Kings Norton Girls' School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Kings Norton Girls’ School Selly Oak Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, West Midlands B30 1HW

p.1

Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

p.1

Outcome

Kings Norton Girls’ School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Nicola Raggett. This school is part of West Midlands 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 (CEO), who is also Nicola Raggett. It is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Philip Thickett.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at Kings Norton Girls’ School. As one pupil, typical of many, stated ‘this school feels like a community’. This is because there is a deep commitment by adults to provide high-quality experiences for pupils. This contributes to pupils feeling happy and enriched by the opportunities which the school provides for them. These include a theatre trip for all pupils in key stage 3, house competitions, culture days and many other visits.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The expectations for pupils’ learning are consistently high across the school. Pupils achieve very well as the school takes great care to ensure they are supported to achieve their potential. This includes the students in the sixth form, where a significant number of boys and girls join the school. Pupils appreciate the many opportunities organised for them to consolidate and extend their learning, including lunchtime clubs and subject ambassador roles. These all help them to achieve well.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave with high levels of maturity and empathy. They focus in lessons, and there is no time lost to disengagement. Pupils understand how the school expects them to behave towards each other in social times and do so consistently. They understand there are many adults who will help them if they have concerns or anxieties, as the school has extensive pastoral provision. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.1

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

The school’s curriculum is well embedded and understood by teachers. The key knowledge that pupils need is regularly reviewed to ensure pupils are taught the learning they need in the correct order. The teaching of the curriculum is reviewed as a matter of course to ensure that high levels of consistency are present across all subjects. Within subject areas, teachers are clear on the key knowledge that pupils need and how to check that they are secure in this learning. Teachers ensure that any gaps in understanding are addressed promptly. This contributes to pupils being well equipped to move forward in the curriculum and to achieve well. The school has given considerable focus to the curriculum in the sixth form. The same high standards as in the rest of the school are present across the sixth form curriculum for these older students. This helps ensure that all students, including those who join the school, learn the curriculum well.

p.2

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

The school takes great care to check pupils’ reading ages at two points in key stage 3. This means that any pupils who might need extra support are identified rapidly and precisely. Support is then put in place to enable them to improve their reading such that they can access the curriculum fully.

p.2

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have their needs identified with precision. The school ensures that staff have clear information to support their learning and ensure teachers are clear on how to use it. As a result, the curriculum is systematically and appropriately adapted for them. All of this helps ensure that these pupils achieve well.

p.2

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

Pupils’ attendance is typically high. There are effective systems in place to review and check absence, including pre-emptive contact to welcome pupils back after a period of absence. The school works effectively to ensure that pupils and their families understand the importance of regular attendance.

p.2

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

Pupils learn to behave very well as the school’s high expectations for pupil conduct are clear and well-understood by all the community. This helps ensure that no time is lost due to low-level disruption and pupils typically try their hardest in lessons. The school works closely with those pupils who find it harder to meet their expectations. They check closely to ensure disadvantaged pupils have the support they need.

p.2

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

Pupils’ personal development is well mapped across all aspects of the school, including sixth form. This wide-ranging offer for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education and careers education supports pupils’ preparation for adulthood effectively. Pupils speak highly of the information they have to make informed choices about courses or future destinations. There are a significant number of leadership roles available to pupils. Across the large number of extra-curricular opportunities, the school takes care to ensure disadvantaged pupils benefit from these.

p.2

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

Leaders have a meticulous understanding of their school. This is because there is a regular and supportive system of review, covering all aspects of the school’s provision. Staff feel supported and empowered in their roles, thanks to the well informed and 28 and 29 January 2025

p.2

3

detailed conversations they have with leaders about their areas of responsibility. Staff say that leaders engage well with staff around workload. Governors and trustees are well informed about the provision, and fulfil their roles appropriately. They have a secure understanding of how their roles are evolving, given the school has just moved into a new multi-academy trust partnership.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be outstanding for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

p.3

Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in July 2019.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 28 and 29 January 2025

p.3

4

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 January 2025

p.4

provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,086

p.5

form

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of West Midlands Academy Trust, being a founder member from January 2025. There are three academies in the trust.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  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 January 2025

p.5

Information about this inspection

 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.  Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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.  As part of this inspection, the inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teaching staff and other employees in the school. Inspectors also talked informally to pupils to gather general information about school life. The lead inspector also met the trustees and governors. Governor minutes were scrutinised.

p.6

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors discussed with leaders and pupils the school’s extra-curricular activities, enrichment programme and their careers and personal development programmes.  The inspectors reviewed the school’s behaviour and attendance records with school leaders. One alternative provision was contacted by telephone by the lead inspector.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including plans to improve the school.  The inspectors met with members of staff and spoke to pupils, both formally and informally, at various points in the inspection. They took account of responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils, Ofsted Parent View, including the free text responses.

p.6

Inspection team

Andrew Madden, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Catherine Crooks Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7