Announcing a Transformational OFSTED Rating - 'GOOD'

Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s),

As you will have been aware, on Tuesday 12th and Wednesday 13th September 2023, The Hinckley School welcomed a team of five Ofsted inspectors for a full two-day inspection. I am delighted to inform you that the final Ofsted inspection report has now been released and a copy accompanies this covering letter. This full report will also be accessible via the school website today and will be published on the official Ofsted report website eight working days from today.

It is with great pleasure that I am able to announce that The Hinckley School has been awarded a ‘Good’ rating by Ofsted. Inspectors rated The Hinckley School as ‘Good’ in all areas: The Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, Leadership and Management and Sixth-form Provision.

I am incredibly proud that the tireless hard work undertaken by everyone at The Hinckley School has been officially recognised and that our wonderful students now have yet another reason to be proud of our learning community. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the inspection itself, especially staff, members of The Futures Trust, governors and our students who shone during the inspection process and continue to impress us every day.

This ‘Good’ rating is truly transformational for our school and I am delighted that The Hinckley School’s long journey of improvement, investment and growth has now finally been recognised. The decision of the Ofsted inspection team to rate our school as ‘Good’ in all areas and to release our report so quickly, demonstrates their confidence in their decision and that we have built a community with high expectations. We are committed to our positive trajectory and continue to aspire to be the outstanding first-choice school in the local area. We will not slow down; everything we do is for the benefit of our students as we help them to build a brighter future, and it is this passion and dedication to our young people that shone through so clearly during our inspection.

Highlights of the Ofsted report include:
• “Pupils at The Hinckley School are polite and respectful.”
• “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.”
• “The school has worked hard to establish a culture of belonging based on strong relationships between staff and pupils. Leaders want all pupils to feel part of the school community.”
• “The school has planned a broad and ambitious curriculum for pupils’ seven-year learning journey.”
I very much hope that you enjoy reading the full report and are as proud of The Hinckley School as I am. We are open and transparent and understand that despite being rated as ‘Good’ in all areas our hard work does not stop here. We are already implementing additional strategies that will further support our students reach their potential, as we maintain our focus on our core values, ‘Students First, It’s About Learning, No Barriers’.

I would like to thank all parents/carers for their support which has contributed greatly to our successes so far. Families of students who are approaching the end of their seven-year journey will have seen first-hand how much our school has changed over recent years and this would not have happened without the strong relationships we have built with you all. Please feel free to share this report with friends and family so that we can spread the good news through the wider community.

Yours sincerely,
Ms Lisa Hickman, Headteacher