Kirkby High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Kirkby High School, which is a calm and welcoming place for pupils to learn. They feel happy and safe. Pupils appreciate the strong relationships that they forge with staff.

Pupils celebrate differences between people. They do not tolerate discrimination. Pupils are confident that leaders will quickly act to address any incidents of bullying.

Pupils have pride in their school. They take good care of the classrooms, corridors and social areas. Most pupils behave sensibly and have fun during social times.

They are generally friendly and courteous, including when speaking to each other.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' be...haviour and learning. Most pupils live up to these expectations and achieve well across a range of subjects.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Pupils experience a wide range of opportunities outside of lessons that inspire and interest them. These activities broaden their horizons and deepen their understanding of the world.

Many perform in drama productions, enjoy taking part in science and rainbow clubs and play football against other schools. Parents and carers are generally supportive of the school.

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

Trustees and governors have overseen a number of improvements in the school since the last inspection.

Leaders have thoughtfully redesigned the curriculum so that pupils can build on what they already know. The curriculum is broad and suitably ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.

More recently, leaders have increased the number of pupils that are studying a modern foreign language.

This is increasing the proportion of pupils who follow the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) suite of subjects. The EBacc is now at the heart of the school's curriculum.

Many subject leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge that pupils should learn and in which order it should be taught.

These curriculums are well organised. They include opportunities for pupils to remember, practise and build on what they already know. Pupils achieve well in many subjects.

However, in a small number of subjects the curriculum has not been considered in as much detail. This hampers pupils' achievement in these subjects.

Teachers typically have a sound knowledge of their subjects.

They ensure that pupils revisit their learning regularly. Teachers check carefully for any gaps in pupils' knowledge. They use this information to adapt their teaching so that pupils can gain or recover any learning that they have missed or forgotten.

Teachers are proficient in selecting appropriate activities that develop pupils' subject knowledge.

Leaders identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and effectively. Teachers adapt how pupils access learning so that these pupils can learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school and achieve well.

Leaders have begun to introduce a focus on developing pupils' reading and vocabulary knowledge in subjects. Pupils who are at the earliest stages of learning to read are beginning to benefit from a programme to help them to read more fluently.

This helps these pupils to access some subjects in the wider curriculum. However, this emphasis on reading is not fully in place across the whole curriculum. This hinders pupils' understanding of the curriculum in some subjects.

Pupils generally behave well during lessons. Lessons are typically calm places, where learning is rarely disrupted.

The personal development programme prepares pupils well for their future in modern Britain.

Pupils learn about the features of healthy relationships, including consent. They understand the negative impact of prejudice on others. Leaders ensure that careers guidance is well established across all years.

Pupils increasingly move on to appropriate destinations at the end of Year 11.

Trustees and governors hold leaders to account successfully for the quality of education in the school. Leaders take account of staff's workload and well-being.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school.

Teachers know pupils and their families well. They are alert and vigilant to safeguarding concerns. Adults report concerns about pupils in a timely manner and leaders follow up on these concerns appropriately.

Leaders ensure that teachers receive appropriate safeguarding training. This includes issues such as peer-on-peer abuse. Leaders work effectively with external partners to ensure that pupils get the help that they need.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe from risks, including knife crime. Pupils also learn about keeping safe online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, particularly where leaders are newly appointed or inexperienced, the curriculum thinking is not as strong as it should be.

In these subjects, leaders have not identified in sufficient detail the knowledge that they want pupils to learn and the order in which this content should be taught. Consequently, pupils do not achieve as well in the curriculum as they should. Leaders should ensure that these subject leaders are trained to develop the curriculum effectively.

• Some pupils struggle to read. This hinders their achievement in the intended curriculum. Leaders should continue to develop the reading skills of these pupils to help them become confident and fluent readers.