The Hills Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 March 2025

Pupils become confident and independent individuals in this welcoming and inclusive school. They develop positive attitudes to learning and understand the importance of learning from mistakes. This builds their resilience and motivates them to persist when they find things tricky. These behaviours contribute to pupils achieving well in national tests and developing skills that will serve them well for the future. Pupils' conduct in lessons and around the school is purposeful. Pupils are kind and respectful. They happily play games together at breaktimes, taking turns practising their basketball skills. Older pupils act responsibly in their leadership roles. They support the well-being of others and organise playtime games. Pupils know their views are shared through the school council to improve their school. They talk proudly of the outdoor equipment they now have because of their feedback. Pupils develop a strong understanding of how to stay safe online, as well as how to keep physically and mentally healthy. All pupils learn to swim and understand water safety. Pupils know it is important to talk about any worries. They appreciate the pastoral support available to them and find 'worry boxes' a helpful way of letting teachers know if they need support.

What the school should improve

• In the early years foundation stage, there are instances where children that need the most support do not always receive it in the timeliest way. This means not all children make the progress in their learning that they could. Leaders should ensure that all children, particularly the most disadvantaged and vulnerable receive frequent high- quality interactions that supports the intent of their ambitious curriculum.
• The quality of some pupils' writing is variable, which makes it harder for them to keep up with the intended curriculum. This is because they do not form their letters accurately, which in turn prevents them from developing the writing fluency they need in key stage 2. Leaders should identify early on the pupils that may be at risk of falling behind in their writing and establish an effective programme that develops secure handwriting and fluency over time, starting from the early years.

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