Queensbury Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 October 2024

Many pupils enjoy school and make good friends. There is a wide variety of enrichment opportunities that develop pupils' confidence and talents. This was brought to life through the popular Societies' Day. Pupils appreciate the opportunities they have to develop their leadership skills, for example through the student council or junior leadership team. Others love to stay healthy through sports such as table tennis or football. Pupils value the positive relationships they have with the adults who care for them. In many areas, particularly in the sixth form, students benefit from the school's high expectations of what they should accomplish. They are supported to achieve well and are, rightly, proud of the high-quality work they produce. However, outside of the sixth form, the school's expectations of what pupils should achieve are more variable. Pupils enjoy it when they receive work that challenges them to excel. However, too often, adults' expectations of what they can achieve are too low. When this happens, pupils do not do as well as they should. Pupils behave well in social time. They are polite and friendly to each other and to adults. They show consideration towards their peers and respect each other's differences. Pupils' behaviour in lessons has improved over time. However, there is more to be done. Sometimes pupils are involved in off-task behaviour. On other occasions, adults do not support pupils to complete work to a high standard. This impacts how well pupils achieve.

What the school should improve

• The school does not use assessment effectively to support pupils' learning. Teachers do not consistently check pupils' understanding and use this information to inform their teaching. This means pupils are not being consistently supported to build on their prior skills or knowledge. The trust needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively to support pupils' learning and prevent them from underachieving.
• The school has not made sure that the curriculum is successfully adapted to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. This means that pupils with SEND are not developing their knowledge, skills and abilities well enough. The trust should support all staff to understand the needs of pupils with SEND, and adapt the curriculum to meet their needs, so they achieve well.
• The school has not consistently secured good behaviour from pupils. While work has been done to improve behaviour, there remains too much variability in how well pupils behave, including their attitudes to learning. Too often pupils lack motivation and do not complete work to a high enough standard. The trust must ensure that staff are consistent in ensuring high standards of conduct throughout the school.

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