Lift Kingswood

Inspection of Kingswood Academy Wawne Road, Bransholme, Hull HU7 4WR

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

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

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The headteacher of this school is Richard Westoby. This school is part of the Lift Schools trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Rebecca Boomer-Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Hall. There is also a regional education director, Craig Nicholson, who is responsible for this school. 10 and 11 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have an exceptional experience at this school. They benefit from a rich array of opportunities that develop their character. Pupils learn how to conquer their fears, work in teams, improve their productivity and believe in themselves. They take part in a vast range of enrichment activities, such as brass band, drumline, dance, baking and chess. One pupil captured the thoughts of many when they said, ‘It’s magic here!’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils actively lead the school and influence change. For example, the school has provided a prayer room, made changes to homework policy and introduced reptiles to the school farm at the request of pupils. Pupils take on responsibility for bespoke areas of the school. For example, farm leaders teach other pupils about animal welfare and how to handle the school’s animals.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has the highest expectations of pupils. They respond to this well. Pupils achieve very highly at the end of key stage 4. Most pupils make positive progress through the curriculum. Pupils develop traits of empathy and resilience far beyond their age. They are highly motivated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptionally calm in lessons and around the school. Pupils have strong relationships with their peers. They have trusted relationships with staff and feel safe.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has great ambition for pupils. Pupils are taught to have high aspirations and ‘never give up’. Pupils study a range of subjects that provide them with strong opportunities for the future. Pupils are well prepared and guided for their next steps in education, training or employment. The school greatly improves the life chances of pupils.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has structured the curriculum with great care. Pupils revisit topics regularly and build on prior learning. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ knowledge in lessons. As a result, teachers have a precise understanding of pupils’ misconceptions. Teachers provide effective feedback that allows pupils to improve their work. In some lessons, pupils do not receive enough opportunities to connect their knowledge or apply their learning. Leaders are implementing strategies to address this.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils develop confidence with subject specific vocabulary. They accurately explain what they have learned. For example, pupils could explain how they use the periodic table of elements to infer information about atomic structure. They provided detailed descriptions of characters in different stories they have read.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are particularly well supported. They make excellent progress through the curriculum. The school accurately identifies their needs and provides appropriate support. Teachers have a strong understanding of the needs of pupils. They adapt teaching accordingly. Pupils with 10 and 11 December 2024

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behavioural challenges receive bespoke support at the school’s ‘Horizons’ resource base. They rapidly improve and are quickly reintegrated into the main school.

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The school prioritises reading. Pupils who are weaker at reading are quickly identified. They receive swift support and intervention from expertly trained staff. They rapidly improve their reading ability as a result. The school’s new approach to reading encourages pupils to develop their oracy skills. Pupils are confident and articulate in conversation. They can discuss complex ideas.

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Pupils behave impeccably well. They enjoy learning. They live the values of the school. They have very high expectations of themselves. Pupils rarely receive sanctions. When they do, they reflect and improve on their behaviour. Pupils enjoy school and attend regularly.

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Pupils learn the skills to become upstanding members of the community. They develop a profound moral and ethical code. They actively celebrate different cultures and backgrounds. They can explain in detail why some people in society are more vulnerable and should not be discriminated against. Pupils frequently move out of their comfort zone using their ‘student experience passport’. For example, pupils earn credits for completing challenges, such as volunteering for charities, running a 10K race or learning conversational phrases in non-European languages.

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Leaders at all levels are relentless in their desire to improve the school. This has led to many transformational changes, for example, in the way they support pupils’ personal development. The school actively seeks to engage with the community. The school provides consultancy support to other schools within and beyond the local authority. Members of the academy council and trustees provide strong strategic leadership. Staff are positive about workload and the recent refinements made to improve this further.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some lessons, pupils do not receive enough opportunities to connect their knowledge or apply their learning. As a result, some pupils do not develop deep levels of understanding. Leaders are already implementing strategies to address this, and the school should ensure that pedagogical methods are consistently used to help pupils remember, connect and apply knowledge. 10 and 11 December 2024

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How can I feed back my views?

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). 10 and 11 December 2024

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School details

Local authority Kingston Upon Hull City Council

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,542

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School details

Website https://sites.google.com/aetinet.org/kingsw ood-academy Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 April 2023, under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Kingswood Academy is part of the Lift Schools trust.  The school uses three registered alternative providers of education.  The school has an internal enhanced support provision (‘Horizons’), which provides behavioural support and intervention for a small number of pupils.  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.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form 10 and 11 December 2024

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other leaders, staff and pupils. They met with members of the academy council and trustees. They met with the chief executive officer.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, English, science, history, geography, and design and technology. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors discussed the curriculum, visited lessons and spoke to pupils about their learning in modern foreign languages. Inspectors discussed the performance of pupils

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with different levels of prior attainment.  Inspectors visited lessons and considered how the needs of disadvantaged and pupils with SEND are met. They observed pupils at various times of the school day.  Inspectors visited the internal enhanced support base (‘Horizons’). Inspectors spoke with pupils and with staff at this provision.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; considered the views of parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors evaluated responses from parents and carers to Ofsted Parent View. They spoke with some parents. Inspectors also evaluated the responses that staff and pupils made to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Chris Carr, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Chamings Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 December 2024

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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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