Other · Ofsted report

Haydon Bridge High School

Inspected — · URN 122328

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Chris Sergeant (lead), Catherine Beard

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Inspectors verified
Catherine Beard, Chris Sergeant
Postcode verified
NE47 6LR
Name on report verified
Haydon Bridge High School Monitoring inspection: 14 July 2026
URN verified
122328

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−7Mixedmore positive than 21% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praiseeffectivelypositiveimprovedconsistentlyfeel safeambitiousenjoywell sequenced

Criticismgapstoo manylimitedpoordisruptionnot effectivelyvariablenot met

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FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings728w−38
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve1124w+9

Strengths

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Concerns

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However, this approach is inconsistent and some pupils' needs are not met as effectively as they could be. p.3

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Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,896; longer than usual (typical 1049)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 46, typical 45
Average sentence: 13 words
Next steps: 8; typical 5
Hedged sentences: 9%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 22%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 34%About the inspection 43%

Full report text

Haydon Bridge High School

Address: Haydon Bridge, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 6LR Unique reference number (URN): 122328

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Monitoring inspection: 14 July 2026

Urgent improvement This school had a full inspection on 20 January 2026 . We graded some areas as 'urgent improvement' and 'needs attention' from the full inspection. We carried out a monitoring inspection on 14 July 2026.

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Monitoring inspection: 14 July 2026

Inspectors only considered the areas marked as updated. Inspectors focused on the following areas: Attendance and behaviour, Leadership and governance. To find out more read our monitoring inspection guidance.

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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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This school requires special measures

His Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to provide an acceptable standard of education, and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

p.2

Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum is generally well sequenced and ambitious. However, leaders have only recently taken action to improve the way in which it is taught. The quality of teaching across the curriculum is variable. Improved training is helping teachers deliver the curriculum more effectively. However, this work is in its infancy.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

In some lessons, teachers check pupils' learning and resolve misconceptions well. They adapt their teaching to better meet individual pupil's needs. The school's strategy to introduce 'bell work' retrieval tasks and to encourage pupils’ use of mini whiteboards supports this. However, teachers’ application of this approach is not consistent. Sometimes, teachers do not identify pupils' starting points or knowledge gaps. When this is the case, teaching is not matched well to pupils’ needs and some pupils fall behind. This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

Opportunities for pupils to practise independently and become fluent in what they learn are limited, especially at key stage 3. Too often, pupils do not complete tasks fully. Leaders have recently introduced appropriate systems to support pupils whose basic skills in reading and mathematics are not secure. Strategies to support pupils' handwriting and spelling are not well developed.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Systems to identify and support the individual needs of pupils are variable. Leaders are in the early stages of ensuring that a culture of inclusion is embedded more deeply across the school. This work is reinforced by appropriate staff training. There is a recently developed graduated approach to support the needs of pupils. Support plans are in place for all pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These plans are available to all staff to help them adapt the curriculum. When teachers implement these plans well, obstacles to pupils’ learning are reduced. However, this approach is inconsistent and some pupils' needs are not met as effectively as they could be.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Staff work closely with disadvantaged pupils at an individual level and monitor their progress. Leaders have developed a pupil premium strategy that identifies appropriate barriers and related improvement strategies. However, leaders do not monitor the impact of these strategies and interventions closely enough.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders work in close partnership with families, professionals and other agencies to support vulnerable pupils. Leaders make sure that pupils’ personal education plans, which establish the support for looked-after children, are well considered and reviewed regularly to ensure that the plans remain suitable. The school uses alternative provision in the best interests of pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

There are variations in the quality of the personal development and wellbeing programme. Leaders have recently adapted the school day to strengthen pupils’ experience of the personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. There is now a dedicated 30- minute slot each afternoon when this takes place. The curriculum is ambitious and age- appropriate. However, there is limited support in place to ensure that teachers deliver this curriculum effectively. Pupils consider fundamental British values, including respect and cultural diversity. They learn about online and offline risks. Pupils also discuss relationships and sex education and health education. Other agencies, such as the police, have spoken with pupils about local safeguarding dangers relating to rivers and train lines. Pupils recognise the importance of what they learn in these lessons. However, their knowledge of some areas lacks depth.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

A limited programme of clubs is available for pupils to attend at lunchtimes and after school. These include music, drama, art and football. Leaders do not have a clear picture of the extent to which pupils participate in these extra-curricular activities, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. Two recent overseas trips to Berlin and France have helped to develop some pupils' cultural experiences.

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Personal development and wellbeing Needs attention

Careers information, education, advice and guidance is delivered through the PSHE programme. This is not developed as well as it needs to be. Pupils' knowledge of careers is limited. Not all pupils have encounters with colleges, apprenticeship providers or technical

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Urgent improvement

education. Leaders know that this is an area that needs to improve and they have plans to address it.

