Hasmonean High School for Boys

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this school.

They feel part of the wider Hasmonean community. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to do well. This results in strong examination outcomes.

The school celebrates its Jewish character, while also promoting high levels of respect and tolerance for the faiths and beliefs of others. This helps to create a sense of community at the school, in which pupils get along well with each other. New pupils in Year 7 receive a warm welcome.

Older pupils support younger ones, which helps them to settle in quickly.

Leaders provide a varied offer of clubs and activities. These include table tennis, computer coding and music clubs....

They also provide a wide range of visits, for example to Poland, Belgium and Scotland.

Typically, pupils behave well around the school. In lessons, most pupils have positive attitudes to their learning.

In a small proportion of lessons, there are minor disruptions. This affects pupils' learning. Pupils are safe and well cared for.

They know that if they have a concern, there are adults with whom they can talk. On the rare occasion bullying may occur, it is swifty dealt with.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has established a curriculum that enables pupils to achieve well in most subjects.

Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils need to know, do and remember. The curriculum is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, pupils study two languages until the end of Year 8, including modern Hebrew.

Leaders make sure that they identify the needs of pupils with SEND accurately. This helps teachers to make adaptations to their teaching so that these pupils can learn the curriculum. Pupils who need extra support in reading receive targeted help so that they can catch up.

There are many opportunities for reading whole texts and extracts in lessons. Staff promote reading for pleasure across the school.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge.

The school thinks carefully about how to train teachers to deliver the curriculum effectively. Usually, teachers identify and address pupils' misconceptions quickly. For example, in history, teachers address pupils' misunderstanding of when key events happened.

Teachers support pupils to deepen their subject understanding. For example, in geography, they help pupils to improve their responses to an examination question on globalisation, by using vocabulary learned in previous topics. In art, teachers encourage pupils to reflect on what they have learned before about shading and drawing.

Pupils then apply this knowledge to working with new types of materials. However, the school does not consistently ensure that staff put their training into practice. Sometimes, teachers do not check on pupils' learning to identify what pupils know and remember.

This results in some pupils moving on too quickly to new learning before they have secured their understanding.

Pupils are taught a well-sequenced and informative personal, social and health education programme. They gain a strong understanding of healthy relationships, consent and how to keep safe online.

This results in pupils being ready for life and work in modern Britain and other areas of the world. Some younger pupils do not feel they have received enough guidance on careers. They would appreciate more information about the different qualifications on offer, including apprenticeships.

Students in the sixth form enjoy a rich experience in the formal curriculum and beyond. For example, students reflect on important issues and take part in formal discussions with their peers and teachers. Careers provision in the sixth form is strong.

This results in the majority of students being successful in their applications to Russell Group universities.

The school continues to prioritise pupils' attendance. There is robust follow-up of any persistent absence.

Leaders work well with parents and carers and external agencies to improve attendance. Most staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and attitudes to learning. However, the school's high expectations are not consistently applied and learning is occasionally disrupted by poor behaviour.

Leaders have identified this as a priority.

Governors and trustees have a sound understanding of the school's strengths and areas for improvement. They understand their statutory duties and, with leaders, seek the views of parents, pupils and staff regularly.

Leaders have put in place a range of well-being initiatives for staff. Most staff feel happy and valued.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's high expectations for pupils' behaviour are not consistently applied. As a result, there is sometimes disruption that prevents pupils from learning as well as they should. The school should refine its training for staff to ensure that staff have the skills they need to manage behaviour and develop pupils' positive attitudes.

• Occasionally, the school does not check whether pupils have understood what they are learning with enough precision. When this happens, staff move on to new learning too quickly when pupils' knowledge and understanding is not secure. The school should ensure that in all subjects, staff consistently check pupils' understanding and then adapt their teaching accordingly.