Outwood Academy Kirkby

Inspection of Outwood Academy Kirkby Tennyson Street, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG17 7DH

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The principal of this school is Andy Scruby. This school is part of Outwood Grange 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), Lee Wilson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by David Earnshaw. 13 and 14 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are well cared for at Outwood Academy Kirkby. They are safe and enjoy good relationships with staff. The school is aspirational for pupils to succeed in all areas of their education. It has worked well to strengthen the curriculum considerably. As a result, pupils’ achievement is improving significantly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The majority of pupils behave well. They try hard in lessons and conduct themselves well around school. There are very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and well-established routines that support good behaviour. These are well understood by pupils and applied fairly by staff. However, a minority of pupils often do not meet the school’s behaviour expectations. This leads to some disruption to learning and school life. A significant number of pupils are frequently asked to leave lessons or are suspended from school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides well-considered opportunities for pupils to develop their talents and interests. These include a range of sports clubs and a weekly trip to the local swimming pool. Many pupils also take part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, learning new skills and volunteering in the community. The school has recently introduced a pupil parliament. This provides pupils with the chance to represent their peers and gain leadership experience.

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

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers. In key stage 4, pupils choose from a range of academic and vocational courses. The school ensures that all pupils can choose to study the full suite of English Baccalaureate subjects. The number of pupils that do so is increasing as more of them choose to study a modern foreign language at GCSE.

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

In most subjects, the school has identified precisely what pupils should learn. Important knowledge is sequenced appropriately so that pupils build on what they know already as subjects become more complex. Nevertheless, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not so well honed. In these subjects, pupils struggle to connect new knowledge to what they have learned before and their learning is less secure.

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

The school has designed a range of principles to support teachers in delivering the curriculum effectively. This is evident in the majority of classrooms. Teachers use their specialist subject knowledge to explain concepts clearly. They check pupils’ understanding carefully and correct any misconceptions before moving on. However, the curriculum is not delivered consistently well across the school. As a result, in some subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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

Staff identify the needs of pupils with SEND quickly and accurately. A range of strategies to support these pupils are implemented effectively. Pupils with SEND achieve well. 13 and 14 May 2025

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Reading is a priority. Pupils who need extra support with reading are identified swiftly. Expert staff provide these pupils with personalised support so that these pupils develop their reading fluency and gain confidence quickly.

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The ‘Life’ curriculum prepares pupils well for living in modern Britain. Pupils learn to appreciate the fundamental British values and to celebrate different faiths and cultures. They learn how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Pupils benefit from detailed guidance about the range of choices for their next stages in education and training, as well as information about potential future careers.

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Pupils’ behaviour has improved at the school. It provides opportunities for pupils to reflect on incidents of poor behaviour and supports them well to avoid any repetition. However, the number of pupils suspended from school due to their poor behaviour remains high.

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The school monitors attendance carefully. Dedicated staff work closely with pupils and their families to encourage all pupils to attend school frequently. However, too many pupils, especially those that are disadvantaged or have SEND, are absent too often.

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School leaders have been well supported by the trust to improve all areas of the provision in recent years. These changes have strengthened the school’s leadership further. The trust has robust systems in place to make sure that the actions leaders take benefit all pupils. Staff value the training they receive and the support to manage their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not planned coherently or delivered consistently well in some subjects. When the curriculum is poorly designed or when teaching is less effective, pupils’ learning is less secure and they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should make sure that the curriculum is structured precisely in all subjects and that staff have the expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively.  A significant minority of pupils are frequently suspended from school because they do not meet the school’s behaviour expectations. These pupils miss too many days of school. Furthermore, at times, the behaviour of these pupils disrupts the learning of others. The school should make sure that it supports pupils to meet its behaviour expectations and that all pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to their education.  Too many pupils are absent from school too often. These pupils do not benefit from the

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

curriculum or the wider experiences that the school offers. The school should ensure that it works effectively with pupils and their families, particularly pupils with SEND and 13 and 14 May 2025

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disadvantaged pupils, so that everyone involved understands the importance of attending school frequently, therefore reducing absence.

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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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Dates of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The principal was appointed in March 2025.  The school is part of Outwood Grange Academies Trust.  The school uses five alternative provisions. One is registered and four are unregistered.  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

 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. 13 and 14 May 2025

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 Inspectors met with the lead principal, vice principals and other school leaders. They also met with leaders from the multi-academy trust.  The lead inspector met with the CEO of the trust and a representative of the board of trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: mathematics, English, modern foreign languages, and design and technology. 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 discussed the curriculum and visited lessons in some other subjects.  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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 Inspectors met with groups of pupils and staff formally during the inspection and spoke with them informally at other times. Inspectors also considered the opinions expressed through the pupil and staff surveys.  Inspectors considered the responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey.

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Inspection team

John Spragg, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

April Wright Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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