Noel-Baker Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 June 2026

Pupils are warmly welcomed into school each day by staff. They experience a school that is increasingly calm, orderly and focused on helping them succeed. Pupils recognise that behaviour has improved considerably. Typically, relationships between staff and pupils are respectful. Many pupils have positive attitudes to their education. While many pupils attend regularly, a notable proportion of pupils miss school too often, losing valuable learning time. Historically, pupils have not achieved as well as they should in national examinations. Leaders are taking clear steps to strengthen the curriculum and improve the consistency of teaching, but these improvements have not yet had time to fully impact outcomes. Most pupils move on to appropriate next steps in education, employment or training. However, for some pupils, gaps in their knowledge mean they are not as well prepared for their next stage as they could be. Generally, pupils behave well and feel safe. They recognise that incidents of bullying are uncommon and trust staff to deal with concerns quickly and fairly. Many pupils have positive attitudes to learning and want to do well. However, the quality of teaching they experience is not yet consistently effective across classes, which means pupils’ learning can vary. Staff typically understand the barriers to learning and/or wellbeing faced by pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND typically receive helpful support and adaptations to support their learning needs and/or wellbeing. Pupils who find busy spaces difficult value the bespoke activities available at social times, which help them feel included and supported. Pupils benefit from a culture that promotes tolerance, respect and inclusion. They talk confidently about the importance of treating others with respect and understand how to keep themselves safe. They enjoy opportunities such as Culture Day, enrichment clubs and leadership roles, which help them explore their interests and feel part of the wider school community.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that gaps in achievement for disadvantaged pupils close securely and consistently across the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure adaptive teaching strategies are consistently embedded in classroom practice so pupils’ needs are precisely met, enabling all groups to access the curriculum fully and make strong, sustained progress.
• Leaders should ensure teachers use assessment skilfully to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge, build on pupils’ prior learning and give pupils opportunities to practise and improve their work.
• Leaders should ensure attendance strategies have sustained impact, improving overall attendance and reducing persistent absence.
• Leaders should ensure that agreed approaches to help pupils catch up and keep up following a period of absence are used consistently well, preventing pupils from developing gaps in knowledge that negatively impact achievement.
• Leaders should continue to strengthen and develop middle leaders, particularly those new in post, so they can drive improvement with confidence and precision, sustaining the current improvement trajectory.

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