King Edward VII Academy Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that all leaders and governors:
  • use progress information for groups of pupils, across year groups and subjects, more sharply to support pupils to make better progress, and when making judgements about the quality of provision
  • review the use of the additional funding for disadvantaged pupils thoroughly so that all leaders are clear on the precise difference that this funding is making, to ensure that these pupils make rapid progress in order to attain as well as other pupils nationally
  • ensure that all qualifications that pupils access are meaningful to their aspirations and interests, and that they receive appropriate support and curriculum time to achieve well in these
  • make sure that the safeguarding records of pupils are maintained to the same level of detail as the best, most notably recording the rationale behind decisions and specific information about the routine checks made on pupils’ well-being.
• Further raise the quality of teaching, learning and assessment, and outcomes, by:
  • ensuring that all staff use the increasingly higher-quality information being provided about how to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, so that these pupils make good progress across the curriculum
  • using the best practice that exists in the school to raise the quality of teaching, learning and assessment further, most notably in mathematics and science.
• Raise standards in personal development, behaviour and welfare by:
  • ensuring that teaching meets the needs of pupils more effectively so that those pupils who are harder to reach are engaged and enthused by their learning more consistently
  • further developing behaviour management strategies and consistency across the school so that the incidences of poor behaviour reduce more rapidly
  • continuing to work with relevant agencies and parents to increase the attendance and reduce the persistent absence of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. An external review of the use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

• Leaders have an overly positive view about the quality of the provision being provided by the school. Since the school opened, leaders have acted to address obvious weaknesses in the provision, but are not consistently precise in how they are monitoring the impact of this work. Too often, leaders have reviewed improvements in the provision far too generously.
• Senior leaders have not ensured that all leaders use the school’s assessment information in a consistently effective way to identify and act on underperformance of pupils rapidly. Leaders do not all know precisely enough how groups of pupils are progressing from their various starting points, most notably in key stage 3. As a result, some leaders do not know how much impact their actions are having in raising pupils’ achievement.
• Leaders are not precise enough in their evaluation of the use of the additional funding that they receive for disadvantaged pupils. Money is reallocated without specific enough analysis of the impact that the previous spending had. As a result, disadvantaged pupils did not make the progress of which they were capable in 2016. Leaders do not know specifically enough the difference that the allocation of funding this year is making.
• The curriculum and qualification range for pupils is generally broad. Pupils access a good balance of subjects, including creative and technical options. In particular, pupils and parents are effusive about the range of extra-curricular opportunities that are available to pupils. However, on occasion, pupils undertake qualifications additional to their options, which are not clearly meaningful or relevant to them as individuals. For instance, some pupils sat a qualification in their native language with no additional curriculum time or support last year. Leaders did not have a convincing and clear rationale for this.
• Although the majority of parents, pupils and staff were positive about the improvements in the school, a significant minority of these groups feel that leaders’ actions are not bringing the sustained improvements necessary to raise standards rapidly, most notably in teaching and behaviour.
• Leaders’ use of performance management, staff training, subject reviews and work scrutiny are starting to raise expectations about what pupils should be achieving in their lessons. In particular, the provision in English and history has become increasingly effective. Equally, the head of school’s focus on disadvantaged pupils’ learning in lessons is starting to raise standards for these pupils. However, teaching, learning and assessment are not yet securely effective across the school, most notably in mathematics and science.
• Following a period of turbulent leadership, a new leader has acted quickly since her appointment in September 2016 to improve the provision for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. She has rapidly put in place a series of measures to ensure that pupils are identified, and their needs reviewed, more effectively. However, her work to ensure that pupils receive appropriate levels of support in lessons to make good progress is not yet fully embedded across all subjects and year groups.
• The Eastern Multi-Academy Trust, led by the new chief executive officer, has acted quickly to secure further leadership and staffing capacity in the school since his arrival. The actions of school staff and leaders to work with trust advisers and other trust schools is bringing about greater consistency and quality in assessment at classroom level.
• Leaders’ actions to support those in Year 7 who need to catch up in their reading and writing are increasingly effective. The additional funding is being used to support additional reading programmes, one-to-one support and small group intervention. School information and pupils’ work show that some of these pupils are making exceptional progress. In English, this work is being capitalised on, so that these pupils continue to embed their new skills and understanding well.
• Leaders ensure that there are appropriate opportunities for pupils, where relevant, to access additional courses at local colleges or schools. Where a few pupils access these courses that the school cannot provide, leaders monitor the safeguarding and provision for these pupils well.
• Leaders’ work to raise standards in the sixth form have been effective. The curriculum, teaching, assessment and outcomes in the sixth form are good. The school meets the requirements of the 16 to 19 study programmes well. Consequently, most parents and pupils are very positive about this provision.

