, perform in line with their peers. Teachers adapt learning for the pupils to support them to achieve well.

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

The school has prioritised the teaching of modern foreign languages. This subject is increasingly popular with pupils in Years 10 and 11, and pupils achieve well. In some subjects, such as modern foreign languages, pupils’ misconceptions in learning are identified and corrected efficiently. This approach supports pupils to build on prior knowledge, so they know and understand more of what has been taught. However, in 12 and 13 November 2024

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other subjects, pupils do not recall, retain or apply some key concepts or knowledge consistently well.

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The school has prioritised pupils at the early stage of reading. Checks are carried out regularly. The information gathered is used to target support for those pupils who need it. Consequently, these pupils are becoming more confident and fluent in their reading. Pupils enjoy reading and understand the importance of reading for learning and pleasure.

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The school ensures that systems for securing pupils’ positive behaviour and attitudes to learning are being put in place. Low-level disruption is rare in lessons. Pupils feel safe and report any rare incidents of bullying. The school manages these appropriately. The school is highly committed to being inclusive. Pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour or attend school are cared for and their needs are met. Students in the sixth form play an important part in supporting younger pupils with this.

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The school’s work to support pupils’ personal development is exemplary. The school provides well-thought-through opportunities to enable pupils to thrive. Pupils make strong contributions to school leadership. This includes taking on roles as ‘house captains’ and ‘year group prefects’. The school’s provision for careers education is meticulously organised. Pupils experience a wide range of activities to assist them in making decisions about their futures. Sixth-form students appreciate the high-quality guidance they receive.

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The school, including its trustees, is committed to continuous improvement. The school accurately identifies the strengths in its work, and areas where provision could be strengthened. The school takes positive steps to improve performance, constantly striving to provide a high-quality of education for all pupils.

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Effective communication with parents and carers and collaboration with community partners reinforces the school’s commitment to inclusivity. Staff recognise that leaders consider their workload and well-being. Trustees are knowledgeable and hold the school to account effectively.

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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, the curriculum is not implemented as successfully as in others. Sometimes, pupils are unable to remember relevant knowledge, which results in some gaps in their learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently and effectively so that key knowledge is retained, and pupils remember their learning over time. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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.

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Type of school Secondary Comprehensive School category Academy converter

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1358

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form

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 September 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is a single academy trust.  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.  The school uses three registered alternative provisions.

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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 12 and 13 November 2024

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(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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 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.  The inspection team spoke to the principal, vice principals, assistant vice principals and the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspection team spoke to a range of staff, including curriculum subject leaders, teachers, and support staff. The lead inspector spoke to members of the trust board.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in English, geography, mathematics, physical education and science. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning, and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.

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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.  The inspectors took account of responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. The inspectors also considered the responses from pupils and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils during lessons and at social times.

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Inspection team

Ray Lau, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Duncan Kamya Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 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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