Kassia Academy and Support Services

Inspection of Kassia Academy and Support Services Fallowfield Grove, Padgate, Warrington, Cheshire WA2 0QQ

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Overall effectiveness Good

The executive headteacher of this school is Lindsay Regan. This school is part of the Kings Academy Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Amanda Nicholson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Laurence Cooper. 25 and 26 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and exceptionally well behaved at Kassia Academy. They embody the school’s values. Pupils are empathetic and resilient. They take great pride in their work, and they pursue high standards in everything that they do. Pupils form strong and trusting relationships with each other and with staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school expects pupils to be conscientious learners who achieve highly. Pupils understand and respond positively to the school’s high aspirations. This helps to make sure that pupils learn well in a broad range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ in-depth understanding of fundamental British values is commendable. They celebrate different religious and cultural events, such as Eid Mubarak and Hannukah. Pupils have a strong appreciation of cultural diversity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

An extensive range of carefully designed educational visits is available to pupils. This includes visits to farms, museums, art galleries and castles. The school caters to pupils’ interests admirably. For example, pupils develop their talents in various sports, such as boxing and golf. They enjoy gardening, animal care, visual arts and music.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Much of pupils’ outdoor learning programme contributes to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. For example, pupils participate in orienteering, canoeing and gardening. They are responsible citizens. Pupils enjoy engaging in community activities, which include volunteering in a local charity shop.

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better?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum, which is enriched with many memorable experiences. The school has created different pathways which indicate what pupils will learn as they move from Year 7 to Year 11. Teachers are trained well. They are highly skilled at delivering the curriculum successfully in most subjects. The school’s assessment system is used effectively. Typically, teachers check whether pupils’ learning is secure. Pupils regularly revisit the essential knowledge outlined in the curriculum. This helps most pupils to learn successfully.

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better?

Reading is at the centre of the curriculum. Pupils enjoy reading. For example, pupils regularly use the school library, which contains a wide spectrum of books, written by a diverse range of authors. Those pupils who find reading more difficult are supported well by staff. The school has identified the need to provide an additional phonics programme for these pupils and has plans to implement this in the autumn. However, as yet, some staff have not had the training that they need to teach the phonics programme to ensure pupils develop their reading fluency as quickly as they should.

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better?

All pupils at the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A large proportion have an education, health and care plan. The school identifies 25 and 26 June 2024

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pupils’ specific learning needs accurately when they enter the school. Staff work closely with external specialists, including speech and language therapists, and parents and carers. These partnerships help to ensure that pupils get the support that they need to progress well through the curriculum. For instance, pupils access canine, equine and talking therapies, which help them to improve and maintain their mental well-being.

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Pupils’ behaviour is praiseworthy. They have a thorough understanding of the school rules, which they follow closely. Classrooms are calm and purposeful places where pupils fully engage in learning. The school makes sure attendance at school is a high priority. Many pupils attend regularly.

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The school promotes pupils’ personal development exceptionally well. For example, pupils raise funds for different worthy causes and participate in beach cleaning events. The school council is highly active. School councillors put forward their ideas for school visits and after-school clubs. Pupils learn about the dangers of knife crime, alcohol and illegal drug use. They know how to keep themselves safe, fit and healthy.

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Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, benefit from an excellent programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance. They gain the skills that they need to successfully move on to a range of academic and vocational courses.

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Trustees, and members of the local governing body, challenge the school appropriately and help it to continually improve. The school prioritises staff’s well- being. For example, the school helps to reduce unnecessary workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that staff have been trained to implement the phonics programme consistently well. This means that some pupils who find reading difficult do not develop their reading fluency as quickly as they should. The school should make sure that staff receive appropriate support to deliver the phonics programme effectively.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 25 and 26 June 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). 25 and 26 June 2024

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School details

School category Academy alternative provision converter

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School details

Headteacher Lindsay Regan (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 May 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 Kassia Academy converted to become an academy in January 2018. When its predecessor school, New Horizons School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.  The school is part of the Kings Academy Trust.  The school uses two unregistered providers.  The leadership team has been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school caters for pupils with a range of SEND, including social, emotional and mental health difficulties. A small number of pupils have autism.

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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 25 and 26 June 2024

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education provision.  Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, the head of school and the deputy headteacher. The lead inspector held meetings with other school leaders, including those responsible for attendance and for pupils’ behaviour, welfare and personal development. Inspectors held meetings with the leader responsible for SEND.  The lead inspector met with the CEO of the trust. He also met with trustees, including the chair of the trust, and members of the local governing body, including the chair of the governing body.  The lead inspector held a telephone conversation with representatives from schools and a representative of the local authority responsible for placing pupils at the school. He also spoke to representatives of the alternative provision that

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some pupils attend.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics and vocational learning (animal care). For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors met with pupils to discuss their learning in some other subjects.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  The lead inspector reviewed the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. He took account of responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, 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.

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Inspection team

Lenford White, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Pippa Jackson Maitland His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 June 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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