Governance of the school

• Governors are passionate, articulate and committed to raising standards for pupils in the community. Governors bring a range of expertise, and actively seek to recruit new people with varied skill sets to governance at the school. Governors visit leaders, lessons, parents’ evenings and key events. They use the evidence that they collect during these visits to challenge leaders over the effectiveness of the provision.
• Despite governors’ effective work in many aspects of their role, they are overly reliant on information provided by leaders about pupils’ achievement against national standards. On occasion, they take the attainment information presented at face value, rather than questioning what it shows about the progress of pupils, including different groups of pupils, from their various starting points.
• Governors review the spending of the additional funding that they receive for disadvantaged pupils. However, governors do not challenge leaders sharply enough on how this is ensuring that these pupils make rapid progress to attain in line with other pupils nationally.
• Governors have worked closely with the new leader for special educational needs to ensure that she has the necessary funding and support to raise standards for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. Governors are monitoring the impact of this work closely with the new leader.
• Governors understand their statutory obligations with regard to safeguarding. The nominated safeguarding governor’s work to monitor the single central record of the recruitment checks made on staff, and her regular checks on staff’s understanding of the most recent guidance is thorough. Her recent input into safeguarding systems is bringing about further improvements in the quality of recording, although this is not yet consistently applied by all leaders.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• Leaders ensure that they undertake all appropriate checks when recruiting staff. Leaders record and maintain the single central record of these checks well. This system is routinely checked by the link safeguarding governor.
• Leaders have ensured that staff are well trained in the most up-to-date guidance on child protection and safeguarding. This includes training in the ‘Prevent’ duty, which supports pupils who are vulnerable to radicalisation and extremism. Staff are very aware of the signs of potential abuse, neglect or concern, and make detailed and appropriate referrals to the designated safeguarding team.
• The designated safeguarding team is dedicated to the well-being and care of the most vulnerable pupils. It acts tenaciously to ensure that these pupils get access to the right care and support, including that internally within the school, and from external agencies. In particular, leaders identify that social, emotional and mental health is becoming an increasing issue for many of their pupils. Leaders continue to review their provision to ensure that they are providing the most up-to-date support for these pupils.
• Leaders acknowledge that their monitoring records, while giving a broad overview of events, do not always ensure that the actions taken to safeguard pupils are consistently detailed. In particular, records of the rationale behind their decisions and specific details of the support and monitoring for those few pupils who are currently being reintegrated into full-time provision at the school, are not always as well documented as they should be.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

