Villiers High School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Villiers High School Boyd Avenue, Southall, Middlesex UB1 3BT

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Outcome

Villiers High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Villiers High School is an inclusive community supporting everyone to fulfil their potential. The school’s motto, ‘for life, not school, we learn’, is at the heart of its work. Teachers ensure that pupils receive high-quality experiences. The school ensures that there is a focus on both academic and personal development. Pupils behave very well, thrive in learning and attend school regularly. Pupils achieve highly, noticeably in mathematics and science.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including the governing body, are committed to ensuring that the sixth form services the needs of its community. Students in the sixth form are determined to succeed. Students relish opportunities to support younger pupils. They have high-quality experiences to expand their future aspirations, for example by working internationally in India and Spain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about the importance of being included and treating all fairly and equally, irrespective of their faiths, cultures and beliefs. Pupils exhibit confidence, they learn to work independently and be an effective team member. They appreciate the opportunities to contribute to the school, including being council members, peer mentors, eco warriors, mental health champions and charity leaders.

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

The school has an ambitious curriculum that builds a strong foundation of knowledge in Years 7 to 9, with well-sequenced learning and opportunities to revisit and consolidate previous learning. For example, pupils learn the basic principles of decimals in Year 7 18 and 19 March 2025

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mathematics. They build on this in Year 8 by tackling more advanced problems involving decimals. Pupils’ enjoyment in modern foreign languages, particularly Spanish, is growing. This is demonstrated in their progress through the curriculum. In Year 8, pupils use grammar accurately in sentences and translate between languages effectively.

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Teachers use strong subject knowledge and effective communication to promote learning and address misconceptions, particularly in Years 7 to 11. They build on pupils’ prior learning and knowledge through carefully selected activities. In Year 11 mathematics, pupils are able to apply their knowledge of advanced trigonometry when solving calculations with increasing precision.

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Previously, sixth-form students achieved more highly in vocational subjects than in academic ones. For example, in Year 13 vocational business studies, students learn about how customer behaviour affects product purchases very effectively. The school has made improvements which have led to better student performance in the sixth form across subjects. However, checks on students’ knowledge in the sixth form are inconsistent across subjects. Sometimes, students do not apply the more-complex vocabulary or knowledge required at this stage of their education. This hinders students’ progress through the curriculum in some subjects.

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The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve very well. Their needs are identified swiftly. Targeted support is provided. The school works effectively with other schools and external agencies to support pupils. Staff adapt teaching activities to meet the needs of the individual pupil.

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The school has prioritised literacy. Pupils’ knowledge and use of specific vocabulary improve their work. There is a commitment to reading. Those pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read, or who have fallen behind, are identified and receive appropriate support. They become more confident in their reading fluency and ability to comprehend text. The school is prioritising pupils’ ability to speak confidently in lessons and around the school.

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Pupils show high levels of concentration and determination to succeed in lessons. When pupils reach Year 11, they have very high levels of independence and can work in teams well. When moving around the school, pupils are sensible. The school ensures that any low-level disruption is minimised and works carefully with pupils who may have difficulties in managing their behaviour. Students in the sixth form are responsible and demonstrate exceptional levels of maturity. They often act as role models to younger pupils.

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The personal, social and health education programme is highly organised. Pupils know about how to protect themselves from the dangers online and offline. They understand how to keep themselves healthy, both physically and mentally. Pupils participate in a wide range of extra curricular activities, noticeably in sports, the arts and subject-specific clubs.

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Leaders, including governors, have ensured that high standards across the school have been sustained. The school has rapidly embedded systems in the sixth form to improve the quality of experience students receive. Staff appreciate the professional development 18 and 19 March 2025

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opportunities the school provides. The school has taken action to reduce staff workload, for example by carefully organising the school calendar. Staff highly appreciate the ‘well- being’ days on offer.

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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 in the sixth form, assessment is not used effectively to design future learning and rectify misconceptions. This results in gaps in students’ knowledge and understanding. The school should refine its assessment strategies in these subjects, enabling students to apply a greater level of knowledge and vocabulary when responding to learning activities.

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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 school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in May 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. 18 and 19 March 2025

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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). 18 and 19 March 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,442

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form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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form

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 May 2019 and under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The headteacher was appointed in September 2023.  The school uses five registered providers of 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

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 18 and 19 March 2025

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 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.  The inspection team spoke to the headteacher, deputy headteachers, senior assistant headteacher and assistant headteachers.  The inspection team spoke to a range of staff, including curriculum subject leaders, teachers, and support staff. The lead inspector spoke to representatives of the local authority and the local governing body.  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, 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

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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 of pupils and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  The inspectors spoke with groups of pupils during lessons and social times.

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Inspection team

Ray Lau, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Luisa Bonelli Ofsted Inspector 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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