King James’s School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a caring place in which pupils feel safe and secure. Pupils, parents and carers told us about the family atmosphere in the school.

We agree. Pupils are well looked after, and they get on well with their teachers. Pupils value the support they receive, from their teachers and the pastoral support staff.

Pupils know there is always someone willing to help them out should they or their friends have any worries.'

The King James's Way' is a major part of the school ethos. Pupils understand the history of the school and learn the school's values.

Tolerance and respect are at the centre of these values. Pupils are proud of their school and tal...k confidently and maturely about school life. 'The King James's Way' is also very clear in the way pupils are expected to behave.

In class pupils are attentive, and around the school they are polite and courteous.

Parents are very positive about the school. They say their children are happy and make good progress.

They particularly value the wide range of clubs and activities. They also praise the work done in school to develop pupils' confidence. We agree.

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

Leaders responded quickly to the areas for improvement identified in the last inspection. The curriculum now in place for pupils starting key stage 4, matches better the needs of all pupils. The English Baccalaureate is still at the heart of the curriculum.

There is now a wider choice of courses to suit the range of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Leaders have changed the way subjects are grouped in faculties. These changes allow stronger departments to work together with subjects which were performing less well.

On inspection, in the art, design and business studies faculty, positive changes were clear. More stable staffing has contributed to improvements in English. The next step is to see a similar move forward in examination results in those relatively weaker subjects.

Teachers across the school are now more aware of the disadvantaged pupils and cater better for their needs. During the inspection, we saw no difference between the quality of the work of the disadvantaged pupils and that of their peers.

Leaders' review of the curriculum has brought about positive changes.

Subject leaders and the teachers in their departments have thought hard about what pupils need to know. Teachers sequence lessons carefully and use thoughtful ways to recap previous knowledge. This is helping pupils to remember important content.

Most pupils talked confidently about key ideas or concepts from their lessons. For example, in science pupils could talk with confidence about the work they were doing on genetics and plants. They could also explain how previous work helped them understand new learning.

Pupils with SEND learn well alongside their peers. Staff adapt activities so that everyone can join in. The SEND coordinator is knowledgeable.

She ensures that staff have the skills and training to support pupils with SEND well. Parents and pupils speak highly of this support.

Teachers manage pupils' behaviour well.

Pupils concentrate and work well together, supporting each other. This means lessons are rarely interrupted. If pupils do not follow the school rules teachers follow procedures consistently.

Pupils understand the consequences if they misbehave. Pupils who have misbehaved in the past understand why they received sanctions. They appreciate the support of staff to improve their behaviour.

Pupils respond well because they feel teachers treat them fairly.

Attendance in the school is good, but disadvantaged pupils do not attend as well as their peers. School leaders only use exclusion as a last resort, but disadvantaged pupils are more likely to be excluded than other pupils.

Pupils' personal development is a real strength of the school. Seventy-five per cent of pupils attend at least one club or activity outside the curriculum. Disadvantaged pupils, too, enjoy these activities.

The curriculum prepares pupils well for life in modern Britain. For example, pupils have a clear understanding of democracy and can talk about the rule of law. Pupils have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

Senior pupils, for example, are prefects. Leaders also take the views of the school council seriously. Pupils are very accepting of difference, so there is little bullying or name-calling.

There is a well-developed programme of careers education and every Year 10 pupil completes two weeks of work experience. Virtually every pupil last year at the end of Year 11 went on to appropriate employment, education or training.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders are well trained and extremely thorough in their approach to safeguarding. No stone is left unturned to keep pupils safe.

Staff know pupils well.

Pupils and parents have the confidence to say if they have any concerns. They know that staff will listen and take the necessary actions. Recent training has kept staff up to date about possible dangers to pupils.

They responded confidently to questions about safeguarding. Staff work well with a wide range of other agencies.Pupils learn about the dangers they might face from such things as county lines.

There are lessons, too, where they have the chance to discuss how to stay mentally and physically healthy.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

As a result of leaders' actions, the subjects where pupils were making less progress have improved. However, leaders know that there is still work to do to ensure that the improvements noted result in improved GCSE results in the relatively weaker subject areas.

. Improvements in the provision for disadvantaged pupils are clear. However, this focus must continue, to ensure that the achievement of disadvantaged pupils leaving the school matches more closely that of their peers.

. Leaders work hard to support pupils who struggle with their behaviour and as a result, overall, exclusions are low and only used as last resort. However, leaders must continue to reduce further the number of disadvantaged pupils who are excluded from school.