Christ The King College

Inspection of Christ the King College Wellington Road, Newport, Isle of Wight PO30 5QT

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 November 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 28 and 29 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a well-designed curriculum. Where teaching is strong, including in the sixth form, pupils achieve well. However, teachers do not always deliver the curriculum consistently well and this limits pupils’ learning in some subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well, and the school is generally calm and orderly. The school has a clear system for addressing disruptive behaviour. When pupils conduct themselves in line with the school’s values, they are awarded house points. These accumulate towards collective rewards, which are valued by the pupils. Pupils are typically happy in school, and they feel safe. They feel that their voices are heard, and that they are known as individuals. Across each key stage, pupils benefit from effective and caring pastoral support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Sixth-form students take up a range of leadership roles within the school. For example, some students act as reading mentors for younger pupils. This is mutually beneficial in building confidence and perseverance. Pupils have established a group to promote equality and diversity. This reflects the school’s inclusive and welcoming ethos. Throughout the school community, there is an awareness that recent changes are having a positive impact for pupils and staff.

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better?

The school has a clear outline of what pupils should know and remember in each subject. There is a coherent approach to how teaching should build pupils’ knowledge over time. Leaders make sure that all pupils access a broad range of subjects. This includes those pupils who attend alternative provision. Pupils’ completion of the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects is limited by low numbers taking a modern foreign language at GCSE. Leaders plan to address this for future cohorts.

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better?

Reading is a priority within the school. Teachers incorporate vocabulary teaching into lessons, and pupils encounter diverse and challenging texts in English lessons. The school provides additional reading support for pupils who need it. Careful analysis of pupils’ reading helps the school to identify pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately.

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better?

Teachers’ delivery of the curriculum is inconsistent. Often, teachers provide clear explanations which help to build pupils’ understanding. However, in several subjects, teachers are less clear about how to break down and demonstrate important ideas for pupils. When this happens, teaching does not support pupils to develop their understanding.

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better?

Teachers emphasise helping pupils to recall their prior learning. However, at times, teachers do not assess where pupils are starting from in their understanding of topics or concepts. Similarly, sometimes teachers do not check how much pupils have understood or what pupils need to learn next. As a result, pupils are not 28 and 29 November 2023

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achieving as well as they should. Too often, pupils’ written work is not of the quality that leaders intend. Where teachers’ explanations and checks for understanding are more secure, pupils achieve well. This is most evident in the sixth form. In too many subject areas, pupils are not fully prepared for future study. For instance, some pupils lack understanding of important mathematical procedures and concepts.

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Pupils are clear that behaviour has improved. Most lessons are not affected by disruptive behaviour. Social spaces and corridors are orderly. The school has taken effective action to reduce suspensions and exclusions. Leaders’ actions to improve attendance are beginning to show improvement. They have developed a school-wide strategy to reduce pupil absence. As part of this, staff work closely with families to understand the causes of absence. Despite this, the attendance of some pupils remains low. These pupils risk missing out on too much learning.

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The school has devoted substantial time to teaching about personal, social and health education. As a result, pupils are well equipped for life in modern Britain. They learn about the protected characteristics and are advocates for tolerance and respect. They explore spiritual identities within and beyond the school's Christian ethos. The school emphasises 'moral living no matter what your faith'. As part of the tutor programme, pupils explore complex moral issues. The careers programme helps pupils to be prepared for life outside of school. Sixth-form students enjoy targeted opportunities to learn more about different careers and qualification routes.

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Staff workload and well-being are considered thoughtfully by leaders. Within this, leaders provide opportunities for professional learning to strengthen teachers’ practice. Governors make sure they have the right knowledge and skills to fulfil their statutory obligations. The ambition of leaders at all levels is clear. However, this is not translating into practice as consistently as it should. As a result, aspects of the school’s educational provision are not yet being delivered as effectively as leaders intend.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not always consider pupils’ different starting points in their learning, or check well enough whether pupils have understood the content taught. As a result, teachers do not close gaps and address misconceptions well enough and some pupils struggle to connect new learning with what they already know. Leaders need to make sure that teachers assess pupils’ prior learning, and what pupils have understood, so they can adapt their teaching accordingly.  The attendance of some pupils remains too low, despite leaders’ efforts and recent improvements. As a result, these pupils are at greater risk of falling behind 28 and 29 November 2023

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in their learning. Leaders need to make sure that they continue to address the barriers to attendance and reduce absence for all 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' 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). 28 and 29 November 2023

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1077

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sixth form

Appropriate authority The governing body

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sixth form

Chair of governing body Elizabeth Burden

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sixth form

Dates of previous inspection 13 and 14 July 2021, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Christ the King College is a joint Roman Catholic and Church of England voluntary aided school. The most recent section 48 SIAMS inspection took place in June 2018. The next section 48 SIAMS inspection is due to take place before July 2026.  The school currently uses two registered alternative providers and two unregistered alternative providers.  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. 28 and 29 November 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 school leaders including the headteacher, assistant headteachers and middle leaders. The inspectors also met representatives from the local governing board, the local authority, and the two dioceses.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, mathematics, physical education, computing and geography. 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. The inspectors also discussed the curriculum and

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Information about this inspection

provision for pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, governors, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts the pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Daniel Botting, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Chris Parker His Majesty's Inspector 28 and 29 November 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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