Haslingden High School and Sixth Form

Haslingden High School and Sixth Form

Address: Broadway, Haslingden, Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 4EY Unique reference number (URN): 119767

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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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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have established an ambitious personal development programme. It is responsive to emerging local and national issues. For example, lessons addressing the dangers of online gambling have been recently added to the curriculum. Pupils regularly study ‘what’s happening in the world’. This enhances their cultural knowledge and stimulates debate about how fundamental British values, such as democracy and respect, relate to their own lives.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils learn in depth about online risks and how to stay safe. Key stage 4 pupils recognise the features of an unhealthy relationship. Students in key stage 5 learn about the dangers of drink driving and the impact of drugs on mental health. Pupils of all ages can speak in detail about how their learning informs the decisions they make. This prepares them extremely well for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders provide an ambitious personal development offer. Pupils relish opportunities to participate in a wide array of well-considered enrichment opportunities. Becoming a prefect or 'future leader' and gaining the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award builds teamwork and leadership skills. Leaders have ensured that each pupil, including those who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities, have opportunities to develop their individual character. A thriving culture of expressive arts and sports forms the heart of both the taught curriculum and the many enrichment clubs on offer. Leaders have cultivated a deep ethos of social responsibility. Pupils are encouraged to be responsible citizens, showing enthusiasm and sustained commitment to supporting local charities and community projects.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Highly effective careers education ensures that pupils and students are very well informed about their future pathways. Pupils participate in purposeful work experience. In the sixth form, students benefit from support with university applications and taster visits. The success of this programme is reflected in the wide range of prestigious destinations pupils and students move on to.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pastoral support is a strength in school and is valued by all pupils and students. They feel well supported and cared for.

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Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils, achieve well. Throughout the curriculum, pupils gain a secure body of knowledge, which gives them a solid foundation on which they can layer new learning. Pupils who join the school missing important building blocks in literacy or numeracy gain the skills that they need. This helps them to access the rest of the curriculum. By the end of key stage 4, their attainment in national examinations is largely in line with national averages. In some subjects, pupils sometimes outperform those elsewhere in the country. Students in the school’s sixth form also largely achieve well. Because of this, students are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training. They go on to pursue ambitious courses and training programmes.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders monitor attendance patterns often and in detail. Staff promote the importance of full attendance. Most pupils attend school regularly. Leaders have effective systems to identify the causes of any irregular attendance and help pupils who face these barriers. For pupils struggling to attend, leaders use strategies, such as phased returns and mentoring. These approaches are having a positive impact and helping pupils to attend more often. Persistent absence, including for disadvantaged pupils, is reducing over time.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders create a harmonious learning environment, where pupils are consistently polite and courteous. They behave well in lessons and at social times, responding positively to staff. Pupils make sensible choices without needing reminders. Strategies such as ‘respect cards’ support pupils to monitor their own behaviour with increasing maturity. Leaders take an educational approach to rare unwanted behaviours, such as bullying and discrimination, helping pupils to understand the impact of their choices. Pupils know these behaviours are not tolerated. Repeated unwanted behaviours have reduced rapidly as staff deal with this quickly and effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that an ambitious, well-designed curriculum is in place. They have an accurate understanding of how well teachers deliver the curriculum. This is checked by a robust quality assurance system. This understanding helps leaders to focus their work on improving the consistency of teaching across the school. Typically, teachers deliver the curriculum well.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff receive the information they need to adapt their teaching to meet pupils’ needs. This includes those who have not secured the fundamentals of reading, writing and mathematics. Leaders have put in place support to help these pupils to catch up. Pupils at the early stages of reading get extra help to gain the knowledge and skills needed to read well. Leaders have prioritised a robust approach to the development of the school's language and communication strategy.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers regularly check for gaps in pupils' understanding. In most subjects, teachers use this information to provide structured feedback, which helps pupils to close these gaps quickly. This is not yet consistently as effective as it could be for some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities in a minority of subjects.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders have ensured staff have had the training they need to meet the needs of all pupils, including those known to social care or with other barriers to their learning. When pupils face disadvantages, leaders carefully target extra funding to subsidise digital devices to support their learning.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have established positive partnerships with a wide range of external agencies, including a local special school. This further enhances the support that pupils benefit from. Leaders draw on this expertise to anticipate times and situations that pupils might find difficult and make suitable changes. For example, by providing specific resources for pupils with dyslexia and by using the school’s ‘stage 2’ provision, which sensitively supports pupils who struggle with their emotions. These changes usually reduce any obstacles that pupils face, helping them to attend and achieve well. Leaders also ensure that disadvantaged pupils have the same access to wider opportunities as their peers. Leaders use alternative provision appropriately and in the best interest of pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors at Haslingden High School are passionately committed to achieving the school’s mission of ‘achievement for all'. They strive to ensure every pupil in the school and student in the sixth form is safe, happy, and successful. Moreover, leaders focus sharply on developing pupils and students into caring, responsible and well-rounded citizens. Leaders’ decisions are founded in what is in the best interest of pupils and students.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and governors have a detailed and informed understanding of the school’s strengths and areas to strengthen. Governors support and challenge leaders to improve the school further. They are knowledgeable of their statutory responsibilities, including for safeguarding.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders take staff’s workload and wellbeing into account. Staff feel listened to and valued. This helps to ensure that staff morale is high and staff are fully committed to securing ongoing improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have successfully engaged the local community and parents and carers. For example, a variety of local businesses share the school’s facilities and leaders have established effective ways to communicate with parents. This helps all stakeholders in the school to feel involved in its successes and play their part, however small, in its ongoing improvement.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff benefit from a variety of professional learning opportunities. For example, many have successfully completed or are currently studying for national professional qualifications. These opportunities help staff to strengthen their professional practice. Staff value these opportunities and are proud and happy to work at Haslingden High School.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Leaders have a clear vision for the sixth form. They have set out a broad, well-structured curriculum and ensure that it is well taught. Because of this, most students achieve well and readily gain an impressive range of A-level, applied and technical qualifications. Students are also supported with university applications and in the development of their independent learning skills. These elements combine to ensure that students are well prepared for their next steps in education or training. Often, students go on to study at nationally prestigious universities. Similarly, many students are successful in securing sought-after apprenticeships.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Leaders have used additional funding effectively to provide mentoring that supports students’ guided study sessions effectively. Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to learning are well supported to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. This support includes using software to help students study independently.

