Bayards Hill School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 20 June 2023

Leaders' successful work to embed high standards of behaviour across the school mean pupils feel safe and enjoy being in the calm environment around school. Pupils know the high expectations of leaders which are strongly based on their values of 'Respect, Responsibility and Resilience'. These have been carefully established, and pupils understand how to achieve them. Consequently, pupils are courteous and kind towards each other. Teachers make sure they know pupils well and develop positive relationships. One pupil said: 'It's like a big family, where everyone helps.' Pupils value the effective support they receive from staff when they have a worry or experience friendship issues. Staff take prompt actions to intervene and resolve these which means that bullying is quickly addressed, and incidents are rare. Pupils are motivated by a culture of high aspiration. They purposefully seek to achieve the accolade of an award in the bi-weekly celebration assemblies. Parents and carers appreciate being invited to attend these and watch the recognition of their child's success. Pupils feel valued and are motivated to willingly make positive contributions to the school community. They appreciate opportunities to pursue their interests through the broad range of clubs.

What the school should improve

• Teachers do not consistently use assessment to identify gaps in pupils' learning. As a result, when topics are revisited, teaching does not always match what pupils know and can remember. Leaders should ensure that teachers know how to use assessment effectively to inform their teaching.
• Too many pupils are absent from school too frequently. This means they miss important learning and develop gaps in their knowledge. Leaders need to redouble their efforts to ensure they focus resources on the most effective approaches to improving attendance.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)