• While there is a core of stronger practice, teaching, learning and assessment are not yet securely good, most notably in mathematics and science. Some weaker teaching, difficulties in recruiting teachers, and the use of temporary staffing, have resulted in this inconsistency.
• Teachers’ planning and support for pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are not ensuring that pupils make good progress. Teachers and other adults are not using precise strategies to engage, enthuse and upskill these pupils. As a result, these pupils are not making rapid progress from their various starting points across a range of subjects.
• Where pupils are hampered by poorer attendance, especially those who are from disadvantaged backgrounds, teachers are not consistently ensuring that they are catching up with the work missed. As a result, a few of these pupils, particularly those pupils who entered the school with broadly average attainment in Years 8 and 9, are not making the progress of which they are capable.
• Staff have worked quickly to develop curriculum and assessment strategies, so that pupils are better supported to make progress across year groups and key stages. Teachers’ work to link up with one another and with other schools in the trust is helping to bring greater consistency between teachers. In particular, standardised testing between schools and cross-school moderation are bringing greater confidence and consistency in assessment, especially at key stage 4.
• More teachers are ensuring that pupils are given appropriate guidance, both verbal and written, to make improvements to their work, or to deepen their understanding. Pupils are increasingly using this guidance to improve their understanding and/or work, and make better progress. This is especially apparent in English and history, as well as among the most able pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.
• Teachers are ensuring that pupils in Year 7 are well supported to catch up in literacy. Inspection evidence confirms that some of these pupils who entered with attainment lower than the national average are making exceptional progress from their starting points. In particular, an enjoyment of reading is an area that staff are successfully advocating through lessons and reading programmes. Staff are also successfully engaging pupils in a range of national and local reading competitions and events.
• There is a core of stronger practice in teaching, learning and assessment in the school, including in English, history, Spanish, music, and in the sixth form. Where practice is more effective, teachers have a thorough understanding of their subjects. They use this to plan appropriately for pupils’ learning over time, and to question them effectively, so that pupils deepen their understanding, apply new skills and make the progress of which they are capable.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.
• Although safeguarding is effective, leaders do not ensure that all safeguarding records are maintained to the same high standards as the best. On occasion, the recording of the actions taken, the rationale behind the decisions to take specific actions and the follow-up are not sufficiently detailed. The recent improvements that were identified as necessary by the link governor are bringing some greater consistency in this record-keeping, but this is not yet fully embedded.
• Leaders do not ensure that they consistently record the actions and support taken for the small numbers of pupils whom the school is trying to re-engage in full-time education, often following fixed-term exclusion or poorer behaviour. Although leaders monitor these pupils, this is not consistently documented in enough detail. Leaders’ actions do not always ensure that this small number of pupils re-engage with full-time provision quickly.
• Attendance has remained stubbornly below the national averages for 2015 and 2016 for all pupils. Although leaders’ actions this year are bringing about some improvements, absence rates and persistent absence for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities are still high.
• Pastoral support through house teams, external services and the student support centre, is ensuring that many more pupils are getting the emotional and pastoral care that they need. In particular, these dedicated staff teams are constantly reviewing their provision, to ensure that they are keeping up to date with issues that are pertinent to young people, both locally and nationally.
• Most pupils are well supported to transition between phases of their education. Pupils who enter in Year 7 have numerous opportunities to visit the school, and their initial induction when they first arrive continues to support this. Pupils are equally well supported to take options for their key stages 4 and 5 courses. Pupils who spoke to inspectors were very appreciative of this support.
• The support, care and guidance for children looked after is strong. The designated teacher and his team ensure that pupils’ attendance, achievement, behaviour and well-being are routinely reviewed and supported. Leaders work with external partners, carers and agencies very well to ensure that these pupils’ needs are being met, both in and out of school. Consequently, these pupils are achieving, attending and behaving well.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.
• School information shows some signs of improvements in behaviour since the academy opened. However, leaders’ use of permanent and fixed-term exclusions remains high, most notably for disadvantaged pupils and those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Although the majority of pupils adhere to school rules and expectations on conduct and behaviour in the classrooms, there are a significant minority who still account for a large proportion of the school’s number of behaviour incidents. In particular, where teaching, learning and assessment do not interest pupils, or do not meet their needs, some pupils disengage and cause disruption in lessons. A minority of pupils, parents and staff highlighted that there is an inconsistency in addressing lower-level disruptive behaviour, and that this is an area of concern for them.
• Most pupils wear their uniform appropriately, bring the right equipment to school, and are ready to learn. These pupils hold doors open, greet visitors, and are friendly and articulate. Most pupils behave appropriately in lessons and around the school, during breaks and lunchtimes.
• Most pupils say that while there are occasions where bullying occurs, it is generally rare and dealt with appropriately by staff and pupils. Pupils who spoke to inspectors said that they were taught how to stay safe, how to appreciate the differences between people, and the importance of British values, such as democracy, equality and the rule of law.

Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

• In 2016, the overall progress made by pupils was broadly in line with the national average. This includes the progress that pupils made in English and mathematics, which was also broadly in line for pupils overall. This was an improvement from 2015, where the progress that pupils made in their best eight subjects was significantly below the national average for that year.
• While there were improvements in some areas of attainment in 2016, most notably in English and for the most able pupils, levels of attainment more generally stayed broadly similar to 2015. This includes the percentage of pupils who achieved a grade C or higher in both their GCSE mathematics and English qualifications combined.
• Pupils’ achievement in mathematics and science remains variable. In 2016, pupils made progress in mathematics that was broadly in line with the national average, although attainment fell slightly. In science, pupils’ progress was significantly below the national average in 2015 and 2016, although attainment increased in the latter year. Current pupils are making better progress in Year 11, but this is not reflective of pupils’ experiences in all year groups. Where teaching, learning and assessment are not securely good, pupils are not making good progress from their starting points.
• The progress made by those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, while improving, is still inconsistent. Leaders have acknowledged the poor performance of these pupils in 2016, and have quickly implemented a series of actions to start to support them more effectively. However, while this is having some impact in Year 11, it is not sufficiently supporting pupils to make progress across all year groups and subjects consistently yet.
• Disadvantaged pupils in Year 11 in 2016 did not make the progress of which they were capable. Consequently, their attainment remained lower than that of other pupils nationally, especially for those pupils who entered the school with broadly typical attainment. Early signs from more recent actions taken by leaders indicate that pupils in key stage 4 are making slightly better progress, but leaders’ monitoring of pupils’ progress and the use of the additional funding that they receive is not precise enough to know the exact impact that their work is having, especially at key stage 3.
• The most able pupils in Year 11 made progress that was broadly in line with the national average in 2016. Most notably, their achievement in the non-core subjects was significantly higher than other pupils nationally. Consequently, the attainment of the most able pupils overall was broadly in line with the national average. While the small number of most-able disadvantaged pupils made progress broadly in line with the national average in 2016, they did not attain as highly as their peers nationally. School information and inspection evidence indicates that current most-able pupils are making stronger progress, especially in key stage 4, including the most able disadvantaged pupils.
• Pupils made stronger progress in some subjects in Year 11 in 2016 than previously. In particular, the achievement of pupils in English, history, art, religious studies and physical education showed continued improvement. Current pupils across year groups continue to generally make strong progress in these areas, including disadvantaged pupils.
• Leaders ensure that those few pupils who require some vocational and/or alternative provision as part of their curriculum diet get this access through the College of West Anglia, and other schools. These provisions also offer qualifications that the school does not have the capacity to run themselves currently. This provision is well thought out and monitored, and consequently pupils achieve well.
• Pupils are well supported to achieve appropriate next steps in their post-16 destinations. Leaders have good relationships with a range of providers and colleges locally. The guidance that leaders give to pupils about the different types of qualification available at post-16 ensures that most pupils achieve a post-16 placement that is a progression from their qualifications at key stage 4.

