Hertswood Academy

Inspection of Hertswood Academy Cowley Hill, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire WD6 5LG

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March

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

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The headteacher of this school is Peter Gillett. This school is part of Hertswood 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 (CEO), Peter Gillett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michelle Stark. 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy at this school. They trust staff and know that any concerns that they raise will be taken seriously and addressed effectively. This creates a secure and supportive environment where pupils can thrive, both academically and personally.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for the achievement of all pupils. This fosters an ambitious culture that prepares pupils for a range of aspirational next steps. As a result, pupils achieve well and move on to worthwhile opportunities after leaving school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes a culture of respect and responsibility. Pupils are polite, courteous, and behave well, both in lessons and around the site. Learning is rarely disrupted. For pupils who find it harder to manage their own behaviour, the school has put effective and innovative strategies in place to help them to succeed. This includes staff working closely with families to ensure a consistent approach to supporting pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leadership opportunities, such as the school council and sixth-form leadership team, enable pupils to develop valuable skills and confidence. A wide range of extra-curricular activities, including sports, music, drama and subject-specific clubs, further enrich pupils' experience. Participation in these activities fosters collaboration, creativity and well- rounded development, ensuring that pupils leave with skills that extend beyond the classroom.

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

This school has experienced a turbulent time of change. It is relentless in its approach to reflect, review and adapt its provision as needed for each cohort of pupils. For example, the school has made a range of changes to the curriculum, which have had a positive impact on pupils’ achievement and behaviour.

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

The school has identified the important knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order in which they need to learn it. Teachers, particularly in the sixth form, use their strong subject knowledge to deliver the curriculum effectively. Most whole-school strategies are consistently implemented following staff training.

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

The school quickly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers adeptly adapt lessons for these pupils to ensure that they access the same high-quality curriculum as their peers. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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

The school supports pupils to understand the progress they are making through the curriculum, for example, through the use of end-of-topic checks. However, at times, teaching does not check pupils’ understanding as effectively as it could. This means that, in some subjects, teaching moves on to studying new subject content before pupils have built a secure foundation of learning.

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

The school’s focus on literacy has strengthened the use of subject-specific vocabulary across lessons. The school has clear processes to ensure that it identifies pupils who find 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 2025

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reading more difficult. The school provides appropriate support to ensure that pupils catch up quickly to their peers.

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At times, the opportunities for pupils to engage in discussion and debate about their learning are limited. As a result, some pupils, including students in the sixth form, lack confidence in expressing their understanding. This hinders their ability to deepen knowledge through the exploration of different viewpoints. Additionally, some struggle to express ideas fluently or share their opinions effectively. The school is beginning to address this by implementing strategies to improve pupils' communication skills, but it is too early to see the impact of this.

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The school has developed innovative opportunities to support pupils who find it difficult to manage their behaviour and emotions. At the same time, the school focuses on ensuring that these pupils still access the same curriculum as their peers. As a result, more pupils remain in school, resulting in a reduction in permanent exclusions.

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The school has placed high importance on attendance. It works closely with families to support pupils to get into school. This has ensured that attendance for many pupils has improved and persistent absence overall is reducing.

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Pupils benefit from well-structured activities that support their personal development. They learn how to stay safe online and in person and build healthy relationships. A range of trips develop pupils' independence and broaden their understanding of the world beyond their community. Pupils have a strong understanding of diversity, along with other cultures and religions. The programme of learning in the sixth form is secure, but at times, it does not build as well as it could on the learning in Years 7 to 11.

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Trustees are dedicated and passionate about supporting the school. They are equipped with business and finance expertise to support the school to make challenging, pupil- focused decisions. Trustees support and challenge leaders to keep high expectations for the quality of education that is available to all pupils. Staff appreciate the school’s consideration of their well-being when implementing changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, pupils are not given sufficient opportunity to develop their learning through appropriate discussion. This means that pupils do not have enough chances to connect, rehearse and apply their learning in order for it to become part of their long-term memory. The school should ensure that teachers facilitate appropriate discussion of subject content to support pupils’ learning over time. 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 2025

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 At times, some teaching does not check pupils’ understanding well enough. This means that, on occasion, gaps in learning are not rectified and pupils are moved on to new learning too quickly. The school should ensure that it supports teachers with the knowledge that they need to check pupils’ understanding to ensure pupils have a strong foundation in their knowledge before moving on to new learning.

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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). 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1180

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form

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Hertswood Academy Trust.  The chair of the trust has been appointed since the last inspection.  The school currently uses one registered and one unregistered 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

11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 2025

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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 (sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024, will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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The inspection started on 11 and 12 February 2025. Inspectors returned on 18 and 19 March 2025 to gather additional evidence in line with Ofsted inspections and visits: deferring, pausing and gathering additional evidence policy.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders and other members of staff.  An inspector met with representatives of the board of trustees, including the chair of trustees.  An inspector held a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, science, history and modern foreign languages. 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.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 the responses shared through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and staff.  Inspectors spoke to pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at break and lunchtimes.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation including trustee meeting minutes, the school’s self-evaluation and development plan, and records relating to pupils’ behaviour and attendance. 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 2025

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Inspection team

Elaine Mawson, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Caren Earp Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February and 18 and 19 March 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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