Kenilworth School and Sixth Form College has achieved the Inclusive School Award with Flagship status.
Culture of Inclusion is Evident
Kenilworth School and Sixth Form is a large secondary school in Kenilworth. The school is part of a small MAT working alongside another secondary school nearby in Coventry. Kenilworth School is currently spread across 2 sites in 3 separate buildings: the old lower school building, the old upper school building and the separate 6th form. It is the only secondary school within Kenilworth.
The school is currently undergoing a new build and will move into new premises on a new site a short distance away from the current school sites. This will enable Years 7 to 13 to be together on one site. The funding for the new purpose-built school was obtained through the sale of the school’s current land for housing and the application for available grants and has not been funded by the Government.
The new school will provide an additional 300 places, increasing to a student roll of 2200 once it is fully subscribed. The new facilities will include five wings and 33 acres of sports pitches. WiFi provision within the school will enable 2000 laptops to be connected at any one time and leaders are looking to install interactive TV panels in each teaching area which will be able to interact with all staff and student devices.
The school is also currently bidding for money to provide new project design equipment. 
A culture of inclusion is evident across the school and sixth form. The school’s Mission Statement summarises the drive towards the school being at the heart of the community and on motivating students to develop a passion and curiosity for learning, making an active contribution to the school, community and society at large, through a range of activities and opportunities.
The 5Rs; Reasoning, Responsibility, Resourcefulness, Reflection, Responsibility is central to the school’s vision, values and ethos. Kenilworth school is not in an area of social deprivation and the percentage of students eligible for Pupil Premium funding is below national average at 12%. However, support for disadvantaged students and a determination to raise attainment for Pupil Progress students is a high priority of the school and all disadvantaged students are allocated an academic mentor to support with engagement and access to the curriculum.
Broad Range of Opportunities for Students
Kenilworth School prides itself on providing a broad range of opportunities for students to help them develop leadership, flexibility and a breadth of interests. Following Covid the school has placed a high priority on ensuring all students take part in enrichment activities linked to sport, drama, music or culture. An impressive range of clubs are provided for students during lunchtimes or after school with participation tracked closely by staff. Bespoke experiences are provided for key groups of children including a fishing club for 10 disadvantaged students. Some of these students have as a result of the club taken up fishing as a hobby.
Easter and Summer schools are provided each year which support both academic studies and pastoral social issues. The space, rocket and robotics club have had opportunities to visit space sites around the country and were successful in their bid to speak to an astronaut in the Space Station as it orbited above the school. The school also invited an astronaut into school to speak about his experiences. Additional support for more able/gifted students is also provided. One example of this is an ‘A’ level Chemistry Experiment club for 2 talented Year 9 scientists. The school has also reintroduced the Year 8 residential to an activity centre and funds all Pupil Premium students to attend.
Kenilworth School and Sixth Form is a high achieving school. Results at Year 11 and Year 13 in 2022 were well above the national average. At Year 11, 72% of pupils achieved a 5+ in maths and English, compared with the national average of 50% and their EBAC attainment 8 was 61% compared with the national figure of 49%.
The school’s progress 8 was +0.7. 95% of Year 11 students remain in post 16 education with 68% attending Kenilworth 6th Form. Student achievement at 6th form is also impressive. 87% of Year 13 pupils transfer to university. The school successfully achieved 45% of A/A* grades this year compared to the national figure of 36%.
Curriculum is Broad and Balanced
The curriculum provided in Years 7 to 9 is broad and balanced providing students with access to a full range of subjects including Latin in addition to French, Spanish and German. At KS4 students enjoy a broad range of options in addition to the core subjects including maths, English, science, citizenship and physical education. All Year 10 students currently study for a citizenship GCSE, taken at the end of Year 10, with the rest of the PSHE curriculum being delivered through tutor time and a series of drop-down sessions in the summer term.
Alongside traditional GCSEs students have the option to choose BTEC vocational courses in science, sport, health and social care and business. The vast majority of students joining the sixth form are studying ‘A’ levels with students requiring more vocational post 16 education transferring to one of the Further Education colleges in the Warwickshire College Group.
SEND students are well supported by the SENDCo, Assistant SENDCo and the team of Learning Support Staff, who are used effectively to support transition and SEND needs across the whole school. All students with an EHCP are provided with a named key worker who maintains regular contact with the student and their parents. All Year 11 pupils with SEND have a careers information and support meeting in addition to the basic careers entitlement in the school.
