Christ The King College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a well-designed curriculum. Where teaching is strong, including in the sixth form, pupils achieve well. However, teachers do not always deliver the curriculum consistently well and this limits pupils' learning in some subjects.

Pupils behave well, and the school is generally calm and orderly. The school has a clear system for addressing disruptive behaviour. When pupils conduct themselves in line with the school's values, they are awarded house points.

These accumulate towards collective rewards, which are valued by the pupils. Pupils are typically happy in school, and they feel safe. They feel that their voices are heard, and that they are known as ind...ividuals.

Across each key stage, pupils benefit from effective and caring pastoral support.

Sixth-form students take up a range of leadership roles within the school. For example, some students act as reading mentors for younger pupils.

This is mutually beneficial in building confidence and perseverance. Pupils have established a group to promote equality and diversity. This reflects the school's inclusive and welcoming ethos.

Throughout the school community, there is an awareness that recent changes are having a positive impact for pupils and staff.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has a clear outline of what pupils should know and remember in each subject. There is a coherent approach to how teaching should build pupils' knowledge over time.

Leaders make sure that all pupils access a broad range of subjects. This includes those pupils who attend alternative provision. Pupils' completion of the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is limited by low numbers taking a modern foreign language at GCSE.

Leaders plan to address this for future cohorts.

Reading is a priority within the school. Teachers incorporate vocabulary teaching into lessons, and pupils encounter diverse and challenging texts in English lessons.

The school provides additional reading support for pupils who need it. Careful analysis of pupils' reading helps the school to identify pupils' special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately.

Teachers' delivery of the curriculum is inconsistent.

Often, teachers provide clear explanations which help to build pupils' understanding. However, in several subjects, teachers are less clear about how to break down and demonstrate important ideas for pupils. When this happens, teaching does not support pupils to develop their understanding.

Teachers emphasise helping pupils to recall their prior learning. However, at times, teachers do not assess where pupils are starting from in their understanding of topics or concepts. Similarly, sometimes teachers do not check how much pupils have understood or what pupils need to learn next.

As a result, pupils are not achieving as well as they should. Too often, pupils' written work is not of the quality that leaders intend. Where teachers' explanations and checks for understanding are more secure, pupils achieve well.

This is most evident in the sixth form. In too many subject areas, pupils are not fully prepared for future study. For instance, some pupils lack understanding of important mathematical procedures and concepts.

Pupils are clear that behaviour has improved. Most lessons are not affected by disruptive behaviour. Social spaces and corridors are orderly.

The school has taken effective action to reduce suspensions and exclusions. Leaders' actions to improve attendance are beginning to show improvement. They have developed a school-wide strategy to reduce pupil absence.

As part of this, staff work closely with families to understand the causes of absence. Despite this, the attendance of some pupils remains low. These pupils risk missing out on too much learning.

The school has devoted substantial time to teaching about personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils are well equipped for life in modern Britain. They learn about the protected characteristics and are advocates for tolerance and respect.

They explore spiritual identities within and beyond the school's Christian ethos. The school emphasises 'moral living no matter what your faith'. As part of the tutor programme, pupils explore complex moral issues.

The careers programme helps pupils to be prepared for life outside of school. Sixth-form students enjoy targeted opportunities to learn more about different careers and qualification routes.

Staff workload and well-being are considered thoughtfully by leaders.

Within this, leaders provide opportunities for professional learning to strengthen teachers' practice. Governors make sure they have the right knowledge and skills to fulfil their statutory obligations. The ambition of leaders at all levels is clear.

However, this is not translating into practice as consistently as it should. As a result, aspects of the school's educational provision are not yet being delivered as effectively as leaders intend.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Teachers do not always consider pupils' different starting points in their learning, or check well enough whether pupils have understood the content taught. As a result, teachers do not close gaps and address misconceptions well enough and some pupils struggle to connect new learning with what they already know. Leaders need to make sure that teachers assess pupils' prior learning, and what pupils have understood, so they can adapt their teaching accordingly.

• The attendance of some pupils remains too low, despite leaders' efforts and recent improvements. As a result, these pupils are at greater risk of falling behind in their learning. Leaders need to make sure that they continue to address the barriers to attendance and reduce absence for all pupils.

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