The Norton Knatchbull School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 December 2023

The school lives up to its promise of a vibrant learning environment where young people are nurtured to become considerate, confident and well-rounded individuals. Across the school, there is a powerful sense of community. Expectations are high. Relationships are strong and pupils care for one another. Pupils feel safe, and they are safe. Behaviour and attitudes in most lessons are excellent, particularly for older pupils who are highly motivated, enthusiastic and focused. Pupils feel valued. They know that they can talk with a member of staff if they have any concerns. Health, welfare and well-being are extremely well supported through the highly regarded personal development programme. There is an extensive range of extra-curricular clubs and activities. These include a debating club and a medical society as well as sports, choir, jazz and string ensembles. Pupils run several clubs themselves, including a French club, a history club and a magician club. The provision is supplemented by a diverse range of local and international visits. Leaders have worked exceptionally hard to address the issues raised at last year's ungraded inspection. The curriculum in key stage 3 has been completely overhauled. Across all subjects, the curriculum is now carefully planned, sequenced and organised. Leaders, including governors, have instilled a real sense of purpose and determination across the whole school.

What the school should improve

• Learning occasionally relies too heavily on preparing pupils for external examinations. This means that pupils do not always make meaningful connections across different areas of learning. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum develops pupils' creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, thus enabling all pupils to thrive and succeed.
• Leaders recognise that the quality of education is not yet secure across all subjects. This means that, in a small number of subjects, implementation is variable and not yet fully embedded. Leaders should continue to ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently by sharing the very best practice which already exists.

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