Kings London

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Kings London 25 Beckenham Road, Beckenham BR3 4PR

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b), 2(1)(b)(i), 2(2), 2(2)(a), 2(2)(e)–2(2)(e)(iii) and 2A(1), 2A(1)(b) and 2A(1)(d)  At the previous graded inspection, in November 2022, the quality of leaders’ curriculum thinking was variable, especially in subjects such as personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. Leaders had not ensured that teaching staff received professional training, including in helping them to identify and support students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders were not providing pupils of compulsory school age with a full-time curriculum that included coverage of all the required areas of learning. Students’ personal development was limited by the lack of impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG). Leaders were also not implementing their relationships and sex education (RSE) programme. The

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Main inspection findings

school’s action plan to address these weaknesses lacked details of the specific actions that would be taken and the success criteria were too vague.  This inspection found that there have been wide-ranging and substantial improvements to the quality of education.  The college’s new principal has led a thorough review. He has organised a range of professional training for staff. These actions ensure that the key content that students need to know is now taught in a coherently sequenced way so that they learn knowledge and skills more securely in all subjects.  PSHE education has been completely overhauled. The improved, well-sequenced curriculum incorporates a high-quality RSE programme which has now been implemented in full.  Curriculum plans now more suitably consider the needs of students with SEND. Leaders have organised a range of professional training for teachers to ensure that they have required expertise to support the small number of students with SEND.

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Main inspection findings

 Leaders have ensured that a new careers curriculum has been implemented, which includes arrangements to provide all students with regular and impartial CEIAG.  The few pupils of compulsory school age now receive an appropriately broad, full-time education.  These independent school standards (‘standards’) are now met. Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils Paragraph 7–7(b)  The previous inspection judged safeguarding to be not effective because the culture of safeguarding was weak. Leaders and staff were not trained and provided with updates regularly enough. Leaders’ communication with staff and with outside agencies and any action taken in response to safeguarding concerns were neither appropriate nor documented. The school’s action plan to address these weaknesses lacked details, for example about the content of safeguarding training or how leaders planned to check staff’s understanding and the impact of the training. The plan included no actions to

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Main inspection findings

address weaknesses in the school’s pre-employment processes, such as gathering references.  Leaders, governors and the proprietor body have taken urgent and effective action to improve safeguarding arrangements. Leaders, including the new designated safeguarding leader, have ensured the college’s arrangements for safeguarding training, updates and record-keeping now all pay full regard to the latest statutory guidance. Students, staff and leaders spoken to confirmed the substantial improvements to the college’s safeguarding culture.  The safeguarding policy reflects the ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (September 2023) guidance and is published on the school’s website.  This standard is now met. Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1)–34(1)(c)  The previous inspection found that senior leaders’ expectations of staff were not high enough. Staff typically worked without the guidance and training they needed. Leaders,

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Main inspection findings

governors and the proprietor body had not checked or ensured that all the independent school standards were met consistently. Some, relating to the quality of education, safeguarding and leadership and management, were not met. The school’s action plan to address these weaknesses lacked detail to make clear how leaders would ensure the development of their understanding of the independent school standards and how they would check that they are consistently being met.  This inspection found the findings of the previous inspection to have been taken seriously. The proprietors and governors wasted no time in making important decisions to quickly resolve the concerns identified in November 2022. As a result, new senior leaders have rapidly improved the college’s safeguarding culture, curriculum, and quality of education.  Leaders at all levels now demonstrate the skills and knowledge required, and fulfilling

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Main inspection findings

their responsibilities effectively, so that the independent school standards are met and likely to continue to be met consistently.  This standard is now met.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school meets the requirements of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 (‘the independent school standards’) and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection. This included the standards and requirements that the school was judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if– – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub-paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans and schemes of work– – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(2) For the purposes of paragraph (2)(1)(a), the matters are– – 2(2)(a) full-time supervised education for pupils of compulsory school age (construed in accordance with section 8 of the Education Act 1996), which gives pupils experience in linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education – 2(2)(e) for pupils receiving secondary education, access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that– – 2(2)(e)(i) is presented in an impartial manner – 2(2)(e)(ii) enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options; and – 2(2)(e)(iii) helps to encourage them to fulfil their potential.

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2A(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor– – 2A(1)(b) ensures that every registered pupil who is provided with secondary education at the school is provided with relationships and sex education, except in so far as the pupil is excused as mentioned in sub-paragraph (2) – 2A(1)(d) in making arrangements for the purposes of paragraphs (a), (b) or (c), has regard to any guidance under section 80A of the Education Act 2002 that applies in relation to the provision of education by maintained schools.

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Part 3. Welfare, health and safety of pupils

 7 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that– – 7(a) arrangements are made to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils at the school; and – 7(b) such arrangements have regard to any guidance issued by the Secretary of State.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school– – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently; and – 34(1)(c) actively promote the well-being of pupils.

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Of which, number on roll in sixth form 93

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School details

Proprietor Prime Education and Training ltd

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £7,013 to £31,518

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 1 to 3 November 2022

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Information about this school

 Kings London is part of a group of colleges that offer English language tuition and preparation for university programmes in Great Britain and the United States of America.  The college specialises in preparing students to gain the academic qualifications needed for admission to universities in the United Kingdom. Available programmes include English language tuition and a one-year advanced level foundation programme for international students. The college offers A levels in subjects including mathematics, the sciences, economics, politics and business studies. GCSEs are also taught in a range of subjects. These courses are provided in the main building. The college also provides a range of English language courses for international students. These courses are taught in a second building on the same road at 2 Beckenham Road, Beckenham BR3 4LR.  The number of students on roll, and their age range, varies because the number, type and

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Information about this school

length of courses on offer varies throughout the year. Students come from a wide range of countries and most speak English as an additional language.  Most students live with local host families or in accommodation managed by the college. The boarding provision was last inspected under the social care common inspection framework in November 2021.  The college makes no use of any alternative provision.  The principal has changed since the previous inspection.  The college’s previous inspection was a standard inspection in November 2022.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the first progress monitoring inspection since the college’s previous standard inspection in November 2022. The inspection was conducted without notice. The school was asked to submit a statutory action plan after its last standard inspection in February 2023. The action plan was judged by Ofsted as not acceptable in March 2023. The school was notified of this outcome by the Department for Education in May 2023.  The inspector reviewed a range of evidence to check compliance with the previously unmet independent school standards. Inspection activities included meetings with the

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Information about this inspection

principal and other leaders. The inspector met with two groups of students. He had a tour of the premises and visited some lessons. The inspector also spoke by telephone with the chair of the proprietor body.  There were no recent responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

James Waite, 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 1231, 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/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

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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