Kings International College

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a diverse and caring community. Pupils enjoy coming here.

Staff have 'uncompromising aspirations' for pupils to be the best that they can be. The school's values are at the forefront of all that Kings International College does. All members of the school community recognise difference and celebrate diversity.

Pupils' behaviour is good. Sometimes pupils get distracted in lessons when they finish their work quickly, or do not understand the next steps. When teachers address this, pupils quickly get back to work.

Pupils learn important life skills, developing the 'Kings' values' such as integrity and respect through engaging activities such as the... school magistrates society.

Staff and pupils work together harmoniously. Pupils respect each other.

However, some pupils feel that bullying is not tackled well enough at the school. Leaders are aware of this and are working to address pupils' perceptions.

This is a caring community.

Leaders and staff know the pupils very well. Pastoral care is strong. During the pandemic, staff worked tirelessly to support pupils and their families.

One parent, typical of many parents and carers, told inspectors, 'This school nurtures all aspects of the child, creatively, intellectually and emotionally.'

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

The headteacher, with the support of senior leaders, has made changes and improvements to this school despite the challenges of the pandemic. Staff share the desire to improve and say that this, coupled with a genuine care for pupils' and each other's well-being, make this a happy place to work.

Leaders have constructed an inclusive and ambitious curriculum designed to give all pupils the knowledge and skills to succeed. Teachers have strong subject knowledge, which supports effective teaching. At key stage 4, leaders recognise that not enough pupils currently gain qualifications in the English Baccalaureate.

Leaders are working hard to address this by increasing the number of pupils who study modern foreign languages.

Careful identification of the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) means that they get off to a strong start. Leaders help teachers plan effectively to enable pupils with SEND to embrace the curriculum fully.

Teaching assistants support learning effectively.

The recently introduced new structure of the school day, with fewer, longer lessons, has helped make pupils more productive in many subjects. Where time is now used well, teachers challenge pupils to learn and remember more.

In some lessons, where planning is not as effective, some pupils do not concentrate as well. This leads to occasional distraction of pupils and teachers.

Assessment is used effectively in most subjects.

When it is used well, teachers use it to plan the work they need to do next. Plans to improve reading at the school are new and developing. Staff carefully support pupils who find reading challenging.

The library is vibrant. It inspires pupils to engage and succeed in reading. Leaders know that plans to improve reading need to accelerate to enable all pupils to enjoy reading confidently and fluently.

The school's personal development programme is comprehensive. A wide-ranging careers programme equips pupils to make informed choices about their next steps. Pupils can engage in activities that develop confidence and independence, such as those in the 'Kings Club'.

There are lots of opportunities to nurture and stretch pupils' talents and interests. Leaders know that they need to encourage pupils to re-engage with these activities as currently the uptake is relatively low, due to the pandemic.

The school provides high-quality pastoral support, with expert staff on hand to support pupils with their emotional and mental health.

One parent told inspectors, 'The pastoral care and support for my child and our entire family when it is needed is fantastic'. The school promotes equality of opportunity and diversity. There is an energetic student council.

Pupils can engage with many school trips that run each year. A small number of pupils attend alternative provision. This is used to supplement the work of the school to ensure that pupils achieve the best outcomes possible, considering their individual needs.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Safeguarding is a priority of this school. Leaders, including governors, are meticulous in how they protect children from harm.

The designated safeguarding lead and his team are well trained and diligent. Staff know pupils well and are alert to local risks that pupils face.

Staff receive timely and appropriate training to respond to safeguarding concerns.

There are clear systems in place to record concerns, and leaders respond to these in a timely and effective manner.

Pupils feel safe. Pupils learn about keeping safe through assemblies, personal development days and from the personal, social and health education curriculum.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The implementation of the curriculum across all subjects is not consistently or closely matched with the intended curriculum. Pupils are not always sufficiently stretched or challenged because teachers are not using time in the new longer lessons well. Leaders need to ensure that the implementation of the curriculum is sustained throughout the new, longer learning periods in all subjects.

• In some lessons, where staff expectations are not consistently high for all pupils, a small minority of pupils do not engage fully in the lesson. This leads to these pupils not accessing the intended curriculum as effectively as leaders would wish. All staff need to maintain the highest expectations to ensure that pupil engagement is maintained throughout lessons.

Also at this postcode