Windhill21

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Windhill21 Windhill, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 2NE

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Outcome

Windhill21 has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Sarah Wood. The school is part of the Ivy Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by a chief executive officer (CEO), Matthew Kleiner-Mann, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Deborah Thompson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud of their school. A range of thoughtful and well-planned opportunities expertly builds pupils’ knowledge and takes them beyond their everyday lives. Memorable experiences such as trips abroad, debating and public speaking are highly effective in developing pupils’ confidence and vocabulary. A wide range of clubs and trips are available for all. This is a place where everyone gets the chance to shine.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A rich curriculum, combined with high-quality opportunities for personal development, ensures that pupils have the knowledge and ability to discuss and debate interesting ideas and concepts. The school empowers pupils to be global citizens. Pupils raise money for charity or take on responsibilities around the school. As a result, pupils have an excellent understanding of diversity, difference and the world around them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school’s very high expectations of them. Pupils behave exceptionally well, treating each other with kindness and courtesy. Pupils trust adults to swiftly sort out any issues fairly. Lessons proceed without interruption because pupils have excellent attitudes to their learning. Pupils want to do well and enjoy the challenge of learning. Pupils make great strides with their education. 25 and 26 March 2025

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum does exactly what leaders want it to do; it creates pupils that are confident communicators, knowledgeable learners and global citizens. The curriculum is well designed. Each subject is carefully planned so pupils confidently build their knowledge as they move through the school. Many pupils go on to achieve highly in national tests and assessments.

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

High-quality training supports staff to teach the curriculum well. Teachers explain concepts clearly. They support pupils to make links between their learning and to build secure knowledge and language across all areas of the curriculum. Pupils, for instance, write about Greek mythology, using sophisticated vocabulary from a range of subjects they have met before. Pupils have the knowledge, expertise and pride to produce high- quality writing.

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

Teachers usually spot if a pupil needs further help or more practice with their learning. However, on rare occasions, this is not always the case. In these instances, pupils do not learn as well as they could do. The school has already started to address this in their own evaluation of the curriculum.

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

The reading curriculum is expertly planned. A diverse array of books and texts enrich the curriculum. Pupils love reading and the books they encounter in class. Pupils talk animatedly about the engaging stories that teachers read to them. These stories connect with, and build on, pupils’ learning. Staff quickly identify if pupils need further help or support with their reading. Consequently, these pupils receive effective support and catch up with their peers.

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

Staff know pupils’ needs well, including individual pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff get clear information about the best ways to support pupils with SEND. This information is used well to make appropriate curriculum changes or put in place important, high-quality pastoral support. Pupils with SEND progress as well as their peers.

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

High expectations combined with strong routines and systems support pupils to behave exceptionally well. These routines start early in the Nursery and Reception Years. Staff expertly support children to become confident and independent. High-quality input from staff helps children to problem solve, build relationships and play well with their peers. A range of structured activities at breaktimes enables all pupils to socialise, play games or relax with their friends. Older pupils relish their leadership opportunities, such as being head pupil or a global goal champion. These opportunities build a sense of pride and community. The school’s exceptionally positive atmosphere is a result of careful planning and consideration about what opportunities, support and help pupils need to be successful.

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

Pupils’ personal development is a core strength of the school. The personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) curriculum, for instance, is an integral part of school life and pupils’ experiences. Staff give pupils the opportunity to learn about important 25 and 26 March 2025

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questions such as ‘What makes a good friend?’ or ‘What rights do I have?’ Pupils draw on their extensive knowledge of the curriculum, ably debating and discussing their opinions.

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A new leadership team has formed since the previous inspection. The school and trust have managed this change seamlessly. Staff and parents are exceptionally supportive of leaders’ work. Even though the school has many areas of excellence, the school does not rest on its laurels. The school knows exactly what is working well and what needs to improve further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In rare cases, teachers do not quickly spot if a pupil needs further help or practice with their learning. In these instances, pupils do not build on their learning as effectively as they could. The school and trust should ensure that, in these cases, staff identify and support pupils effectively when they need further help.

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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 outstanding 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 predecessor school, Windhill 21, to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in October 2018. 25 and 26 March 2025

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 24 and 25 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Ivy Learning Trust in June 2024. The headteacher took up the role in September 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior leaders, including the school’s special educational needs coordinator. 25 and 26 March 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector held a meeting with those responsible for governance, including the chair of the trust, the CEO, the chair of the local governing body and trustees.  The inspector spoke with pupils on both days of the inspection. The inspector spent time with pupils during breaktimes to observe behaviour and talk with pupils about school life.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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 inspector spoke to staff during both days of the inspection and considered their responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.  The inspector considered parents’ responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View,

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Inspection team

Damian Loneragan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 25 and 26 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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