Ken Stimpson Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and want to do well in school. They understand the value of education.

Many pupils show pride in their achievements and have high aspirations for their futures. Pupils do not always learn and achieve in line with their potential because the quality of the school's curriculum and provision is not consistently strong.

Lessons are typically calm.

Most pupils concentrate on their learning and work hard. Periodically, some pupils disrupt learning in some lessons. During social times, pupils enjoy each other's company and have fun together.

Pupils are safe at school and are well supported when concerns arise. Pupils have mixed views o...n how well bullying is managed. While bullying is not common, sometimes it is not resolved quickly enough.

Students in the sixth form value their experiences at school and the support of their teachers. Students have a clear focus on their next steps in education or employment. They embrace the many opportunities the school provides for them to achieve academically and personally, including the nationally recognised groups learning about enterprise.

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

Leaders have been developing a new approach to the curriculum. They aim to broaden pupils' opportunities to learn a wide range of subjects. Leaders have not yet organised the curriculum in a way that helps pupils learn most effectively.

For example, in some areas of the curriculum, teachers try to teach too much knowledge at the same time. This leaves many pupils being overloaded and forgetting what has been taught.

Leaders have not clarified what they want pupils to know in some subjects.

This leads to teachers not always teaching pupils the important knowledge they need to succeed. This also means that teachers do not always check that pupils know precisely what they should. As a result, pupils have gaps in what they know and understand as they move up the school.

To help pupils catch up, leaders have introduced small support groups that occur before, during and after the school day. These help pupils to review what has been taught. To attend some of these support groups, pupils are taken out of lessons.

As a result, some pupils miss parts of the curriculum and develop further gaps in knowledge.

Leaders have introduced new ways of helping pupils to enjoy reading. These plans have not yet affected pupils' reading habits the way leaders want.

Pupils told us that they read for pleasure less in secondary school than they did in their primary schools. However, pupils also told us that they enjoy the reading sessions they have in tutor groups.Leaders' support for pupils who struggle with reading helps many pupils improve.

Leaders have not yet trained all staff in the school's approach to teaching phonics and reading. As a result, teachers do not always give the most effective support that some pupils need to improve.

Teachers do not teach pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) consistently well.

Some teachers do not provide learning opportunities that routinely meet the needs of these pupils. Some teachers also do not use leaders' detailed guidance when teaching these pupils. However, the provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder is well delivered.

These pupils learn how to be successful in school and the wider world.

Teachers do not consistently apply leaders' set approach for managing behaviour. As a result, some pupils disrupt the learning of others in some lessons.

On occasion, some pupils can be unruly during social times.

Leaders' actions have improved attendance since the recent national lockdowns. However, the number of pupils who are persistently absent is still too high.

Leaders have planned a curriculum and enrichment opportunities to support pupils' personal development. This curriculum includes studying fundamental British values. Some pupils' understanding of these areas is not sufficiently well developed.

This is particularly noticeable in the amount of intolerant language used by some pupils when referring to people's differences. In the sixth form, however, students enjoy and benefit from the many impressive opportunities leaders provide. These help students learn how to live happy and healthy lives in contemporary society.

Leaders ensure that all pupils and students in the school receive the independent advice and guidance they need to make positive next steps in education or employment.

Leaders have managed the school through a turbulent period. Some staff feel unsettled and not well enough supported to do their work as well as they could.

Leaders have built positive relationships with the local community in the interest of the pupils and students at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to look for signs of potential harm.

They know their pupils well and act swiftly and appropriately when concerns arise.

Leaders keep meticulous records about vulnerable pupils and work well with external agencies and ensure that these pupils get the support they need.

Governors ensure that leaders carry out the expected background checks to ensure that adults at the school are suitable.

Staff ensure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe and how to respond when worried about their well-being.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' curriculum is not clear or organised well enough. As a result, teachers sometimes teach the curriculum in a way that overloads or confuses pupils.

Leaders need to clarify for teachers exactly what pupils must know and in what order knowledge should be taught. ? Leaders have not ensured that all staff understand and use the school's approach to teaching phonics and reading. Teachers do not consistently support pupils, particularly those who struggle with reading, well enough in lessons.

Leaders need to develop teachers' expertise and ensure they use the school's chosen approach to teaching phonics and reading. ? Some teachers do not provide the effective learning opportunities that support pupils with SEND to learn well. Leaders need to ensure that teachers have secure knowledge in how to support pupils with SEND more effectively and follow leaders' guidance for these pupils.

• Teachers do not follow leaders' behaviour policy consistently. This leads to some pupils disrupting learning in some lessons and demonstrating inappropriate conduct during social times. Leaders need to ensure that all staff have consistently high expectations and follow the behaviour policy set out.

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