Star King Solomon Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Across all phases of the school, relationships between pupils and staff are warm and respectful. Pupils understand the school's values of educational excellence and character development.

They said that the school is an improving environment in which to learn. However, while children in the early years and pupils in the primary phase of the school typically achieve well, secondary-age pupils experience a poor education. They are ill-prepared for the next stage of their education.

Pupils are happy and safe. They know who to talk to about any concerns that they may have. During lessons most pupils behave sensibly.

However, during breaktimes and lunchtimes, some... pupils' behaviour is not as positive. Some pupils do not treat others with respect and some others use derogatory language. Staff monitor pupils' behaviour around the school, including at social times.

However, some staff do not address and deal with pupils' poor behaviour well enough.

The school places a strong emphasis on pupils' personal development. In the primary phase, pupils support each other well and have opportunities to develop their leadership skills.

Pupils have a range of extra-curricular activities to choose from and staff organise some educational trips to broaden pupils' horizons. However, the weak delivery of the personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education curriculum means that older pupils are not prepared well enough for life in modern Britain.

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

The school has undergone a period of significant change and development.

This includes new staff in senior, subject and pastoral leadership roles. This turbulence has had an impact on the school's work to bring about sustained improvement. Due to the closure of the trust, the school is currently receiving considerable external support to tackle the weaknesses in pupils' education.

However, this work is still in its infancy.

The quality of education that children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 receive prepares them well for the next stage of learning. However, this is not the case in the secondary phase.

Many aspects of the curriculum in the secondary phase are at the earliest stages of development. As a result, secondary-age pupils do not build on their strong foundations. They do not learn all that they should.

Their achievement is poor.

In some subjects, especially in the primary phase, the curriculum identifies the important content that pupils need to know and remember. Mostly, teachers deliver curriculum content clearly and in a logical order so that pupils' understanding builds over time.

However, this is not true for all subjects. The curriculum in the secondary phase is at a much earlier stage of development. This means that teachers are unsure what should be taught and when this should happen.

It also means that the activities that pupils complete do not help them to build a strong body of knowledge over time.

Some teachers check what pupils have learned and adapt their teaching so that pupils build on what they know and can do. This is done more effectively in the early years and the primary phase.

However, a considerable number of teachers do not check what pupils know and remember well enough, especially in the secondary phase. When this happens, teachers do not spot if pupils have fallen behind in their learning. This leads to pupils having gaps in their knowledge, which then limits their progress through the curriculum.

In the early years, children get off to a positive start. The curriculum is clear and delivered well. This enables children to learn all that they should.

Teachers provide activities that are well matched to children's needs. Staff model effective communication, supporting children to develop language and independence. Children are happy in the early years and they thrive.

Pupils in key stages 1 and 2 typically build successfully on this positive start throughout the primary phase.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Some staff use the information that they receive about individual pupils to adapt their teaching.

However, some pupils with SEND, particularly in the secondary phase, do not receive effective support to meet their identified needs. This hinders the progress of pupils with SEND.

The school has effective strategies to support pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read, especially in the primary phase.

The phonics programme is taught consistently well. The books that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 read are closely matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils who find reading difficult receive the support that they need so that they can catch up.

As a result, most pupils become fluent readers during the primary phase of their education. In the secondary phase, pupils receive specialist support to address specific gaps in their reading knowledge, such as phonics, grammar and comprehension.

Absence from school is preventing a considerable number of pupils from achieving as well as they should.

Some pupils are persistently absent. The school is beginning to engage with parents and carers more meaningfully to reduce absence levels. This is showing some early impact for some pupils.

The school has recently reviewed the expectations for pupils' behaviour, including movement between lessons and during breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils know these expectations. They said that behaviour has improved.

However, some pupils do not follow these expectations well enough during social times. Staff do not tackle instances of unkind behaviour consistently well.

The PSHE curriculum is carefully organised.

However, this curriculum is not delivered well enough, particularly in the secondary phase. This means that pupils do not build on what they know. Some pupils do not remember the important information that they need in readiness for life in modern Britain.

Pupils receive a range of careers guidance and information on their post-16 options.

The trust has invested time and resources to tackle weaknesses at the school. However, this has not brought about sustained improvements quickly enough.

The school has not evaluated which actions are the most effective in addressing its shortcomings. For example, the school does not have a clear overview of how well disadvantaged pupils are achieving. Trustees and members of the local governing body have a secure awareness of the importance of safeguarding and pupils' well-being.

The school consults staff about policy changes and carefully considers staff's workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, particularly in the secondary phase, the curriculum is at an early stage of development.

The school has not identified clearly enough what it wants pupils to learn and how this will build progressively over time. This affects pupils' learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum across the school is carefully designed and well ordered so that pupils learn all that they should.

• The curriculum, including PSHE, is not delivered well enough, especially in the secondary phase. This means that pupils do not build a secure body of knowledge to support their future learning or their readiness for life in modern Britain. The school should ensure that teachers are well equipped to deliver curriculum content so that pupils can build their knowledge progressively over time.

• Teachers do not consistently check that pupils understand what has been learned and what they can remember. This is particularly evident in the secondary phase. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified and addressed effectively.

As a result, pupils' progress through the curriculum is hindered. The school should ensure that teachers consistently check pupils' understanding and adapt their teaching accordingly to close any gaps in learning. ? Absence rates are high.

Some pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, miss too much school. This affects their learning and achievement. The school should further build on its initial work with parents and external agencies to ensure that the barriers that stop pupils attending school are removed.

• Some pupils do not behave well enough during unstructured times. They use derogatory language to each other. This disrupts social times for others.

The school should ensure that staff follow the revised behaviour systems so that incidents of poor behaviour are addressed consistently well.HMCI strongly recommends that the school does not seek to appoint early career teachers. The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

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