Kents Hill Park all-through school

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 4 October 2022

Pupils are proud of their school, especially those who have attended since it opened. They embrace the school's motto of 'Work hard, be kind' in lessons. Pupils work hard and are keen to achieve. From the very start of Reception, children benefit from a broad and rich curriculum. Staff use their strong subject knowledge to help pupils learn well across all subjects. Teachers help pupils to develop confidence. For example, older pupils enjoy supporting younger children to practise their reading skills. Staff successfully help pupils to understand how they are expected to behave in lessons. Leaders encourage even the youngest pupils to be considerate of others through the 'manners curriculum'. Consequently, pupils throughout the primary and secondary phases are respectful and polite. Many pupils told inspectors that they feel safe and are happy at Kents Hill Park. Although bullying does happen sometimes, leaders take effective action to deal with any unkindness or concerns. A small minority of pupils and parents and carers told inspectors that they feel that staff do not deal with bullying effectively. Pupils feel they have staff whom they can talk to if they have a worry or concern. Children in early years get off to the best possible start. Their learning space is vibrant and inspiring. It provides children with opportunities to learn vital knowledge and skills.

What the school should improve

• Some staff do not check that pupils have learned the key content of the curriculum. Consequently, some pupils sometimes have gaps in their learning. Leaders should ensure that all teachers carefully check pupils' understanding and support staff to swiftly identify and address misconceptions.
• Some pupils' behaviour outside lessons, especially in the secondary phase, does not meet leaders' high expectations. This can sometimes interrupt the smooth movement of pupils around the school. Leaders should ensure that the systems to manage behaviour are consistently used by staff to promote positive behaviour at all times.
• Some pupils and parents are concerned about the actions taken by leaders to address bullying. They are not confident that bullying is addressed, when in fact it is. Leaders should strengthen their work to promote the whole-school strategies to prevent bullying and explain the firm action they take when it occurs. As part of this ongoing work, leaders should continue to consult with parents and pupils about how well they feel bullying is dealt with.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)