Westhoughton High School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 January 2026

Many pupils at Westhoughton High School are keen to learn and behave well. However, pupils’ attendance is too low. Leaders’ strategies to improve attendance have not yet led to sustained improvement. This means that too many pupils, particularly those who are disadvantaged or who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not attend school regularly enough. In addition, a significant number of pupils arrive late to school or to their lessons. As a result, pupils miss too much learning and fall behind in their education. Leaders have introduced a sensible behaviour strategy and place a strong emphasis on building positive relationships with pupils and creating a welcoming environment. However, adults do not always apply leaders’ expectations consistently. When this happens, some pupils’ behaviour goes unchallenged. This means that a small number of pupils disrupt learning in lessons, and some pupils truant from lessons or arrive late. Breaktimes and lunchtimes are normally calm. However, inside the building some pupils push and shove when moving around the school. At busy times, particularly in some of the narrower corridors, behaviour can occasionally become overly boisterous. Staff do not routinely challenge this. Some younger and smaller pupils say that this worries them. Typically, pupils achieve in line with national averages in public examinations. However, some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, do not make the progress they are capable of. This is partly because attendance for these pupils is too low. At times, gaps in pupils’ knowledge are not identified or addressed effectively. Leaders are increasingly identifying barriers to pupils’ learning more accurately. Nevertheless, the support that pupils receive is uneven and, at times, does not help them overcome difficulties in their learning or wellbeing. Most pupils feel safe in school. They contribute to the school community by taking on different leadership roles. Anti-bullying ambassadors, for example, mentor younger pupils. Most pupils feel that if they report bullying it will be acted on. Pupils learn skills that help to prepare them well for life beyond school. For example, Year 11 pupils can explain how to deliver CPR and carry out basic self-health checks. Year 8 pupils understand how to protect personal information online. Pupils develop their confidence by participating in events, such as ‘Westhoughton’s Got Talent’ and local competitions. The school’s public-speaking team was proud to win a local debating competition.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should improve pupils’ attendance and punctuality, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that more pupils attend school regularly and engage fully with their learning.
• Leaders should ensure that staff implement the school’s behaviour expectations and routines consistently, including during social times and when following up sanctions, so that pupils’ behaviour improves and disruption to learning is minimised.
• Leaders and governors should strengthen their oversight of the school’s work so that they have a clearer understanding of what is working well and where improvement is needed. This includes ensuring that systems for monitoring behaviour and sanctions enable leaders to identify patterns and evaluate the impact of their actions.
• Leaders should ensure that staff use assessment effectively to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, including in handwriting and mathematical knowledge, so that these gaps are addressed quickly and pupils can access the wider curriculum successfully

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