Hills Road Sixth Form College Inspection Recommendations

: Jed Keenan; Inspection Report Recommendations; 31 October 2020; Hits: 1310

Hills Road Sixth Form College

2025 Full Inspection Report

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

Leaders and teachers have developed curriculums that are of an exceptional quality and are highly ambitious. These curriculums reflect leaders’ high expectations and vision for all students to reach their fullest potential. All students study the EPQ, which allows them the opportunity to showcase both their creative and academic potential. Through studying this qualification, students develop a wide range of skills that prepare them exceptionally well for university study.

Leaders and teachers plan and sequence their curriculums very effectively. Teachers give students numerous opportunities to revisit and reinforce foundational knowledge before moving on to more complex topics. In history, students initially study familiar topics, such as the Cold War. This allows them to develop essential analytical skills. As they move on to more complex topics, they learn to apply higherorder skills, such as how to sustain arguments and how to synthesise information. Students build upon and broaden their existing knowledge very well as they move through their studies.

Teachers are subject experts. They share their knowledge and demonstrate their subject expertise with students very successfully. This helps students to understand important concepts thoroughly.

Teachers check students’ understanding extremely well. Mathematics teachers routinely use a variety of assessment methods, including low-stakes tests, synoptic examinations and wipe board challenges. When students make mistakes, teachers intervene swiftly to ensure that they do not form misconceptions.

Teachers use questioning that is highly effective. Psychology teachers use probing questions to support students to improve their understanding of the theories of attraction. Students then use their improved understanding to explain the limitations of each of these theories fluently and with confidence.

Teachers make sure that students use teaching resources and materials that are of a very high quality. In biology, students routinely carry out practical activities with cutting-edge laboratory equipment, such as using electrophoresis equipment to separate DNA fragments. Students reinforce their existing knowledge well through these activities and develop useful investigative skills.

Teachers provide outstanding support for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They use highly inclusive teaching approaches in lessons. These include being mindful of cognitive overload, thought-through seating plans, additional time in examinations and specialist staff where needed. As a result, students with SEND thrive in the supportive environment that leaders and teachers create.

Students receive a wide range of impartial and useful careers education, information, advice and guidance. They use this guidance to help them to plan and move on to their ambitious next steps effectively. In environmental science, students benefit from a range of additional careers activities that support them to make informed choices about their futures, including careers talks from independent ecological consultants. Leaders and teachers ably support the few students who aspire to move on to study degree-level apprenticeships.

Governors hold leaders to account exceptionally well. They have a broad range of skills and expertise that they use to support and challenge leaders effectively. They are instrumental in supporting leaders to continue to improve the quality of education that students receive. For example, they help further develop safeguarding and well-being practices, scrutinise development plans and review the impact of staff well-being initiatives.

Leaders have in place highly effective quality assurance processes. Through these processes, they know the college’s strengths and areas for further development very well. Leaders reflect on their current practice and quickly put into place actions to improve further. For example, they provide teachers with useful training and professional development opportunities to improve their use of digital technologies to enhance students’ learning experience.

Students with high needs receive well-tailored support that enables them to become more independent. For example, staff support students with visual impairments effectively with adapted digital technologies and the use of captioning in lessons. Students with high needs take part actively in lessons, and they achieve the same high levels of attainment as their peers.

Students produce work of an exceptional quality. As a result of their studies, they develop a diverse range of new and highly valued skills. In photography, students use cyanotype production methods, gel plate printing and other camera-less techniques confidently.

Students achieve very well. A very high proportion achieve A* to B grades in their final examinations. Nearly all students progress to further or higher education or employment when they complete their course. A high proportion of students move on to universities that have very high entry requirements.

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