School celebrates good report

Inspectors found Stanground Academy was still a good school in their latest visit, which took place last month.

It is the second ‘good’ rating in a row for the school, following the last visit in February 2014.

The news was welcomed by principal James Scarrott, who said he was pleased with the report - and said the school was now looking to improve to an outstanding level.

He said: “I am pleased that Ofsted agreed with the judgements of senior leaders and found that the Stanground Academy has maintained its ‘good’ rating.

“I would like to thank staff at the academy, who are committed and enthusiastic, as well as our pupils and their families who have supported us to maintain our high standards over the last three years.

“I feel confident that we are well prepared to continue to move forward and become an ‘outstanding’ academy in the future.”

James Daniell, the lead inspector, found that despite pupils entering the academy with levels of prior attainment which are significantly below the national average, they leave the academy broadly in line with the national average which indicates that they make good progress overall.

Mr Daniell added: “The modern school building is very well equipped, and is appreciated and respected by pupils.

“Pupils typically wear their uniform with pride and move around the school with purpose.”

Mr Daniell’s report said: “The inspectors also took the opportunity to speak with students in the Sixth Form who were full of praise for their teachers and told the inspector that the support they receive in preparing for the next stage of their educational career is “amazing”.

However, the school was also given a number of areas to improve to become an ‘outstanding’ school.

The areas included improved communication with parents, ensuring the strategies put in place to address the weaknesses in the teaching of geography, science and business studies demonstrate a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes, and ensure the attendance of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are eligible for free school meals improves.