‘Aspirational and visionary’ Farnley Academy has received an ‘outstanding’ report from Ofsted inspectors who visited the school last month.
The report shows a turnaround at the school which was judged as ‘requiring improvement’ at its last Ofsted inspection in 2019, where inspectors highlighted a ‘good’ quality of education but added concerns about the number of isolations, administration processes surrounding challenging pupils and moving pupils to alternative provision.
The latest report praises the school for the outstanding quality of education it provides, pupils’ behaviour and attitudes, personal development and its leadership and management.
Ofsted state: “Pupils proudly attend this aspirational and visionary school. They know that they are well supported to achieve the high expectations that the school has for them. Pupils model the school’s core values of ambitious, resilient and kind’ in everything they do.
“The school has a relentless focus for all pupils to achieve the very best outcomes they can. This is evident in the qualifications they achieve and the exciting next steps they move on to after leaving the school.”
The report adds: “The behaviour of pupils is exemplary. They treat others with respect and are courteous to staff and to each other. They speak articulately about individual differences. Pupils celebrate these. All of this contributes to a calm learning environment which is consistently in place.”
There’s also praise for a ‘highly effective’ curriculum and teaching.
In a letter to parents, principal Chris Stokes said: “We wholeheartedly agree with the findings of Ofsted. I cannot stress enough just how proud we are of our students, not just for their exceptional behaviour during the inspection, but every day. The behaviour and
attitudes that students showcase at The Farnley Academy is just breath-taking to watch.
“I would like to extend my most genuine and heartfelt thanks to you, our fantastic parents, and carers. Your unwavering support as we waited to be reinspected following our difficult 2019 inspection outcome has been so important in the success of this inspection.
“Parents / carers came out en masse to support The Farnley Academy during the inspection and many of the comments left for inspectors on Parent View were truly moving. I know just how much it means to you to send your child to an outstanding school and we are so proud to have been able to deliver this for you, our students, and our whole community.”
The full Ofsted report will be published here later this week.
Earlier this year parents and pupils held protests against Farnley Academy’s policy restricting pupils to using one set of toilets during lesson time.
