Students and staff at Central Academy have been celebrating this week as the school was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted in all five inspection categories, following an inspection in March.

In their report, the inspectors praised the school for the quality of its academic curriculum, which they described as “vastly improved”. They noted that students “now benefit from an extremely well-thought-out curriculum that is carefully designed to give pupils the knowledge and skills that they need to succeed”, whilst the school’s expectations for what they can achieve are said to be “exceptionally high”.

Importantly, the inspectors also found that, alongside raising standards, the school has created a warm and positive culture. Staff are said to have cultivated “a sense of fun and belonging”, meaning that students are “happy to attend this school”. The inspectors further praised students’ attitudes towards each other, noting that they behave “extremely well” and that students in the sixth form act as “excellent role models” for those in the year groups below.

According to the report, the school’s work to prepare students for life beyond school is equally strong. Students are said to enjoy trips to universities to prepare them for their next steps in education, whilst leadership opportunities and extracurricular clubs such as art and STEM enrich their learning and support their character development.

Dan Markham, Principal at Central Academy, said:

“We are very pleased with the inspectors’ report which highlights not only the strong academic education students receive at Central Academy but also the warm and caring culture we have created. Over the coming months and years, we are excited to build on the strengths of the report to ensure we are giving our young people the best possible education and opportunities they need to thrive.”

Ben Antell, Director of Secondary Academies at United Learning, said:

“The inspectors’ report is full of praise for the school and is testament to the significant improvements the academy has made in recent years. From the strength of the academic curriculum to the positive culture that cascades through the school, the inspectors were clearly impressed by Central Academy and the transformation it has undergone.”