Academy celebrates year of achievement
AWIDNES school has been shortlisted for three awards in the latest achievement during a record year of success.
Ormiston Chadwick Academy (OCA) on Liverpool Road has been named in the Times Educational Supplement (TES) School awards.
The academy is up for Secondary School Of the Year, while Tuesday Humby has been nominated for Headteacher Of The Year.
The school is also in the running for the Maths Team Of The Year.
Since opening as an academy in September 2014 under new sponsorship and the Ormiston Academies Trust (OAT), OCA has been on a rapid journey of success over the last three years.
Previously placed in special measures after rising from the ashes of predecessor school, the Bankfield, OCA has since thrived, being recognised as one of the top 100 schools in the country for progress and rated ‘ outstanding’ by Ofsted in the last year alone.
Principal Mrs Humby said: “To be shortlisted for three national awards is absolutely fantastic, and so wonderful for our staff and pupils who all work so hard. Top 100 in the country, Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ and now in the shortlisting for Secondary Of The Year, Headteacher Of The Year and Maths Team Of The Year – it has been quite the year for our Team OCA and I am, of course, bursting with pride.”
OCA celebrated its best ever year of GCSE results in August, with 69% of stu- dents achieving A*-C grades in English and maths, well above the national average.
As part of the requirements to achieve secondary school and maths awards, TES will also be considering the way in which schools demonstrate innovation, imagination and efforts to drive student development.
Nurturing student development above and beyond the classroom is a commitment which is championed by OAT and its Enrichment Charter, which gives all students across the trust opportunities in culture, the arts, drama, music and sport.
The academy’s commitment to this has also been recognised by Ofsted inspectors, who highlighted that ‘all staff are totally committed to improving outcomes for young people’.
Mrs Humby’s ‘exceptional leadership’ was recognised in the glowing Ofsted report which also praised her, alongside the executive board and OAT, for creating a ‘culture of very high expectations among staff and pupils’ which led to ‘ rapid and sustained progress’.
The winners will be announced at the annual TES Awards on Friday, June 23, in a ceremony at Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
OAT chief executive officer Toby Salt said: “I am absolutely delighted that Ormiston Chadwick Academy has received the recognition it deserves.
“Following the achievement of the outstanding Ofsted rating, the three shortlistings further highlight the hard work, dedication and commitment shown by the principal, staff and students over the last three years, to make the academy rate amongst the best in the country.
“We are very proud to see Ormiston Chadwick Academy representing the OAT ethos on the national stage.”