Kirkby school rated 'good' by Ofsted - but pupil behaviour needs to improve
A Kirkby school has been rated generally ‘good’ by Ofsted following its latest inspection.
But while Outwood Academy Kirkby on Tennyson Street – part of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust – was rated ‘good’ for quality of education, personal development and leadership and management, inspectors said that behaviour and attitudes at the school ‘requires improvement’.
In their report, inspectors said: “Pupils are well cared for, they are safe and enjoy good relationships with staff.
"It has worked well to strengthen the curriculum considerably and, as a result, pupils’ achievement is improving significantly.
"The majority of pupils behave well., they try hard in lessons and conduct themselves well around school.
"There are very high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and well-established routines that support good behaviour.
"However, a minority of pupils often do not meet the school’s behaviour expectations.
"This leads to some disruption to learning and school life and a significant number of pupils are frequently asked to leave lessons or are suspended from school.”
"The curriculum is broad and ambitious and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers.
"In most subjects, the school has identified precisely what pupils should learn.
"Important knowledge is sequenced appropriately so that pupils build on what they know already as subjects become more complex.
"Nevertheless, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not so well honed.
"Reading is a priority and pupils who need extra support with reading are identified swiftly.
"Expert staff provide these pupils with personalised support so that these pupils develop their reading fluency and gain confidence quickly.
"Pupils’ behaviour has improved, however, the number of pupils suspended from school due to their poor behaviour remains high.
"Dedicated staff work closely with pupils and their families to encourage all pupils to attend school frequently.
"However, too many pupils, especially those that are disadvantaged or have SEND, are absent too often.”
On what the school needs to do to improve, inspectors said: “The curriculum is not planned coherently or delivered consistently well in some subjects.
"When the curriculum is poorly designed or when teaching is less effective, pupils’ learning is less secure and they do not achieve as well as they could.
"A significant minority of pupils are frequently suspended from school because they do not meet the school’s behaviour expectations.
"These pupils miss too many days of school.
"Furthermore, at times, the behaviour of these pupils disrupts the learning of others.
"The school should make sure that it supports pupils to meet its behaviour expectations and that all pupils behave well and demonstrate positive attitudes to their education.
"Too many pupils are absent from school too often.
“These pupils do not benefit from the curriculum or the wider experiences that the school offers.
“The school should ensure that it works effectively with pupils and their families, particularly pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, so that everyone involved understands the importance of attending school frequently, therefore reducing absence.”
Andy Scruby, lead principal, said: “The outcome of the Ofsted inspection is testament to the collective hard work of our staff and students and is a fantastic reflection of the transformational journey the school has been on since becoming a part of the Outwood family.
“With this external validation from Ofsted recognising our dedication and vision for achieving fantastic outcomes and experiences for our students, we look forward – without complacency – to continuing our work with families and the local community, ensuring Outwood Academy Kirkby is a very special place where students can achieve their full potential.”