Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Thatcham Kennet School downgraded from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Good’ by Ofsted following latest inspection




A secondary school in Thatcham has been downgraded from ‘Outstanding’ to ‘Good’ by Ofsted.

Kennet School was rated ‘Outstanding’ in most categories after its latest graded Ofsted inspection in May and June.

Kennet School
Kennet School

But it was scored ‘Good’ in pupil behaviour and attitudes, resulting in a ‘Good’ rating overall, below the ‘Outstanding’ rating it had held since 2016.

But headteacher Grace Rigg called the report “really positive” and a “fair reflection” of staff and pupils’ efforts.

She told newburytoday: “I am delighted the hard work and commitment of staff, and the experience of pupils, is reflected in the report.

“We retained the same number of outstanding categories as previously, which is a huge achievement given what the country’s been through in the interim period.

“Overall, I think it’s a fair reflection and a really positive report, which reflects the strengths of the school.”

Inspectors widely praised the school, saying its house system “fosters a strong sense of belonging”.

Their report also commended the special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) department, noting pupils here are “supported extremely well,” and called the school’s approach to reading “impressive.”

But they said work is still needed to manage pupil behaviour – something highlighted in an ungraded inspection report issued last year.

The report read: “A minority of staff do not always apply the agreed policy and procedures for managing pupils’ behaviour.

“This makes it difficult for some pupils to understand how to meet the school’s high expectations.

“Consequently, some learning is disrupted by off-task behaviour that teachers do not always respond to effectively.

“The school should ensure all staff apply these policies consistently well.”

In response, Ms Rigg added: “We have already planned our school improvement priorities for next year, and the report reflects what we’ve put in our self-evaluation form already.

“Given the transition back from Covid, the school has already made substantial steps forward in terms of behaviour, and we’re on track to keep improving in the autumn term.

“One of the things we’ve done is to launch a manners and courtesy initiative called STEPS (salutation, thanks, excuse me, please and smile).

“It’s transitioning from the idea of being compliant to being actively a good citizen, and that will help us go to the next stage for outstanding behaviour.”

Ms Rigg confirmed the initiative has already begun and will continue to be developed next term.

The school’s previous Ofsted inspection in 2022 was ungraded, with the report released the following year.

At the time, inspectors commented how while “there has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding … the evidence gathered suggests the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded inspection were carried out now”.

Kennet currently enrolls 1,877 pupils aged between 11 and 18.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More