Hounsdown School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 June 2024

Pupils are keen to make the best of the many opportunities that the school provides both in and out of lessons. Pupils in the eco-schools group are proud of the impact their actions have had on the school's environment. Pupils participate in themed days, subject-based enrichment and a range of house events as well as sports clubs and a school production. Leadership opportunities exist for older pupils who can mentor younger pupils, and some represent their peers as school prefects. Expectations of pupils in lessons are high and pupils often rise to these expectations. Pupils enjoy learning and have positive attitudes to school. They are keen to succeed, and they value all the ways in which their teachers support and motivate them. The school helps pupils to be able to attend school and many pupils make effective use of 'The Hub' to support their well-being. Pupils are expected to behave well and be mindful of others. They are welcoming and respectful and are often able to follow the school's '6 Ps' that are used to guide behaviour. The school works hard to prevent bullying. Some pupils feel that bullying occasionally occurs. However, the school deals with it effectively if it does happen.

What the school should improve

• The checks made on those pupils learning remotely from home are not robust enough. Leaders must swiftly ensure that their policies clearly set out the actions needed to check on the welfare of all pupils who are not in school and they must monitor these actions closely.
• Leaders have not been rigorous and consistent enough in monitoring and evaluating recent school improvement priorities. Some of the policies and actions that they have put in place are not having the full impact that they intended. Leaders should improve the quality assurance procedures so that they can evaluate their improvement strategies fully and make refinements when necessary.

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