King Edward VI Five Ways School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 28 November 2023

Pupils are proud to be members of this vibrant and caring community. They talk glowingly about the dedication, kindness and commitment of staff. They know that staff will go out of their way to help them achieve and they appreciate this. Staff do this because they want the very best for each pupil. Pupils and staff are uncompromising in their expectations of themselves and each other. They know that they are working together with a shared purpose. Pupils achieve well. Teachers are passionate advocates for the subjects they teach, and this enthusiasm is clear in lessons. Pupils approach their work with fortitude and tenacity. When work is complex and difficult, pupils think hard and do not give up. They are very resilient. The school is mindful of the pressure that pupils can exert on themselves as they strive to achieve academically. Staff keep a watchful eye on pupils and the culture of safeguarding is especially strong. They provide effective emotional help and guidance in conjunction with academic support. Pupils know that they can trust their teachers to help them. In the sixth form, all students take time out to 'breathe easy and relax' alongside staff each week. This helps sixth-form students flourish.

What the school should improve

• The school has not ensured that some teachers consistently adapt their teaching in a responsive way to help all pupils learn the ambitious curriculum well. As a result, some pupils do not build secure foundational knowledge or conversely, fully benefit from teachers' rich subject knowledge to extend their thinking further. Leaders should ensure that all teachers consistently adapt their practice in response to pupils' emerging needs.
• The school has not ensured that all teachers receive focused and highly effective professional development. This means that not all teachers know how they can use current thinking and research to best teach the curriculum in their subject. The school should ensure that professional development is closely aligned with the curriculum and engages teachers with current subject pedagogical debate and wider pedagogical teaching research.

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