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Urgent improvement

Pupils appreciate the additional staff appointed to support their pastoral needs. Pupils are confident in accessing this support when they need to and say it has helped them to feel a sense of belonging.

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Post-16 provision Needs attention

Over time, students’ achievement in A-level subjects has been significantly below the national average. Achievement in applied general qualifications is close to average. Recent improvements to the post-16 provision are beginning to have a positive impact. Changes to entry requirements mean that students study courses that are suitable so that they can be successful. Leaders’ work to improve staff expertise has improved how effectively the curriculum is delivered.

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Post-16 provision Needs attention

Students learn best when the curriculum is adapted to meet their needs, including students with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who are disadvantaged. Teachers use retrieval activities effectively to check students' starting points. They ask probing questions to deepen students’ learning. However, while many students secure their knowledge and skills, this is not consistently the case across all post-16 subjects.

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Post-16 provision Needs attention

Students enjoy a range of non-qualification activities offered to them. These include the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award programme, fundraising events and supporting lessons in lower school. Students appreciate these opportunities. The post-16 'Life' programme teaches students about wider personal development issues in an age-appropriate way. Students are supported well to progress to the next stage of employment, training or education through employer visits and trips to universities. Most go on to appropriate destinations when they leave school.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Pupils do not achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who are disadvantaged. Pupils' achievement in national tests and examinations has been significantly below the national average for a number of years. Too many pupils do not acquire the skills and knowledge they need to progress to the next stage of education.

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Achievement Urgent improvement

Across the curriculum, too many pupils have gaps in their basic knowledge. This limits their achievement and leaves them underprepared for the next stages of their learning. These gaps are not resolved quickly or effectively enough. Pupils who are often absent from school miss out on important learning. There is not an effective system in place to ensure that they are able to catch up when they return to school.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Since the previous inspection, leaders have introduced a new approach to attendance. Staff receive extensive training to ensure that they know how to implement the approach consistently. Through daily attendance meetings, leaders quickly identify any pupil who is struggling with their attendance. They identify the specific barriers to attendance for individual pupils. Leaders offer well-matched support to remove these barriers. This is having a positive impact on both overall attendance and persistent absenteeism. However, this impact is not yet sustained. Overall attendance is still well below the national average and has been for a number of years.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Behaviour has significantly improved since the previous inspection. Pupils and staff consistently state that behaviour is better than it was. Expectations of pupils are clear. Staff focus on building and where necessary restoring relationships between pupils. Pupils appreciate this approach and feel more understood. Pupils state that bullying is rare and when it does happen, it is dealt with effectively.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Low-level disruption occurs occasionally. When this is the case, learning is disrupted.

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Attendance and behaviour Updated Urgent improvement

Suspensions are now appropriately used and have reduced significantly since the previous inspection. Consequently, only a small number of pupils still receive a high number of consequences.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

The local authority acted swiftly after the previous inspection to put an interim executive board (IEB) in place to govern the school. Additionally, the school receives support from a local multi-academy trust to strengthen leadership at the school. As a result of this external support, there are significant improvements across the school since the previous inspection. Even so, the school is reliant on this external support to maintain its improvement.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

The local academy trust has bolstered the school's leadership. Leaders know the school and its context well. They identify and prioritise the correct areas for improvement. In a short space of time, there has been a positive impact on pupils' attendance and behaviour. The school has strengthened the culture of behaviour so that it is a more positive place for pupils. Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. Staff are encouraged by the direction the school is now moving.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

The IEB has a significant amount of experience and skills that are fit for purpose. The IEB meets its statutory responsibilities. Members of the IEB challenge and support school leaders effectively.

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Leadership and governance Updated Urgent improvement

Leaders are considerate of workload and wellbeing when implementing changes. The professional learning programme has contributed to the improvements in behaviour and attendance.

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Monitoring inspection : 14 July 2026

Leaders have acted swiftly to improve pupils' experiences at the school. Pupils report that the school is happier and a more positive place to be than it was. Relationships between pupils and staff have improved. Leaders have focused on improving behaviour and attendance. Changes to the behaviour policy have had a positive impact. As a result, pupils’ behaviour has improved. Most of the time, the school is calm and pupils want to learn and do their best. Pupils feel safe at school. Bullying is rare. If it does happen, it is dealt with effectively. However, there continue to be some occasions when learning is disrupted by poor behaviour. While many pupils enjoy learning, others do not. Leaders have made changes to the attendance policy, which is supporting more pupils to attend school regularly.

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