Westwood High

Overview

Westwood High is an independent school where pupils “have a thirst for learning” and feel “safe and happy.” The inspection found that the school provides a high-quality education with strong behaviour, effective leadership, and excellent personal development, meeting all independent school standards.

Strengths

• Pupils “cherish the diverse experiences” and develop “resilience and self-belief,” leaving well prepared for life in modern Britain.
• The curriculum is “ambitious” and reflects pupils’ interests, with staff carefully adapting delivery to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
• Strong, supportive relationships exist between staff and pupils, creating “calm and orderly” classrooms where children respect one another.
• The sixth form provides a “sharp focus on students’ next steps,” ensuring they receive the guidance needed for higher education or employment.
• Staff report “highly positive views” of working at the school, valuing the support and communication provided by leadership.

Areas to improve

• Staff teaching early reading lack sufficient depth of knowledge to deliver the phonics programme effectively, causing some pupils to develop misconceptions.
• In a small number of subjects, curriculum planning is less developed, making it harder for some pupils to remember prior learning and solve complex problems.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”