Kings Ford Academy

Inspection of Kings Ford Academy Gloucester Avenue, Shrub End, Colchester, Essex CO2 9AZ

p.1

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

p.1

The headteacher of this school is Karen Jackson. This school is part of Inspires MAT, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Ceri Jones, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Bhavika Gorasia. 10 and 11 June 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy with recent changes in the school. They recognise that their school is improving. Pupils enjoy opportunities to contribute to making the school better and have ideas about how that can happen. They are keen, active school citizens.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like discussing their learning and the new curriculum. They enjoy reading and know it is important for learning and enjoyment. It helps them to understand different people and places. The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement. However, these expectations are not realised consistently across all curriculum areas.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the support they receive from staff when they have problems or worries. They trust that staff are there for them and care about them. Pupils feel safe.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the school rules and their responsibilities. However, expectations of pupils’ behaviour are not consistently high. Some pupils are easily distracted from learning or are disrespectful to others. There are occasions when staff could intervene more quickly and firmly. As a result, some pupils do not behave well and do not have consistently positive attitudes to their learning.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are responsible librarians, school councillors and play leaders. They take pleasure in the friendships they make. They learn that ‘trust and reliability’ are vital ingredients of positive relationships. Pupils take pride in their roles and responsibilities.

p.2

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

The school accurately identifies areas that need improvement in the curriculum. It has successfully begun to address these priorities. The school checks it is on track to achieve its aims. Staff are trained and well supported to undertake their roles and responsibilities.

p.2

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

The school has revised the curriculum. It is well planned, ambitious and contains the knowledge that pupils need to learn and the order they need to learn it, including vocabulary. Staff check that pupils remember their learning. The new curriculum is improving pupils’ recall of their learning. For example, in mathematics, the school’s increased focus on arithmetic has supported pupils to learn and remember the multiplication tables.

p.2

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

Pupils use the new vocabulary that they learn in their writing and discussions. However, pupils are not always engaged effectively in their learning. The work they do in a few subjects does not help pupils to learn key knowledge. Resources are not always well matched to the learning intentions. As a result, pupils do not learn consistently well in some subjects.

p.2

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

The school prioritises reading. Pupils in the early stages of reading receive effective support to help them keep up. These sessions build pupils’ confidence and enjoyment. Pupils regularly review their learning and practise applying the sounds they know to writing and reading. Pupils read often. However, for a few pupils, the books that they read 10 and 11 June 2025

p.2

3

do not always match the sounds that they know well. This impacts on these pupils’ confidence and fluency. Pupils enjoy their class reading lessons. They listen well to adults’ expert reading aloud. They carefully discuss and answer questions about their reading.

p.3

3

The overall positive impact of the curriculum is not always reflected in national tests and assessments, as pupils join and leave the school more often than in other schools. Pupils achieve increasingly well the longer they are in school.

p.3

3

Behaviour has improved. More pupils engage in their learning and behave well. Nevertheless, expectations are still not high enough for pupils all of the time. There are different rules for different classes. Staff do not always respond promptly to pupils’ low- level disruption. As a result, some pupils are not engaged in their learning and do not learn well. The school prioritises attendance, and where pupils need additional support, they receive it quickly. As a result, pupils attend well.

p.3

3

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) promptly. It has high expectations of pupils with SEND and creates an inclusive ethos. The school works well with a range of experts to ensure that pupils receive the best support. Classrooms are resourced effectively to ensure that adaptations can be made for pupils if needed. The provision of the ‘nurture hut’ at lunchtime is a positive resource for pupils who need additional help when the playground is busy. Pupils with SEND make effective progress through the curriculum and against their own individual targets.

p.3

3

The school offers a range of opportunities to support pupils to develop socially and culturally. Pupils take part in a range of clubs and activities, such as the immersive ‘Greek day’ and VE day celebrations. They learn how to stay safe when working online. They have a strong voice in the school and share their opinions readily. They are well supported to be ready for life beyond school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The current behaviour policy does not support the school to respond to pupils’ inappropriate behaviour consistently. As a result, pupils do not always engage well with learning or behave respectfully in lessons or around school. The school must ensure that its high expectations for behaviour are realised so that pupils develop positive attitudes to learning and behave and learn well.  In a few subjects, the resources and activities that staff use to teach key knowledge are not effective in supporting pupils to learn the intended curriculum. Pupils do not learn the curriculum consistently well in these subjects. The school must ensure that the activities and resources pupils learn from, including the books that pupils in the 10 and 11 June 2025

p.3

4

early stages of reading practise with, help them to learn the curriculum consistently effectively and achieve well across the full range of subjects taught.

p.4

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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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). 10 and 11 June 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The Board of trustees

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 November 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is a member of Inspires MAT.  The school runs an after-school club for its pupils.  The school does not use alternative provision for its pupils.

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. 10 and 11 June 2025

p.5

6

 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and religious 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.  Inspectors discussed other areas of the curriculum with leaders.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, parents 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 examined a range of documents provided by the school. Inspectors looked at records related to attendance, behaviour, safeguarding and pupil movement.

p.6

6

 Inspectors met with senior leaders, a selection of subject leaders, teaching staff and support staff.  The lead inspector spoke with trustees and the CEO.  Inspectors considered the responses to the online survey, Ofsted parent view. They also took account of the online survey for staff and pupils.

p.6

Inspection team

Debbie Rogan, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Sarah Fowler Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 June 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