Cirencester Kingshill School

Inspection of Cirencester Kingshill School Kingshill Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1HS

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

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The headteacher of this school is Jo Lindley. This school is a single academy trust. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Adrian Thomas. 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Cirencester Kingshill School has been through a period of rapid improvement driven by the school ethos of ‘shaping greater futures’. The school is ambitious for pupils to achieve highly. The impact of leaders’ work since the last inspection has resulted in improvements across many areas of the school. Pupils’ examination outcomes are rising as a result.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school ‘STEPS’ set out the personal characteristics that pupils at Kingshill will develop during their time at the school. Pupils speak confidently about how the steps of ambition and kindness are important for the whole school community. Alongside these, the school has raised the expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are clear about their responsibility for following the school rules and appreciate the calm learning environment. This makes them feel happy and safe. Pupils are particularly proud of the rewards that they receive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy leadership roles within the school. Members of the student council feel heard when they make suggestions for change. Sports leaders act as positive role models for other pupils, both within the school and across the local community. A rich selection of extra-curricular opportunities develops pupils’ talents and interests. For example, drama productions are a highlight of the school year.

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

The school has revised its curriculum to ensure that it is broad and more ambitious. At key stage 4, increasing numbers of pupils now complete the subjects that form the English Baccalaureate. Subjects have set out what pupils will learn and when, so that new concepts build on prior learning. Pupils appreciate these improvements and show positive attitudes towards their learning as a result.

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

The school has developed its own ‘Active Minds’ approach to teaching and learning. This sets out how strategies such as questioning and modelling will help pupils to grasp and remember their learning. However, these strategies are not consistently used as intended, or as effectively as they might be. This results in some pupils not having the same high- quality opportunities to develop their understanding as others.

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

The importance of reading has been raised across the school. Pupils read a range of texts through the school’s curated reading collection. They also enjoy selecting books for personal interest from the newly refurbished library. The school quickly identifies pupils who need additional support with their reading. Well-trained staff provide interventions that help these pupils to develop their reading fluency and confidence.

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

The school accurately identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They are known well as individuals. Teachers have been trained to adapt the curriculum effectively to support pupils with SEND to learn as well as their peers. However, there are occasions when these strategies are not used as effectively as they might be, and this hinders pupils from learning as well as they should. 7 and 8 May 2025

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The school has set clear, high expectations for pupils’ attendance. Attendance is closely tracked so that pupils can be given targeted pastoral support to help reduce any barriers to attendance. The direct result of this work can be seen in the significant reduction in the number of pupils who are absent from the school.

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Pupils are well prepared for adult life through lessons and wider enrichment opportunities. Pupils rightly speak very highly of the ‘Respect’ lessons in key stage 4 which cover relationships, healthy lifestyles and careers guidance. Workshops from other agencies, such as the local police, help pupils to keep themselves safe. Pupils in all years learn about a range of religions and world views and are therefore well prepared for life in modern Britain.

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The school has worked with those responsible for governance to secure improvements in pupils’ experience of education. Parents and carers appreciate and praise these changes. The school has considered the impact any changes have on workload and well-being. However, many of the changes that the school has made are recent and therefore are still being refined and embedded.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The planned curriculum is not always implemented as intended to effectively meet the needs of pupils. This means that pupils do not have the same opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented effectively across all areas of the curriculum.  The changes the school has made to improve the quality of provision need further embedding to have the full positive impact on pupils. The school should ensure that the ongoing plans are implemented and reviewed. This will provide leaders and those responsible for governance with assurances that actions are having the desired positive impact, thus informing future leadership decisions.

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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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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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 May 2025

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School details

Website www.cirencesterkingshill.gloucs.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 22 and 23 November 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This school is a single academy trust.  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 uses two registered and four unregistered alternative provisions.

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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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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 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 discussions with school leaders at all levels. Inspectors also spoke with teaching staff, support staff and trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English, mathematics, geography, physical education and design 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 observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at lunchtime and breaktimes.  Inspectors viewed a range of school documentation, including the minutes of trustee meetings, the school’s self-evaluation documents and improvement plans.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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central record; took account of the view 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 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, as well as responses to the staff survey and pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Sara Berry, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stuart Smallwood Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 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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