Hidelow Grange School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 November 2024

Pupils arrive at Hidelow Grange with fragmented educational experiences or having been out of school for periods. Staff's care, expertise and belief in the pupils turn these experiences on their head. Pupils enjoy school, attend exceptionally well and become motivated and engaged learners. Strong relationships are evident between pupils and staff. The fine balance of rules and respect within a nurturing environment shines through. This is making a clear- cut and positive difference to pupils' behaviour, self-belief and self-control. Pupils know that they are in school to learn and learn they do. They grow in confidence in seeing themselves as readers and as rights-respecting individuals who contribute selflessly to their local community and beyond. By the end of their time at the school, pupils gain a range of qualifications that set them up well for the next step of their life's journey. However, Hidelow Grange is so much more than this. 'Reflect, believe, develop, achieve' spirals through each moment of every day. From displaying recycled Christmas trees at a local festival to visiting Roman barracks, from rock climbing to raising money for carefully chosen projects and experiencing parkour and pickleball, pupils' experiences of opportunities beyond the school's doors are extensive and impressive.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils have not been taught the correct letter formation or composition practices, leading to a lack of automaticity and depth in their writing. This hinders their ability to become effective writers and to create legible pieces of extended writing across the curriculum. The school should further refine the key compositional knowledge pupils learn and develop staff expertise to deliver handwriting practice effectively.

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