Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mark Taylor Principal Queen Katharine Academy Mountsteven Avenue Walton Peterborough Cambridgeshire PE4 6HX

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Queen Katharine Academy

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 18 September 2025, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in March 2025.

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Queen Katharine Academy

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Queen Katharine Academy

During the inspection, Steve Woodley, His Majesty’s Inspector (HMI), and I discussed with you and other senior leaders, the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust and the chair of the board of trustees the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also held discussions with teaching staff, visited lessons, had discussions with pupils and reviewed the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to no longer be judged as having serious weaknesses.

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designation

There have been significant changes to the leadership team and leadership structure since the last inspection. A new principal, vice-principal and special educational needs coordinator have taken up their roles. The trust continues to support the school with additional capacity, including an executive principal. It is providing valuable guidance to implement the well-thought-out and detailed improvement plan. Trustees use their experience and knowledge to challenge the school’s strategies. They maintain an accurate oversight of the improvements being made and those that still need to be made. You have provided clarity about leadership roles and how these coalesce to sustain improvement across the whole school.

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designation

You and your team have worked with staff and pupils to redefine the school’s vision and values. Pledges have been introduced for staff and pupils. These help illustrate how everyone can meet the high expectations for behaviour and achievement. Pupils have eagerly adopted these pledges. They value the clarity of what is expected of them and what they can expect from their school.

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designation

Classrooms are generally calm. There are fewer incidents of disruptive and disrespectful behaviour. This helps pupils focus and concentrate. Internal truancy has significantly reduced. Pupils are now routinely in class and on time. There remain some inconsistencies in how the behaviour policy is implemented. For example, some incidents of low-level disruption are not always addressed. However, pupils are now experiencing greater uniformity in the staff’s approach. Pupils are developing confidence in staff to help them if they are worried about something. This includes reporting worries about bullying, cases of which have reduced and are rare.

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designation

The school has implemented a structured and coordinated programme to help develop teachers’ expertise. This is supported by key trust staff. There is now a clear structure to learning. However, sometimes the clarity of teaching is not precise enough to help pupils understand key knowledge. Teaching does not yet routinely check and use information about what pupils know. This includes how well some pupils read. This means that teaching is not always adapted to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The quality of pupils’ learning appears to have improved. But some pupils are still unable to learn as well as they should. Staff are positive about the changes that have been made. They understand that this is just the start of improving the school. Staff are appreciative of how the school is balancing the need for rapid improvement with their own individual workload and well-being.

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The school is now accurately identifying the individual needs of pupils with SEND. There is accurate information to help staff support pupils with SEND to overcome their individual barriers to learning. However, not all of these strategies are successfully embedded into teaching the curriculum. This means that while the needs of pupils with SEND are now better understood, at times they are not supported effectively to progress through the curriculum as well as they could. The school’s ‘inclusion hub’ helps those pupils with the greatest challenges effectively. The school is now diagnosing pupils’ specific barriers to attending school or behaving well. Bespoke interventions are then developed and implemented. Consequently, there has been a significant reduction in the level of suspension and the use of alternative provision for these pupils. They are beginning to enjoy school, learn well and are being reintegrated steadily into the main curriculum.

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designation

There is a strong culture of safeguarding in the school. Staff understand their roles and responsibilities. The oversight of the trust and trustees is secure. Pupils who need help are well supported. There is clarity about the risks pupils face locally. The school actively engages with the local authority and other external agencies. Pupils feel safe and valued.

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designation

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees, and the CEO of the Thomas Deacon Education Trust, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Peterborough City Council. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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