Sent from the Head Teacher

Dear Parent or Carer,

I am delighted to share with you that the report from our Ofsted inspection held on 18^th and 19^th October 2022 has now been published on our website at https://www.kingsfordschool.org.uk/190/ofsted-reports.

You will see in the report that Ofsted (the government's Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills) sent a team of six inspectors to conduct a full 2-day review of the school and found that almost all aspects of the Kingsford learning experience are outstanding. According to the report, even in the area given a strong good grade (the area relating to the teaching of the curriculum), there is much that is excellent.

There is much to celebrate and be proud of in this report. To mention just a few key headlines, I am sure you will be pleased and reassured as parents to know that at Kingsford:

• Pupils are enthusiastic about being members of this school. 
• Each pupil is encouraged to develop their interests and aim to be the best that they can be.
• Teachers are skilled.
• The curriculum is ambitious and offers opportunity for all.
• All pupils... achieve well, and are taught to be ambitious about their futures.
• Equality and tolerance are two key principles running through this school community.
• Pupils’ readiness for and understanding of the wider world are carefully supported. Throughout the school, pupils are helped to grow in confidence. 
• Pupils behave well...(they) are helpful and polite. They become confident speakers and play an active part in school life.
• Pupils are very well prepared to succeed and flourish in modern Britain. They are guided to become ambitious, confident and thoughtful.
• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective...staff are vigilant and know how to report concerns. Leaders liaise effectively with families and external agencies to support and protect pupils who are at risk.

Having had the privilege of leading this school across two decades, I have never felt prouder to belong to this vibrant, welcoming community united in its vision to ensure that every child aspires, succeeds and is excellent in everything they do.  This report confirms what my leadership team and I already know to be the case: that Kingsford is an exceptional school and one that we must all feel proud to belong to.

Of course, as a school we will continue to strive for excellence in all areas and already have plans in place to build upon the constructive feedback shared in this report and during the inspection.

I will be writing to pupils today to let them know how proud I am of their hard work and commitment to upholding the school's values.  During the verbal feedback shared at the end of the inspection, the inspectors spoke very highly of our pupils as articulate, passionate and respectful young people. I hope that you will join us in celebrating this wonderful news for our school.

Joan Deslandes OBE

Head Teacher