Kings Brighton

Kings Brighton 27–33 Ditchling Road, Brighton BN1 4SB

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders are ambitious and have a clear vision for the college. They have worked relentlessly to ensure that the college fully complies with all the independent school standards, including those for safeguarding.  The curriculum is broad and balanced, with a strong subject-based focus on the development of literacy skills. The promotion of students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is strong.  The college prepares local and international students well for life in modern Britain. There is a good focus on equality and diversity. Relationships are harmonious, and students get on very well with each other.  The college collects and collates a lot of data, but available information is not systematically analysed to identify and act upon trends. Written self-evaluation and development planning are not sufficiently focused on priorities.  Students’ progress, including in English, mathematics and science, is good given their

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

different starting points.  Arrangements for safeguarding, including staff vetting, are effective. Students feel safe in college. Their security contributes to the growing confidence that students show in their learning, progress and relationships.  Teaching and learning are effective in enabling students to make good progress in their academic and personal development. Teachers demonstrate very good subject knowledge and enthusiasm for their teaching.  Teachers have high expectations. Relationships are supportive. Questioning is used effectively to check students’ understanding but feedback does not follow school policy and focus on what students must do to improve.  Students are well behaved, polite and courteous. They get on well with adults and their peers. A very few students do not attend college often enough. Some students are tardy in getting to their lessons on time.  The provision for careers education and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

guidance is particularly strong. It actively encourages students to aim high so that many complete their courses and proceed to further education and university.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent Schools Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that: – teaching is consistently good or better across all subjects, and that best practice is shared across the college – the spread of abilities in classes is catered for and higher-attaining students are suitably challenged.  Improve leadership and management by ensuring that teachers comply with the college’s policies by ensuring that feedback to students, on work, tests and reports, provides them with information on exactly what they need to do to improve.  Improve attendance for the very few students who come to college less often, and improve the punctuality of those who arrive late to lessons.  Ensure that available information is used more robustly to analyse and act upon trends in attainment, progress and attendance, as well as to inform and prioritise self-evaluation and development planning.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Leaders and managers have a clear vision and passion to provide the best care and education for their students. The principal, capably supported by his senior management team, has successfully developed the college into one that is effective and improving. The college meets all the independent school standards.  Leaders have high expectations and a good awareness of the college’s effectiveness. However, new systems and procedures are not yet fully embedded. Available information is not yet used to analyse and act upon trends in attainment, progress and attendance as well as to inform self-evaluation and development planning.  The college’s curriculum is broad and balanced. It provides students with opportunities to develop their skills through both academic study as well as a rich diet of other experiences that develop their confidence and self-discipline well. The college emphasises fundamental British values, including the rule of law, respect for others and tolerance.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

 Lesson observations confirm the high level of support provided for the development of students’ literacy and numeracy skills. The college actively promotes students’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Carefully considered schemes of work support teaching well to meet the majority of students’ needs.  The college offers a range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities, including art, chess, yoga, economics and music, as well as workshops on debating, cinema, study skills and salsa dancing. Trips to the local football ground, museums, food markets and fringe theatre contribute to students’ self-confidence, social skills and community awareness.  Performance management procedures have recently been put in place and the college has a systematic programme for monitoring the quality of teaching. Staff are well supported, through a range of appropriate training programmes, to help them to develop

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

their expertise and meet their targets.  The college’s main website meets statutory requirements for the publication of information. The website contains a comprehensive, up-to-date safeguarding and child protection policy as well as detailed policies on health and safety, safer recruitment, fire safety and first aid.

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Governance

 The directors know the college well. They are kept informed through regular visits and detailed documentation. They carry out their statutory duties efficiently to ensure that leaders are held to account for improving the quality of education.  Directors oversee the college’s work effectively and provide support and challenge for leaders. They are rigorous in holding leaders and managers to account in a constructive and supportive way. The directors ensure that the college meets all the requirements of the independent school standards.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The college complies with all the elements of the independent school standards regarding the safety of students, including publishing a safeguarding and child protection policy. The policy is regularly reviewed to ensure that the college meets statutory requirements in line with guidance from the Secretary of State.  All staff have received up-to-date training on the latest guidance and requirements. Statutory safeguarding requirements are carefully followed through and the security of students is a priority. Members of the safeguarding team are well known to students, and details of the college’s first aiders and fire wardens are visibly posted around the site.  Systems for recruiting staff are robust and records are thorough. Staff know students extremely well and are quick to offer support and guidance where appropriate. Students who were spoken to were very complimentary about the levels of support provided by the

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Safeguarding

school and their teachers.  There is a strong safeguarding culture across the college. Staff know the procedures to follow in the event of any concerns raised. There are sufficient staff trained in first aid, and the medical room meets requirements. Quizzes are used effectively to identify how well staff are aware of safeguarding procedures and practices as well as to address misunderstandings.  Leaders have developed detailed risk assessments for a range of activities. Staff recognise that some activities, for some students, bring additional risks and require thoughtful actions to reduce those risks. In addition, risk assessments identify the significant benefits that such trips and visits offer.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

 Teachers have very good subject knowledge, which they put to good use across the college. Classroom visits showed staff using their specialist knowledge to deepen learning and motivate students through thoughtful questioning. Teachers plan activities to engage students and enable them to make good progress.  In all subjects, teachers focus on developing students’ English language, understanding and skills. For example, in a successful lesson on transforming graphs, students were clearly able to identify subject-specific words, and understood their meaning before moving on.  Teachers know their students well. They are quick to establish students’ individual interests. They use this information well to provide examples and resources which enable students to engage with their learning and to become secure in their understanding. Teachers are quick to identify and resolve student misconceptions.  Verbal feedback is a regular feature of most lessons. Teachers make good use of

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

questioning to develop students’ confidence to explain their answers and to check understanding. However, feedback on written work and examination papers is inconsistent, and consequently students are not always clear what they need to do to improve.

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Personal development and welfare

 The college’s work to promote students’ personal development and welfare is good.  The college has very high aspirations for all its students. Staff and students work well together. All students are treated with respect and dignity. Their physical and emotional well-being is supported exceptionally well. Students say that they feel looked after and valued.  Relationships are strong. Students are supportive of each other and show positive attitudes to learning most of the time. They settle very quickly into college life and they are supported by a highly effective induction programme which gives them very clear guidance on college procedures and expectations.  Students are enthusiastic about the college and what it has to offer. They understand about bullying, including cyber bullying, and say that bullying is extremely rare. They understand how to stay safe online. Students know what to do if they have any concerns.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of students is good.  Students understand what constitutes good behaviour and appreciate the consequences of poor behaviour. Sanctions for misbehaviour are rarely needed. Students’ behaviour in lessons and around the college is exemplary, and they show respect for staff and fellow students. During the inspection, there was no evidence of any bullying in the college.  Attendance is below national averages, but attendance figures are skewed by the small number of students who are poor attenders. Attendance information is not always analysed effectively, and strategies to improve attendance in college are not always identified and pursued.  Punctuality to college is good, but a small number of students, including some who are boarding on the school site, are tardy in getting to their lessons on time, especially in the morning. Action to address instances of poor attendance and punctuality was not always

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Outcomes for pupils Good

 Most students arrive at the college with limited English, but leave with qualifications in a variety of subjects as well as with increased personal confidence. During their short time at the college, students make good progress from their very different starting points. This progress is the result of good personalised support, ongoing monitoring, appropriate intervention, and teaching that supports and develops their literacy skills.  A small number of students studied for a range of GCSE qualifications in subjects including English language, mathematics, science, economics and information technology. The college’s information indicated that results are expected to be in line with age-related national expectations, although with fewer high-level passes.  Other students, enrolled on the arts foundation course, the advanced-level foundation course and the international business foundation course, are expected to meet their

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Outcomes for pupils Good

targets. The very large majority of students are expected to proceed to university courses of their choosing to study a range of subjects, including art, business, economics, marketing and biomedical science.  Students taking English as a foreign language also do well. They achieve a level of proficiency in reading, listening, speaking and writing which enables them to move into higher education or progress further in employment. Improvements in their reading and listening skills are greater than those in their writing and speaking skills.  The quality of work seen in students’ books, folders and examination papers confirms that students are making good progress in their academic work. Students are proud of their work, and their presentation is of a very high quality.  The provision for students’ careers advice is a particular strength, and the vast majority of students move to meaningful destinations in further and higher education. Regular

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Outcomes for pupils Good

tutorials and personalised interviews actively support their aspirations and career choices.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £13,800–£22,500

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School details

Email address nigel.addison@kingseducation.com

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Kings Brighton is part of a group of schools that offer international students English language tuition and preparation for university entrance. The college opened in September 2017 and is owned and operated by Prime Education and Training.  The college offers a range of courses, including English, GCSE and A-level examinations, as well as an arts foundation course, the advanced-level foundation course and the international business foundation course.  At the time of the inspection, there were five full-time students and one part-time student on roll in the 15 to 18 age group. The number of students on roll, their age range, level of academic attainment and use of English as additional language vary because the number, type and length of courses on offer differ throughout the year.  The majority of students are from a mix of local and international backgrounds. The proportion of students who speak English as an additional language is similar to national

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Information about this school

averages. There are no students with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan, and no students are supported by pupil premium funding.  The college does not make use of any alternative provision. Almost all students live in boarding accommodation provided by the college, or with local families. An inspection of the boarding provision at the college was undertaken in March 2018. The report found that the overall experiences and progress of children and young people were good.  The college meets all requirements for the publication of specified information on its website.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector undertook observations of students’ learning in eight lessons. Four of these lessons were observed jointly with senior members of staff. The inspector reviewed students’ books, folders and test papers in English, mathematics and science to check attainment, progress, feedback and presentation.  Meetings were held with the principal, senior leaders and middle leaders. The inspector spoke with two directors. He held meetings with students in the college and spoke informally to students inside and outside lessons.  The inspector looked at the college’s website and a range of documentation, including the self-evaluation form and the development plan. He also looked at safeguarding records and the college’s attendance, behaviour and exclusions logs.  Responses to the inspection questionnaires completed by 20 members of staff were considered. There were too few responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, to be

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Information about this inspection

considered but the inspector discussed the college’s own surveys of parents and students.

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Inspection team

Paul Metcalf, lead inspector 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

Parent View 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

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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

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 .

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Inspection team

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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.gov.uk/ofsted

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