Kesteven and Grantham Girls' School

Inspection of Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School Sandon Road, Grantham, Lincolnshire NG31 9AU

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 September 2023

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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

The headteacher of this school is James Fuller. This school is run by a single- academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Estelle Conron.

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Ofsted has not previously inspected Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School to be outstanding, before it opened as Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School as a result of conversion to academy status. 19 and 20 September 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School provides an exceptional and broad education for all pupils. Pupils are happy and they thrive here. The school has the very highest aspirations for all pupils. Pupils strive to realise their ambitions. They take pride in their own and others’ achievements that extend beyond the academic.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils display overwhelmingly positive attitudes to all aspects of school life. In lessons, they display exemplary behaviour and eagerness to learn. Always polite and respectful, pupils support each other. Pupils readily take on responsibilities in their ‘house’ or with the school council. Sixth-form students act as mentors and role models for younger pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes pupils’ wider personal development through a rich set of experiences. There are opportunities to take part in many different sports as well as performing arts and other creative pursuits. Students in the sixth form benefit from learning skills designed to prepare them well for their lives beyond school. These include cooking and car maintenance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to take care of their physical and mental health. The school provides high-quality support for pupils’ well-being. This includes valuable personalised help from well-trained staff when pupils need it. Pupils appreciate this.

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better?

The school provides a broad and ambitious curriculum. Pupils have opportunities to study a wide range of subjects. This includes the subjects that make up the English Baccalaureate. In key stages 4 and 5, pupils choose from a variety of courses deliberately designed to meet their interests and ambitions. At all stages, pupils gain the knowledge they need to progress. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well. The curriculum in the sixth form prepares students very well for their next steps in education and their future careers.

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better?

Experienced and knowledgeable staff continually develop the curriculums in all subjects. They make sure that pupils will gain the knowledge they need. This includes wider cultural references and links across subjects. Staff think carefully about the order in which pupils learn new knowledge. This helps pupils gain a depth of understanding over time.

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better?

The curriculum provides pupils with lots of opportunities to revisit and reflect on prior learning. This helps pupils to make links to what they have learned before. Teachers deliver new knowledge expertly. They skilfully check pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions quickly and effectively. Teachers meet the needs of pupils with SEND very well. Staff use a range of well-considered strategies to make sure these pupils benefit from the curriculum. 19 and 20 September 2023

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The school give pupils lots of opportunities to discuss what they are learning. Pupils do so confidently. Teachers provide challenging activities for pupils to practise skills and use new knowledge. Pupils produce high-quality work across the curriculum. Teachers give thoughtful feedback. Pupils are resilient and see mistakes as opportunities to improve. Pupils value the additional academic support offered by staff and sixth-form students at lunchtimes and after school.

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The curriculum contains many opportunities for pupils to read. They enjoy reading from well-chosen texts. The school acts quickly to identify pupils who would benefit from extra help with reading. These pupils receive excellent support.

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The school has introduced a new behaviour policy. This sets the very highest expectations for pupils. Pupils respond to this very well. They are self-motivated and work independently. There are no disruptions to learning. Staff reward pupils for demonstrating positive attitudes. Pupils enjoy very positive relationships with staff. Pupils feel well cared for and trust staff to help them resolve any problems they may face.

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The curriculum to support pupils’ personal development is exceptional. It helps pupils develop mature attitudes towards equality and diversity. They gain a deep understanding of British values and a range of faiths and cultures. The extensive range of extra-curricular activities includes clubs and interesting trips and visits. Almost all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND, take up these opportunities. Pupils across the school engage in charitable activities. Students in the sixth form enthusiastically support the wider school community. The school makes sure that all pupils receive excellent impartial advice about the education and career options they will have in the future.

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The school is very well led and managed. There is a culture built around the highest of expectations set by trustees and staff that is supported by a commitment to continue to develop the school’s provision. The school has prioritised the well-being of its staff, and staff feel very well supported to manage their workload. Trustees, staff and pupils are universally proud to be part of this exceptional school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 19 and 20 September 2023

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 19 and 20 September 2023

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provision on entry

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,200

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sixth form

Website www.kestevengrantham.lincs.sch.uk

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School converted to become an academy in September 2012. When its predecessor school, Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be outstanding overall.  The headteacher was appointed in 2019.  The school uses one registered alternative provider.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 19 and 20 September 2023

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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

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with the chair and other representatives of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, geography, modern foreign languages and art. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke to leaders about the curriculums for other subjects and visited a

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Information about this inspection

number of lessons.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors met with pupils from a range of year groups, including pupils with SEND.  Inspectors met with a range of teaching and non-teaching staff.  Inspectors considered responses to pupil and staff surveys as well as responses to Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Jackie Thornalley Ofsted Inspector 19 and 20 September 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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