‘New era’ as Ofsted takes city school out of special measures
INSPECTORS PRAISE STAFF AND IMPROVEMENTS TO TEACHING AT BULWELL ACADEMY
A NOTTINGHAM school has improved so much that Ofsted has taken it out of special measures.
Bulwell Academy is now rated as “requires improvement” after an inspection last month.
The organisation was graded as inadequate after the previous inspection in October 2022, with improvements being needed in all areas.
During the latest visit by Ofsted, inspectors noted that the school has “high expectations” for behaviour and that the majority of pupils were “respectful and behave well”.
This means that the school is no longer in special measures.
Earlier this year staff at the school participated in strikes over working conditions and bad management.
The school’s headteacher left to “pursue other opportunities” in February.
The inspection report states that most staff were positive about the changes at the school and “value the support they receive to develop their expertise and manage their workload”.
It adds that teachers were explaining concepts clearly and planning lesson activities that focused on important knowledge. The needs of SEND pupils are also being understood well.
Chris Keen, executive principal at Bulwell Academy, said: “We are all pleased that Bulwell is no longer in special measures and that the significant improvements made have been recognised. This decision reflects the hard work and determination of staff at Bulwell Academy and this is an important landmark for the school as we focus on a new era of education.
“There are areas that we know we need to improve further on and we have already started making further improvements as we enter a new phase in Bulwell Academy’s journey.
“We are absolutely committed to working together with our staff, students and parents so that we can deliver the best educational experience possible.
“We are opening our doors to parents in a way we have not done before and we will continue working in partnership to improve Bulwell Academy. Thank you to all our staff, students and parents and carers for their ongoing support.”
Nicole Mccartney, director of education at Creative Education Trust, which runs the school, said: “Bulwell Academy is focusing on a new, positive era and I am so proud of our staff, students and the school community for their commitment and dedication to improvement.”
And she went on: “We will continue to work together with school leaders at Bulwell to ensure that staff have everything they need to support students to reach their full potential.”
The full inspection report is yet to be published on the Ofsted website.