Lift Kingswood

Kingswood Academy Wawne Road, Bransholme, Hull HU7 4WR

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Inadequate

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This is a school that requires improvement

 Teachers do not make full use of all the assessment information available to them to plan lessons that stretch pupils’ learning.  Middle leaders do not use the findings from their monitoring activities well enough to ensure that all teachers keep up the same high expectations of the quality and quantity of work pupils produce.  Leaders do not ensure that all teachers plan consistently challenging activities, so that pupils make all the progress of which they are capable.  Some pupils do not apply themselves consistently well to their learning when they find lessons less engaging or are not challenged at the right level through their learning activities.  While improving, the progress made by pupils across a range of subjects, especially by disadvantaged pupils and boys, is not yet fast enough, particularly in key stage 4.

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The school has the following strengths

 Governors and the principal have a strong, well- articulated vision of excellence for the school. They are ambitious for pupils to achieve well and develop all the personal skills they need to succeed. They seek to ensure that pupils are well prepared for the next steps in education or training.  The principal and senior leaders successfully communicate their vision for the school. As a result, staff are motivated and positive. This is leading to improving outcomes for pupils.  Pupils feel safe and secure at school. Governors ensure that arrangements to safeguard pupils are effective.  Behaviour around the school in social time is calm and orderly.  Leaders and governors have introduced rigorous systems to keep an eye on the progress that pupils make. They use this information to provide additional support to help pupils at risk of falling behind.  Leaders and governors have strong systems for checking the quality of teaching. They use them

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The school has the following strengths

increasingly well to bring about improvements.  The school ensures that pupils have good opportunities for their personal development. Leaders respond carefully to pupils’ needs. As a consequence, pupils are open and tolerant of differences in others’ backgrounds, culture or beliefs. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Full report

In accordance with section 13 (5) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that the school no longer requires significant improvement.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by middle leaders further by ensuring they check that teachers in their teams all have consistently high expectations of the quality and quantity of work that pupils produce.  Improve leadership and management further by building on the successful work to improve attendance and punctuality, so that pupils do not miss learning opportunities and accept the need to arrive promptly.  Improve the quality of teaching further in order to speed up pupils’ progress, particularly that of disadvantaged pupils and boys in key stage 4 by ensuring that: teachers plan learning activities with greater precision, using all the available assessment information, to engage and challenge pupils at the right levels teachers develop their skills to re-adjust learning during lessons, to move pupils forward more quickly, by asking probing questions that develop their understanding and deepen their thinking.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

 Middle leaders do not make consistently good use of all the findings from their checks on the quality of teaching to ensure that all teachers have the same high expectations of pupils’ work. This restricts the progress that some pupils make.  Leaders have improved pupils’ attendance. However, too many pupils do not arrive at school punctually.  The principal and senior leaders have introduced rigorous systems to check on the quality of teaching and the progress that pupils make. As a consequence, they have a good understanding of the strengths of the school and of the areas that most need improvement. They recognise that more needs to be done to improve teaching further.  Governors and leaders have set a clear direction to improve the school’s performance. Staff respond positively and are ambitious for pupils’ personal development and achievement. Staff are motivated by the modelling and day-to-day example set by the principal and senior leaders. As a result, pupils are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

positive about their learning, and older pupils recognise the improvements that have been made so far.  The procedures leaders have put in place to manage teachers’ performance are robust, and are closely linked to professional development. Leaders set challenging targets for teachers. By doing so, leaders reinforce their high expectations. Effective recruitment is strengthening teaching. Together, these contribute to the improving progress that pupils make. However, leaders accept that the quality of teaching is not consistent and that teachers are not equally skilled in challenging pupils’ learning to accelerate their progress.  Senior leaders use the information from checks on pupils’ progress to organise support and extra help for pupils who are struggling or are at risk of falling behind. This is contributing to the improving rates of progress overall.  Senior leaders have very good knowledge of the context of the school and its pupils. Leaders ensure that

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

the curriculum provides a wide range of opportunities for personal growth and achievement. As a result, pupils learn about differences in others’ backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles through a range of subjects such as geography, religious studies, and the personal, health, social and economic education programme. Pupils respond positively to these opportunities. They are open, accept differences and are tolerant and respectful of others. This is played out in their day-to-day interactions with each other and the positive relationships they enjoy with staff. As a result, pupils are prepared well for life in modern Britain.  The taught curriculum is enriched through additional activities. These include, for example, a range of external visitors who contribute to pupils’ knowledge of public institutions. A rich variety of assembly topics broadens pupils’ understanding of wider society, and a well-planned programme for careers advice

