Amery Hill School

Amery Hill School

Address: Amery Hill, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2BZ Unique reference number (URN): 137535

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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

Pupils’ personal development and welfare are very well considered. Leaders and staff are committed to ensuring that the pastoral support is excellent. It is closely matched to pupils’ needs and enhanced by the highly positive relationships between staff and pupils. As a result, pupils feel safe and very well cared for.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The carefully sequenced personal, social and health curriculum programme prepares pupils extremely well for adult life. It is taught effectively by expert staff. Consequently, pupils develop detailed knowledge. They learn how to take care of their mental health and wellbeing and how to stay safe online. Pupils speak about relationships and consent confidently and in an age-appropriate way. They explain how these lessons help them in real life. Pupils have a firm understanding about the differences between people protected by law and understand the need for tolerance and respect. They are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that pupils benefit from a wide and rich set of experiences that enrich their lives and extend their learning. They have designed the offer to reflect pupils' needs, talents and interests. Pupils praise the extensive number of clubs, such as crochet, British Sign Language and a number of sports clubs. Many of these activities are initiated and led by pupils. Disadvantaged pupils engage fully with the school's excellent enrichment programme. Pupils carry out a range of leadership roles with pride and skill. These experiences such as these help pupils develop into very confident and considerate young people.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Careers education is a significant strength. Pupils receive personalised guidance, employer encounters and work experience. They are thoroughly prepared for their next steps.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically achieve in line with national averages over time. They are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Achievement Expected standard

In lessons, pupils learn and progress through the curriculum well. This is reflected in the high-quality work they produce across subjects. Pupils recall knowledge confidently and explain ideas clearly. Those with barriers to learning are provided with targeted support that helps them make clear progress from their starting points. The small number of pupils who access support in ‘The Bungalow’ speak positively about how it helps them overcome barriers, access learning and achieve well. Staff help pupils to secure the knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics that they need for their subsequent learning. This enables them to access the wider curriculum effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of teaching across the school. They review provision regularly and understand the strengths and the areas to develop. Leaders provide staff with effective training so they continue to develop their expertise.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum clearly sets out the knowledge pupils need and the order in which they should learn it. This gives teachers confidence that they are teaching the right things in the right sequence. Staff understand how to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. They make thoughtful adjustments to the curriculum and resources so pupils can engage fully with the broad and ambitious curriculum. Leaders and staff are particularly aware of pupils who have not yet secured key knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics. They establish effective approaches that develop pupils’ essential literacy and numeracy skills. This helps pupils to gain the knowledge and confidence they need to access the curriculum successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum is generally taught well. Teachers use their secure subject knowledge to explain concepts clearly. They design activities that support pupils' learning appropriately. Teachers ensure pupils have regular opportunities to apply and practise their knowledge. They typically check pupils’ understanding carefully during lessons. However, at times, there is some variability in how well teachers use this information to adapt their teaching.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. They have created an inclusive culture in which pupils are supported to succeed. Leaders know pupils well. They work closely with professionals and families to reduce barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing. This ensures that these pupils achieve well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders identify pupils with additional needs accurately and promptly. They ensure staff understand the barriers these pupils may face. Staff typically use appropriate classroom strategies to reduce these barriers and support pupils’ learning and wellbeing. Consequently, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, disadvantaged pupils and those known to social care receive effective support. They learn as well as their peers.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Support for pupils’ social and emotional development, including their mental health needs, is particularly well considered. Leaders monitor pupils’ progress closely and adapt their approach when needed. A very small number of pupils access support from ‘The Bungalow’ to help them re-engage successfully with school.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding for disadvantaged pupils effectively. This supports high levels of engagement in enrichment opportunities, strengthens their contribution to the school community and promotes positive academic achievement. Leaders ensure that any

