Children thrive at King’s Oak Academy in Kingswood, where they feel safe and happy, according to Ofsted.
Following their latest visit, inspectors rated the school Outstanding for leadership and personal development and Good for its Early Years provision, the behaviour and attitudes of students, and for the overall quality of education it provides.
The Ofsted team spent two days assessing King’s Oak, an all-through academy for children aged four to 16, during which time they met leaders from the school and its trust, spoke with parents and pupils, and carried out a ‘deep dive’ into a number of subject areas.
Lead inspector Sarah Favager-Dalton said in her report: “Pupils thrive at King’s Oak Academy. The school expects them to ‘work hard, be kind’ and pupils strive to do this. There are high expectations of what pupils can achieve academically and of who they can become. Pupils’ achievement has improved rapidly in many areas of the curriculum.
“This school is at the heart of the local community. It provides high-quality pastoral support to pupils and families. This reduces the risks to pupils’ welfare and enables them to flourish in their lives beyond school.”
Inspectors went on to highlight positive examples of strong practice at King’s Oak in a number of key areas.
On school culture, they said: “Warm relationships underpin the school’s calm atmosphere. Pupils feel safe and happy. The school has built a sense of belonging so that pupils have a positive view of school.”
On teaching and curriculum, Ofsted said: “Teaching supports pupils across the school to learn well. Staff ensure that pupils re-visit important learning often. Teachers take every opportunity to broaden pupils’ vocabulary. Consequently, pupils develop a strong knowledge of the school’s broad, ambitious curriculum.”
On student behaviour, the report said: “Pupils behave well. They work hard. Pupils persist with learning, even when they are finding it challenging. Children in the early years learn the routines and behaviours that will enable them to succeed.
“The school celebrates good behaviour so that pupils develop positive character traits. This contributes strongly to a respectful and calm environment. Pupils who need extra support to manage their behaviour get it. Disruption to learning is rare as a result.”
And on leadership, the inspectors added: “Leaders have made rapid and significant improvements to the school, supported by the trust. Staff have the knowledge, confidence and time to perform their roles to a high standard. They are highly motivated to continue to improve and feel valued by the school.”
Principal Katherine Ogden said:
“This inspection marks a significant milestone in our journey as a school. It reflects the collective effort of our staff, students, families and the support of our trust, and confirms what those in the King’s Oak community see every day – a deep commitment to ensuring success, both academically and personally, for every child in our school. ”
Steve Taylor, CEO of the Cabot Learning Federation, said:
“It’s a real privilege to be able to work with the King’s Oak community, a relationship that began 14 years ago.
“This outcome reflects the strong relationships that have been built over time and the excellent work of the team at the school. I am delighted for all concerned that the words ‘outstanding’ and ‘King’s Oak’ can now be used in the same sentence! ”