16 to 19 study programmes Good

• Teaching, learning and assessment in the sixth form are good. Teachers know their subject content and examination specifications well, and use this knowledge to plan high-quality learning activities for students. Almost all teachers provide high-quality feedback to students, both written and oral. Debate and questioning are also real strengths in the provision for these students. As a result, over time, students from their varied starting points have made securely good progress in most subjects.
• Personal development, behaviour and welfare in the sixth form are good. Almost all students are happy and responsible, and feel well supported and safe. Students are taught how to stay safe and healthy in their wider lives, and are supported through the pastoral curriculum to understand their broader role as the future adults in society. Students engage in a range of community, charity and school roles. They are very good role models for younger pupils in the school.
• In lessons, students are highly engaged learners, who participate with enthusiasm and interest, and show clear levels of independence in the quality of their note making, and the actions that they take to improve their learning independently, through self-study on site in the sixth-form study areas.
• Although the school’s main curriculum offer is that of a broad range of level 3 provision, most notably A levels, school leaders work with other local schools and colleges to offer wider choices of qualification at post-16. Where a few students do not succeed on their chosen courses, leaders ensure that these students receive bespoke support to find an appropriate next step for them. Lessons are also provided to support the very small numbers of students who did not achieve their grade C in English and/or mathematics, so that they can achieve these standards.
• Leaders ensure that students are well prepared for the next stages in their education, training or employment. Students who spoke to inspectors were very appreciative of the support and guidance that they received to make applications to university, and for apprenticeships. Almost all students eagerly undertake work experience as part of their sixth-form courses. Leaders continue to work with students to ensure that all of these opportunities are meaningful experiences in line with students’ aspirations and interests. As a result of this ongoing work, all students in Year 13 in 2016 achieved a sustained, appropriate next step in their education, training or employment.
• Leaders undertake thorough evaluation of the evidence that they have on students’ progress from their starting points in different subjects, to ensure that those who need additional support are helped to catch up. As a result, most students achieve well. The overall progress that students made in academic subjects, which accounts for the vast proportion of the curriculum being offered at the school, was strong in 2015 and broadly in line with the national average for 2016. In particular, the progress of students in A-level biology, sport, classical civilisations, mathematics, further mathematics, chemistry and Spanish were real strengths. The performance of a very small number of students in the applied subjects in 2016 cannot be reported upon without identifying individual students.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 141177 Norfolk 10031347 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Academy sponsor-led 11 to 18 Mixed Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 1,260 Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes 206 Appropriate authority The Eastern Multi Academy Trust Chair Principal Telephone number Website Email address Keith Willey Craig Morrison 01553 773606 www.kesacademy.co.uk craig.morrison@kesacademy.co.uk Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

Information about this school

• The school does not comply with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish on their website, and does not meet requirements on the publication of information about pupil premium, Year 7 catch-up funding or ensuring that all policies refer to the correct academy trust.
• The school opened as an academy in September 2014 under the sponsorship of the College of West Anglia (CWA). The CWA formally removed its sponsorship of all academies in May 2017. As a result, the Eastern Multi-Academy Trust (EMAT) was created to provide sponsorship for all of the academies who had previously been under the sponsorship of the CWA. This is a very recent development in June 2017. The new chief executive officer has supported the school moving from the CWA into the EMAT.
• Following the appointment of a new chief executive officer to the trust, the trust reorganised the leadership of secondary schools under its responsibility. The principal, who had acted as an executive headteacher to support another local secondary school, returned full time to King Edward VII Academy, alongside a number of other senior leaders in March 2017.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding is slightly below the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is broadly in line with the national average.
• Pupils often enter with attainment that is significantly lower than expected for their age. However, this is not a consistent picture for all year groups.
• A small number of pupils in key stage 4 access alternative provision or additional curriculum provision at the College of West Anglia, and at Kings Lynn Academy.
• The school met the floor standards set by the Department for Education for the achievement of pupils in Year 11 in 2016.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning across the school in both the core and foundation subjects. A number of these observations were undertaken jointly with members of the senior leadership team.
• Meetings were held with the principal, senior leaders and middle leaders. Inspectors also met with the chief executive officer for the Eastern Multi-Academy Trust, a trust adviser, and governors from the local governing body.
• Inspectors scrutinised work from across different key stages, including in English, mathematics, science, history, geography and languages.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, development plan, minutes of governors’ meetings, safeguarding records, alternative provision information, children looked after files, pupils’ progress information, and school policies and procedures.
• Inspectors analysed 84 responses from Ofsted’s online survey of parents, Parent View, including free-text commentary provided by some parents. Inspectors also held telephone conversations with some parents.
• Inspectors analysed 80 responses from Ofsted’s online survey of staff.
• Inspectors reviewed the responses from 30 pupils to Ofsted’s online survey. Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at break, at lunch and in lessons. Inspectors also met formally with pupils to discuss their experiences, including students in the sixth form. Inspectors also heard pupils in Year 7 read.

Inspection team

Kim Pigram, lead inspector John Craig Shân Oswald Paul O’Shea Sally Garrett Her Majesty’s Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector