Kettlethorpe High School

Inspection of school: Kettlethorpe High School Kettlethorpe Hall Drive, Standbridge Lane, Sandal, Wakefield, West Yorkshire WF2 7EL

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Outcome

Kettlethorpe High School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kettlethorpe High School is a popular, inclusive and well-led school. Pupils enjoy attending it. They have positive and respectful relationships with each other, and with members of staff. Pupils know that staff will be there for them in times of need.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from high levels of ambition within the curriculum. Curriculum choices for all pupils are well thought through. Pupils’ work is showcased and celebrated throughout the school building.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The vast majority of pupils respect these expectations. Some pupils have taken time to refocus since the disruption caused by the pandemic. Leaders are restructuring some roles and responsibilities to address this. The number of incidents of formal suspensions is low. Although bullying happens occasionally, most pupils say such incidents are well managed.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors they felt lucky to attend the school. They wear their uniform and achievement badges with pride. Older pupils, who will soon be leaving school, are well prepared for their next steps. They are leaving with fond memories. They are aware of the considerable impact the school has had in preparing them for life as young adults.

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

Leaders have established a well-thought-through curriculum. There is a real sense of purpose throughout all year groups. In key stage 3, the design of the school timetable allows pupils to learn all subjects in the national curriculum to a suitable level of depth. The proportion of pupils in key stage 4 who study the suite of challenging subjects, which collectively are known as the ‘English Baccalaureate’, is remarkably high.

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

Subject leaders have created detailed teaching plans. In some subjects, such as mathematics, these are continuing to develop. Elsewhere, for example in science, there are meticulous plans which are very mindful of the latest subject-based research. Across 14 and 15 June 2022

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all subjects, these plans are followed by teachers. Pupils’ work is often of a high quality. This is particularly evident in art and design, where pupils are particularly motivated to do well. Elsewhere, however, there is some variation in the extent of challenge seen in lessons. Occasionally, some pupils can do more than what staff expect of them.

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Pupils can recall much of what they have been taught. Teachers have thought carefully about how to help pupils remember more. In mathematics, for example, lessons regularly begin with ‘blast from the past’ recall activities. Pupils’ mathematical skills are embedded further through bespoke ‘key skills’ initiatives, and ‘memory booster’ booklets. Pupils speak highly of strategies such as these.

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Teachers have access to information about pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, this information does not always identify specific strategies that teachers should implement in lessons. Subject leaders do not always work closely with SEND leaders to consider how to meet the needs of pupils within their individual subjects. However, the more general support for pupils with SEND, including the management of the in-house ‘inclusion hub’ and the availability of safe places for pupils to access, is well managed.

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There is a well-embedded culture of reading throughout the school. Younger pupils access a weekly ‘richer reading’ lesson, delivered in a way that allows all staff to be involved. Pupils are rewarded for good behaviour. This includes being able to choose a new book from the rewards vending machine. There are also sensible strategies in place to support pupils still in the earlier stages of becoming confident readers. Leaders have plans to take a similar approach to embedding numeracy across school.

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The way pupils are supported with their wider development is noteworthy. Members of the proactive ‘pupil parliament’ group are involved in lots of school projects. Pupils are highly charitable. The school community has raised over £100,000 for ‘Children in Need’ in recent years. Prior to the pandemic, there were popular local, national and international trips and visits. Leaders have plans for these to return. Extra-curricular opportunities are vast.

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The personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) programme has a high profile. All pupils recently took part in a consent ‘drop down’ day to draw attention to the importance of healthy relationships. They also receive high-quality careers advice. Former pupils who have achieved success in their own careers often come back to motivate current pupils. Leaders have recently reintroduced work experience opportunities.

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School leaders have a proactive role in the local ‘Wakefield Learning Community’, working closely with other school leaders. Leaders are supported by a group of committed governors, who hold leaders to account for the decisions they make. They know the school and its community very well. Since the previous inspection, governors have challenged leaders to ensure disadvantaged pupils are well supported in school.

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Staff enjoy working at the school and feel well supported in their roles. Parents and carers also hold the school in high regard. They feel well informed about life at school. They appreciate the steps staff take to help keep their children safe. 14 and 15 June 2022

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe at school. They know exactly who to go to if they have any problems and are confident they will be listened to and helped. Pupils who attend a popular school- based LGBTQ+ group speak positively about their experiences at school.

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Safeguarding

Staff are trained on how to spot signs of concern, and what to do when matters are brought to their attention. Staff are also knowledgeable about whistleblowing procedures. The safeguarding records scrutinised during the inspection were detailed and well managed. Safeguarding leaders help provide support for pupils to stay safe, as and when concerns arise. They engage proactively with external agencies.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have implemented ambitious plans to further improve the implementation of the curriculum. This is important as occasionally some pupils are not always suitably challenged. This limits the extent of new content they are learning. Subject leaders should continue their drive to ensure all pupils are suitably challenged within lessons.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The needs of pupils with SEND are well known and understood. However, teachers are not fully supported to know about the specific actions to take to allow pupils with SEND to thrive in their lessons. As such, some pupils with SEND do not receive the adaptations in lessons that would be of benefit. Leaders should review this aspect of SEND support, to ensure it mirrors the high-quality, wider SEND provision.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have established a successful approach to promoting reading. It is currently being extended to benefit all pupils. The approach to embedding numeracy across school is less well developed. Leaders should enact the plans they have to address this, raising the profile of aspects of numeracy, while ensuring consistency across the school.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately. 14 and 15 June 2022

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This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in September 2011.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 14 and 15 June 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10200482 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1662

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 16 December 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school currently uses two alternative providers: ‘Focus’ and ‘Action2Change’. Neither of these providers are registered with Ofsted.  Through its careers programme, the school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors met with the headteacher and other leaders. The inspectors spoke to teaching and non-teaching staff, in addition to the chair of the school’s governing body. The lead inspector also spoke to representatives from the local authority.

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Information about this inspection

 To evaluate the quality of education, deep dives were carried out in mathematics, history, modern foreign languages, and art and design. In all subjects, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, 14 and 15 June 2022

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talked to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work. Aspects of other subjects, including science, and the PSHE curriculum, were also reviewed.

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 Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site. They also spoke to pupils to discuss their reflections of day-to-day life at school, and took account of all responses to the pupil inspection survey. Records of attendance and behaviour incidents were reviewed.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the school’s policies and procedures, and other records, were reviewed. The checks that the school makes when appointing new staff were scrutinised.  The views of 114 members of staff who responded to Ofsted’s survey were considered, alongside the 221 responses to the ‘Parent View’ inspection survey.

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Inspection team

James Duncan, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Michelle Farr Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 June 2022

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regulates and inspects to 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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