Kettering Science Academy

Inspection of Kettering Science Academy Deeble Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN15 7AA

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires Improvement 11 and 12 July 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that staff at this school have high expectations of them. Pupils describe how the school tries to develop all pupils to be the best that they can be.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Older pupils describe how the school has got much better over time. All pupils now receive a much better quality of education. Students in the sixth form hold wholly positive views of the education they receive. Leaders, with the help of the trust, have transformed this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils conduct themselves well in and around school. The curriculum for behaviour, more commonly known as ‘the KSA way’, helps pupils to develop better behaviour, as well as their strength of character. Pupils say that there are occasional instances of poor behaviour, but these are quickly dealt with by staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know what bullying is. Anti-bullying ambassadors and trusted staff are available for all pupils to report any concerns they might have. Most pupils say that the school does not tolerate bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of after-school extra-curricular activities in the ‘co- curriculum’. More recently, pupils engaged with a range of employers during the ‘world of work’ days. This is another way that the school helps to build pupils’ aspirations.

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better?

The curriculum at this school has been reshaped. Leaders, including those from the trust, have ensured that the curriculum is broad and ambitious for all pupils. Leaders have taken the decision to implement a knowledge-rich curriculum. Subject leaders have identified the core content that pupils must know and remember. They have ensured that the curriculum is progressive. This means that pupils build on what they know. The connections they make help them to remember.

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better?

Most teachers have expert subject knowledge. Leaders have prioritised teacher training so that teachers use effective methods to help pupils know more. For example, teachers use visualisers to model and present information clearly. Most teachers use questioning well to deepen pupils’ understanding. This helps pupils learn well. However, there are occasions when activities are not well matched to the intended learning. When this is the case, some pupils become off-task and do not learn as well as they should.

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better?

Leaders expertly monitor the quality of education to make sure that teachers deliver the curriculum effectively. They have ensured that there is consistency in teaching, which helps pupils to develop knowledge across many subjects. There are still occasions when teachers do not use assessment purposefully enough. The feedback they give is not always precise enough to help all pupils improve further. 11 and 12 July 2023

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Leaders are ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders identify the needs of pupils and ensure that they put into place strategies that will help pupils with SEND achieve. Teachers adapt their teaching skilfully so that pupils with SEND undertake the same learning as others.

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Pupils at the earlier stages of reading benefit from interventions from an expert team of reading and literacy teachers. The school has invested in an age-appropriate phonics curriculum. This helps pupils to become better readers quickly, enabling them to access the full curriculum.

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Students in the sixth form are well supported by subject experts. They receive an ambitious curriculum, and outcomes for these students are improving. They achieve the qualifications they need for their next steps. Students have high rates of attendance. They are proud to attend the sixth form. One student summed up the views of many when he said, ‘The sixth form is like a family. I would not want to attend anywhere else.’

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Teachers develop pupils in the widest sense. Pupils learn about different types of families, the protected characteristics and British values. They have an age- appropriate understanding of relationships education. The curriculum teaches pupils how to stay safe. For example, in Year 8, pupils have learned about the dangers of knife crime.

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Teachers use the ‘3Rs’ (remind, reinforce and remove) to minimise classroom disruption. These rules are consistently and fairly applied most of the time. This ensures a calm and orderly learning environment, where pupils can learn.

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Some parents and carers have negative views of the school. Leaders have not engaged and communicated effectively enough to share the good work the school does in supporting all pupils.

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Trustees, governors and leaders work in partnership. Decisions made at the highest level have helped to improve the school. Leaders accurately monitor and evaluate the school’s work to develop it further. They ensure that they consider staff’s workload and well-being before they implement change.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are vigilant and highly trained to recognise the signs that a pupil might be at risk. Leaders ensure that all staff know about local and national safeguarding issues that might affect pupils at this school. Staff use their knowledge and training to record and report any concerns quickly to the safegaurding team.

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Safeguarding

Leaders triage any concerns and take swift action to keep pupils safe. They have detailed records of concerns and actions they have taken to keep pupils safe. Leaders work with external agencies to ensure that pupils get the help they need. 11 and 12 July 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not consistently use assessment purposefully enough. Sometimes, the feedback pupils receive after an assessment is not precise enough to help them improve further. Leaders should ensure that assessment and feedback help pupils to embed knowledge further.  On occasion, teachers do not match activities closely enough to the intended learning. Pupils lose focus and become off-task. They do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that all teachers match activities closely to the intended learning.  A minority of parents have negative views about the school. Leaders must ensure that they engage with all stakeholders and communicate more effectively about the positive work that the school is doing to support and educate its pupils.

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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. 11 and 12 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10278241 Type of school Secondary Comprehensive

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,380

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 22 and 23 October 2019

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Brooke Weston Multi-Academy Trust.  The school uses the services of two registered alternative providers.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 11 and 12 July 2023

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 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics, art, history, science and physical education. For each deep dive, the inspectors discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors visited a range of lessons in other subjects and observed how pupils behave during unstructured times.  Inspectors visited form times and assemblies.  Inspectors met with leaders responsible for behaviour, personal development, the sixth form, the provision for pupils with SEND, the pupil premium, reading, careers and alternative provision.  Inspectors met with groups of pupils from key stages 3, 4 and 5.

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 The lead inspector met with the safeguarding leader to discuss the actions taken to keep pupils safe. He reviewed a range of documents related to safeguarding, including the school’s single central record.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plan.  The lead inspector met with a member of the local governing board and trustees. This included the chair of the trust board and chair of the local governing body.  The lead inspector met with delegates of the trust’s executive team, including the chief executive officer.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent View, and considered the results of the Ofsted staff and pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s behaviour records, including the school’s response to bullying.

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Inspection team

Rakesh Patel, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Mark Rhatigan Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 July 2023

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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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