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

and guidance ensures that pupils can make informed choices about their futures as they leave the school.  Leaders ensure that pupils who have barriers to learning and face challenging circumstances are well supported. Leaders maintain effective links with a range of external teams and agencies. This helps pupils facing difficulties to attend, and supports their learning. Leaders work closely with governors to ensure that additional funding, for example funding made available for disadvantaged pupils, is used well. This is leading to improvement in pupils’ levels of reading, writing and mathematics. As a result, these pupils are better able to access learning across a full range of subjects. The gaps in achievement between them and other pupils nationally are now closing step by step. The impact of this work is stronger in Years 7 and 8 and underpins achievement for these pupils as they move through the school. Impact is less secure in key

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

stage 4. Leaders recognise that there is more to do to close gaps fully.  The governance of the school Governors, and the board of the Academies Enterprise Trust, ‘the trust’, have absolute clarity about what they want to accomplish for their pupils and the local community. Governors are extremely knowledgeable about the school. They know the school’s strengths and what needs to be improved. Their determination to bring about improvement is infectious. It is matched by a real desire to both support and challenge school leaders to bring about the further improvements needed in outcomes for pupils. They have demonstrated that they can lead change from a low starting point following the previous inspection. Governors check carefully on the progress that pupils make. As a consequence, they have a realistic view of the improvements in behaviour, attendance and achievement that have been gained since the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

previous inspection. They find out for themselves about pupils’ learning and use the information to challenge leaders to pursue yet better outcomes, because they recognise that is not consistently good in all subjects and for all groups of pupils. Governors check that leaders carry out arrangements for teachers’ performance management rigorously and that targets are set for pupils’ progress. Governors do not accept recommendations for pay awards that are not justified, and take rigorous actions when performance falls below expected standards. The trust takes responsibility for the performance management of the principal and holds him to account for the school’s overall performance.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Governors make sure that safeguarding and pupils’ safety are high on the agenda and that the school has proper arrangements to deal with any concerns about pupils’ welfare. Governors ensure that all the checks that are needed to make sure only suitable

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Effectiveness of leadership and management requires improvement

adults work with pupils are carried out and are carefully recorded. As a result, pupils feel safe and secure in school, and parents agree.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

 The quality of teaching is variable. When teachers use the information about pupils’ progress available to them to plan lessons with precision, they engage and challenge pupils of different abilities successfully. In these instances, the pace of learning is swift. However, when planning is less well judged, some pupils’ interest in their learning wanes and they become unsettled.  Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use it to check that pupils understand what they have to do and provide pupils with help when they are stuck or have misunderstood. However, teachers do not consistently ask probing questions that challenge pupils’ understanding and deepen their thinking to accelerate their progress. As a consequence, pupils do not always make all the progress of which they are capable.  Teachers have established positive relationships with pupils. This helps pupils to settle quickly in their

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

lessons and they are ready to apply themselves. When pupils are engaged and stretched in their learning, they show they can work with concentration individually and with others. However, some teachers, across a range of subjects, do not expect enough of their pupils in terms of the quantity or quality of work they produce. This limits the progress pupils make on these occasions. As a result, pupils can be too easily satisfied with their work, when they could have achieved more.  Teachers apply the school’s expectations of pupils’ behaviour around the school in social time and between lessons consistently. As a consequence, pupils conduct themselves well and enjoy a pleasant and positive atmosphere.  Teachers provide regular feedback on pupils’ work. Pupils respond well to precise advice when it is given. Where pupils offer an extended response, this helps them make progress in their learning. Marking of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

spelling and grammar is helping pupils improve the accuracy of their written work.  Teachers set homework regularly and check completion using the online ‘Show my homework’ programme. This helps keep parents informed about their child’s learning alongside the regular written reports they receive. Leaders ensure that there are regular opportunities for parents to speak with teachers at parents evenings that are open to parents with a child in any year group.  Throughout the school, there is a strong focus on developing pupils’ literacy skills. Targeted support for pupils helps them develop better reading and writing skills. Pupils enjoy reading and do so with increasing fluency, working out how to read new words and make sense of what they read. This drive for better levels of literacy makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning across their subjects.  The use of the numeracy skills taught through mathematics is less well developed in other subject areas.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment requires improvement

