Ofsted conducted a short inspection of Kesteven and Sleaford High School on 14 November 2017, following its previous judgment of good in May 2013. The inspection confirmed that the school continues to maintain a good quality of education. The leadership team, under the head of school Josephine Smith, has shown strong leadership since her appointment in September 2015, focusing on improving pupil outcomes. Although provisional performance data indicated that the 2017 Year 11 cohort made less progress than previous years, the leadership is committed to addressing these weaknesses effectively. Notably, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities have made better progress compared to prior years.
A significant strength of the school is the collective responsibility for school improvement, fostering a strong sense of community among staff and students. This collaborative approach has resulted in high attendance rates and a notable number of pupils choosing to continue into the sixth form. The distribution of leadership across the school has enhanced the impact of improvement actions, with subject leaders and heads of year actively monitoring pupil progress, creating a robust system for ensuring academic achievement.
Governors play a crucial role in supporting and challenging school leaders, regularly engaging with pupils and staff to understand the school's strengths and weaknesses. This engagement allows them to hold the leadership team accountable for the school's performance, driving a strong impetus for continuous improvement. The school has established effective opportunities for staff to share best practices and learn from one another, particularly through partnerships with other schools in the multi-academy trust.
Safeguarding measures are effective, with staff vigilant in reporting concerns about pupil well-being. The school maintains detailed and secure records, and staff receive regular training to ensure pupil safety. Pupils report feeling safe and are aware of whom to approach with concerns, with the designated safeguarding team prominently displayed throughout the school.
The inspection findings indicate that the school has addressed previous areas for improvement. Subject leaders closely monitor teaching and learning, identifying strengths and weaknesses to take necessary actions. Middle leaders regularly check on pupil progress, ensuring that students remain on track to meet their targets. The school evaluates its strengths and weaknesses openly, allowing for informed decisions on performance improvement strategies.
Teaching, learning, and assessment remain good across all subjects, including mathematics, where pupils are encouraged to solve problems and articulate their learning. However, there are instances where tasks may not be appropriately challenging, and questioning techniques could be improved to assess understanding effectively. The sixth form continues to provide a good standard of education, with a higher proportion of pupils staying on compared to the national average. Students' attainment has improved over the past three years, and the school offers a wider range of courses through partnerships with other institutions.
Overall, pupil attendance is higher than the national average, with significant improvements noted among pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupil premium funding is effectively utilized to support eligible pupils, particularly those identified as underachieving. The school is encouraged to strengthen the quality of teaching further by sharing best practices in assessment to enhance pupil learning and understanding.