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Needs attention

alternative provision the school uses is suitable and safe, making decisions in pupils’ best interests.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders at all levels are united in their vision that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, should flourish. They provide ambitious and effective direction to realise this vision. Leaders act in pupils’ best interests. They expect every pupil to be known and treated as an individual. As a result, staff understand the specific barriers that may affect each pupil’s personal and academic development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate view of the school’s many strengths, including improvements secured in behaviour and curriculum and teaching. They monitor the quality of provision carefully to check how well their actions improve standards for pupils. Leaders are realistic and know where further improvement is needed, such as increasing attendance rates for disadvantaged pupils.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees know the school well. They are highly skilled and knowledgeable. Trustees meet statutory duties with rigour and have a deep understanding of the school’s work. They provide effective professional challenge and support while holding leaders to account. Trustees have established clear systems and processes which enable them to work in partnership with leaders to set the school's strategic direction.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders support staff well. They manage staff workload effectively and prioritise their wellbeing. The professional learning programme is comprehensive and carefully considered. It develops staff expertise, including those staff newest to the profession.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders build positive relationships with parents and carers. Parents value the support and education their children receive and are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Disadvantaged pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Persistent absence rates for this group remain too high. In contrast, overall attendance, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, is broadly in line with the national average. Attendance is a clear priority in the school. Leaders have improved how they monitor trends in absence and use this information to target support. They work closely with families to understand the main barriers to attendance. However, while leaders’ actions are appropriate, they recognise that there is more to do to ensure pupils attend school more regularly.

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Attendance and behaviour Needs attention

Pupils’ behaviour is superb. Leaders have embedded a highly respectful culture. They have established consistent behaviour routines, which staff maintain extremely well. This creates an incredibly calm and focused learning environment. Pupils are self-disciplined and highly respectful. Consequently, instances of unkindness, bullying and discriminatory language are uncommon and never tolerated. Pupils know that the school expects them to behave well. They are keen to learn and demonstrate exemplary attitudes to their work. Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and at social times. They are active at breaktimes, get on well together and enjoy spending time with their friends.

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

Pupils enjoy attending this harmonious and inclusive school. They feel a deep sense of belonging. The pastoral support that staff provide is a significant strength. Pupils know that staff care about them, which helps them to feel safe. They flourish in this nurturing environment. This enables them to achieve well, alongside their peers, as reflected in pupils’ success in public examinations.

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

Pupils benefit from a rich and ambitious curriculum that prepares them well for life beyond school. They value their teachers’ expertise, enjoy learning and take pride in their work. Teachers explain new ideas clearly and help pupils to talk through their thinking, using the school’s approach of ‘think it, talk it, tackle it’. Those who need additional help, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are included in all aspects of school life. However, some pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged, do not attend school frequently enough.

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

Pupils behave impeccably and show maturity beyond their years. They demonstrate high levels of respect towards adults and each other. Their attitudes to learning are highly positive. This contributes to the school's calm, orderly and purposeful environment. Pupils focus very well in lessons and are motivated to work hard and succeed. Unkindness or bullying are uncommon. Pupils are confident that staff will quickly and effectively deal with any issues that may arise.

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

Pupils enjoy a huge array of experiences that enrich their learning, develop leadership and broaden their horizons. They take full advantage of the wide range of clubs, including drama, chess and the marine biologists' club. Pupils relish leadership roles, such as serving in the pupil parliament, acting as prefects or as sports leaders. They play an active role in their school and the wider community. A palpable ethos of care and teamwork pervades the school.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that their attendance strategy reduces persistent absence and improves attendance, particularly for those who are disadvantaged. Leaders should ensure that teachers use ongoing checks on pupils’ learning in lessons consistently well and that they use this information to adapt their teaching so that pupils achieve highly across subjects.

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Team inspectors:

Alan Johnson, Ofsted Inspector Elizabeth Jeanes, Ofsted Inspector Julia Mortimore, Ofsted Inspector Nina Adamson, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 7 July 2026

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About this inspection

This school is a single-academy trust, which means that the trust board has responsibility for the school. The board is co-chaired by Clive Scammell and Sue Yearley.

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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 school leadership team, members of staff, groups of pupils, members of the board of trustees and a representative from Hampshire local authority during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with representatives from alternative provision.

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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 headteacher took up his post in September 2023.

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About this inspection

The school currently makes use of 5 alternative provisions, including 4 that are unregistered.

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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 6 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. National average: 3.09%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support 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) 50.0% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 49.8% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 47.5% 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) 50.0 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 49.6 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) 0.01 -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) 27.3% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 16.7% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 23.7% 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) 38.0 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 30.9 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 35.4 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

2022/23 (final) -0.37 -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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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) 9.3% 8.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 8.8% 8.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 8.8% 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) 24.1% 23.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 27.2% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 27.8% 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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