Featherstone High School

Featherstone High School is a large mixed secondary school and sixth form within the Grand Union Multi Academy Trust, and it is performing at an exceptionally high level. The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are all outstanding, while sixth-form provision is good. Pupils achieve very positive outcomes, particularly at GCSE, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities achieve highly alongside their peers. The school lives its motto ‘Together We Achieve’, providing extensive opportunities, strong pastoral care and a respectful, calm community in which pupils are safe and happy. The main strengths are an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum, a consistent teaching approach, a strong focus on reading and vocabulary, and excellent personal development and careers guidance. Pupils benefit from enrichment, trips, workshops and community projects, and they attend well. Safeguarding arrangements are effective. This was the school’s first routine inspection since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and inspectors also considered the impact of RAAC and the work leaders and governors have done to keep the school running. The only notable area for improvement is the sixth form. Teaching is more variable than in the rest of the school, checking of students’ deeper understanding is not consistently systematic, expectations for independent study are unclear, and students are not routinely guided to make critical links or articulate complex ideas. Leaders are not complacent, staff feel well supported, and trustees and governors back a shared vision of inclusivity and aspiration.

Strengths

• Highly ambitious curriculum sequenced logically and enriched with trips, workshops and themed weeks
• Consistent, clear teaching approach with strong subject knowledge and effective checking of understanding
• Strong outcomes, including for pupils with SEND, with pupils well prepared for their next steps
• Reading is central to the curriculum, with strong fluency, vocabulary and reading-for-pleasure support
• Calm, orderly school with excellent relationships and high attendance
• Excellent personal development and careers guidance with extensive enrichment and community involvement
• Effective safeguarding arrangements
• Staff feel very well supported and benefit from effective professional development
• Strong leadership, governance and trust support with a clear inclusive and aspirational vision
• Sixth-form students are highly positive about their learning, work hard and support younger pupils

Areas for Improvement

• Sixth-form teaching is more variable than in the rest of the school
• Checking of sixth-form students’ deeper understanding is not consistently systematic
• Students are not routinely guided to make critical links or articulate complex ideas in discussion
• Expectations for independent study in the sixth form lack clarity
• Some sixth-form students are not consistently prepared for the higher demands of academic study

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

• Ada Lovelace Church of England High School
• Ark Soane Academy
• Drayton Manor High School
• Elthorne Park High School
• St Ann's School
• The Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School
• The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls
• Twyford Church of England High School
• Villiers High School
• William Perkin Church of England High School

Featherstone High School is part of Grand Union Multi Academy Trust, which runs 2 schools. The nearest others:

• Woodlands Academy London

What is Featherstone High School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Featherstone High School is Outstanding, from an inspection in April 2025.

When was Featherstone High School last inspected by Ofsted?

Featherstone High School was last inspected in April 2025.

How many pupils does Featherstone High School have?

Featherstone High School has 1,748 pupils on roll.

What age range does Featherstone High School cover?

Featherstone High School for pupils aged 11 to 18.

What are Featherstone High School's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 48.6, and 51% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

Where is Featherstone High School?

Featherstone High School is at 11 Montague Waye, Southall, Middlesex, UB2 5HF.