Lift Kingsley

Inspection of Kingsley Academy Cecil Road, Hounslow TW3 1AX

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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 Good

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The principal of this school is Bob Tinsley. This school is part of Lift Schools, a multi- 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), Rebecca Boomer Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Hall. 25 and 26 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Kingsley Academy is a highly welcoming and inclusive school. The school provides a caring community where pupils feel happy and safe. The school’s values of kindness, courage and curiosity underpin its ethos. Pupils are polite and courteous. They are respectful to each other and school staff. Students in the sixth form are well mannered and support their younger peers.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides a broad range of enrichment activities and trips so that pupils gain valuable life experiences. These include school culture days, where pupils dress to represent their unique identity and explore the music, food and traditions of different cultures. Pupils take part in three ‘character development days’ throughout the year. During these days, pupils are encouraged to undertake different projects with external agencies around themes such as anti-bullying and careers. These events develop pupils’ confidence, empathy and perseverance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for its pupils. Staff are determined that their pupils can succeed. This ambition includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils develop secure subject knowledge which results in positive outcomes, particularly at GCSE.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides strong pastoral support and a thoughtfully designed careers programme. Pupils appreciate the guidance they are given and are prepared well for their next steps.

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

Pupils follow a broad and ambitious curriculum. They develop their knowledge progressively over time and teachers routinely check their understanding. Teachers regularly revisit prior knowledge. This helps pupils to make connections and remember their learning. For example, pupils can recall their learning of particles and apply this to the kinetic theory in science.

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

Teachers have strong subject knowledge, including in the sixth form. They deliver clear explanations and model concepts with expertise. Sixth-form students are attentive and responsive to teachers. At times, teachers do not consistently encourage sixth-form students to develop their independent learning skills or discuss complex ideas more deeply. This means that students sometimes lack confidence in applying their learning to new, more-challenging contexts.

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

The school identifies pupils’ individual needs with precision and shares this information with staff. Pupils with SEND are supported to achieve well. Teachers typically follow a structured approach which provides strong guidance and builds challenge gradually. However, at times, some pupils could move on to deeper and more complex tasks. Pupils do not routinely explore and experiment with new ideas so that they can produce work more independently. 25 and 26 March 2025

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Reading is a priority for the school. Staff support pupils who need extra help in their reading carefully. This includes tailored support that is well matched to pupils’ needs. Consequently, pupils make significant progress in their reading. Pupils read high-quality texts, and the school ensures that a comprehensive wider reading programme is followed. Staff understand reading is the key to unlocking the curriculum for their pupils. Similarly, the school is building pupils’ oracy skills through a ‘turn and talk’ approach, although more sustained talk opportunities are not embedded across the curriculum.

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The school is a calm and orderly place where there is no disruption to learning. Pupils are quick to follow instructions and there is a respectful culture where difference is celebrated. Actions taken by the school have resulted in improvement to pupils’ attendance. The introduction of the ‘perfect week’ demonstrates the high expectations of the school.

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Personal, social, health and economic education is thoughtfully organised. Pupils understand British values well and have a strong grasp of equality of opportunity. Pupils learn how to stay safe, including online, and access a broad range of clubs. This includes robotics, photography, drama and sports. The sixth form offers a ‘discovery programme’ of enrichment activities to promote students’ personal development. The ‘basketball academy’ gives pupils across all year groups the opportunity to receive coaching and mentoring to foster their talents and build their character.

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In the sixth form, students receive useful advice and information, alongside valuable work experience. They are very well prepared and go on to a range of universities, apprenticeships and employment. Younger pupils, including those with SEND, are fully supported in their choices of post-16 destinations. The school offers a thoughtful range of applied courses at both key stages 4 and 5, alongside GCSEs and A levels. These provide a strong foundation for varied career paths and allow pupils to follow their talents and interests.

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Staff are provided with an effective professional development programme. Workload is considered well by leaders who ensure decisions are always rooted in what is best for their pupils. Leaders and the trust have strong oversight of the school’s work and priorities for the future. They ensure there is high aspiration for pupils while keeping kindness at the core of what they do.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Teaching does not consistently adapt to meet the needs of pupils who have secured important knowledge and are ready to move on. This means that, at times, pupils do not learn the curriculum in the depth they could. The school should ensure that 25 and 26 March 2025

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teachers adapt their pedagogical methods as needed to stretch and challenge pupils. They should ensure there are ample opportunities for pupils to test out, apply and experiment with new ideas both orally and in practice.  Teaching in the sixth form does not securely build students’ independence and critical thinking skills across all subjects. As a result, some students struggle to effectively link new knowledge to different situations. The school should ensure that teachers prepare sixth-form students for academic success by encouraging them to draw their own interpretations and ideas from their independent study and apply these confidently through critical discussion.

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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). 25 and 26 March 2025

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form

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

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Lift Schools multi-academy trust, which it joined in September 2020.  The school uses four registered 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.  The school provides a breakfast club and after-school clubs. 25 and 26 March 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 (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.  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 senior leaders, directors of the trust, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, Spanish, science and physical education. 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. Other subjects were also considered as part of this inspection.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for school improvement.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also spoke to pupils, parents and carers and staff and took into consideration Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as they arrived at and left the school.  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

Sarah Saunders, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Paula Ledger Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 March 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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