Kings International College

Kings International College for Business and the Arts Inspection report

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132268 Unique Reference Number Surrey Local Authority 316001 Inspection number 3–4 December 2008 Inspection dates Carmen Rodney HMI Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Comprehensive Type of school Foundation School category 11–18 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 684 School (total) 65 Sixth form The governing body Appropriate authority Mrs Val Hammond Chair Mr John Edwards Headteacher 3 November 2003 Date of previous school inspection Watchetts Drive School address Camberley GU15 2PQ 01276 683 539 Telephone number 01276 709 503 Fax number

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11–18 Age group 3–4 December 2008 Inspection dates 316001 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. 2 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by one of Her Majesty's Inspectors and three Additional Inspectors.

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Description of the school

Kings International College with a sixth form provides a number of extended services to support students and the local community. The college is smaller than the average secondary school. It serves the Surrey Heath area. Roughly three-quarters of the students are of White British heritage, with the remaining students drawn from a diverse range of minority ethnic groups. About a fifth of the students speak a language other than English at home, with 4% (a proportion that is increasing) at an early stage of learning English as a second language. Free school meal eligibility is below the national average but is higher than the local authority's average. The number of students entering and leaving the college other than at the normal time is above average. The proportion of students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is above average. Most of these students have specific learning difficulties or behavioural,

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Description of the school

emotional and social needs. Kings International College is a founding member of the 3Es federation, formed in 2001, of colleges who work together to share and develop good practice. The college is an active member of the Surrey Heath Area Partnership for Education (SHAPE), which provides diplomas across the community. The college has enjoyed Business and; Enterprise status since September 2004 and has several awards including Investors in People (2007), the International School Award (2008) and Investor in Careers (2008). It is currently seeking to gain the Artsmark and Healthy School awards. The headteacher has been in post since 2005.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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Grade: 4

In accordance with section13(3) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires significant improvement, because it is performing significantly less well than in all the circumstances it could reasonably be expected to perform. The school is therefore given a Notice to Improve. Significant improvement is required in relation to students' standards and achievement in English and science. There is significant underachievement. Students' rate of progress over Years 7 to 11 has not been fast enough to help them reach their full potential in all subjects. In Key Stage 3, the proportion of students who make the progress expected for their age group is significantly lower than in similar schools. Standards are average in mathematics, well below average in science and low in English. In GCSE examinations, performance varies considerably across the curriculum areas and results

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Grade: 4

fluctuate. Students' overall rate of progress is unsatisfactory as underachievement persists in Years 10 and 11, in relation to their starting points. Based on students' outcomes in their best eight GCSE subjects, standards are average. Standards are also average in mathematics. However, in 2008, the proportions of students achieving five or more GCSE grades A* to C, overall and including English and mathematics, were significantly below the national average. In particular, standards and achievement in English were both lower than average. The school has identified high staff turnover in the science department and long term illness in the English department as having undermined students' progress. In addition, high student mobility is a challenge for staff, with an increasing number of new arrivals who are still at an early stage of learning English. As a result, new initiatives were introduced to raise standards,

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Grade: 4

but the 2008 results in Year 9 in English and science did not improve significantly. Teaching is satisfactory, but not enough is consistently good to ensure that, over time, students can speed up their progress in most subjects. Although the personalisation of learning has improved, students do not have sufficient opportunities to become independent learners. There is too little emphasis on the accurate use of basic literacy skills across the curriculum. The college is a strong contributor to the Surrey Heath federation of schools and uses its specialist status well to increase students' understanding of entrepreneurial skills and to build their self-esteem. Students generally feel safe and say that adults deal effectively with the rare incidents of bullying and racist behaviour. They have good opportunities to explore other cultural heritages through the curriculum, friendship groups and the international links which the college has

