Kingsmead Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and staff are looking forward to the opening of a new school building after a prolonged period of disruption.

Pupils study a wide range of subjects. This includes vocational subjects, such as agriculture.

However, in Years 7, 8 and 9 pupils do not learn all the essential knowledge they need in some foundation subjects because there is a focus on examination content.

Pupils receive effective pastoral support, including those who attend the welfare room. Pupils say that when reporting bullying or concerns, staff deal with them.

However, a minority of pupils say that this is not always done promptly. Communication from parents is not always follo...wed up in a timely way.

Leaders' expectations of pupils' behaviour and conduct are not consistent.

The behaviour system is not applied as effectively as it could be. A few pupils do not behave well around the site. Some pupils find this uncomfortable.

Leaders provide opportunities for pupil leadership, such as the school council and sports leaders. Pupils broaden their horizons through educational trips. For example, Year 7 and 8 pupils are looking forward to summer residential trips.

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

Leaders have established an overall structure for the curriculum, but they have not consistently identified what they want pupils to learn and when. As a result, the sequence of learning in some subjects is not well thought through. This hinders pupils' learning.

Leaders do not have clear oversight of what is being taught and when. Therefore, work in pupils' books does not always show the planned curriculum. Pupils' work is sometimes poorly attempted.

In subjects that have an effective process for assessing pupils' work, pupils know what they need to do to improve. However, leaders do not have an informed overview of the impact of assessment.

A tutor reading programme provides a school focus on reading.

Even so, teachers do not know the reading ability of all pupils. Therefore, they are not able to effectively promote reading across the school.

In most lessons, pupils' behaviour is calm.

Pupils who find it difficult to meet the school's behaviour expectations are given extra support outside of the classroom. However, a minority of pupils do not learn well because they miss too many lessons.

The careers programme provides pupils with good guidance.

In addition to pupils attending further education colleges, the school supports many pupils in accessing a range of apprenticeships. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum is well planned. Pupils learn about relationships in a timely manner.

They have opportunities to discuss different issues about keeping safe. Pupils attend a range of sports and art clubs. For example, pupils are rehearsing for a summer show.

Pupils are proud of a long-term exchange programme with a school in Zambia.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not always receive the support they need. Teachers do not know the needs of the pupils well enough.

As a result, in-class support is not given consistently. Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND. There is a large inclusion team who have specialist skills.

This is an improving area of the school's work.

Leaders and governors do not have systematic approaches to checking how well areas of the school are performing. Therefore, leaders cannot assure themselves of the impact of some of their policies.

This limits the effectiveness of their efforts to improve the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff train regularly in safeguarding and there is a specialist team in place.

Staff and pupils know what to do if they have any concerns. There are effective systems in place for reporting issues. Leaders work with external agencies to support vulnerable pupils.

Pupils learn about safeguarding risks through the curriculum, assemblies and the pastoral team.

Some pupils say they do not feel comfortable in some parts of the school, like the toilets or some of the narrow corridors. Leaders are aware of these places and have put actions in place to manage those areas.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects. Not all subjects have a clear progression of learning for pupils mapped out. Leaders should ensure there is time and training for staff to fully plan and develop subject curriculums.

• Leaders and teachers do not have full knowledge of the reading ability of all pupils. As a result, teachers do not always have knowledge of what a pupil's reading need might be. Leaders need to ensure there is support for all pupils and training for teachers.

• Pupils with SEND do not consistently benefit from precisely identified support. This means that sometimes, pupils do not know and remember as much as they could. Leaders must ensure that the quality of support and its impact is robustly reviewed so that these reliably meet the needs of all pupils with SEND.

• A few pupils do not behave as well as they should. Staff do not always receive the support they need when dealing with behaviour. Leaders need to ensure the behaviour systems are applied consistently and staff are supported in managing pupil behaviour.

• Leaders have not ensured school systems and policies are followed consistently. This means that systems of quality assurance are not embedded securely enough to have a clear impact. Leaders should refine their quality assurance processes to ensure that systems and policies are having a significant impact.

• There is not a clear and consistent approach to communicating with parents. As a result, some parents do not feel well informed about their child's education or how the school is supporting their child. Leaders need to communicate more effectively with parents so that they understand the work the school is doing with their children.