Peterborough's newest secondary school celebrates glowing Ofsted report

Manor Drive Secondary Academy, which only opened in September 2022, is currently celebrating the results of its first ever Ofsted inspection; which showed a clear success in the school’s approach to education, which has been in the works for well over seven years.

Inspectors heaped praise on the school and awarded a rating of Outstanding in the area of ‘Personal Development’ along with Good in ‘Quality of Education,’ ‘Behaviour and Attitudes’ and ‘Leadership and Management.’

Now coming to the end of its third academic year, the school currently has around 450 pupils and will be welcoming in a new cohort in September- as well as ten new teachers- which will mean year groups right up from Year 7 to Year 10 will attend the school and its GCSE and BTEC offering will officially start.

In September 2026, the school will gain its first Year 11 students, who will be sitting their exams in the summer of 2027. At present, this is where the school’s capacity is set to remain with Post-16 options open to students at other schools in the Four C’s Academy Trust, including at Ken Stimpson and Arthur Mellows Village College (AMVC).

The Ofsted report, which was published following an inspection in March, praised the school in a number of areas, including that: “The school and trust have successfully managed the school’s rapid expansion since its opening in 2022. Their determined mission to build a strong school for the local community has underpinned this.

"Pupils are guided to value the difference between themselves and others. They treat others with respect. They are safe in school, knowing staff will act promptly if they raise concerns.

"Staff share their sense of purpose. They are proud to work at the school.”

Headteacher Jo Sludds said: “I couldn’t be more proud of our staff and students.

"We are lucky to be part of the Four C’s Trust and we are doing things differently from other schools as we have an incredibly happy staff and student body. We are really looking forward for the opportunity to prove our good work through our first set of GCSE and Level 2 results.

“We are all working very hard on the GSCE and BTEC offering we will be starting in September. We gave our students free-reign, we didn’t want them to be forced to take any subjects and we are incredibly proud that over 50% have chosen to do a language, which is the national average. All of our students do French and German as we think it’s really important to give them a variety of approaches. The uptake of both languages has been pretty similar.”

The Ofsted inspection shone a particular light on the school’s approach to student wellbeing, as shown by the Outstanding rating for Personal Development. The school runs an enrichment-led curriculum which sees the school day start with 30 minutes of form group, where the students are registered and get prepared for the day and end with half an hour of enrichment.

The report noted: “The provision for pupil’s personal development is exemplary”

This is supported by a number of parents, with one noting: “We chose Manor Drive because of its approach to enrichment and wellbeing. Enrichment really is a great way to end the school day.

Another said: “My daughter thoroughly enjoys the enrichment. She loves drama and had the opportunity to take part in a combined schools Shakespeare performance, which she absolutely loved. Through enrichment, she has grown in confidence and is able to enjoy spending time with like-minded students that love what she loves.”

One student approached said: “It’s great to be a student at Manor Drive because I feel supported. I appreciate the efforts the teachers make for us in our lessons. There are many after school clubs and enrichment opportunities, which I believe will broaden my horizons.”

Mrs Sludds said that she was particularly pleased that inspectors had recognised a key part of the school’s vision before a brick was even placed.

She added: “To get Good in three of the criteria is fantastic. We are brand new and we don’t have any external exam results to use as evidence yet we are still able to prove the quality of our education.

“To be rated Outstanding in Personal Development, which is all about wellbeing and the wider curriculum is particularly pleasing as that is something that we really push here. All students have enrichment as part of their everyday- it’s not an add-on extra and that has been recognised. We are really proud and that is something that was part of my vision back in 2018.”

To view the full Ofsted report, visit www.reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/149104.