Kendrick School

Inspection of Kendrick School London Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5BN

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Sixth-form provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Kendrick School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Kendrick School to be outstanding, before it opened as an academy. 8 and 9 November 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils and sixth formers are justly proud of their school community. They delight in their learning and truly excel here. One parent spoke for many when reflecting, ‘The school does a great job of creating well-rounded, kind, human beings who will hopefully go on to make the world a better place. The academic results are important of course, but far from the only focus.’ Inspectors totally agree.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Passionate and inspiring senior leadership underpins the shared high aspirations and first-rate academic standards at Kendrick. The highly dedicated team of staff support all pupils to benefit from the rich academic curriculum, enriched with a dazzling array of experiences and clubs. Pupils respond to teachers’ very high expectations. They enthusiastically engage in debate and discussion and immerse themselves in all that the curriculum offers. They become confident independent learners, achieve exceptionally well and are very well prepared to become exemplary citizens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The Kendrick Pledge emphasises friendship, kindness, respect, equality, tolerance and justice, and these values underpin all that the school achieves. Pupils flourish in this exceptionally caring and inclusive learning environment. Secure, trusting relationships between staff and pupils ensure pupils feel very well supported and safe here. In turn, pupils’ excellent behaviour and impeccable manners make Kendrick a very special place to be.

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better?

Kendrick offers an engaging, rich and ambitious curriculum for all pupils and sixth formers. Over many years, pupils have benefited from very high standards and achievement in mathematics and the sciences. The school also provides a first-class education across languages, humanities and a range of creative and practical subjects. Leaders work tirelessly to promote high aspirations and expectations within a caring and compassionate culture.

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better?

Senior leaders support their staff well. Teachers engage in research and source relevant training and resources through their participation in local and national networks. This equips them with expert subject knowledge. They use this well to plan sequences of lessons that ensure learning is sustained and that pupils achieve work of a very high standard. Staff promote a rich culture of reading and encourage pupils to read ambitious texts across the curriculum.

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better?

Teachers use assessment, discussion and debate to encourage pupils and sixth formers to apply their learning in different contexts and deepen their knowledge. Pupils and students relish opportunities to consider ambitious and relevant topics across the curriculum. Older pupils support younger ones in this through their roles as student leaders, running a wealth of learning clubs and activities. 8 and 9 November 2022

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Well-established systems of accountability, together with external reviews, support the dedicated team of governors to hold leaders to account for standards. Governors share senior leaders’ passion to expand provision to better meet the needs of the local community. The school’s ‘widening horizons initiative’ is actively working with local primary schools. The headteacher and her team are promoting awareness and seeking to increase the numbers of disadvantaged pupils from the local area who attend the school.

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Teachers know their pupils as individuals. Skilful assessment, coupled with a range of induction events, support new students joining the sixth form. This enables them to settle in quickly and make strong progress alongside their peers. The new SENDCo carefully identifies pupils’ needs and shares useful information with staff. Teachers skilfully adapt their lessons to meet the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Consequently, pupils with SEND are very well supported, both academically and emotionally, and are achieving in line with their peers.

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Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary both in lessons and around the school. They respect and exemplify the values within the school pledge. Pupils love being here. Attendance is high, pupils are punctual and lessons are free from any low-level disruption.

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Leaders value pupils’ personal development just as much as their academic outcomes. Staff care deeply about pupils’ well-being. Pupils benefit from a highly effective programme of personal, social, health and citizenship education across the years. They consider the implications of a broad range of relevant ethical and sensitive issues. This empowers them with the knowledge and confidence to make informed choices. Pupils benefit from a wealth of enrichment and leadership opportunities. These include running the eco-committee, choirs, orchestras, chess clubs, swimming and sports clubs or looking after the chickens.

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Impartial careers advice and guidance help pupils plan and prepare for their next steps when they leave the school. There are opportunities to gain relevant work experience closely linked to future destinations. Most sixth formers generally go on to their chosen universities, but they are well informed about other opportunities, including degree apprenticeships.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure safer recruitment practices are followed appropriately. All staff are kept well informed through regular training and briefings about safeguarding. Leaders promote a culture of vigilance at Kendrick, ensuring adults, and other pupils, are alert to any signs that a pupil may be at risk. Well-managed systems are used to record and share any concerns that staff may have about pupils. Safeguarding leaders swiftly seek support from external agencies, challenging when necessary to ensure that pupils and families can access the help they need. Pupils 8 and 9 November 2022

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say they feel safe here and know that there are trusted adults to turn to should they need help.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to 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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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. 8 and 9 November 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10229055 Type of school Grammar (selective)

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Kendrick School converted to become an academy in February 2011. When its predecessor school, also called Kendrick School, was last inspected by Ofsted in 2008, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The school is a standalone academy.  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.  At the time of this inspection the school was making use of three Ofsted registered alternative providers for a very small number of pupils. 8 and 9 November 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Deep dives were conducted in English, mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, history and design technology. As part of these, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited lessons, talked to pupils about their work and met with teaching staff to talk about their approach to designing and delivering the curriculum. In addition, meetings were held with leaders of personal, social, health and citizenship education to discuss curriculum planning and provision in this area.  Inspectors met with school leaders, staff and those with responsibility for governance, including the chair of the trust. Meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, senior leaders, subject leaders, the SENDCo

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Information about this inspection

and other members of teaching and support staff.  Inspectors scrutinised documents, including those relating to behaviour, attendance and governance.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils to discuss their views about many different aspects of their school and to talk about their work. Inspectors also held informal conversations with pupils at breaktime and lunchtime.  The views of pupils, parents and staff represented in meetings and the responses to Ofsted surveys were considered.  Inspectors reviewed the school’s policies and practices and met with designated safeguarding leads to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding. Records of safeguarding incidents were scrutinised and discussed. Inspectors also reviewed the school’s records of the recruitment checks made on adults working in the school.

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Inspection team

Matthew Newberry, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Tom Neave Ofsted Inspector 8 and 9 November 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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