Kings Park School, Ashford

What it's like to be a pupil at Kings Park School

Leaders have not provided staff with the professional training they need to identify pupils' barriers to learning precisely, understand the curriculum and teach it effectively. Pupils do not overcome barriers to their learning and progress through the curriculum as well as they should. Pupils enjoy attending this school. They are warmly welcomed each morning by staff who know them well. Many pupils have previously had an unsettled time in education. They have typically had long periods of time away from learning and are initially reluctant to attend school. However, pupils settle into their new classes quickly. Staff help them to feel at home, make new friends and have a fresh start. Leaders have developed a calm and welcoming environment where the school's values of ‘kind words, positive minds and strong hearts' are modelled. At social times, pupils enjoy playing games together in the school's well-equipped outdoor area or in their classrooms. Pupils benefit from trusting relationships and the harmonious environment of this small setting. Pupils behave well and show consideration for one another. The school does not tolerate bullying and incidents of this are extremely rare. Pupils rightly feel safe, knowing that any of their trusted adults will help them to resolve any friendship issues. The school provides a range of experiences, such as planning trips using public transport, budgeting for and preparing healthy meals and borrowing books from the library. The school helps pupils to prepare for independent life within the community beyond school.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• Leaders should identify pupils' needs accurately. They should set precise targets, monitor pupils' progress regularly and adjust provision so that pupils overcome their barriers to learning and wellbeing.
• Leaders must ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies the knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and how these should develop throughout their school life.
• Leaders should support staff to develop their understanding of the most important knowledge that pupils need to access the curriculum.
• Leaders should identify expectations for high-quality teaching and ensure that teaching is consistently effective across the curriculum. This includes supporting staff to check pupils' prior learning effectively and pinpoint their next steps accurately.
• Those responsible for governance should provide comprehensive and knowledgeable challenge and support to school leaders so that pupils overcome barriers to learning and progress through the curriculum as well as they can.

Kings Park School excels at creating a warm, welcoming environment where vulnerable pupils feel valued and safe. Staff build strong relationships with pupils, many of whom have had difficult experiences in education, and help them successfully re-engage with learning and settle into the school community. The school's personal development programme is well-designed, incorporating trips, visiting speakers, and learning about different cultures to prepare pupils for life beyond school.

Safeguarding standards are met - the school has established an open and positive culture of safeguarding with all legal requirements fulfilled, enabling pupils to feel safe.

Educational trips, farm visits, reindeer park visits, outdoor learning centres, visiting speakers, library services

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