The Hinckley School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 September 2023

Pupils at The Hinckley School are polite and respectful. The vast majority of pupils say that they are happy here. There is a real sense of community in the school shared by pupils and staff. The school has high aspirations for all pupils. Pupils in Year 7 are well supported in 'The Bridge' to help them make the transition from primary school. Strong pastoral guidance continues through the school. Students in the sixth form value the personalised support they get to help them realise their ambitions. Most pupils behave well. Staff deal with behaviour fairly. Pupils learn about positive relationships and how to get along with one another. The school teaches pupils about risks they may face in the wider world. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. All pupils have access to a wide range of enrichment activities that they can attend at lunchtimes or after school. These include music, drama, computer programming and geology. The school ensures that disadvantaged pupils can benefit from these opportunities.

What the school should improve

• In some lessons, teachers do not check that pupils have secured the prior knowledge they need to access new learning. Furthermore, some teachers do not systematically check that pupils understand new knowledge. This means that some pupils have gaps that are not identified. The school needs to make sure that staff check pupils' understanding routinely and address misconceptions so that pupils build their knowledge over time.
• In some lessons, teachers do not plan well enough how pupils will learn the important knowledge in the curriculum. Sometimes explanations are unclear. In some lessons, the activities do not focus sharply enough on the important knowledge. The school should make sure that lesson activities help pupils learn and remember the important knowledge that is defined in the curriculum.

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