Wellingborough’s Weavers Academy celebrates Good Ofsted result

Staff and students at a Wellingborough academy are celebrating a successful Ofsted following a challenging school inspection – maintaining their grade.

Weavers Academy, part of Creative Education Trust, has been confirmed as a good school, under Ofsted’s most challenging inspection framework ever.

Inspectors found that Weavers Academy staff ‘care for pupils’ and that students are ‘proud of their school’ and behave ‘well in lessons’.

Interim principal Jon Hunt said: “I’m delighted that inspectors saw the excellent work that goes on every day here at Weavers. It represents the hard work and dedication of the pupils and of staff.

“If I could describe Weavers Academy in one word it would be striving, which is embodied by our vision - ‘Striving for success, learning with pride’.

Mr Hunt regularly has lunch with pupils to find out what they think about the school and shared the report with pupils who said they ‘feel proud of the school’ and that ‘Ofsted’s report matches my own opinions of the school and the teachers’.

Leaders were judged to consider all pupils’ needs including those of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Inspectors found the atmosphere in lessons to be ‘positive’ and praised pupils for ‘responding well to the challenges provided by teachers.’ Ofsted found that professional development is helping teachers ‘to improve their practice’, and that the quality of education provided by the school is good.

Outside of lessons, Ofsted noted the good programme of activities available to pupils and their willingness to take part in these. Inspectors reported that pupils at Weavers feel safe, supported and know who to go to if they are worried about something. This is because safeguarding systems and processes at the school are effective.

The last Ofsted inspection in 2017 also graded the academy as good.

From September students at the academy will be able to engage with more than 70 different extra-curricular activities.

Mr Hunt added: “I am excited for the future here at Weavers; we’re Ofsted good, oversubscribed, focused on learning, and striving for the very best. We are fully committed to providing excellent opportunities for students, both in and outside of the classroom.

"Weavers is about to offer pupils more access to activities outside of lessons than ever before. We are excited to launch our brand new ‘enrichment’ offer in September. This will allow pupils to choose from over 70 different opportunities.

“We are fortunate to work with other school leaders within Creative Education Trust, sharing ideas and successful strategies across the different schools in the trust.

"We welcome current Year 5 parents to join us at Weavers Academy on Monday, July 18, 2022 to meet some of the team. Our open evenings will be on the September 28 and 29, 2022.

“Finally, I would like to wish our year 11 and 13 students who are awaiting their exam results the best of luck and success in the future whether here at Weavers Academy sixth form or beyond.”