Ofsted praise for students 'who enjoy going to school'

The King Edward VI Academy was judged as continuing to offer a ‘Good’ quality of education across every category, clearly demonstrating the high level of education which is taking place on a daily basis.

The report outlines that leaders have ‘high expectations of pupils’ behaviour,’ and they have committed to ‘disruption-free learning’. Pupils respond well to these expectations and learn in classrooms where “behaviour is calm and focused”.

Ofsted inspectors also noted that the school offers an “ambitious curriculum” in which leaders have identified the most important knowledge they want pupils to learn. This is well structured so that pupils learn in an appropriate order and have the opportunity to revisit prior learning in lessons and homework when needed.

They recognised the support of the David Ross Education Trust (DRET) in the school’s success, particularly in relation to the curriculum, stating that the trust “supports staff through training opportunities, including subject network groups”.

Other key highlights recognised in the report include:

• Teachers have “secure” subject knowledge and start each lesson with an opportunity to revisit previous learning so that their pupils are confident in developing their knowledge.
• Pupils at the school recall their learning well and are clearly making good progress and “take pride in their work”.
• School leaders have done well to prioritise reading at King Edward VI Academy. Pupils read a broad range of fiction.
• Staff do well to “quickly identify” those pupils who require additional assistance.
• At the school, “pupils interact positively with staff” and are attentive to important messages during the daily roll-call.
• Staff agree that leaders are “considerate of their workload and wellbeing”.
• Leaders encourage pupils to live out the school values of ‘ambition, aspiration, courage, resilience, honesty and respect”. Pupils understand how these values impact upon their lives and their time at school.
• Because of the high expectations of staff and leaders, pupils enjoy learning in calm and quiet classrooms. Pupils feel safe and are not concerned about bullying. They feel as though they have “opportunities to be successful” at the school
• The school provides a “wide range of opportunities” for pupils to develop their talents and interests. These range from tabletop role-playing game clubs, sports clubs, charity events and trips outside the school, such as to Lincoln Cathedral, to better develop what they learn in the classroom.

Sue Jones, Executive Principal at King Edward VI Academy, said: “We are all so pleased to receive this fantastic Ofsted report. Staff and students here work hard every day and I am delighted that those efforts have been recognised by the Ofsted inspectors. We are thrilled that Ofsted had the opportunity to see what really makes our school special and to have them agree that we’re continuing to provide a Good education.”

Stuart Burns, Chief Executive Officer at David Ross Education Trust, said: “Congratulations to the whole team at King Edward VI Academy on this really positive Ofsted report. Sue, her staff, her students and the entire school community should be very proud of themselves for having their hard work and commitment to learning recognised in this fashion. I am sure that the school will continue to progress and I look forward to seeing them develop even further in the future.”