Keswick School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. The excellent leadership of the headteacher, first-rate teaching, students' excellent attitudes to learning and knowledgeable governance all combine to make Keswick School outstanding.

Students make rapid progress. Their achievement is outstanding and they attain standards which are well above average at the end of Year 11. The sixth form is outstanding.

A well above average proportion of students achieve the highest A Level grades and successfully find jobs or win places at the university of their choice. Teachers are highly knowledgeable and have tremendous enthusiasm for their subjects. Their high expectations and use of varie...d and interesting resources ensure students are challenged to achieve their best while really enjoying learning.

In a few lessons students' progress, although still good, is not quite as rapid because : teachers' questioning does not always challenge them to think deeply. Leadership and management at all levels are outstanding and have been instrumental in both maintaining high standards and bringing about improvements in teaching and in students' achievement. Staff feel valued, hugely well supported and morale is high.

Any weaknesses in the school's work are quickly tackled. The current focus on improving boys' literacy in all subjects is already having an impact but has yet to be consistently reinforced in all lessons. Keswick School is a place where all students, including those who live in the boarding house, thrive and become mature adults who are extremely well prepared for their future lives.

Students' behaviour is outstanding and they feel entirely safe in school. They relish taking responsibility and contributing to the community. For example, hundreds of students undertake hundreds of hours of volunteer work as fund raisers, coaches, mentors and friends.

Information about this school

This school is similar in size to the average-sized secondary school. It became an Academy on 1 July 2011, immediately before the previous inspection. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families, is well below average.

A below average proportion of pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds, while an average proportion speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs who are supported at school action is well below average as is the proportion supported at school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs. A very small number of students temporarily attend off-site provision at the West Cumbria Achievement Zone.

Nine Year 11 students attend vocational courses at the Lakes College. The school was awarded specialist status in science and mathematics in 2003. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set out the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

The school has a boarding house for 50 students. This was inspected separately in July 2013 and the report is published on the Ofsted website. The headteacher was appointed in September 2012.