Some basic numeracy skills that are needed in other subjects, such as science, were not taught successfully in the past. As a result, staff are re-teaching them in later years to help pupils catch up and avoid limiting their performance in examinations. The renewed focus on numeracy is increasing as staff respond to additional training that focuses on securing pupils’ grasp of key skills and concepts, which can be re-applied in other subjects.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Governors’ work with the principal and senior staff to generate a positive and supportive ethos in the school is reflected in the self- confidence pupils display in their day-to-day interactions with each other and with staff.  While pupils recognise that the school has strict rules, pupils are proud of their school. Their pride is seen in the way in which they respect others’ points of view and ideas. Pupils show, equally, that they are tolerant and respectful of others in society who have different backgrounds, cultures and beliefs from their own, or who lead different lifestyles.  Pupils learn about different public institutions. They have a wide range of opportunities to listen to visiting speakers about different jobs and roles in society, and make external visits or trips to enrich their learning. Pupils develop a keen sense of right and wrong through discussions in tutor time and through

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Personal development and welfare

topics studied in a range of subjects. For example, pupils in a religious studies lesson discussed the potential benefits and difficulties of mixed-faith relationships with maturity and insight. Pupils in a GCSE history lesson learned how women’s freedoms were repressed during the Nazi regime in Germany.  Pupils, including those who attend an alternative provision, have a range of opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyles and relationships. They learn about how to identify risk and keep themselves safe when using the internet. Leaders ensure that additional support is available for pupils in difficult emotional situations. Together, these help keep pupils safe and well, allowing them to develop suitable skills, knowledge and attributes, in preparation for further study or training and life as a young adult in modern Britain.  Pupils say they feel safe in school and are cared for well. They confirm that there is always someone on

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Personal development and welfare

the staff they can turn to if they have a worry or concern. A number of parents have sought places for their children at the school because they are confident about the quality of care the school provides. While a small number of parents are not entirely satisfied with the school, the vast majority who responded to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, say that they would recommend the school to others.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Pupils are very largely ready to follow staff instructions and most are keen to learn well. However, a small proportion of pupils have not developed the determination required to persevere with tasks without close supervision. Such pupils do not apply themselves well enough in a range of subjects and different year groups.  When pupils are not engaged by the topic or activities in lessons, some pupils lose interest in their work and can become distracted. Where pupils are more secure in their learning skills, they show commitment to improving their work and this contributes to the progress they make.  The school has worked hard with pupils and parents to improve attendance since the previous inspection. The attendance rate is currently very slightly above the national average. However, too many pupils do not arrive punctually to school.  While staff supervise pupils appropriately during social time and between lessons, they manage their own

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Behaviour

behaviour well most of the time around the school. As a consequence, pupils are happy and enjoy a positive and pleasant environment.  Where some pupils had suffered bullying at a previous school, such behaviour has not been repeated since arriving in this school. They say that, here, bullying is dealt with effectively by staff. Pupils learn about different sorts of bullying including cyber bullying. They show a good understanding of the hurt that bullying causes. Such work helps keep pupils safe at school, and contributes to their good behaviour around the school and to their personal development.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 In summer 2015, the attainment and progress of pupils leaving Year 11 were below the national minimum standards set by the government. Overall, pupils did not make enough progress across a range of subjects. The proportions of pupils making or exceeding expected progress in English and mathematics were significantly below the national averages.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 Governors and the principal are taking steps to improve the quality of teaching. This is leading to better rates of progress in current years overall. The variability seen in the quality of teaching is reflected in the inconstant progress seen within individual subject areas as well as across subject areas. As a consequence, while rates of progress are improving overall, they are not consistently good enough.  In some cases, older pupils are still acquiring basic skills and knowledge, which they should have covered at an earlier stage in the school. As a result, they are not as ready as they should be to develop their understanding of key aspects of learning and re-apply it in new contexts.  Pupils in Years 7 and 8 who entered the school with levels of attainment well below those expected of their age are well supported. They make good progress in their basic literacy and numeracy skills. They

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

learn to read more fluently and this helps their learning in other subjects.  Disadvantaged pupils are making faster progress than was the case in the past overall. The gap to national averages for other pupils is closing step by step over time in English and mathematics. However, improvement is not consistent across all year groups in the school for these pupils. For example, the progress made by disadvantaged pupils in Years 7 and 8 is, in most aspects, stronger than the progress made by older pupils, who are nearer to the end of time at the school. While the progress of disadvantaged pupils is improving overall, it is not yet secure because of these variabilities. Leaders recognise that there is further to go to close the gaps fully against national figures.  The progress made by the most-able pupils in English and mathematics is improving over time. It is closing the gap to the national average for this group of pupils but still remains below for pupils in upper

