The secondary school received Outstanding in ‘Personal development’ and Good in the other four categories: Quality of education, Behaviour and attitudes, Leadership and management, and Sixth-form provision.

The report commends the school for its ‘wide and ambitious’ curriculum and ‘inclusive community’, saying staff are proud to be part of the ‘Priesthorpe family’. Pupils are seen to develop strong bonds of friendship within small coaching groups where current affairs are discussed: “These groups also help to foster the strong relationships between pupils and staff that inspectors saw throughout the inspection.”

Ofsted reported: 

“A particular strength of the school is the personal development offer. There are a huge range of clubs, trips and activities for pupils. These range from small clubs such as ‘computer coding’ to entry into national competitions and opportunities to experience high quality art installations. Leaders’ work to ensure that all pupils can take advantage of this contributes strongly to the sense of community and cohesion.”

The report acknowledges the way that staff identify pupils who need extra support: 

“Staff have a strong understanding of pupils’ needs. For example, in lessons, teachers use the information they receive about disadvantaged pupils to organise their classrooms, adapt activities and ensure that all pupils are involved in lessons.”

Ofsted praised the way leaders know exactly what to do to continue with strong attendance. It emphasised the ‘striking example’ of pupil mentors where they “mentor their peers to encourage them to come to school. This helps pupils to develop their leadership skills and adds to the sense of a supportive environment.”

Joint Principals at Co-op Academy Priesthorpe, Martin Blacoe and Louise Pratt, said:

“We are absolutely delighted that the inspection team recognised the work that goes on everyday to make sure we have an inclusive community where every student can thrive. Our achievements are based on a team effort, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank our students, staff, parents, governors, and wider community for their continued support, which makes a real difference”.  

CEO of Co-op Academies Trust, Dr Chris Tomlinson, said of the news:

“We’re delighted to receive this rating from Ofsted, acknowledging the huge steps that leaders and staff have taken to create a fantastic inclusive learning community for all students at Priesthorpe. Pupils feel valued and supported, and ultimately, Ofsted have seen the way that nurturing the pupil/staff relationships has helped students to become ‘highly motivated’. Congratulations to the senior leadership team, the pupils, family and staff - a richly deserved rating.”