The Hundred of Hoo Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders' clear determination and unwaveringly high expectations ensure a culture of continual improvement.

Staff and governors are highly committed to this cause. The mantra of 'no excuses' is evident throughout the school. Middle and senior leaders check standards in the school carefully.

They act on what they learn, putting effective and appropriate staff training in place where necessary. This supports the constant and ongoing development of leadership and teaching across the school. Leaders adapt the curriculum skilfully over time, to ensure that it prepares pupils increasingly well for the future.

The appropriately broad ran...ge of timetabled subjects is complemented creatively by extra-curricular opportunities, including in technology and the expressive arts. Teachers structure pupils' learning in a way that removes barriers and develops confidence. Well-established learning routines support teachers' high expectations for pupils' conduct and engagement with their learning.

Leaders make very effective use of expertise in the secondary phase to support the quality of the wider curriculum in the primary phase. Consequently, key stage 1 pupils learn well across a range of subjects. Pupils typically make good progress over time because they know how to improve.

They routinely act on feedback about their work, in line with the school's policy, which develops their knowledge, skills and understanding well. Leaders' use additional funding successfully to help close achievement gaps for key groups of pupils, such as the disadvantaged and those who have an education, health and care plan. However, there is further work to do.

Safeguarding is effective. Staff promote pupils' personal development and welfare extremely well. Their determined work is supported appropriately by useful systems that ensure concerns are acted on promptly.

Staff manage pupils' behaviour well, using clear and consistent routines. Exclusion rates are falling but remain high in Years 8 and 10. Work to develop pupils' independence in regulating their own behaviour is ongoing.

Leaders have quickly established outstanding provision in early years. Children enjoy learning and are supported well to make good progress. They are prepared well for key stage 1.

Students in the sixth form make increasingly good progress over time. High-quality guidance and support prepare them well for the future.

Information about this school

The Hundred of Hoo is a large school for pupils aged four to 19.

The secondary and sixth-form parts of the school were opened in September 2011, when the previous school became an academy sponsored by the Williamson Multi-academy Trust. The primary phase of the school opened in September 2015 and currently has pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. A broadly average proportion of pupils are eligible for free school meals.

A very small percentage is believed to speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who receive support for a special educational need and/or disability is below the national average. The school has a specialist resource base called the SWC, which caters for 64 pupils who have autistic spectrum disorder.

All of the pupils in SWC have an EHC plan and are referred by the local authority. As a result, the overall percentage of pupils in the school who have an EHC plan is above average. The centre is currently oversubscribed and the school is working with the local authority to increase its capacity.

The Williamson Trust delegates responsibility for governance to a local academy council. There is currently an interim chief executive officer in place at the trust. The school works closely with other schools in the Williamson trust to develop the quality of teaching, moderate teachers' judgements about the standard of pupils' work and monitor standards across the trust.

Leaders make effective use of expertise from the Medway Teaching School Alliance, which forms part of the trust, to develop the quality of teaching. There is a nursery and kids club based on the school site, which is registered and run independently of the main school. Children from the nursery are escorted across to the school canteen each day to have their lunch, while secondary school pupils are in their lessons.

When appropriate, the school makes use of alternative provision to support a small number of pupils in the secondary school. Currently, there are pupils placed at Aesthetics Academy, the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders, Octopus Opportunities and Squirrels Riding School. The school meets the current government floor standards for what pupils are expected to achieve by the end of Year 11 and the minimum standards that students are expected to achieve by the end of Year 13.

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