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

year groups. The focus on progress is having more success for the most-able pupils in younger year groups, who are on track to match or exceed current rates of progress for high-achieving pupils nationally. A similar pattern is emerging for the proportion of pupils on track to achieve A* and A grades at GCSE in English and mathematics. While school progress checks show that the proportion is increasing over time, it is below the current national averages in Years 9 to 11, but above the current national averages in Years 7 and 8, where improvements have had the greatest impact.  The progress being made in current years among middle-ability pupils, who make up the largest proportion of pupils in the school, is improving in English and is well above the small proportion who made expected progress in 2015. It is nearing the 2015 national average in most year groups. In mathematics, the proportion of middle-ability pupils making expected progress in Years 7 to 10 is close to

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

the national average overall. In Year 11, however, this proportion remains well below the 2015 national average.  Support for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is improving as systems for the identification of needs and individualised programmes of support are developed. However, the improving rates of progress seen for other groups are not as secure for this group. The proportions of pupils making expected or more than expected progress are lower than for other pupils from their starting points. However, greater accuracy in identifying needs is stabilising performance, and where pupils have a statement of special educational needs they make good progress.  Overall, girls achieve better than boys. In English, the proportion of boys making expected progress is below the national average in Years 9 to 11 but above the current national average in Years 7 and 8. The pattern for girls is similar but the gap to the national average is smaller.

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Outcomes for pupils require improvement

 In mathematics, the gap between the proportion of boys making expected progress and the national average for boys is slightly greater than in English. However, the overall gap between the current progress rates in school for Year 11 pupils is closer to the national average than in English. For both English and mathematics, the gaps to the national averages are now considerably smaller than in summer 2015.  Focused interventions in science are leading to consistent improvement over time. In Years 7 to 10, the proportion of pupils on track to achieve grades A* to C at GCSE core science is in line with, or exceeds, the national average for 2015. In Year 11, the gap is closing steadily.  The overall improving picture of progress supports pupils increasingly well in preparing them for the next steps in education or training.

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School details

Unique reference number 139118 Local authority Kingston upon Hull Inspection number 10011690

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy sponsor-led Age range of pupils 11–16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 621 Appropriate authority Academies Enterprise Trust Chair Carol White Principal Dale Jackson Telephone number 01482 879967 Website www.thekingswoodacademy.org Email address contactus@thekingswoodacademy.org Date of previous inspection 20 January 2015

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Information about this school

 Kingswood Academy was opened in July 2013 and is a member of the Academies Enterprise Trust.  The school is smaller than average and serves pupils between the ages of 11 and 16, mainly from the local catchment area.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is above average.  The school uses ‘Aspire’ as an alternative provision for a very small number of pupils.  At its previous inspection in January 2015, the school was judged to be inadequate.  Following a short period of time, during which an interim management board was responsible for the school alongside the trust, a new governing body was re-formed and has resumed local governing body functions.  The current principal took up post in April 2015. Since that time, a new vice-principal has been appointed, taking up post in September 2015, at the same time as the new head of geography and the director of science.

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Information about this school

 Further new appointments of middle leaders in technology, mathematics and English followed. These took up post in January 2016, at the same time as the newly appointed assistant vice-principal for teaching and learning.  The school meets requirements for the publication of specified information on its website.  In 2015, the school did not meet the government’s current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations of pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held discussions with the principal to check how well the school leads learning, so that pupils achieve well, and helps pupils develop the personal skills they need.  Inspectors talked with governors and a representative of the Academies Enterprise Trust to learn how well they support and challenge leaders to do the best for their pupils. Inspectors checked that they make effective arrangements to keep pupils safe.  Through observations in lessons, some held jointly with the headteacher and senior leaders, and a scrutiny of pupils’ work, inspectors examined how well current pupils learn and are making progress.  Inspectors talked with pupils informally and formally in discussions to find out their views on how well they are looked after, what it is like to be a pupil in the school and whether they feel safe.  Inspectors examined a large number of documents, including those about checks on pupils’ progress,

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Information about this inspection

the quality of teaching, attendance and records of how the school keeps pupils safe.  Inspectors discussed the work of middle leaders to find out how they support and challenge their teams and help pupils to progress.  Inspectors took into account the responses of parents to the online questionnaire, Parent View, used by Ofsted to gather their views. Inspectors also considered the responses to the staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Chris Campbell, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Lynne Selkirk Ofsted Inspector Mary Lanovy-Taylor Ofsted Inspector Fiona Dixon Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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