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Grade: 4

developed. The college has good partnership working with parents and the overwhelming majority of them spoke positively about this and the support available from the teachers. The college places a strong emphasis on upholding anti-discriminatory legislation and parents, like their children, speak compellingly about the good provision for students to live and work in an ethnically diverse college, local community and country. Leaders and managers, including governors, seek to protect, and work very closely with, new arrivals. The curriculum is satisfactory and improving; it is flexible and suits the needs of students. Students have good access to personalised courses and different pathways from as early as Year 9. The level of guidance and support available for students is satisfactory, with some good features. Target setting and the use of more challenging targets are recent initiatives, which 4 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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Grade: 4

still need further work to secure their impact on raising standards. Students say they enjoy coming to school, and most display good behaviour in lessons. In contrast, behaviour is mostly satisfactory in the playground and open spaces, where basic rules are occasionally not strictly observed. Leaders and managers, including the governors, recognise that achievement and standards should be better and, in response, they have introduced a raft of measures to raise standards. It is too early to assess the impact of the changes. Measures have included a range of procedures and systems to increase monitoring and make staff more accountable for the performance of their classes. Performance data are increasingly used to track progress of groups of students in relation to gender, ability and ethnicity in order to tackle underachievement. The college has laid a sound foundation for improving the rate of students' progress; however, there are

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Grade: 4

still weaknesses in the use of assessment data and marking. This is because marking is inconsistent in giving clear guidelines on areas for improvement, and assessment information is not used rigorously to adapt work for students of different abilities. These shortcomings are leading to too many students making progress that is slower than it could be. Self-evaluation is generally accurate but middle managers are not yet fully reflecting the proposed actions in departmental plans to drive improvement quickly. The life of the college has changed for the better under the leadership of the current headteacher, who has been the longest-serving post holder since the reorganisation. The headteacher's work and the support of the senior staff generate confidence among parents, staff and students. Satisfactory leadership and management mean that the college has an accurate view of most of its provision. The headteacher is challenging staff to improve standards,

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Grade: 4

and is using the college's long-term development plan to ensure that staff are clear about the next steps to raise standards. All of this means that the school is satisfactorily placed to begin tackling the shortcomings more rigorously.

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Grade: 3

The sixth form offers a satisfactory education. Standards on entry are below average, and by the end of Years 12 and 13 they remain below average; this represents satisfactory achievement over time. Students' satisfactory progress reflects the sound levels of teaching. Students say that they enjoy their lessons because they are challenging and that staff provide good levels of support. However, lessons seen during the inspection were teacher-led, with few chances for the students to work independently. The students' personal development is satisfactory. There are opportunities for them to exercise responsibility and make a positive contribution to their college, the local community and beyond. The college builds students' personal development well through community projects, charitable work, links with the army, and visits to historical places of interest in other countries, such as Poland. The small size of the sixth form does limit opportunity. Although some students enjoy

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Grade: 3

coaching lower school sports teams, there are insufficient sporting activities for them. The curriculum is satisfactory. By concentrating on the International Baccalaureate and vocational courses, the college provides an enterprising range of opportunities that is distinctly different from that provided by many other schools. Care, guidance and support are satisfactory. The students are aware of their target grades, but progress against the targets is measured with insufficient rigour. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The sixth-form team knows what needs to be improved. For example, team members have correctly identified the need to 5 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008 offer more level 2 courses as an area for development. Staff with management responsibility provide a supportive environment for the students, but there is a lack or rigour in the way they

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Grade: 3

monitor students' work and the quality of lessons. The capacity for further improvement is satisfactory.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Raise achievement and standards in all year groups, particularly in English and science. Ensure that all students have a good grasp of basic literacy skills in order to make faster progress. ■ Improve teaching and learning so that work is matched closely to students' needs.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve marking and the use of assessment information to track students' progress, so that underachievement can be identified early and progress accelerated. ■ Develop the skills of leaders at all levels so they can better drive improvement through rigorously monitoring and evaluating the college's work.

