Dixons Kings Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Dixons Kings Academy continues to be an outstanding school.

The principal of this school is Richard Wilson. This school is part of Dixons Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Luke Sparkes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Michael Blackburn.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve remarkably well at this exceptional school. Leaders have extremely high expectations for pupils' behaviour and for the academic progress they will make. As a result, their progress and achievement are well above national averages.

The mission statem...ent of the trust is to 'challenge educational and social disadvantage in the north'. Dixons Kings is certainly achieving this.

The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are exemplary.

Pupils behave with maturity and respect. They are quiet and compliant in lessons and thoroughly engaged in their learning. Pupils feel safe in school.

The open safeguarding culture means that all pupils know the staff members of the safeguarding team.

During weekly cultural studies lessons, pupils debate topical local and national issues. They have an extensive knowledge of the protected characteristics.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online and in the community.

Pupils have access to a wide and varied careers programme. They are fully prepared for their next steps in education.

Pupils speak ambitiously about their future. One pupil stated that the school has 'prepared them for anything they may encounter during their next steps in education'.

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

Leaders have planned a highly ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

A very high percentage of pupils follow the English Baccalaureate pathway. In some areas, the curriculum extends beyond the national curriculum. For example, pupils complete a unit of work on health and disease in key stage 3 science.

Leaders have meticulously identified the most powerful knowledge that they want pupils to know. They sequence pupils' learning effectively and logically and allow time to revisit prior learning so that pupils remember more. Teachers check pupils' learning with precision during every lesson.

They address misconceptions quickly and effectively. Teachers are experts in their subjects. They present information clearly and use resources very effectively to help pupils progress through the curriculum.

Support for pupils with SEND is highly effective. Leaders identify pupils with SEND through a whole-school referral system. Pupils, and parents and carers, help to plan the support that they will receive.

Teachers pay particular attention to pupils with SEND to ensure that they are making the same progress as other pupils. A small number of pupils access a bespoke curriculum. Leaders have planned this curriculum to meet the needs of each individual pupil.

The pupils who access it are flourishing.

The school quickly identifies pupils who need extra support with reading. Leaders ensure that these pupils receive targeted support.

This includes phonics for those in the early stages of learning to read. The school promotes a love of reading through 'drop everything and read' activities and a form time reading programme.

The school has a clear behaviour system.

Teachers apply the system consistently well. This contributes to classrooms being free from low-level disruption. Strategies to improve attendance range from whole-school systems to bespoke interventions to support families and pupils.

These strategies are highly effective. As a result, pupils attend often and the number of pupils who are persistently absent is low.

The core values of integrity, diligence and civility are woven throughout the curriculum.

Pupils talk in detail about why they are important and how they apply them in their everyday lives. Years 7 to 9 pupils have an enrichment programme within their school day. They take part in activities such as archery, first aid and British Sign Language.

Pupils have access to a range of leadership opportunities, such as being school council members and peer mentoring and mental health champions. The school council directly affects change across the school by regularly reporting pupil voice to school leaders. For example, leaders have added a school sports day to the calendar this year.

The school considers the workload and well-being of staff. Access to shared resources and changes to the marking and feedback policy have reduced staff's workload. The local academy board, trustees and executive leaders have a thorough understanding of the school.

They work together with school leaders to ensure that pupils receive an outstanding education at Dixons Kings Academy.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in January 2017.