Hillingdon Manor School

Inspection of Hillingdon Manor School Harlington Road, Hillingdon, Middlesex, Middlesex UB8 3HD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Sixth-form provision Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this inclusive and nurturing school. Prior to joining the school, many pupils have missed a lot of education. However, the school has established an effective transition process that enables pupils to adapt well. The youngest children settle quickly in the early years settings.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prioritises supporting pupils to manage their emotional responses to the world around them. Behaviour, as a result, improves consistently. Pupils enjoy strong, positive relationships with caring staff. Pupils know that there are trusted adults, who they can speak with about any worries they may have. This fosters a sense of safety and belonging.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what pupils can achieve. Staff set high expectations and support pupils to be successful in their learning. This leads to external accreditation in a diverse range of subjects, such as food, engineering and foundation English and mathematics.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are positive about their school and their learning. Most pupils are ready for the next stage of their learning, usually at a college of their choice. The school provides a personalised offer that reflects pupils’ needs. Pupils benefit from a broad range of experiences outside the classroom, including visits to local community facilities, sports grounds and work experience.

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better?

Members of staff share the vision to support pupils to succeed socially, emotionally and academically. The school uses the information in pupils’ education, health and care plans (EHC plans) well to inform bespoke approaches to teaching the curriculum. The school is very knowledgeable about the needs of pupils with SEND. Many pupils who come to this school have often experienced significant gaps in their learning. Pupils settle in quickly and attend school regularly. As a result, pupils typically develop positive attitudes to learning and grow in confidence. Staff understand the needs of pupils. They use effective strategies that promote pupils’ positive behaviour. This helps pupils to learn to manage their feelings and emotions appropriately.

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better?

The school’s curriculum has undergone changes in recent years. The curriculum, however, is broad and ambitious for pupils. The number of courses offered for older pupils is limited to ensure the provision is suitably adapted to meet their needs and interests. The school has identified the key knowledge and subject-specific skills that pupils should learn in most subjects. Staff focus on ensuring that pupils’ interests are reflected through the breadth of subjects provided.

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better?

Many pupils are enthused by the subjects that they learn. Staff regularly check how well pupils are learning. In the main, they use these checks effectively to address pupils’ errors and misconceptions. Typically, pupils achieve well. However, in some 11 to 13 March 2025 subjects, the school has not outlined with precision the knowledge that pupils must learn. Misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not always picked up. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge well.

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better?

Pupils are well supported through every stage of their time at school. For those entering the early years, staff work closely with parents and previous settings to provide tailored support that helps children to settle and thrive. Songs, rhymes and visual cues, such as relevant objects and photographs, help children to understand what is happening next.

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better?

Reading is a high priority across the school. Pupils’ reading knowledge is checked on entry to the school and personalised support is put in place. This includes a tailored phonics programme and effective electronic and visual communication strategies. This is taught well. Pupils have planned and informal opportunities to read and listen to reading daily. Staff select texts skilfully to broaden pupils’ ideas, vocabulary and understanding of diversity. Those who are at the earliest stages of learning to read get the help they need to catch up quickly.

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better?

Pupils’ personal development which includes the personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme is a strength of the school. Pupils learn how to use the internet safely. They learn about the importance of forming healthy relationships and how to keep safe in the world beyond school. Pupils learn to be resilient, resourceful learners. Pupils benefit from a range of precisely targeted opportunities in preparation for life in the wider world. For example, pupils spoke enthusiastically about a range of educational trips and visit they enjoy. Additionally, the school teaches pupils how to be responsible through a variety of leadership roles, such as the school council and raising money for charities. Pupils also learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe.

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better?

Pupils in the sixth form, practise real-life skills, such as shopping, and engage in work experience placements to further develop their independence. There is a dedicated post-16 provision and tailored courses, such as engineering and food preparation. This includes the use of a kitchen, that pupils can use to prepare them for adulthood by learning associated life skills.

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better?

The school is ambitious for pupils’ futures. The careers programme is well structured. It enables pupils to learn about the worlds of further education, apprenticeships and work. Pupils also learn the importance of fundamental British values. They are well prepared for their next steps and life in modern Britain.

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better?

The proprietor, regional director and school leaders accurately identify the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. The proprietor carefully monitors the school’s work to ensure that the independent school standards (the standards) are consistently met. It ensures that staff benefit from extensive professional development opportunities and that their workload is prioritised. The school meets all the standards and fulfils the requirements of schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010 and complies with the early years and foundation stage requirements. 11 to 13 March 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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What does the school need to improve?

 On occasion, adaptations to activities and resources to support pupils’ learning do not meet their needs. This means that some pupils do not have the right support to practise, strengthen and develop new knowledge and skills. The school should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and skills to adapt learning opportunities successfully so that pupils are well supported in their learning.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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. 11 to 13 March 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 131940 DfE registration number 312/6063

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School category

Independent school Age range of pupils 3 to 19

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sixth form

Headteachers Jemma Kerr (primary) Grace Mullally (secondary) Annual fees (day pupils) £66,000 to £91,000

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sixth form

Website www.hillingdonmanorschool.org.uk

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 8 to 10 March 2022 11 to 13 March 2025

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Information about this school

 This is an independent special school for pupils with autism, as well as moderate and severe learning and communication difficulties. All pupils have an EHC plan. Pupils are placed and funded by a wide range of local authorities. The proprietor, P Bloom ltd, runs 56 other schools.  Material change inspections of the school took place in April and December 2023. The Department for Education (DfE) agreed to the school request to increase the number of pupils on roll at the Syon Grange site.  The school operates from four sites. The site at Hillingdon Manor on Harlington Road, Hillingdon UB8 3HD caters for secondary-age pupils and sixth-form students. The site at Yiewsley Grange, High Street, Yiewsley UB7 7QP caters for pupils in Years 1 to 6. The site at Upton Grange, Datchet Road, Slough SL3 7LR accommodates children in Reception and pupils in Years 1 and 2. The site at Syon Grange, Syon Grange, 390 London Road, Osterley, Isleworth, TW75AJ caters for

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Information about this school

children in Reception and Year 1.  There have been some changes in leadership since the previous inspection in December 2023. The executive headteacher was appointed into the role of regional director for the London Region. They also hold the position of Chair of the governing body. The primary and secondary heads of schools were appointed into the roles of primary head teacher and secondary head teacher.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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Information about this inspection

 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with representatives of the proprietor body, the headteacher and other school leaders.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, English, science, art and PSHE. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, looked at curriculum documentation, visited a sample of lessons, 11 to 13 March 2025 spoke to staff, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors listened to some pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  Inspectors met with leaders to discuss SEND, assessment, pupils’ behaviour and

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Information about this inspection

provision for pupils’ wider development.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of documentation, including that relating to the standards, leaders’ evaluation of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement and documents relating to pupils’ attendance.  As part of their checks on the standards, inspectors made a tour of the school premises, accompanied by leaders.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of the school, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and honest culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at lunchtime. Inspectors spoke with some pupils about their experiences of school life. Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Parent View and Ofsted’s survey for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Phil Garnham, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Louise Ling Ofsted Inspector 11 to 13 March 2025 to 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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