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Grade: 4

Achievement is inadequate overall. Too many students have not reached their potential based on their starting points. Too few successfully achieve the challenging targets that are set. In 2007, standards at the end of Year 9 were well below average in science, exceptionally low in English and broadly average in mathematics. There was a marked improvement in the 2008 unvalidated results in mathematics, but those for English and science showed little improvement. Progress in English and science was inadequate, with too few students making satisfactory progress, particularly in English. Changes in staffing and a new curriculum for Year 7 in English and science have been introduced, but it is too early to see evidence of impact on students' progress. In 2007, the proportion of students gaining five or more A* to C grades at GCSE, including English and mathematics, was below the national average. The 2008 unvalidated results were

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Grade: 4

significantly lower than average. Too few of the more-able students reached the highest grades, A*/A, in most subjects. The proportion of students gaining two or more grades A* to C in science was also significantly lower than average. Students attained particularly well in dance and statistics. Standards and achievement in English have been significantly below average for the last three years, as seen in GCSE results. Based on the work seen during the inspection, current Year 11 students are generally attaining standards that are in line with those seen nationally and are making satisfactory progress in lessons. The school is successful in reaching, and often exceeding, its specialist business college targets. Students with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, and those who speak English as a second language generally make satisfactory progress because of the appropriately targeted specialist

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Grade: 3

Students' personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is satisfactory. The 'Student Voice' group provides good opportunities for students to participate in decision making within the school. For example, students have been influential in making changes to the personal, social, health and citizenship courses. 6 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008 Students make good contributions to the local community through a range of opportunities. These include performances by the college's gospel choir and fund raising events for local and overseas charities. All of these activities help students to develop into thoughtful young people who gain a balanced view of the local and wider communities. Racial harmony is a strength of the school and the small number of students from minority backgrounds are well integrated and supported. As one student remarked, 'We're an international school.' Students take

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Grade: 3

responsibility for each other. They respond well to curriculum enhancement days and the Enterprise week, particularly Year 11 students, who work closely with business mentors. The college uses such activities well to promote enterprise skills but these are not used as well to extend learning across the curriculum. For many students weaknesses in literacy hinder their development of skills for future employment and economic well-being. Behaviour is satisfactory overall; it is better in lessons than in and around the college. Students are friendly and say they feel safe, enjoy school and want to do well. They understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle and feel well informed about making choices that will keep them safe outside of school. Attendance is in line with the national average.

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Grade: 3

Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, but their quality is inconsistent. The majority of students display good attitudes to learning. Teachers generally have secure subject knowledge and are confident in their delivery. However, in many lessons, there is insufficient emphasis on students using basic literacy skills accurately, and there are limited opportunities for them to demonstrate their understanding of set work because the teachers play too dominant a role. Insufficient use is made of assessment data to inform planning and provide clear learning objectives against which progress can be measured. Where students are taught in ability sets, they are given the same task, irrespective of differences in their starting points and levels of understanding. As a result, expectations are not always high enough. Students have limited opportunities to use self-assessment to identify what they need to do to improve further and

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Grade: 3

marking does not consistently explain how they can improve their work. Where teaching is good, the pace is brisk, activities reflect clearly explained learning objectives, and teachers stimulate and sustain students' interests through skilful questioning that extends their understanding.

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Grade: 3

Students are offered a satisfactory and improving curriculum. In Years 7 to 9, the curriculum has been enhanced to reflect the college's status as a specialist business and enterprise college, so there is good provision to develop students' enterprise skills. By the end of Year 9, all students have the opportunity to take the humanities GCSE examination. In Years 10 and 11, in particular, the curriculum is tailored to meet the needs of individual students. Curriculum planning has been imaginative and the school is successfully personalising the provision through offering a number of different pathways that provide a good blend of academic and vocational options, which helps to prepare the students for their next step beyond the age of 16. However, there is insufficient emphasis on developing good basic literacy skills, particularly in Years 7 to 9. Appropriate intervention strategies have been introduced in English and other subjects to

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Grade: 3

7 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008 improve these skills, but the developments are quite recent and have not yet made a significant impact on standards. The provision of extra-curricular activities is good. The students appreciate the many and varied opportunities to play sport and to participate in musical and dramatic events.

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Grade: 3

Staff are highly committed to the care and welfare of students, and the school has an effective pastoral system in place. Strong partnerships with a range of external agencies ensure a good level of care and support for the most vulnerable students. There are secure arrangements to ensure the safety of students, including robust systems for child protection and risk assessments. Students say that bullying has reduced and any that does occur is dealt with efficiently. Additional focused support is provided for the small number of students at an early stage of learning English as a second language, and for those who have learning difficulties and/or disabilities, resulting in their satisfactory progress. Good transition arrangements aid a smooth transfer, and contribute to students settling and understanding new routines quickly. Careers advice and guidance are helpful and tailored well to the needs of individual students. Although

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Grade: 3

academic guidance is satisfactory overall, inconsistencies in the use of assessment strategies result in students not always knowing how to improve their work. As a result, progress in students' learning slows.

