Outwood Academy Hasland Hall

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 November 2023

In referring to the work of the school's leaders, one pupil captured the feelings of many, and of staff, when they wrote: 'Thank you for making my school a better place for everyone.' The school insists that pupils learn in a calm and orderly environment. The school's curriculum is inclusive and ambitious for all. Pupils know that staff care about them and their futures. They are well supported in realising their next steps in education, employment or training. Most pupils achieve well, particularly by the end of key stage 4. Relationships are typically positive between pupils and with staff. Most pupils display positive attitudes towards their learning. Most pupils are happy. They applaud positive achievement and value the 'praising stars' programme. Classrooms are purposeful. Expectations at Hasland Hall are high and uncompromising. Most pupils respond well to these. Some pupils struggle to behave as well as they should. These pupils are well supported in improving their conduct using facilities such as 'the bridge' and the 'personal learning centre'. Even so, occasions of pupils being removed from lessons or being suspended from school are high. Pupils' moral and cultural development is well promoted. They explore different cultures, including Asian and Afro-Caribbean. Pupils helped to design a memorial commemorating Armistice, for the school and the local community.

What the school should improve

• The school has an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Sometimes, however, teachers introduce new tasks without ensuring that pupils have fully understood what has been taught. When this happens, pupils are unsure what knowledge and skills they need to apply. Sometimes they leave work incomplete. The school should ensure that teachers in all subjects have the skills they need to check pupils' understanding and completion of work over time, especially for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds, so that all pupils can achieve as well as they should.
• The school's expectations for all pupils are high and uncompromising. Nevertheless, occasions of removal from lessons and of suspension are high. A small number of pupils are repeatedly removed from lessons or suspended. These pupils miss out on the important learning they need in the classroom. The school should ensure that the strategies used to realise its ambitious expectations of pupils lead to a reduction over time in occasions of lesson removal and suspension.

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