Kettering Park Junior Academy

Inspection of Kettering Park Junior Academy Wood Street, Kettering, Northamptonshire NN16 9SE

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Inspection dates: 27 and 28 February 2024

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Ann Walker. This school is part of INMAT multi- academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Helen Williams, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Linda Brooks. 27 and 28 February 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kettering Park Junior has a renewed ambition for all pupils to achieve well. All staff unite behind the school’s vision. The Park values of pride, achievement, responsibility, and kindness guide pupils in their choices of how to behave and their attitude to learning. These values raise aspirations and develop a sense of pride in being part of the school. Pupils appreciate the rewards they receive for demonstrating these values. Pupils warmly greet visitors. They are keen to share the things they enjoy about the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. The consistent approach to managing behaviour helps pupils understand how to make the right choices for themselves. Pupils value the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. They are supportive of each other and help one another to resolve any issues. Pupils play and get on well together.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a strong sense of moral purpose. They learn the significance of British values and demonstrate a mature awareness of tolerance and respect. As one pupil typically stated: ‘Everyone is treated the same here. There are no outsiders here.’ Visits to places such as the Holocaust Museum and the local Blitz Tea Rooms provide an understanding of pupils’ responsibility as citizens. Pupils aspire to be ‘the best version of themselves’.

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better?

The school works hard to ensure that all pupils can read well. Whenever pupils fall behind with their reading, swift analysis identifies the support they need. The support pupils receive ensures that they soon catch up. High-quality texts enable pupils to develop a rich variety of vocabulary. Carefully delivered lessons ensure that pupils learn the nuances of reading. The reading curriculum builds pupils’ understanding of texts over time. Pupils read regularly. They talk positively about their time in the school library. Adults read with enthusiasm and excitement in class. Pupils develop a love of reading.

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better?

Pupils enjoy their mathematics lessons. Teachers carefully select resources to support learning. They make suitable adaptations so that all pupils access the lesson. Where pupils struggle, the support teachers provide is personal and demonstrates strong subject knowledge. Regular checks on what pupils know and remember ensure that pupils keep up. Pupils achieve well in mathematics.

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better?

The broader curriculum is well planned. The school focuses on building up knowledge over time. It ensures that there are close links with what pupils have learned in the feeder infant school. Teachers have the requisite knowledge to teach the curriculum. Teachers make adaptations to support pupils with a special educational need and/or disability (SEND). In a few subjects, strong links are not always made with prior learning. This means there are gaps in some pupils’ knowledge. Where subjects are more developed, systematic checking of learning makes sure that teachers fill any gaps in knowledge. The school’s approach to 27 and 28 February 2024

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teaching, ‘I do, we do, you do’, helps model learning. Pupils achieve well over time. In a few subjects, the school has not checked on how the curriculum is being delivered. This means there are inconsistencies and not all the curriculum is being delivered as it was intended.

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The school is passionate for pupils with SEND, and those who are disadvantaged, to achieve well. The school knows these pupils well. Teachers have the knowledge needed to support these pupils effectively in lessons. Pupils with SEND make good gains in their learning.

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Pupils know how to keep themselves healthy by eating the right food and exercising regularly. They have a clear understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. They enjoy the wide range of clubs available such as curling, archery, arts and crafts, Taekwondo and choir. The residential visits encourage pupils to explore their talents and challenge themselves in different environments. Enterprise opportunities enable pupils to explore the world of work. Pupils learn to look out for one another. There is a real sense of community at the school. Visits to places of interest enhance the curriculum. These trips and visits help broaden pupils’ horizons.

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Staff feel well supported. Governors and trustees place a high priority on pupil and staff well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Recent adaptations to the curriculum in a few subjects have meant that strong links are not always made with pupils’ prior learning. This means there are gaps in some pupils’ knowledge. The school should complete the work on the curriculum to ensure that pupils learn, and remember, the curriculum that the school intended.  In a few subjects, the school has not checked on how the curriculum is being delivered. This means there are inconsistencies and not all of the curriculum is being delivered as it was intended. The school should make sure it checks on how the curriculum is delivered to ensure it has maximum impact.

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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. 27 and 28 February 2024

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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). 27 and 28 February 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Kettering Park Junior Academy joined the INMAT multi-academy trust on 1 May 2017.  The school has a federated local academy committee that works over two schools.  The school uses no alternative providers.

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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. 27 and 28 February 2024

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 Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in five subjects: reading, mathematics, science, history, and design and technology. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work, listened to pupils read and met with teachers and pupils. They also looked at curriculum documentation for religious education, writing and personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.  The lead inspector met with four trustees including the chair and two members of the local academy committee, as well as the chair.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive of the trust and the academy improvement lead.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the online questionnaire Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses and Ofsted’s survey for school staff. Inspectors spoke informally to parents at the beginning and end of the school

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day.  Inspectors considered records of attendance, behaviour and safeguarding, including the school’s single central record. Inspectors met with leaders to discuss the safeguarding of pupils and spoke to staff and pupils. They considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.

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Inspection team

Mark Anderson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Elizabeth Mace Ofsted Inspector 27 and 28 February 2024

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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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