King’s Academy College Park (Infant)

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in this vibrant school. The school's 'dragon values' of kindness, responsibility, resilience, teamwork, challenge, independence and creativity are well understood by pupils.

They are proud that these values guide them in school and beyond. Pupils know that staff expect them to behave well. They are respectful and considerate of each other.

Pupils say, 'Everyone is kind here, so no one has any broken feelings.'

Teachers make lessons fun and interesting so that pupils enjoy their learning. Pupils are keen readers.

Children in early years love retelling the many stories they hear and read. The school develops pupils' wider int...erests well through an impressive range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils enjoy attending clubs such as choir, netball and origami.

They are excited about the trips and residentials that help bring learning to life.

The school gives pupils opportunities to develop their leadership skills. Pupils help serve the wider community by helping to supply the local foodbank and singing in the nearby residential home.

Many pupils are members of the school council or serve as kindness or anti-bullying ambassadors. Pupils know these roles are important because they help make the school an even better place.

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

Over recent years, the school has gone through a period of change, with many new leaders and staff starting at the school.

They are determined that all pupils achieve well. As a result, the school has improved across many areas. Pupils' current achievement in subjects such as reading and mathematics is also strengthening.

The school has developed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils, including children in the early years. It is carefully sequenced across all subjects and allows pupils to build on what they already know. Teachers consider carefully how pupils will widen their vocabulary.

This is particularly true of early years, where skilful staff encourage children to develop their communication skills well. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) study the same curriculum. The school ensures that teachers receive training to help them to support pupils with SEND effectively.

Staff have good subject knowledge. Teachers use effective strategies to check pupils' recall of previous learning. Pupils remember their learning well and are keen to talk about it.

Most teachers use appropriate activities and resources. In mathematics, for example, pupils grasp ideas well with the help of carefully considered resources. However, occasionally, activities are not focused sharply enough on what pupils should learn, and they occasionally become confused or their attention drifts.

Here, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

The school prioritises reading. Well-trained staff deliver the school's phonics programme well, from the very start of Reception.

They make sure that all pupils, including those with SEND, learn both the sounds and the meanings of words. Staff are adept at identifying and supporting pupils who are struggling to read. Pupils read books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge.

Daily reading makes them confident and increasingly fluent.

Pupils' personal development is strong. They learn about relationships, health and well-being and keeping safe.

In early years, children form strong relationships. They cooperate creatively with each other, for example when building a house to protect themselves from the dinosaurs. If pupils need extra pastoral support, the school provides it readily.

Pupils talk confidently about different types of religions and families. The school gives them an age-appropriate understanding of equality and prepares them well for life in modern Britain. While the school encourages disadvantaged pupils to take full advantage of the wide extra-curricular offer, currently, too few do.

The school's behaviour policy is clearly understood by all. There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. From the early years, pupils are keen and enthusiastic learners.

There is often a buzz of excitement in classrooms. Almost all pupils focus attentively on their work.

School leaders are mindful of staff's workload and well-being.

They engage positively with staff who feel very well supported. Staff appreciate the many training opportunities provided by the school. These help them to improve in their roles.

The trust provides helpful and timely support to the school. Trustees have a very clear understanding of the school. However, the historic model of local governance did not allow governors to carry out their role as effectively as they could have.

The trust has rightly changed the structure of local governance in response to this. The new local governing board fulfils its statutory duties but is still at the beginning of helping the school to improve further.

Parents endorse the work of the school.

One parent, summing up the views of many, commented, 'My child has thrived in this school.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While the school has designed a precise and well-sequenced curriculum, a few teachers do not always make the best pedagogical choices to deliver the curriculum effectively.

This means that occasionally, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff receive training on appropriate pedagogical and activity choices so that the delivery of the curriculum is consistently effective. ? The model of local governance is in a transitional stage.

Many local governors are new to the role. Local governance is not yet as effective as it could be in supporting the school to further improve. Leaders should ensure that local governors understand their roles and that training supports local governors to quickly become effective in their roles.

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