A secondary school in Peterborough has been judged ‘outstanding’ in most areas following a recent Ofsted inspection.

Staff at Arthur Mellows Village College say they are “delighted” with the education watchdog’s latest report – which rated it ‘outstanding’ in four out of five key areas.

The inspection, conducted in May 2025, was the first visit by Ofsted to the Glinton-based school in more than 10 years.

At its previous inspection, in December 2014, Arthur Mellows was rated ‘Outstanding’ overall – before Ofsted scrapped its one-word ratings system in 2024.

Celebrating their latest Ofsted report: Head of College, Mr John Gilligan, and students.

placeholder image — Celebrating their latest Ofsted report: Head of College, Mr John Gilligan, and students.

Now, inspectors have given it the highest possible rating in the areas of ‘behaviour and attitudes’, ‘personal development’, ‘leadership and management’, and Sixth Form. The fifth key area – ‘quality of education’ was rated ‘good.

Describing the school as welcoming and vibrant, the inspector went on to note that pupils are “happy, friendly, highly respectful, and motivated”. They praised the pupils’ conduct, noting they were polite, respectful and caring.

Excerpts from the report read: “Classrooms are calm, focused places where pupils work hard and show pride in their learning. Pupils with SEND are particularly well supported to manage their emotions and help them flourish.”

“Pupils benefit from a wide range of experiences that help them grow in character and confidence so that they are exceptionally well prepared for their next steps. Pupils feel valued, supported and listened to. [Leaders] place the well-being and success of pupils at the centre of every decision.”

The school’s Sixth Form is described as a place where students benefit from “an extensive mix of courses, personalised care and high-quality advice and guidance”. The inspector added: “That, coupled with consistently highly effective teaching enables students to make excellent progress, achieve highly and gain the qualifications they need to move on successfully.”

Regarding the ‘good’ quality of education, the inspector said the school offers an “ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of pupils”, adding it is “taught well by teachers with strong subject knowledge so that new ideas are explained clearly”. The needs of pupils with SEND were also said to be “identified early” – with “personalised support implemented so they achieve well”.

Head of College, John Gilligan said: “We are immensely proud of this report. To be judged as outstanding in so many key areas is testament to the relentless dedication of our staff, the excellent conduct of our students, and the strength of our wider school community. While we are pleased with the ‘Good’ rating in the quality of education, we view it as a platform to continue improving and innovating our curriculum to achieve even greater impact for every learner.

“Pupils told inspectors how they were proud of our school; I would echo that but add how proud I am of them."