Thomas Keble School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 July 2023

Leaders have created a nurturing environment which supports pupils to learn and achieve well. The school's 'REACH' principles set out the high expectations leaders have for all pupils. Pupils respond to these expectations and achieve well. They feel part of a supportive family where relationships are very strong between pupils and staff. Pupils are polite and respectful. They are keen to do their best. Pupils are confident to share their concerns with staff and know that they will be taken seriously. Leaders take effective action to tackle bullying. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe in school. Leaders are trialling a new behaviour system with Year 9. Pupils involved in this trial feel this has raised expectations and is fair. Leaders provide pupils with a rich set of experiences during their school life. For example, pupils participate in a range of residential trips and an array of clubs. Pupils build character through their involvement in leadership roles, such as school council representatives and house captains. The house system creates a competitive buzz around the school.

What the school should improve

• Leaders' high expectations for behaviour are not consistently applied across the school. This means that, sometimes, staff are slow to challenge low-level disruption. Leaders must ensure that all staff are supported to deal with behaviour and insist on high expectations of behaviour for all pupils.
• Sometimes, teaching does not routinely check pupils' understanding or address misconceptions before moving on to new learning. As a result, some pupils do not have a secure understanding of what has been taught. Leaders need to ensure that they support teachers to use assessment strategies successfully to identify and close gaps in pupils' learning more rapidly.

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