This week, there was much celebration at The Totteridge Academy after the school received a glowing report from Ofsted. The report is a result of an ungraded inspection in November and found that, even though the school already had ‘good’ and ‘outstanding’ judgements from its previous inspection, it had still ‘improved significantly across all areas’ since this.

In their report, the inspectors praised the quality of the academic curriculum, describing it as “broad and ambitious”. They noted that students are “exceptionally well supported to succeed” and that the “highest expectations are set by staff for pupils”. Indeed, staff are said to commit to the vision that “everyone is there to put a student on the moon”. As a result, students “achieve very strong outcomes” at both GCSE and A Level and “their work across subjects is of consistently high quality.”

The inspectors were equally impressed by the school’s inclusive and friendly culture. Students are said to be “happy” and to “value their friendships”, whilst their interactions “show genuine warmth and care for one another”. The inspectors found their behaviour to be “exemplary” and noted that they “display great respect for each other and for adults”. Consequently, there is a “strong nurturing school community” at The Totteridge Academy which is valued by students and families alike.

The inspectors also commended the school’s extracurricular and wider personal development programme. According to the report, students benefit from outdoor activities on the school farm and enjoy trips to places such as The Royal Courts of Justice and the Houses of Parliament which enrich their learning. Similarly, the inspectors were pleased to find that students receive “high-quality careers education”, ensuring they are well prepared for their next steps.

Chris Fairbairn, Principal at The Totteridge Academy, said:

“I am thrilled with the inspectors’ hugely positive comments which reflect the high academic standards and wonderful school community we have here at The Totteridge Academy. All of us at TTA are proud to offer students an exceptional education as well as a wide range of experiences which make their time at school special and memorable. The report really is a credit to our fantastic staff and students, and I would like to thank them for all they do to make TTA such an inspiring, welcoming and exciting place to learn.”

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

“The inspectors’ highly complimentary report is testament to the excellent efforts of staff to offer students a rich, stimulating and rewarding education. From the quality of the academic curriculum to students’ exemplary attitudes towards learning, the inspectors praised a number of aspects of the academy and were clearly impressed by its very high standards.”