Kettering school on track to improve

Kettering Science Academy has been graded as requires improvement by Ofsted in its last three full inspections, the most recent being in May 2017.

The Deeble Road school was told that poor teaching over time led to successive cohorts underachieving.

But in a monitoring visit last month inspectors found the school, run by the Brooke Weston Trust, was on track to making the necessary improvements.

Executive principal Anne Hill said: “This report is an accurate reflection of our current position.

“It shows the progress we have made so far while acknowledging our collective determination to continue towards a good grading.”

The report, published this week, found that senior leaders have a clear vision for improving the school and are ambitious for pupils.

The report by inspector Rachel Tordoff said: “Leadership of the school has been strengthened with the appointment of the executive principal in January 2018.

“With her support, leaders’ evaluations of the school’s strengths are detailed and accurate.

“However, they do not shy away from ongoing weaknesses that are yet to be resolved.

“Leaders’ plans to bring about school improvements are appropriately focused.”

It added that the quality of teaching had improved but said it was not yet consistently good across all subjects and year groups.

The school has also introduced strategies to encourage more parents to engage in their children’s learning through training, transition events and parent forums.

Pupil attendance was found to be above the national average in 2018 and most pupils said they enjoyed going to school.

Associate principal Tony Segalini said: “Kettering Science Academy is a vibrant and evolving learning environment and we, as a leadership team, are determined to provide a first class education for all students and fulfil our mission of each child being the best they can be.”

Brooke Weston Trust chief executive officer Dr Andrew Campbell said: “This is a positive report that shows that interventions put into place so far at both trust and school level are yielding sustained and rapid results.

“I’d like to thank Anne and Tony for their leadership, professionalism and commitment to drive up outcomes at the school.”