Oxfordshire's first academy school gets good Ofsted report (From The Oxford Times)

Oxfordshire's first academy school gets good Ofsted report

5:05pm Monday 15th March 2010 in

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OXFORDSHIRE’S first academy has received a glowing report by Ofsted in its first inspection since opening in 2007.

As well as receiving a ‘satisfactory’ overall rating, the North Oxfordshire Academy in Banbury was also rated good in the all-important ‘capacity for sustained improvement’ category – a key indicator of how well schools are doing long-term.

The academy is one of two county academies. The other, Oxford Academy, opened in 2008 in Littlemore. Consultation is due to start on plans for a third – which could replace Oxford School in Glanville Road, Oxford.

Michael Waine, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for schools improvement, said: “We’re delighted with this report. It shows a real solid start already made by the school and we look forward to seeing continuing rising standards. It’s a credit to the work the staff and the governors have been doing and the strength of leadership.”

Headteacher Ruth Robinson said the school, which has 750 students and specialises in media, communications, business and enterprise, had improved a lot since it opened.

In 2007, the last year of Drayton School which it replaced, only 25 per cent of pupils achieved five A* to Cs at GCSE.

Last year saw 69 per cent of year 11s reaching that target.

And she said the school was on course this summer to meet the more challenging benchmark of 30 per cent of pupils achieving five A* to Cs including English and maths.

She said: “We are really pleased this report recognises the progress the academy has made. This just proves what can happen when you close a school and reopen it – with a big investment, careful planning and forethought and the right structures in place.”

Of the 29 judgements, nine were satisfactory and 17 were good. Attainment was rated low, but the effectiveness of the school’s engagement with parents and carers received an outstanding ranking.

The academy is run by the United Learning Trust (ULT), which had been proposed as a sponsor for the project at Oxford School, but which pulled out in December following a poor Ofsted report at another academy.

fbardsley@oxfordmail.co.uk