King's Academy Gomer

Inspection of King’s Academy Gomer Pyrford Close, Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire PO12 2RP

p.1

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

p.1

The executive headteacher of this school is Georgina Mulhall. This school is part of King’s Group Academies, 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. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils love coming to this warm and welcoming school. There is a friendly atmosphere during playtimes. Pupils take responsibility for leading activities such as dodgeball and table tennis. They ensure that everyone takes turns and is included. Pupils enjoy building dens out of sticks and logs in the ‘den pen’. This allows them to explore the natural environment while learning how to work well together.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils keenly attend school because they enjoy learning. Expectations for their achievement are high. Pupils try hard in lessons and are not afraid to get things wrong. They display resilience in the face of challenges, and caring staff support pupils to overcome any difficulties. Consequently, pupils thrive and achieve well across the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

School and trust leaders are united in how they expect pupils to behave. As a result, the behaviour of pupils is exceptional. They display highly respectful attitudes to their peers and to the adults in the school. The support pupils receive means they feel safe. The ‘worry monster’ allows pupils to share any concerns they have. Pupils know that staff will act on any troubles they share.

p.2

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

The school’s ambitious curriculum is expertly taught by knowledgeable staff. The school has implemented the trust’s expected approach to teaching. Staff teach with clear routines that pupils know and expect. These routines support pupils to engage fully in their learning. Pupils enjoy being ready to answer any questions teachers ask of them. Teachers regularly recap previous learning to help pupils make clear connections with new information and between different subjects. As a result, pupils achieve well across much of the curriculum.

p.2

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

The school has reflected on the low outcomes in writing in the 2024 national tests and has developed a clear plan to address these. The impact of leaders’ actions can already be seen as pupils’ work is now of a higher standard. Pupils can now structure their writing more effectively. However, there are still some elements of punctuation and grammar that pupils do not apply with consistent accuracy in their work.

p.2

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

Leaders have seamlessly woven support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) into the curriculum. Pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers. Well-trained staff know when to adapt work and when to let pupils try something new for themselves. This helps pupils with SEND to learn and achieve well.

p.2

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

A love of reading is fostered. Pupils speak about the books they read in class with excitement. The school’s library is at the heart of the school. Pupils relish their weekly visits and are eager to choose books that their teachers have inspired them to read. Staff read to pupils daily, with expression and enthusiasm. The school is swift to identify pupils who need extra help with reading. Daily one-to-one sessions with well-trained staff mean these pupils read with increasing fluency. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.2

3

Pupils’ behaviour is impeccable and their attitudes to their education are exemplary. There is a purposeful environment in classrooms. Pupils develop high levels of self-control due to the consistent routines teachers have put in place. They are committed to their learning and want to actively participate.

p.3

3

Trustees and governors understand their roles. They share the same ambition for all pupils to achieve well. Trust leaders carry out quality assurance checks effectively, to assure themselves that things are working well. Staff appreciate the support they receive with their workload and well-being from leaders at all levels.

p.3

3

The impressive personal development offer provides a rich set of experiences to develop pupils’ character and talents. The school’s work to support the wider community means pupils actively make the lives of others better. There is a thoughtful approach to supporting pupils from service families. Pupils value being able to make friends with other service children in ‘service club’. The many leadership opportunities available to pupils teach them how to be responsible citizens. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teachers do not routinely identify and support pupils’ misconceptions in writing across the curriculum. As a result, some pupils do not use appropriate grammar and punctuation in their written work. This hinders them from achieving as well as they should. The school should ensure that teachers address misconceptions and correct errors in pupils’ writing consistently well.

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. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 1 and 2 April 2025

p.4

School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 This school is part of King’s Group Academies trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school offers a before- and after-school club, overseen by the board of trustees.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 1 and 2 April 2025

p.5

6

 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.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, the associate headteacher, the assistant headteachers, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with the CEO, trust leaders, trustees and the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, geography and computing. 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 also met with leaders to evaluate pupils’ writing in English and across the curriculum.  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils read.

p.6

6

 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.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View questionnaire and the free-text responses.  Inspectors spoke with a range of pupils to learn their views about the school. The inspectors also took account of responses to the pupil questionnaire.

p.6

Inspection team

Stephen Cattell, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

James Stuart His Majesty’s Inspector 1 and 2 April 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