Kenton climbs: School’s rapid improvement recognised by Ofsted
They say that a little progress each day adds up to big results, and how true that is for this wonderful Newcastle school!
Kenton School, which is based in Newcastle and a member of the Northern Leaders Trust family, received a monitoring visit from Ofsted on 16 November…
The outcome? Well-deserved praise for the clear improvements made to leadership, curriculum, attendance and behaviour since its last inspection in September 2022.
Brilliant news; well done, Kenton! Talk about starting 2024 on the right foot!
Leaders have improved the curriculum
Sinead Green, who was appointed as Principal of Kenton School in March 2023, said: “I am thrilled that Ofsted have recognised the many improvements at Kenton School.
“With the support of the trust, the team has worked incredibly hard to move the school from ‘requires improvement’ towards becoming a ‘good’ school in all areas.
“With students as our focus, we will continue with a rapid and sustained improvement journey to ensure that each and every student leaves us with the best possible outcomes.”
The trust has welcomed a significant number of new staff to the team since Mrs Green’s appointment, including an Executive Head Teacher and curriculum directors, to help support the school on its journey to reaching for the stars!
In its letter to the school, Ofsted stated: “Your school has prioritised improving the quality of education.” The inspector also noted that: “With the support of curriculum directors from the trust, leaders have improved the curriculum. This has led to improvements in published outcomes.”
Tough times don’t last but tough teams do!
Commendation was also given for behaviour management, with improvements highlighted within the report.
The inspector recognised that the team had “secured significant improvements in pupils’ behaviour. Leaders have raised everyone’s expectations of pupils’ conduct.
“New behaviour systems have had a positive impact. Disruption to learning is minimised. Suspensions and removals from lessons have reduced dramatically compared to this time last year.”
Fantastic news!
What’s even more uplifting is that the school also received praise for its careful planning around the support for pupils who do still continue to show challenging behaviour.
The report stated: “You and your leaders have established the new ‘Aspire’ provision to offer targeted support to further improve the behaviour of some pupils. One pupil told me that the Aspire provision had been ‘life changing.’”
Ofsted also noted positive developments in attendance, reporting that: “Leaders use a range of strategies to promote good attendance. Pupils’ attendance has improved since the previous inspection.”
Lee Kirtley, who was appointed as CEO of Northern Leaders Trust in December 2022, said: “Kenton School is improving quickly; we are delighted that Ofsted have recognised this progress at their recent visit.
“We have implemented a thorough, robust improvement plan at Kenton over the last year and I am hugely grateful to Mrs Green and her team at the school, the trust’s central team, the trust board and the school governors who play a vital role as we progress through this exciting journey together.
“There is still work to do to improve attendance, but we will continue to strive to make these positive changes. I am committed to creating a culture built around high expectations and look forward to seeing Kenton School flourish.”
Chris Zarraga, Director of Schools North East, said: “Huge congratulations to all at Kenton School – we’re thrilled to hear about your progression and improvements.
“The team’s dedication to bettering such crucial areas such as leadership, curriculum and behaviour is truly inspiring. And the proof is in the pudding. We look forward to seeing what you achieve next.”
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