Carlton Keighley

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Carlton Keighley has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The head of school is Mark Turvey. This school is part of the Carlton Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Adrian Kneeshaw, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Gareth Logan.

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know the pupils extremely well at this caring and inclusive school. Pupils learn the school's values of ambition, respect and resilience throughout the curriculum. Pupils live out these values daily.

They know and underst...and why they are important to their everyday lives.

The school has high expectations for the academic achievement of all pupils. These high expectations were not reflected in published outcomes last year.

The work that pupils produce in lessons shows that they are now achieving better than recent published data suggests.

Pupils' behaviour around school is excellent. Classrooms are active learning environments.

Pupils enthusiastically participate in their learning. Social times are calm and orderly. Pupils maturely converse with their peers.

They are respectful of each other and the school environment. Pupils feel safe at school.

Pupils learn about the protected characteristics and fundamental British values.

This helps them to build a respect for people who have different beliefs to their own. Pupils from all year groups take part in the student council and the sports leaders' programme. The sports leaders lead events and competitions for local primary schools.

This helps to build a sense of community within the school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has developed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils. The breadth and ambition of the curriculum has recently grown with the expansion of subjects such as modern foreign languages, music and performing arts.

The curriculum is well sequenced and delivered in a logical order. In some areas the important knowledge that pupils will learn has not been clearly identified. As a result, a small number of pupils have gaps in their knowledge.

The school has developed a lesson structure that helps pupils to retain knowledge. Staff apply this structure consistently. Teachers regularly check pupils' learning and address any gaps in knowledge.

As a result, most pupils have a secure understanding of the curriculum.

The number of pupils who access the full suite of English Baccalaureate subjects is increasing slowly. With the recent expansion of the modern foreign languages department, there is a realistic ambition to increase these numbers further.

Reading is a high priority across the school. The school quickly identifies pupils who are struggling with their reading. Pupils access highly effective interventions to help them catch up with their peers.

All pupils take part in form time reading throughout the week. These activities help pupils develop a love of reading. Writing is another key priority.

Teachers support pupils with their extended writing through regular 'time to write' activities.

The school identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers effectively support disadvantaged pupils to access the curriculum.

A small number of pupils with SEND receive bespoke interventions. The quality of these interventions is inconsistent. This means that some pupils with SEND miss important learning unnecessarily.

The school has a robust system in place to support pupils to improve their attendance. As a result, attendance has improved significantly over the past three years. The school is rightly proud of its work in this area.

The school places high importance on pupils' personal development. Through the 'Carlton Edge' programme, pupils have an entitlement to a range of experiences that go beyond the academic. Each year, pupils take part in at least two educational visits.

These visits not only extend their learning but also expose pupils to cultural experiences and careers opportunities. For example, pupils in Year 10 visit Bradford Royal Infirmary, and pupils from a range of year groups visit the theatre. Pupils embrace these opportunities and are proud when they graduate from the programme.

Teachers regularly link their subject to future careers opportunities. This helps to raise pupils' aspirations.

Trustees support and challenge school leaders where appropriate.

They have a strong oversight of the school. Teachers new to the profession are well supported by the school. Leaders are mindful of staff workload.

Staff are very proud to work at the school. They feel valued and well supported.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not identified the most important knowledge that pupils should learn. As a result, a small number of pupils have gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that the most important knowledge that pupils need to learn is mapped out consistently well across all subjects.

• The quality of additional support for some pupils with SEND is inconsistent. These pupils miss important learning unnecessarily to access interventions that do not support them in the way that the school intends. The school should ensure that such additional support is of a high quality and has a positive impact on pupils' development.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, University Academy Keighley, to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2020.