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Post 16 provision Expected standard

Students benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities, such as extended project work and the ‘future leaders’ programme. This builds students’ leadership skills when they act as peer readers for younger pupils in school. Students also lead on culture days, mock elections and organise the annual prom and charity events.

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

Pupils, including sixth-form students, feel safe and happy at Haslingden High School and Sixth Form. They are proud of their school and say it feels like a family. This is reflected in the positive relationships that pupils and staff form with each other. Pupils demonstrate the positive behaviours taught to them by staff and this helps them grow as responsible citizens. Pupils value the support that staff offer them academically and pastorally. They know where to access help if they need it, including by using the school’s ‘speak up, speak out’ procedures. This helps them to feel safe. Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learning. Because of this and the support they receive, most pupils and students achieve well. Those who face additional barriers to learning, such as special educational needs and/or disabilities, quickly receive the help they need to succeed.

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

Pupils understand what behaviours are expected of them. In lessons and at social times, they behave well. Pupils are polite and courteous. Although rare, pupils know that issues, such as bullying, will be dealt with quickly and effectively. Most pupils attend school regularly. If pupils face barriers to their attendance, leaders put in place effective support to help pupils overcome these.

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

Pupils and students benefit from an impressive offer to further their personal development, including extensive arts provision, sporting clubs and a wide range of cultural experiences. They understand fundamental British values, such as democracy and tolerance, and how these values are relevant in their own lives. Pupils develop a secure knowledge of the range of post-16 options open to them. Many choose to stay in the school’s sixth form. Whether they leave at 16 or 18, pupils are ready for their next steps into further education, employment or training.

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Team inspectors:

Phil Smith, Ofsted Inspector Chris Meldrum, Ofsted Inspector Michael Wright, Ofsted Inspector Eleanor Overland, Ofsted Inspector Tom Theobold, His Majesty's Inspector Usman Kothia, His Majesty's Inspector

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure the strategies they are using to improve attendance are effective in continuing to reduce persistent absence quickly for all pupils. Leaders should ensure that the assessment strategies they are using to close gaps in pupils’ skills and knowledge are effective for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is to raise pupils’ achievement across the curriculum.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Lee Robinson.

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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 school leaders, staff, governors and pupils during the inspection. They also spoke with representatives of the local authority, including the headteacher of the virtual school.

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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 school currently makes use of 4 alternative provisions, all of which are registered.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Russell Clarke 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 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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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 (final) 41.9% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 41.5% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 51.3% 45.3% 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 (final) 44.2 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 44.6 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 48.4 46.3 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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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.13 -0.03 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 0.04 -0.03 Close to average

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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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national average

2024/25 (final) 20.4% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 23.3% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 26.0% 25.2% Close to average

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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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national average

2024/25 (final) 33.1 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 33.9 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 36.4 35.0 Close to average

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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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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.61 -0.57 Close to average

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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 (final) 32.33 35.00 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 31.06 34.38 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 32.77 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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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 (3 term) 7.9% 8.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 8.6% 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 (3 term) 24.8% 23.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 24.8% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 23.3% 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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