The Irlam and Cadishead Academy has bounced back to secure a ‘Good’ Ofsted rating.
This is a turnaround since its last Ofsted rating in 2021, which said the quality of teaching ‘requires improvement’.
However, through the inspection completed on February 28 and 29, Ofsted concluded that the “pupils’ behaviour is much improved and that learning is rarely disturbed.”
The new report states pupils are happy in the “tight-knit school community” where they benefit from “strong pastoral support”.
Chris Leader, Principal at Irlam and Cadishead Academy, said: “We are very proud of the progress that has been made across the school in recent years and this outcome is now a welcome confirmation of what has been achieved.”
The report states that the academy instils self-belief into pupils. For instance, the weekly ‘proud’ table encourages pupils to celebrate their work.
Moreover, pupils also develop their listening skills and can articulate why they are proud of their work.
The report also highlights that pupils are respectful.
Benjamin Antell, Director of Secondary Academies at United Learning said: “This is a well-deserved and highly encouraging outcome for the academy and one which is testament to the efforts of the whole school community. It is a very strong signal of the academy’s upward trajectory and sets the foundations for it to continue to go from strength to strength.”
Furthermore, the secondary school has “a wealth” of clubs on offer that cater for a wide range of pupils’ interests.
However, there are still areas to improve on for Irlam and Cadishead Academy.
The report highlighted that in some subjects, teachers do not systematically check whether students have understood their teachings. This could lead to gaps in learning for some students as a result, the report stated.
Ofsted concluded that there are also significant amount of students who struggle with reading. While some of those students are supported successfully, there are still too many students who do not receive the appropriate support.
The report noted that historically, pupils have not achieved well in this school and this due to the legacy of weaker curriculum. However, the secondary school has been on a journey of improvement over recent years and students now benefit from a “broad and ambitious” curriculum.
To read the full inspection report for Irlam and Cadishead Academy from Ofsted, click here.
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