E-ACT Shenley Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 17 June 2025

Pupils feel happy and safe at Shenley Academy. The school's high-quality pastoral support means that pupils have many members of staff who they trust. They are confident to share any concerns about bullying or worries about their mental health. Adults in school help and support pupils to resolve any issues. Shenley Academy has its raised expectations for pupils' conduct in lessons and around the school. Pupils learn the values of 'Respect, Resilience and Responsibility'. They appreciate staff upholding the school behaviour policy, as this reduces disruption within lessons. On occasion, expectations for pupils' engagement and quality of work are not high enough. This means some pupils do not produce work to the standard they are capable of or achieve as highly as they should in their qualifications. Pupils appreciate the recent widening of the extra-curricular opportunities available. Clubs, including craft, music and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award, help to develop pupils' talents and interests. Pupils are proud to represent their school in sporting competitions such as netball tournaments. Pupils look forward to the upcoming end of year reward trips. Leadership roles, for example as well-being ambassadors, enable pupils to contribute to the life of the school.

What the school should improve

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not implemented using the teaching strategies identified by leaders to be effective. This means that pupils do not learn and remember as well as they should. The school should ensure that staff have the expertise needed to implement the curriculum consistently and effectively across all subjects.
• Assessment within the classroom does not help staff accurately identify pupils' starting points or gaps in their knowledge and understanding. When these are not addressed and corrected, pupils lack the foundational knowledge needed to learn more challenging content. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school should make sure that assessment routines check for understanding and that the curriculum is adapted accordingly in response.
• At times, the school does not have high enough expectations of pupils' engagement with their learning. Incidents of low engagement are not challenged and therefore pupils do not complete work to the standard they should. The school should ensure that high expectations for pupils' engagement and the quality of their work are consistently upheld.

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