Forest Hill School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 December 2023

Pupils at this school are safe and happy. They achieve well. The school has put in place a carefully considered and ambitious curriculum. It goes beyond the scope of the national curriculum. Leaders are determined that this rich curriculum is accessed by all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum is further enriched with interesting and relevant educational visits. For example, pupils studying GCSE history visit an old operating theatre to help them visualise nineteenth-century surgery. Pupils behave well around the school. They listen to their teachers and are polite to guests and to each other. Pupils feel safe in the school. They know they can talk to trusted adults if they have any concerns. As well as promoting academic achievement, the school makes sure that pupils are taught wider life skills. For example, there are workshops in place to help the boys grow into responsible and kind young men. There is a strong focus on celebrating diversity and promoting equality of opportunity. This combination of academic achievement, strong pastoral care and wider personal development means that pupils are well prepared for the next steps in their education or training.

What the school should improve

• Occasionally, teaching activities do not help pupils gain the planned knowledge and skills as well as they could. This leads to some pupils having gaps in their knowledge. School leaders should continue to develop teachers' pedagogical skills so that they routinely set the most useful activities that help pupils to learn new knowledge securely.

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