Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 January 2026

Pupils experience a welcoming and inclusive school, where they feel part of a community. The school's pastoral support shapes pupils’ day-to-day experiences. Pupils say they feel safe and cared for by adults, who listen and respond when concerns arise. Pupils understand the importance of respect and kindness. They are confident that bullying, unkindness or discriminatory behaviour is taken seriously and dealt with promptly. These positive relationships help pupils to feel secure and supported in school. Staff's management of pupils’ behaviour continues to improve. Clear expectations and consistent routines help pupils to behave calmly in lessons and around the school. Working relationships between pupils and adults are respectful and supportive. This contributes to a purposeful learning environment. Staff provide additional support to help pupils manage their emotions and behaviour positively. At social times, pupils mix well with their peers and enjoy spending time outdoors. This supports positive interactions and a sense of community. Many pupils benefit from activities beyond the classroom that support their confidence, independence and interests. Pupils particularly enjoy working in the school garden and taking part in experiences, such as trips to the beach. These activities contribute positively to pupils’ enjoyment of school and their sense of belonging. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are included in these opportunities and benefit from support that reduces barriers to their participation. While many pupils enjoy school and engage positively in learning, their experiences are not consistently strong in all areas. Achievement remains uneven, and some pupils do not yet build learning securely over time. Variability in teaching affects how well pupils deepen their understanding and apply what they learn. Attendance also remains a concern. Despite leaders’ work with families, too many pupils do not attend regularly enough, which limits the impact of improvements made in other areas. Students in the sixth form experience supportive relationships and receive guidance about their next steps. However, outcomes remain weak, and further improvement is needed to ensure that students are consistently well prepared for future education, training or employment.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that pupils secure the knowledge and skills they need at each stage of learning, so that they make consistent progress from their starting points across subjects and are well prepared for their next steps.
• Leaders should ensure that teaching enables pupils to build knowledge cumulatively over time by strengthening the consistent use of formative assessment, so that pupils’ learning is checked and teaching is routinely adapted.
• Leaders should accelerate improvement in attendance by further strengthening work with families and external partners, so that overall attendance rises and persistent absence reduces, particularly for those pupils who experience ongoing barriers to regular attendance.
• Leaders should improve the consistency and quality of post-16 teaching so that students make stronger progress from their starting points and improvements in students’ work lead to improved examination outcomes.

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