OFSTED Reports

Our school continues to be a GOOD school, as rated in our latest Ofsted inspection in July 2025.

The school has now maintained its GOOD rating for 14 years.

Some of the key findings of the report are below:

• The school offers a fresh start. Pupils appreciate staff’s kindness and compassion. This helps them to feel safe and well cared for. As a result, most pupils start to enjoy school for the first time in many years.
• Pupils appreciate the efforts of staff to listen to and act on their views. This helps pupils to overcome some of their barriers to learning.
• The school is ambitious for its pupils. It is determined that pupils will leave McKee College well prepared for their next steps.
• Many dual-registered pupils return successfully into school or move on to specialist provision.
• Almost all Year 11 pupils progress on to education, employment or training.
• Staff are quick to spot when a pupil is struggling. Pupils learn to trust staff to help them when needed. This means that the school is generally orderly and most lessons proceed
  without interruption.
• Pupils are encouraged to look after their mental health through the outdoor learning and gardening club.
• The pupils on the military preparation programme are proud to represent the school at community events such as the Remembrance Day parade.
• The school has improved its curriculum to reflect the different needs of its pupil groups.
  Pupils in key stage 3 benefit from studying a wide range of subjects. This prepares them well for their next steps, regardless of what those may be.
• key stage 4, pupils choose subjects that stand them in good stead for their future lives. The well-thought-out subject curriculums set out precisely what pupils need to learn and the order in which this should be taught.
• Teachers use their subject expertise to deliver the curriculum effectively. They check pupils’ understanding routinely. They address any gaps and misconceptions swiftly. This
  ensures that pupils have the knowledge that they need to make sense of new learning.
• From their different starting points, pupils achieve well.
• Almost all pupils in Year 11 gain GCSE qualifications in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics
• The school encourages pupils to read across the curriculum.
• Pupils can access a wide range of high-quality texts. The school carries out checks on how well pupils can read
  when they join. It alerts staff to pupils who are struggling readers so that they can adapt lesson activities for them.
• The school prioritises identifying pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities when they join the school.
• It works closely with other professionals, parents and carers to understand pupils’ barriers to learning. Staff use this information well to help and support
  pupils. Teachers design lesson activities that enable pupils to access learning alongside their peers.
• Most pupils improve their behaviour, both in lessons and around school. They respond well to the school’s reward system. Staff support pupils well when they
  struggle to manage their emotions.
• Most pupils improve their attendance when they join the school.
• The school has a designed a well-considered programme for pupils’ personal development.
• It has thought carefully about pupils’ needs and interests when designing the personal, social and health education curriculum.
• Pupils enjoy the different external speakers who share their lived experiences. This helps pupils to understand potential
  risks, such as knives and gangs.
• They learn about healthy relationships and understand the importance of consent.
• Pupils benefit from the wealth of careers information and advice.