Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566862 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: rcowley@cfbt.com

p.1

Mr Sajid Raza Principal Kings Science Academy Northside Road Lidget Green Bradford BD7 2AN

p.1

Education act 2005 to Kings Science Academy, Bradford

Following my visit to your school with Helen Storey, Senior Her Majesty’s Inspector, on 26 April 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report on the findings of our visit. Thank you for the help you, the staff and students gave us and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the academy since the most recent section 5 inspection.

p.1

Education act 2005 to Kings Science Academy, Bradford

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in February 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the Principal, other senior leaders and a group of students. A conversation by telephone was held with the Chair of the Governing Body. The academy’s improvement and action plans were evaluated.

p.1

Context

Following the inspection in February 2013, the Chair of the Governing Body stepped down but remains a governor. One teacher left at the end of the spring term and has been replaced.

p.1

Main findings

The academy has drawn up a draft action plan which covers the areas for improvement identified at the inspection. Senior leaders acknowledge that the plan requires firmer baseline information in a number of areas, as well as quantitative targets. The period over which the plan will operate needs to be extended and milestone measures added to enable leaders, including governors, to measure the effectiveness of the actions taken.

p.2

Main findings

Some improvements have already been introduced. For instance, the marking of homework is now the responsibility of teachers rather than external subject specialists. This should provide teachers with a clearer picture of students’ learning and help them to identify sticking points in students’ progress. Leaders are well placed to evaluate the impact of this change through the programme of regular lesson observations. Some small changes to the academy day have already been implemented so that reading time is now the final daily activity. A review of the quality of tutorial activities is underway to ensure that regular features, such as the ‘word for the day’, have the maximum impact on students’ learning. The governing body is at an early stage of putting in place the structures required for effective governance. Helpfully, the Chair has a thorough grasp of what is required and has drawn up a training plan to drive developments forward.

p.2

Main findings

Senior leaders and governors have begun to take effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. Following the visit to the academy, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:  ensure that the academy’s strategic plans, action plans and targets for teachers’ performance management are cohesive so that there is a coherent academy-wide approach to driving improvement  strengthen the action plan so that it covers the next academic year, includes quantifiable measures of success and sources of evidence for these, and identifies review points at which the effectiveness of actions can be evaluated  ensure that the governing body has the appropriate structures in place to know how well the academy is performing  make sure that, through training, governors have the necessary knowledge and understanding to hold the academy to account.

p.2

Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the academy until its next section 5 inspection. The Principal will forward the revised action plan to Ofsted. A further visit to the academy will be made in the autumn term.

p.2

External support

Helpfully, leaders have begun to work with several local schools to benchmark assessments of students’ attainment. The academy has recently joined a local partnership of secondary schools. The Chair of the Governing Body has made arrangements to draw on the local authority’s expertise in training governors.

p.2

External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and as below. Yours sincerely

p.2

Her Majesty's Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:

p.3

Her Majesty's Inspector

 Appropriate authority - Chair of the Governing Body/Interim Executive Board  Local authority - (including where a school is an academy)  the academy chain where relevant  Diocese - for voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools  The Education Funding Agency (EFA) if the school has a sixth form  The person or body responsible for appointing foundation governors if the school has a foundation  The lead inspector.

p.3