King James Academy Royston

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders and governors have significantly improved the quality of teaching and learning. Pupils attending the school are making good progress and standards are rising.

Trustees and governors set effective strategic priorities to develop a secure future for the school. They offer accurate views about its performance and hold leaders to account for its improvement. Leaders' evaluation of the school's performance is accurate.

As a result, they are very aware of the school's strengths and what must be improved. Staff are united in their support for leaders. Attendance has improved because effective steps have been taken to reduce persistent ab...sence for all groups of pupils, including the disadvantaged.

Subject leaders are skilled in driving the improvement of teaching in their departments. However, some do not work as consistently as others. Leaders' arrangements for supporting disadvantaged pupils are effective and their progress is good.

Pupils' behaviour is good. All leaders and staff maintain high expectations and promote good relationships. There has been a reduction in exclusions.

Teaching is good. Teachers use their subject knowledge to plan work which is suitably matched to most groups of pupils. However, teaching is not as precisely planned for some pupils who have average prior attainment in subjects including English and history.

Pupils' written work and reading skills are promoted well. In some subjects, including history, written work is not as fully developed. Students who attend the small sixth form achieve well.

This is because of strong leadership and provision. Leaders' views of some teaching are not as accurate as their views about other areas of the sixth form.

Information about this school

This school is an upper school which is attended by pupils aged 13 to 18.

It is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. It is an academy run by the Royston Schools Academy Trust. There are three schools within the trust and each has a local governing board with delegated powers of responsibility.

Trustees oversee the direction of the three schools and the work of the local governing boards. The school serves the town of Royston. The large majority of pupils are from White British backgrounds.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is below average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is below average.

Alternative provision is offered at North Herts Education Support Centre. Some sixth-form students complete their performing arts qualifications at Stage Right Studios, Royston. Since the previous inspection, there have been many changes to staffing.

There has also been a change of headteachers since the previous inspection, including an interim appointment. At the time of this inspection, the headteacher had been in post for three months. Local demographic changes have seen a significant fall in the number on roll.

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