Regular phone calls are made to all SEND students and their parents to discuss progress and support. SEND learners are supported whenever possible within mainstream lessons through effective differentiation and support from Teaching Assistants. Lower ability sets are provided for maths and English with the students working in smaller teaching sets supported by Teaching Assistants. Provision within the SEND Hub is made for some higher level SEND pupils who struggle to remain in mainstream lessons. A weekly homework club is provided for SEND students. Lunchtime support is available within the Learning Resource Centres or in the SEND Hub.
Transition is Managed Very Effectively 
Transition is managed very effectively, especially for SEND pupils. The Head of Year 7 along with the SENDCo visits all the Primary feeder schools to talk to the students and Year 6 teachers prior to the school running an induction day during the Summer Term.
Parents are invited to an information evening where they meet the Headteacher, Head of Year 7 and the Year 7 tutors. An optional summer school activity week is provided. Once Year 7 students start in school, they are allocated a student mentor from Year 11 to help them settle in. The website also provides excellent support for new students and their parents.
Transition for SEND pupils is enhanced by a Teaching Assistant being attached to each Year 7 tutor group and additional support in classes having a high percentage of pupils of lower prior attainment.
Three Learning Resource Centres are available across both sites and act as a library, resource centre, calm space before school and after school and at breaktime/lunchtime and teaching base. Two of the centres are managed by qualified librarians.
The centres are open to any students from 8am and provide an environment where they can read, socialise and play games. The 6th form resource centre is also available to students after school for self-study and includes a section to support with UCAs applications, university choice and careers research.
The librarian spoken to has recently completed a project on dyslexia and is looking to provide dyslexia support within the centre through purchasing of ‘C-pens’ and targeted reading materials to help dyslexic students gain self confidence in reading. The librarian has also created an equality and diversity book display and wall displays to support the current EDI focus in school.
Comprehensive Careers Provision
Comprehensive careers provision in school is provided through a full-time member of staff who is currently completing the careers guidance level 6 qualification. The careers advisor coordinates a number of activities within school including careers fairs for Year 10 & 11 and for 6th Form. She also runs a Year 9 Speed Careers Day where representatives from across business, industry and the arts are invited into school.
Students, in small groups, have 5 minutes with a selection of the representatives to ask as many questions as they can to find out about the careers. This gave students the confidence to ask questions and was excellent preparation for the career fair the following year. The day was attended by a vet, nurse, police officer, construction industry workers, engineering and engineering design and performing arts.
Links have also been set up with the Ask Apprenticeship Government funded apprenticeship scheme. Through this the school receives 6 free workshops/visits during the academic year. The school uses these for year group assemblies, mock interviews and interview skills workshops with Year 11 and 6th form. The careers advisor has recently started a career of the week initiative, which is shared via the online newsletter, website and in assemblies.
Pamphlets on a range of careers across all levels have been produced and can be accessed by students, including links to college courses and apprenticeships. Students are supported with making career choices through a programme of careers interviews, targeted in order of student need, alongside access to the digital careers programme ‘Unifrog’.
Pastoral care and wellbeing for students and staff is well managed. Students are all attached to a tutor group and remain in that group with the same tutor throughout KS3 and KS4. Further support is provided by the Head of Year. Two pastoral managers work alongside the year group heads supporting any pastoral matters and all staff in school have received mental health first aider training.
The introduction of 3 equality and diversity staff champions across the two sites this year has added to the pastoral and wellbeing support available.
Staff wellbeing is provided for through access to Benendom Health, providing counselling medical support opportunities. Free flu vaccines are made available to staff in school during the school day.
Staff also have the option of taking a disaggregated day through completion of 6 hours self-study during the term. Staff social events including a staff Christmas party and a summer end of term barbecue funded by the school also take place. Staff regularly complete questionnaires and surveys to ensure staff voices are heard.
Leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and areas for development within the school. There is a clear monitoring cycle in place ensuring leaders can fully review all areas across school.
Surveys are used regularly and effectively to ensure student, staff and parent voices are heard and inform developments within the school, maintaining inclusion and diversity at the centre.
The school faces an exciting 12 months with the move to the new site in September 2023.
Find out more about the IQM Inclusive School Award
If your school is interested in obtaining the IQM Inclusive School Award or you wish to talk to a member of the IQM team please telephone:
028 7127 7857 (9.00 am to 5.00 pm)
or email: [email protected] for further details.
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