King's Academy Bay House

Inspection of King’s Academy Bay House Gomer Lane, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 2QP

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

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The headteacher of this school is Christopher Willis. This school is part of King’s Group Academies 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), Nick Cross, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ben Williams. 7 and 8 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has improved since the last inspection significantly. Pupils’ behaviour is calm and purposeful. Attitudes to learning are mostly positive. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. The school’s ethos of being happy, successful and a safe environment enables pupils to develop values of kindness, resilience and self-regulation. This helps prepare them for their chosen futures successfully. Pupils follow the school’s clear routines and act respectfully towards each other and staff. Some pupils told inspectors that unkindness still occurs occasionally, despite all pupils recognising that behaviour is better now compared with last year. There are new and effective systems in place to support pupils when conflict occurs. For example, some pupils are trained as anti-bullying ambassadors. When reported, the school deals robustly and effectively with bullying.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), follow an ambitious and well-designed curriculum. Pupils regularly rise to meet the school’s high expectations, particularly in the sixth form, where students study diligently and achieve strong outcomes. The school cultivates leadership skills actively. Students relish these opportunities, including in the sixth form. For example, many eagerly contribute to the Houses Parliament, Ambassador programmes, and Bay House Buzz, take part in the Model United Nations programme or join the growing number of successful students who achieve the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. The school’s recent focus on curriculum development is apparent. A growing number of pupils gain qualifications in the English Baccalaureate. The school’s strong focus on increasing engagement in studying languages is emerging. This includes a successful Mandarin curriculum that is hugely popular with pupils. It teaches them about a different culture to their own, as well as a new language.

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

Students in the sixth form benefit from an established and successful curriculum. The school has broadened the range of vocational subjects and additional qualifications available, to complement the very strong academic offer.

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

In most subjects, teachers ensure that pupils’ learning builds over time. In key stage 5, students’ progress is strong, and they achieve well. In key stage 3, some pupils have gaps or misconceptions that are not addressed before some teachers move learning on. Not all teachers check that pupils’ learning is as effective as it could be.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They refine and deepen their expertise by sharing best practice in department meetings and participating in trust forums or local hubs. The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with SEND and shares this vital information with staff in a timely manner. Where practice is most effective, staff use this information to carefully adapt their teaching, ensuring that pupils with SEND achieve their best outcomes. Elsewhere, some teachers are in the earlier stages of refining their support for pupils with SEND. There is a focus on improving pupils’ reading, particularly 7 and 8 January 2025

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for those who have fallen behind. Throughout the school, pupils are encouraged to read widely. This helps build fluency and pupils’ enjoyment of reading.

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Pupils’ attitudes to learning are largely positive. Occasionally, in key stage 3, low-level disruption to learning is not addressed effectively by some teachers. The school uses alternative provision intelligently and effectively. A small number of pupils benefit from tailored support in the school’s own adjusted provision. The school uses suspensions proportionately and appropriately. However, the school is aware that the rate of suspensions remains high. For most pupils, an indicator of their engagement is their strong attendance. This is particularly true in the sixth form, where students are very committed to their learning and make the best use of study periods.

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The wider personal development of pupils is a strength of the school. Carefully planned personal, social and health education lessons, taught by well-trained staff, equip pupils with vital information about important issues such as age-appropriate sex and relationships education and preparing for adulthood. A growing number of pupils make the most of the wide range of opportunities on offer outside the taught curriculum. The assembly and tutor time programme teach pupils about social and moral issues effectively. Careers education and advice is comprehensive. It provides pupils with valuable information to make informed choices about their future.

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The school has undergone several significant changes in the last academic year, including joining a new trust. A change in the structure of the school day and a staffing restructure have proved unsettling for staff. Staff are positive about the improvements and many feel that leaders do all they can to enable staff to focus on pupils’ learning. The trust and the school know they have more to do to ensure that well-being remains a priority.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s approach to assessment in some subjects, particularly in key stage 3, is emerging. Teachers do not always check that pupils have secured key knowledge and skills. The school should ensure that assessment is used effectively in all subjects so that pupils’ learning is secure before they move on.  Adaptation of the curriculum and strategies to support pupils with SEND are still being refined. The support that some pupils receive in lessons is not as effective as it could be. The school should continue its work to enhance and embed good practice in supporting pupils with SEND in all subjects.  Some incidents of low-level disruption in lessons are not addressed effectively enough. The rate of suspensions remains too high. This means that some learning is disturbed and some pupils risk falling further behind. The school must continue to focus on 7 and 8 January 2025

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ensuring that high standards of behaviour are maintained in all areas of the school and suspensions continue to reduce.

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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). 7 and 8 January 2025

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 2,060

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form

Date of previous inspection 8 February 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined King’s Group Academies Trust in May 2024.  There have been changes to the leadership team structure this academic year. All senior leaders now work solely at this school.  The school uses four registered and seven unregistered providers of alternative provision.  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. 7 and 8 January 2025

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

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Information about this inspection

 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 held meetings with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team.  The lead inspector met the CEO, the director of academy improvement and the director of secondary improvement from the trust. She also met the chair of the trust, the chair of the local governing body and some trustees and governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, science, mathematics, geography, history and art. 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.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons in other subjects, spoke with teachers and pupils

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Information about this inspection

about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils and observed their behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  The inspectors took account of a range of other information, including the school’s development plan, school policies and minutes from meetings of the governing body.  Inspectors met with groups of staff and considered the opinions expressed through the online staff survey. Inspectors also took account of the views of parents and carers expressed through the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Linda Culling, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Alan Johnson Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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Laurie Anderson His Majesty’s Inspector 7 and 8 January 2025

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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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