Beacon Primary Academy Upgraded to ‘Good’ in Latest Ofsted Inspection
Beacon Primary Academy receives second-highest rating in every aspect of school life
Beacon Academy, part of AET, one of the largest networks of academies across the country, has received the second-highest Ofsted rating of ‘Good’ in their latest inspection. Not only has the school achieved this rating overall, but it has been rated as ‘Good’ across every aspect of school life, including quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management, and early years provision.
This rating recognises that significant improvements have been made in all aspects of school life since its most recent monitoring visit from Ofsted in June 2021, when the inspection team recognised that the school was taking effective action to make the necessary improvements.
Inspectors pointed to many impressive areas of school life in their report, commenting that Beacon Academy is an “inclusive, welcoming” school with a culture of respect and high expectations.
The main highlights of the report include:
Inspectors described Beacon as an “inclusive, welcoming school” and that “pupils are proud of it.”
There is an excellent level of concentration during lessons and “Pupils make the most of the rich learning environment around them.” Inspectors noted that this is in part because of the “calm, purposeful atmosphere” throughout the school, and because teachers and staff listen to pupils’ contributions and needs and are willing to help them in all aspects of their lives.
The inspection team were impressed by Beacon Academy’s curriculum, reporting that “Leaders have begun to put a well-planned curriculum in place.” They note that teachers receive excellent training to ensure that their lessons are as effective as possible.
The report notes that maths, reading and phonics are all key strengths of the school. The inspector observed that in lessons there are also plenty of opportunities for review where teachers “adapt the curriculum to build in extra time to review learning.”
Ofsted inspectors were impressed by the emphasis on physical health at Beacon Academy, observing that “from early years, children learn how to keep their bodies healthy.” This emphasis on health also extends to a healthy relationship with each other, with inspectors noting that discrimination is not tolerated at the school and everyone is treated fairly.
Catherine Gadd, Principal at Beacon Academy, said:
“We are absolutely delighted with our latest Ofsted inspection report. This really is a testament to the hard work of staff, pupils, and our wider school community to make Beacon Academy an excellent place to learn. We are especially proud to have received this feedback amidst the challenges of the last 18 months.
“While we are of course taking time to celebrate this news as a school community, our commitment to improvement does not stop here. We will continue to strive for effective and lasting change. We will use both the findings of the Ofsted report and, crucially, staff input, to tackle areas where we feel there is more work to be done so that our pupils continue to receive the highest-quality education possible. We believe that through such an ongoing commitment, our team will be able to keep taking Beacon Academy from strength to strength.”
Rebecca Boomer-Clark, CEO of the Academies Enterprise Trust, said:
“Huge congratulations to the whole Beacon Academy team on this fantastic Ofsted inspection. School leaders, staff and pupils at Beacon are constantly improving all aspects of school life, and it is brilliant to see the recognition of that hard work in the report. I am confident that the team at Beacon Academy will continue to take this school forward, focusing on providing an excellent education in every class, every day for every child.”
You can read the full Ofsted report online here.