King's Oak Academy

Inspection of King’s Oak Academy Brook Road, Kingswood, Bristol, Gloucestershire BS15 4JT

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

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The principal of this school is Katherine Ogden. This school is part of Cabot Learning Federation, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Steve Taylor, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Professor Yvonne Beach. 3 and 4 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at King’s Oak Academy. The school expects them to ‘work hard, be kind’, and pupils strive to do this. There are high expectations of what pupils can achieve academically and of who they can become. Pupils’ achievement has improved rapidly in many areas of the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Warm relationships underpin the school’s calm atmosphere. Pupils feel safe and happy. The school has built a sense of belonging, so pupils have a positive view of school. Staff make sure that pupils feel welcome when they arrive at school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disability (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, have a rich set of experiences from Reception Year onwards. Pupils develop their talents and interests, whether these are sporting, musical or artistic. The school develops additional activities based on pupils’ interests. For instance, they offer volleyball, parkour and football events that promote inclusivity.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This school is at the heart of the local community. It provides high-quality pastoral support to pupils and families. This reduces the risks to pupils’ welfare and enables them to flourish in their lives beyond school.

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

Pupils’ current work and knowledge show they are progressing well through the curriculum. Pupils’ achievement in national assessments and examinations has improved. However, some of the school’s published outcomes in 2024 were below national averages. Some aspects of the school’s work to improve the curriculum are recent. Although it is beginning to have a positive impact on the learning of current pupils, the curriculum work has not had time to come to fruition.

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

Teaching supports pupils across the school to learn well. Staff ensure that pupils revisit important learning often. Teachers take every opportunity to broaden pupils’ vocabulary. Consequently, pupils develop a strong knowledge of the school’s broad, ambitious curriculum. The early years curriculum promotes a love of learning and prepares children well for key stage 1. The number of pupils who continue to study English Baccalaureate subjects such as a language and history or geography into key stage 4 has increased.

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

Children in the early years make a strong start with phonics. Most learn to read quickly. Pupils who do not read well get precise support to improve their accuracy, fluency and comprehension. The school ensures pupils read often enough to maintain their fluency and confidence. Pupils develop a love of reading.

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

Pupils behave well. They work hard. Pupils persist with learning, even when they are finding it challenging. Children in the early years learn the routines and behaviours that will enable them to succeed. The school celebrates good behaviour so that pupils develop positive character traits. This contributes strongly to a respectful and calm environment. 3 and 4 June 2025

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Pupils who need extra support to manage their behaviour get it. Disruption to learning is rare as a result.

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Pupils’ attendance has improved. The school has successfully removed the barriers that prevent some pupils from attending school regularly. However, a small number of pupils continue to be absent from school too often. Consequently, they do not achieve well enough or experience fully the wider personal development the school provides.

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The school has a comprehensive and inclusive approach to preparing pupils for life beyond school. There is an ambitious curriculum for teaching pupils about all aspects of personal, social and health education. The school adapts this curriculum in light of emerging potential risk factors. This helps pupils understand how to stay safe, including when online and in the community.

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Pupils learn to explain their views confidently. They listen to other’s perspectives and know how to disagree appropriately. Pupils are respectful and tolerant of people whose backgrounds differ from their own. They enjoy learning about other faiths and cultures. Pupils know which groups in society tend to experience discrimination. They understand how they can promote equality through their own actions.

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High-quality careers information begins from an early age. Extra support is provided for pupils who are uncertain of what they want to do in the future, with a particular focus on pupils with SEND or disadvantaged pupils. This is invaluable in helping pupils find something they enjoy and want to do in the future.

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Leaders have made rapid and significant improvements to the school, supported by the trust. Staff have the knowledge, confidence and time to perform their roles to a high standard. They are highly motivated to continue to improve and feel valued by the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some aspects of the school’s improvement work have begun recently and have not had sustained impact. Pupils’ achievement is not consistently high at the end of key stage 4. Some pupils miss out on learning due to poor attendance. The school and trust should ensure improvements have a positive impact on the standards pupils achieve so that they are well prepared for their next steps. 3 and 4 June 2025

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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). 3 and 4 June 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 5 and 6 March 2024, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 This school is part of the Cabot Learning Federation.  The school uses seven unregistered alternative provisions and four registered alternative provisions for a small number of pupils.  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

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. 3 and 4 June 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation of 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.  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.  An inspector met with those responsible for governance, including a trustee, and with staff from the multi-academy trust, including the CEO.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys. Inspectors also spoke to pupils and staff in meetings and around the school site.  Inspectors carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, mathematics,

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physical education, English, modern foreign languages and history.  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.

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Inspection team

Sarah Favager-Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Vaughan Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 June 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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