IKB Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel valued at IKB. They say staff know them very well and as a result they feel supported to do their best. Some pupils told us their experience at IKB has renewed their enthusiasm for learning following previous negative experiences in education.

Pupils are polite and most behave well around the school. They say they feel safe and that bullying is not an issue. The school is proud of being a 'telling' school.

Pupils say they can talk to someone should they ever have concerns.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the school's specialisms of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and are keen to discuss their learning in these areas. Teac...hers have high expectations for pupils in all areas of the curriculum.

Students in the sixth form value the opportunity to develop their leadership skills within the school council. Pupils view the school as a tolerant place. They understand and accept differences.

Younger pupils say they would like more opportunities to develop their interests and talents further.

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

Leaders have an ambitious vision for the school. This has resulted in a curriculum that reflects well the unique profile of the school.

Leaders are well-supported by the trust. Staff welcome opportunities for professional development with their colleagues across the trust. Teachers say leaders are considerate of staff workload and well-being.

The curriculum is carefully planned and sequenced in many areas. Leaders have considered how the curriculum can best link to pupils' prior learning and support their future learning. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and use this well to plan learning.

Consequently, pupils develop a secure understanding of essential content. In the sixth form, teachers check and assure the security of students' knowledge before they introduce further content. This helps students to confidently move onto more complex work.

Leaders have worked with staff to develop their teaching so that it helps pupils to recall knowledge. Pupils say planned activities are helping them to remember what they have been taught. However, some pupils are stronger at recalling examination skills more than the important subject knowledge needed.

Staff use assessment well to identify what pupils know and can do. In the strongest cases, assessment is used with precision to reflect and re-sequence the curriculum. Leaders have set up effective systems to spot gaps in pupils' knowledge.

However, there are not always secure checks on how well all areas of the curriculum are implemented. For example, the tutor programme is not always delivered as effectively as leaders intend.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

Leaders ensure teachers have useful information about pupils with SEND. Teachers provide appropriate support so that pupils learn well. Many pupils with SEND continue into the sixth form and follow ambitious programmes of study.

Leaders have recently introduced a reading programme that is helping pupils to improve their reading. Staff have received appropriate training and carefully follow the curriculum plan. As a result, pupils say they feel more confident with their reading.

Following a successful trial, leaders know the programme must be implemented more widely and its impact carefully assessed.

Leaders have developed a comprehensive personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Pupils are learning appropriate content that is helping them to become informed about relationships, health and their place in the world.

Pupils enjoy regular class discussions about current issues. Even so, the religious education (RE) aspect of this curriculum is not as well developed.

Leaders intend pupils to have experiences of the world of work to enhance their learning of the STEM focused curriculum and to develop pupils' interests.

The opportunities for wide ranging experiences have been affected by the pandemic. For example, some students in the sixth form have not benefitted from work experience. Leaders and governors are beginning to rebuild this important aspect of the school's offer.

Pupils value the guidance they receive regarding careers. Students in the sixth form feel well supported to make decisions about their next steps. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeship.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils feel safe in school and know what to do to keep themselves safe, including online. Staff receive regular safeguarding training.

This helps them to know how to identify and refer concerns to leaders if a pupil is at risk.

Leaders take timely and appropriate action to deal with safeguarding concerns. They liaise with external agencies to keep pupils safe.

Leaders are tenacious in making sure that pupils have the right help and they are not afraid to challenge when they have concerns.

Leaders ensure that appropriate background checks are carried out on adults working within the school.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have developed and strengthened the personal development programme with a coherent PSHE curriculum, however, the RE curriculum is lagging behind.

While pupils are tolerant of different beliefs, their knowledge and understanding is weaker. Leaders need to ensure the essential knowledge that pupils need is more explicitly identified in the curriculum and coherently sequenced. This will strengthen pupils' knowledge and understanding of different beliefs.

• While leaders assess the impact of the subject curriculum, they do not always check other aspects of the school curriculum. For example, the tutor programme is not always delivered as leaders intend and there is more to do to assess the impact of the reading programme across the school. More routine checks will help leaders to assure that all aspects of the school curriculum are having the desired impact.