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Grade: 3

Following the last inspection, the headteacher has made a significant impact by creating stability and improving the school's reputation in the local community. He has increased accountability and staff awareness of school improvement strategies by introducing a range of systems for monitoring and evaluating work. School improvement work is combined well with extensive staff development. However, departmental plans do not dovetail well with the college's long-term plan, which identifies priorities. Departmental plans are not explicit about achievements and standards, and do not include timescales for improvement or measurable targets against which success can be judged. Planning for improvement and monitoring have focused more on processes than on the intended impact. Analysis of data clearly identifies underachievement, but the actions taken to raise standards and achievement have not been sufficiently rigorous to help all students make at least satisfactory progress. Targets to raise

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Grade: 3

standards are ambitious but monitoring and evaluation remain undeveloped, as actions taken have not been robust enough to sustain improvement since the last inspection. The partnership with the family of schools increases curriculum enrichment, staff development and sharing of best practice, but these have not yet led to significant improvements in students' achievement. The governing body has acted robustly and asks the right questions to find the underlying causes of underperformance. Governors have also worked closely with the local authority to agree a suitable plan to address the historical budget deficit. 8 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008 .

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Grade: 3

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 9 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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Inspection judgements

16-19 School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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meeting the needs of learners?

Yes No Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection 2 2 How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well being? 3 3 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

3 4 How well do learners achieve? 3 3 The standards 1 reached by learners 3 4 How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners How well learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities make progress

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Achievement and standards

1 Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 10 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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well-being of the learners?

The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 3 The extent to which learners enjoy their education 3 The attendance of learners 3 The behaviour of learners The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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full range of learners' needs?

3 3 How well do the curriculum and other activities meet the range of needs and interests of learners? 3 3 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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achievement and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 3 3 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination eliminated 2 How well does the school contribute to community cohesion? How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? Yes Does this school require a notice to improve? 11 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

04 February 2009 Dear Students Inspection of Kings International College for Business and the Arts,Camberley,GU15 2PQ As you know, your college was inspected and this letter is to tell you about the findings of the inspection. First, I would like to thank you all for your help and cooperation during the inspection. Our special thanks to the small group of ambassadors who were assigned to help us and to some of you who took us to different rooms. You represented your college well and we enjoyed meeting you and appreciated your comments and views. The headteacher and senior staff have made your college a safe, happy and welcoming place. Your college has a number of key strengths. First, it helps you to develop into mature young people who can take responsibility for others in the college and in your local and wider communities. Relationships are strong among all of you, irrespective of your ethnic background.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

Second, you are looked after well, your behaviour is good in lessons, and you are confident about turning to adults if any form of misbehaviour occurs. Third, there is good provision to develop your business and enterprise skills, and in Years 9, 10 and in the sixth form, you are able to choose from a wide range of courses that matches your interests and needs. There is also a good range of enrichment activities, which you enjoy, and the Student Voice is increasing its input into decisions about the running of the college. Fourth, the Accelerated Learning unit provides good support for those of you needing extra help with your work. Fifth, you make the most progress in Years 10 and 11, and nearly all of you achieve five or more GCSE passes at the end of Year 11. Finally the college has strong partnerships with parents, agencies and community groups. Some areas of the college's work are not as strong. The college has therefore been given a

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

notice to improve to help it make the improvements quickly. This means that other inspectors will visit the college later this year to assess whether you are all making better progress. Your headteacher and staff recognise that there is more work to do to make sure that all of you achieve your potential, particularly in English and science. The work set is not always matched to your needs, and information on your performance is not always used well to set work to stimulate and challenge you. Lastly, there is a need to monitor your work rigorously to make sure you are all making at least satisfactory or better progress. We wish you well in the future. Yours faithfully Carmen Rodney Her Majesty's Inspector 12 of 12 Inspection Report: Kings International College for Business and the Arts, 3–4 December 2008

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