Countesthorpe Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 29 October 2024

Staff have high expectations of pupils. Pupils' behaviour is improving. Disruption in lessons is rare. The school is working hard to reduce the number of pupils who are suspended from school. Staff show vigilance and care. Pupils feel safe in school. Pupils said that there are many staff to turn to for help if they have worries. The school provides many opportunities for pupils, and students in the sixth form, to develop their interests. This year's school production is eagerly anticipated. Pupils take on leadership roles. The Stephen Lawrence ambassadors, for example, expressed pride in their work and for 'having their voices heard'. Too many pupils are absent too often. As a result, pupils, in particular pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are missing too much of their education. Effective work takes place to support pupils and their families. There are signs of improvement, but rightly, pupil attendance remains a key school priority. The curriculum has improved. However, there are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is taught in the different subjects. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should at the end of key stage 4. Students in the sixth form benefit from stronger provision.

What the school should improve

• Pupils' absence is too high, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. This means that some of the most vulnerable pupils are missing their education. The school must ensure that those pupils who need it receive support to improve their attendance.
• Learning is not always sufficiently adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. When this is the case, these pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school must ensure that teachers are equipped with the information and skills needed to make sure that learning is appropriately adapted across all subjects for pupils with SEND, so that these pupils achieve well.
• The curriculum is not implemented consistently. Sometimes not enough checks are made to ensure that pupils have the correct knowledge, including knowledge of vocabulary, to complete a task. This impacts negatively on pupils' achievement. The school must ensure that regular checks are made in lessons to make sure that pupils' prior learning is skilfully built upon and that pupils acquire the knowledge they need to progress through the curriculum successfully and achieve well.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)