Salendine Nook High School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Salendine Nook High School Academy New Hey Road, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD3 4GN

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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Outcome

Salendine Nook High School Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Darren Christian. This school is the only school in the Salendine Nook High School Academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of governors, chaired by Martin Caufield.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Salendine Nook High School Academy is a caring school, where every pupil is expected to do their best. Pupils behave extremely well. They move around the school in a calm and purposeful way. Pupils can concentrate in class because low-level disruption is rare. Staff take the time to build positive relationships with pupils and understand them as individuals. The positive relationships between staff and pupils are a strength of the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils treat others with respect. If issues arise, they are dealt with quickly and effectively. Pupils attend well. They feel safe and listened to. There are many supportive places, where they can make friends. Pupils are polite to each other and welcoming to visitors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at school because of the highly inclusive and supportive environment. They learn about different cultures and religions. Pupils value the many opportunities to develop their interests, such as participating in clubs like trampolining and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. They also benefit from many national and international trips, such as to Iceland and New York. The school’s careers programme is a particular strength.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about their children’s experience at the school. Parents typically comment that, ‘all the staff are extremely supportive and get to know the children on a personal level’. 28 and 29 January 2025

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum for pupils, including for those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This ambition is reflected in the high number of pupils studying the academic subjects that are part of the English Baccalaureate suite of qualifications. The curriculum is well considered and builds knowledge logically overtime. Teachers receive training to use various strategies to deliver the curriculum effectively. These include questioning techniques that are used well in lessons to deepen pupils’ learning.

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

The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. Teachers receive helpful information thorough succinct ‘in a nutshell’ guidance that enables them to meet the needs of these pupils. The school adapts teaching to support all pupils, including those with SEND, to reach their academic potential.

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

Checks on pupils’ learning are used well to determine what pupils can do and identify those who may need extra help. Teachers quickly identify and address common misconceptions. However, in some instances, the school does not always ensure that their high standards for presentation of work are applied consistently. For example, some pupils’ work is difficult to read.

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

The school makes reading a high priority. Pupils have opportunities to develop their reading skills. The school library is a hive of activity at breaktimes. Tiered levels of support help to address specific barriers to reading that pupils experience. This helps pupils to catch up and improve their literacy skills exceptionally well.

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

The school enhances many aspects of pupils’ personal development effectively. Pupils learn how to stay safe online and lead healthy lifestyles. They benefit from effective careers education. Pupils in Year 10 participate in valuable work experience in the summer term. Pupils enjoy themselves at the school. They appreciate the extra-curricular and leadership opportunities at the school. Staff ensure that these activities are accessible to all pupils. They understand that they should treat others who are different from them equally.

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

Strong routines contribute to the calm and orderly school environment, where pupils behave well. Typically, pupils learn free from disruption. The school provides thoughtful support to pupils who need help to meet the school’s high standards. Most pupils attend well. The school provides timely and effective help to those pupils whose attendance is lower.

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

Leaders listen to the views of staff and take them into account when making changes. This helps staff manage their workload and supports their well-being. Trustees provide strong oversight and challenge to the school, including in relation to safeguarding. A real strength of the school is the culture of positive relationships. This has enabled both staff and pupils to feel that the school is a welcoming place to be. This culture supports the school’s ongoing improvement. 28 and 29 January 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not ensure that its high expectations for the presentation of pupils’ written work are applied consistently. As a result, some work is hard to read. The school should ensure that expectations are applied consistently, so that pupils produce high-quality work, which reflects their learning well.

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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 December 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. 28 and 29 January 2025

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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). 28 and 29 January 2025

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1404

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of two registered and two unregistered alternative provisions.  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.  This school is the only school in the Salendine Nook High School Academy trust.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors spoke with the principal and other senior leaders. They also spoke with representatives from the trust and the local authority. 28 and 29 January 2025

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 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons across key stages, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about the provision for pupils with SEND.  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 considered a range of documentation provided by the school. This included the school’s self-evaluation, published information about pupils’ performance and minutes of trustees’ meetings.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire, including free-text responses. They also took account of the responses to the staff and pupil surveys and gathered the views of parents, staff and pupils throughout the inspection.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at break and lunchtimes.

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Inspection team

Tudor Griffiths, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

James Franklin-Smith Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

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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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