Kibworth Mead Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' experience at this school is very mixed. Some pupils are happy at the school but many are not. Pupils do not feel safe in all areas of the school because of their experience of the recent past poor behaviour of some.

Leaders do not ensure that pupils at alternative provision attend regularly, are safe and receive a good education.

Many pupils are friendly, well-mannered and hard-working. However, some pupils are not respectful to others and make derogatory comments to those of a different ethnicity or gender.

Many pupils say that bullying happens at the school. They do not always report bullying or derogatory comments because they are not confident th...at staff will deal with such incidents effectively. Not all pupils are confident that leaders will take their concerns about harmful sexual behaviours seriously.

In lessons, many pupils work hard and want to do their best. However, teachers' expectations of pupils' behaviour and learning are not consistently high. Learning is often disrupted by some pupils' poor behaviour.

Teachers do not always set pupils work that is sufficiently challenging.

Parents' and carers' views of the school vary. Many parents are disappointed by a lack of support for pupils.

Other parents are pleased by the new leaders' efforts to improve the school.

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

The school has gone through a period of turbulence. Most senior leaders joined the school very recently.

They have identified and begun to address significant weaknesses in the quality of the provision. This is beginning to have a positive impact on pupils' experience. However, leaders have yet to bring about the necessary improvements to pupils' behaviour and to creating a culture of effective safeguarding.

The school offers pupils an appropriate range of subjects. However, in many subjects, the curriculum is not sufficiently ambitious. Senior leaders have addressed this in some subjects.

There is a clear plan in place to ensure that, by September 2022, subject leaders will have identified what knowledge pupils should learn and when in all subjects.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They are beginning to use 'do now' activities.

These help pupils to recall and practise what they have learned before. However, teachers do not assess well enough what pupils do or do not already know when introducing new learning. For example, some teachers do not identify gaps in pupils' knowledge.

When this is the case, pupils can become confused as they encounter new learning. Pupils who do understand and can recall what they have previously learned do not routinely receive work that enables them to build on what they already know. Leaders have effective plans to improve the way teachers check all pupils' learning.

Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is not always precise enough to enable these pupils to acquire the knowledge and skills that they should.

The school makes sure pupils read widely and often. In form time, pupils read their class book together three times each week.

The school has an effective programme to support pupils who need help to read well.

Teachers apply the new behaviour policy inconsistently. Consequently, pupils receive mixed messages about how they should behave.

They lack confidence in how well leaders deal with some behaviours, including bullying. Some pupils disrupt lessons or do not follow instructions from staff. Leaders have addressed concerns that pupils have about the safe use of toilets.

However, they have yet to convince all pupils that the toilets are the safe spaces they should be.

Some pupils fail to attend school regularly. Many arrive late to school and to their lessons.

The careers education pupils receive prepares them well for their next steps in employment, training or education. Pupils can choose from a range of extra-curricular activities. They learn about British values and diversity.

However, some pupils do not show the necessary respect towards others who are different to them. Not all pupils benefit from high-quality pastoral support.

Staff, including those new to teaching, appreciate the training and support that they receive.

They say that leaders take account of their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

Leaders, including those from the multi-academy trust, have not acted swiftly enough to ensure that they recognise and act on pupils' concerns.

It is not always clear what actions leaders take to resolve safeguarding concerns.

Not all pupils are confident that staff will take their concerns seriously, including about harmful sexual behaviour.

Leaders have failed to check if pupils in alternative provisions are safe and to maintain accurate registers of these pupils' attendance.

Leaders understand local risks. They work well with external agencies. Staff know how to report concerns about pupils and adults.

Pupils learn about how to keep themselves and others safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• It is not always clear what actions, if any, leaders take in response to safeguarding concerns. Leaders cannot be sure that pupils receive the help they need.

Pupils are not confident that leaders take their concerns seriously, including about harmful sexual behaviours. Leaders must make sure that their response to any safeguarding concern is robust, ensuring that the pupils affected receive the right support. They must ensure that all pupils are confident that staff will take seriously any safeguarding concerns pupils may have.

• Leaders have not assured themselves of the suitability of the alternative provisions they use for some pupils. They do not keep accurate registers to record these pupils' attendance at these provisions. They do not know if these pupils are safe and are studying an appropriate curriculum.

Leaders must ensure that pupils in alternative provision attend regularly, are safe and engage in appropriate learning. ? Staff do not implement the new behaviour policy consistently. Expectations of pupils' behaviour are not clear.

The poor behaviour of some pupils often interrupts learning. Leaders should ensure that staff's implementation of the behaviour policy is consistent so that all pupils understand what constitutes appropriate behaviour and incidents of inappropriate behaviour decrease. ? Pupils say that bullying happens.

Some pupils make derogatory comments about those who are different to them, including those of a different ethnicity or gender. Leaders must ensure that the school has a culture where such behaviour is not tolerated. Pupils must have confidence that staff will deal with such issues effectively.

• Some pupils do not attend school regularly. Some are not punctual. They miss out on learning.

Leaders must ensure that pupils receive support to attend school regularly and to arrive on time. ? Many pupils do not feel safe in the toilets due to the past poor behaviour of a small minority of pupils. They avoid using these facilities during the day.

Leaders must ensure that all pupils feel safe in all areas of school. ? When introducing new learning, teachers do not routinely consider what pupils can or cannot recall from previous learning. As a result, some pupils become confused when learning new concepts.

Others who can recall what they have learned previously do not always receive work that enables them to build on what they already know. Some teachers do not provide effective guidance and support to help pupils, including those with SEND, in their learning. Leaders should make sure that teachers have the knowledge and skills they need to be able to build successfully on what pupils have learned previously when teaching new concepts.

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