Ofsted report rates Boston area school as 'requires improvement'

The quality of education at Thomas Middlecott Academy ‘requires improvement’ – but the school has made ‘good’ improvements, according to Ofsted inspectors.

The education watchdog has released its latest rating of the Kirton secondary school, part of the David Ross Education Trust (DRET), following an inspection last month.

The previous full inspection in 2019 also rated the school as ‘requires improvement’ – however, the latest report notes that school leaders “have rapidly improved many areas of the school since the previous inspection”.

In a positive change from the 2019 report, the categories of ‘behaviour and attitudes’, ‘personal development’ and ‘leadership and management’ are all now rated ‘good’.

An excerpt from the report reads: “Most pupils are happy to attend Thomas Middlecott Academy. They appreciate the rapid and effective changes that new leaders have brought about.”

While inspectors noted many positive things about the leaders, some of the teachers were criticised for not performing ‘consistently well’ in certain areas.

“Leaders are aspirational for their pupils,” the report states, “They have set high academic and behaviour expectations. However, some pupils do not yet learn as well as they should. This is because some teachers do not always check that pupils have a secure enough understanding of their learning.”

It adds: “They do not reliably address pupils’ misconceptions and gaps in their learning.”

The report also states that “some teachers do not always adapt the teaching of the curriculum to meet the needs of all pupils – this includes pupils with SEND [special education needs and disabilities].”

As a consequence of this, “these pupils do not progress through the curriculum as well as they should” the inspector says, adding that “leaders should ensure that all teachers consider curriculum and lesson content carefully, adapting their lessons so that all pupils learn as well as they should”.

However, leaders, including those from the trust, and governors, were praised for having “a clear insight into what the school does well and what needs to improve further,” with the inspector adding: "They have rapidly improved many areas of the school since the previous inspection.”

The school joined the DRET in 2015. Its first Ofsted inspection as an academy came in 2017 when it was rated ‘inadequate’.

Responding to the report, executive principal at the school, Kimberley Willmot, said: “Thank you to all our staff for their consistent hard work and dedication. We are all pleased to see that Ofsted agrees that many areas of our school have improved. I am looking forward to continuing to drive improvements with the support of staff, pupils and their families.”

Mark Neild, director of secondary education at DRET, added: “I would like to thank the Executive Principal, Kimberley Willmot, for her transformational leadership during the past nine months. Thomas Middlecott is a superbly warm school with high standards for behaviour and personal development of students. Ms Willmot has, with this inspection, delivered the best set of grades the school has ever had and will use this milestone to propel the school forwards.”