Greenford High School

Greenford High School

Address: Lady Margaret Road, Southall, Middlesex, UB1 2GU Unique reference number (URN): 101940

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders translate the school's vision into consistently high expectations for all pupils across each aspect of school life. Staff use well ‑ established systems to identify needs swiftly and accurately. Leaders prioritise training so that all staff, including those working in the special educational needs team, have the expertise to meet pupils’ needs. Effective teaching and additional support ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access high ‑ quality learning in the classroom. Staff from the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND also provide highly effective, targeted support, enabling pupils to overcome barriers and thrive alongside their peers.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff in the SEND team work closely with families, offering guidance and drawing on external specialists to secure the right provision for pupils. Additional funding, including pupil premium funding, is used well. A wide range of pastoral and academic interventions ensure that disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND experience success in their studies and broader development. Enrichment opportunities and trips are accessible to all, reflecting the school’s commitment to equity.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders track pupils’ progress rigorously and adapt provision where needed. As a result, pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils achieve very well. This reflects a culture where inclusive practices are proactively prioritised, deeply embedded and central to the school’s success.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school’s appropriate and effective use of alternative provision is underpinned by timely reviews to make sure that it supports pupils' needs and promotes their best interests. This includes making sure that pupils benefit from continuity in the curriculum and that any concerns, including with attendance, are shared and acted on swiftly.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school places pupils’ personal development at the centre of its work. Pupils follow a well ‑ sequenced programme that revisits and reinforces key themes such as mental health, consent and online safety. Pupils develop a deep and secure understanding of what they learn, including how to stay safe online. The school responds swiftly to contextual events and adapts the content of the personal development programme when needed. Leaders think carefully about the needs of the community and engage external speakers to enhance pupils’ learning.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access highly effective personal development opportunities. They adapt learning to meet pupils’ needs. For example, pupils attending the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND use social stories to strengthen their understanding of key concepts.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils value and celebrate cultural diversity. They learn about fundamental British values and develop a detailed understanding of respect. A highly positive culture of equality permeates the school’s work, including special events such as the annual 'International Day' during the summer term.

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Expected standard

Leaders commit to enriching pupils’ lives. They build enrichment opportunities into the curriculum with careful thought, making sure that all pupils can access them. Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities that nurture their talents and interests. These include leadership roles, robotics club and regular use of the dedicated STEM room, which is highly valued and well attended. Pupils also contribute to local regeneration and charity projects. Leaders ensure that these opportunities benefit all pupils, tailoring the offer for disadvantaged pupils and those pupils with SEND. Through this, these pupils benefit from wider experiences that prepare them well for life beyond school.

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Expected standard

Pupils experience a well ‑ structured careers education programme that begins in Year 7 and continues through to post ‑ 16. For example, the school-led ‘Aspiring Medics' conference, which involves local schools, raises aspirations and broadens pupils’ ambitions. The 'Futures' programme forms an important part of post ‑ 16 provision, equipping students with valuable skills including basic first aid, to prepare them for their next steps.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

An ‘ambition for all’ sits at the heart of Greenford’s ethos and is woven throughout the 16 to 19 study programme. Leaders offer a broad range of options that are carefully tailored to students’ needs. Leaders are deeply committed to serving the local community through a comprehensive provision that supports students into high-quality, sustained destinations in education and employment. This includes disadvantaged students who may not have pursued post ‑ secondary pathways without the school’s guidance.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Teachers use their expert subject knowledge to facilitate rich discussions and to check students’ understanding. These checks help students to recall prior learning in depth and connect it to new concepts. As a result, students achieve consistently well. This is reflected in their deep knowledge and understanding as well as the quality of their work across subjects.

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Post 16 provision Strong standard

Leaders provide extensive opportunities that develop students’ wider experiences, employability skills and personal confidence. These include, for example, visiting speakers and a wealth of opportunities to learn about different careers as well as guidance with the university application process. Staff provide carefully tailored support to remove barriers for disadvantaged students. Many students also take part in meaningful work experience. The timetabled ‘Futures’ lessons and comprehensive curriculum for personal, social, health, citizenship and economic education make a significant contribution to students’ personal development and leadership skills. Students leave very well equipped for their next steps, and feel confident to make informed and ambitious decisions about their future.

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Achievement Expected standard

At the end of key stage 4, pupils achieve well across the curriculum, including in public examinations. Pupils who are disadvantaged perform significantly above the same group nationally. Post-16 students generally achieve outcomes in national exams that are close to national averages. This supports them to progress to ambitious destinations to continue their studies. Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next steps, particularly those who continue in education.

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Achievement Expected standard

While pupils typically achieve well and make positive progress through the curriculum, at times the work that some pupils produce is not of a consistently high quality. Occasionally, some staff do not uphold the highest expectations in the work that they accept from pupils, both in terms of their verbal and written responses. This means that some pupils do not produce the quality of work that they are capable of, and this reduces their progress through some areas of the curriculum.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

The school has a clear process that supports positive attendance. The importance of high attendance is a key priority for leaders, which is communicated consistently to pupils and families. Positive relationships and focused pastoral support encourage pupils to attend regularly. Where barriers to attendance exist, leaders make sure that additional help is put in place for pupils and their families. The school's work to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils is a particular strength. These pupils attend more often than their peers nationally.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Central to the school's approach for behaviour is the principle of giving pupils a ‘chance’ and a ‘choice’ before a ‘consequence’. This helps pupils to understand expectations and supports them to make positive decisions about their conduct. Year 7 pupils are especially well supported to get off to a positive start with their behaviour. For example, they have separate areas for socialising and learning in order to help them bond with their peers and form friendships. Expectations are clearly communicated to pupils, parents and carers, and staff, creating a shared understanding of respectful behaviour. Pupils typically show respect for each other and for adults, leading to calm classrooms where pupils can learn effectively. Pupils who need further help with managing their emotions and behaviour are well supported. Rates of suspensions for key groups, including disadvantaged pupils, have declined over time. Any concerns in relation to bullying are quickly addressed.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is coherently structured and builds securely on pupils’ prior knowledge. In languages, for example, new vocabulary is carefully introduced, with effective approaches used to secure accurate pronunciation. Pupils develop their spoken language and are able to apply it independently in writing. Leaders also identify pupils who have not yet secured the foundations needed in reading and mathematics to access the ambitious curriculum. Leaders ensure that these pupils receive targeted support to strengthen this knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders check the quality of learning across subjects. They have taken significant and well- considered steps to improve teaching. Staff demonstrate secure subject knowledge, explain concepts clearly and make effective adaptations for pupils with barriers to learning. Teachers typically know their pupils well and use available information to adjust teaching so that it responds to each pupil's specific needs. They actively check that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are fully involved in and are benefiting from the planned learning. The ‘Greenford High 5’ model, which prioritises oracy and challenges pupils to think deeply, is a positive feature of the school’s approach. However, some aspects of this are not embedded consistently across subjects and year groups. Sometimes, teaching does not help pupils to extend their thinking and understanding. In other instances, teaching does not promote the development of

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

pupils’ spoken language as well as leaders intend.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas of development. They identify suitable priorities and take effective action to improve the school, including strengthening parental engagement. For example, they have successfully introduced coffee mornings for parents and carers to help more families share their views about the school. Leaders have also introduced new approaches, for instance the fortnightly 'parent connect' email, to keep families informed of key events taking place in school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors meet their statutory responsibilities. Their oversight helps to ensure that pupils are kept safe. They challenge leaders’ decisions appropriately and make sure that these decisions are made in pupils’ best interests. Governors share the school-wide commitment to inclusion and promote equality. They know the local area well and understand the barriers that some pupils face. This helps to strengthen the effectiveness of the support and challenge they provide.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the professional learning programme for staff has a positive impact, particularly in developing teachers’ expertise. Overall, training and guidance are tailored to individual staff needs and aligned with the school’s framework for teaching and learning. Teachers at the beginning of their career receive well ‑ structured guidance that enables them to make a positive start. Staff value the time allocated to them for their professional development. Leaders work cooperatively with staff to ensure that workload and wellbeing are carefully considered. This has led to further measures being put in place that support staff during busier times of the year.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Greenford High School’s mission of ‘ambition for all’ guides pupils’ experience. Pupils, whatever their starting points, are encouraged to achieve well, enjoy their learning and feel part of the school community. The school prioritises pupils’ wellbeing so that they are ready to learn. A strong sense of belonging is evident. Pupils are proud of the diversity within the school and show respect for each other’s differences. Younger pupils benefit from the support of the ‘Greenford Guardians’, the sixth-form students who help them to settle into routines. Pupils enjoy their learning. Bullying is rare, and when it does occur, staff deal with it effectively.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Older students speak positively about the progress they have made during their time at the school. They feel well prepared for their futures. The school maintains high aspirations for all pupils. Sixth ‑ form students contribute to the wider school community, for example by acting as reading mentors for younger pupils. Pupils attend well. They enjoy learning and take pride in their work. This is reflected in how quickly they arrive to lessons, settle to tasks and engage positively with learning from the outset. Pupils' calm, purposeful conduct helps to create and maintain a focused atmosphere in which learning can take place.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Inclusion sits at the heart of the school’s work. Disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those known or previously known to children’s social care, and young carers receive timely and well ‑ targeted support. These pupils benefit from teaching that addresses gaps in their knowledge effectively. As a result, they generally make steady progress from their starting points and move on successfully to further education. The well ‑ considered personal development programme supports pupils across the school, helping them to leave well prepared for adulthood.

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Next steps

Leaders should build upon the school's work to support the development of pupils' spoken language, ensuring that this is promoted consistently well across subjects and year groups. Leaders should further improve the teaching in some subject areas, so that pupils are consistently supported to deepen their knowledge and progress well through the curriculum.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Parminder Singh Chana.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior and subject leaders during the inspection. Discussions were also held with representatives of the local authority and the chair of the governing body.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school has a specially resourced provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This provision supports pupils with autism and/or speech, communication and language needs.

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Team inspectors:

Alison Moore, Ofsted Inspector Luisa Vittoria Bonelli, Ofsted Inspector Gareth Cross, Ofsted Inspector Marais Nesbeth, Ofsted Inspector Sophie Healey-Welch, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The school makes use of 4 registered alternative provisions.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Mia Pye The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 53.2% 45.4% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 48.6 46.0 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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A-level average point score

The average points that students achieved per A-level entry.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 34.28 34.99 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 34.11 34.38 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 32.69 34.16 Close to average

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A-level value added

A score showing students’ progress between the end of key stage 4 and the end of their academic qualification studies.

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national average

2024/25 (revised) 0.0 0.0 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (revised) 0.0 0.0 Close to average

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 8.1% 8.1% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 8.2% 8.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 8.4% 9.0% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 23.6% 21.9% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 26.7% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 26.7% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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