Lantern of Knowledge Secondary School

Overview

Pupils are proud to attend this independent boys’ school, where a “respectful culture” fosters a “calm and orderly environment.” Leaders have successfully addressed previous weaknesses, resulting in a “broad and balanced curriculum” that helps pupils attain highly in their GCSE subjects. The school meets independent school standards and has improved significantly since its last inspection.

Strengths

• The curriculum is well-sequenced, allowing pupils to “build pupils’ knowledge and skills over time,” particularly in subjects like mathematics.
• Teachers present information clearly and “recap previous learning regularly,” aiding retention of essential content.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified early, with staff adapting teaching effectively to meet individual needs.
• Attendance is high, supported by clear expectations and a positive culture where pupils “conduct themselves well.”
• Personal development is strong, with a well-planned PSHE programme and opportunities for pupils to engage with wider society, such as visiting museums and 10 Downing Street.

Areas to improve

• The school should ensure all teachers have opportunities to develop their subject-specific expertise, as limited training currently affects curriculum implementation in some subjects.
• The school must promote a love of reading for older pupils by ensuring access to a “wider range of high-quality texts” in Years 10 and 11.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff supervising pupils closely and creating an environment where pupils trust staff to look after them.