King Arthur’s School recognised for strong improvements in latest Ofsted report

Staff at King Arthur’s School in Wincanton are thrilled that OFSTED have recognised the progress the school has made since it’s last inspection. The inspector and her team were keen to highlight the school’s huge ambition for all students and the excellent curriculum. The school secured a ‘good’ judgement for personal development, a strength across the whole school, where young people are supported to develop the key skills and qualities to thrive for life. The inspectors also praised students, saying that they are “active citizens, who contribute to the community”, something of which the King Arthur’s team are rightly proud.

Previously inadequate

The school was previously rated as Inadequate in 2017, when it was still a local authority maintained school. It joined the Sherborne Area Schools’ Trust (SAST) in April 2019, and headteacher

Jen Jacklin was appointed the following September. The school has since been on a journey of rapid improvement with a new leadership team in place, expert support and funding from SAST and a broadened range of subjects on offer to students. In terms of exam outcomes, the school has made considerable and significant progress since the last nationallycomparable exams data was published.

Jen Jacklin said, ‘We have been on an amazing journey at King Arthur’s and have achieved so much. We are thrilled that the inspectors have recognised the swift progress we have made and validated all the hard work of leaders, staff, students and our families. We are proud of our school and its place in the community. We have worked hard to ensure the very best education in all we do, every day. We look forward to taking the next step in our journey.’

In this latest inspection, the school has been upgraded across all four OFSTED inspection areas, with the new overall grading of ‘Requires Improvement’ sitting in line with the school’s long term improvement plan. Colin Sinclair, CEO of SAST, said, ‘We are incredibly proud of our team at King Arthur’s, they have shown such ambition and determination against the backdrop of the pandemic and an unprecedented teacher recruitment and retention crisis. They have turned the school around and are only midway through implementing its strong improvement plan. ‘The school continues to go from strength to strength, with admission numbers rising 20 per cent in the last year. We are excited that our local families have recognised the fantastic educational experience that King Arthur’s offers, and are actively choosing King Arthur’s for their children. We look forward to welcoming even more students in September 2023.”

A copy of the report can be found on the King Arthur’s website.