St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 10 January 2023

Pupils, and students in the sixth form, enjoy attending St Wilfrid's Church of England Academy. They told inspectors that they feel happy and safe here. Staff take the time to get to know pupils well and they care about pupils' well-being. Pupils and students are respectful of people's differences. Everyone feels that they fit in, and they make friends easily. Pupils and students behave very well in class and around the school site. They enjoy one another's company and are considerate of others at social times. Staff resolve any bullying incidents quickly and effectively. Leaders, including governors, have high expectations for all pupils' and students' achievement. Leaders are determined that pupils and students will overcome any social disadvantage or other barriers to their academic success. Pupils and students, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy success at this school. They achieve well. Pupils and students feel that they are listened to and trusted by staff. This includes pupils who attend the specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND (specially resourced provision). Pupils and students benefit greatly from the many responsibilities that leaders provide. These include librarian roles, house ambassador and captain positions, and prefect posts. Pupils wear the badges that they are awarded for their responsibilities with pride. Students in the sixth form are keen to organise and lead activities for younger pupils, such as sporting events and the debating society.

What the school should improve

• In one or two subjects, some teachers do not ensure that pupils' earlier knowledge is secure before moving on to new content. This means that some pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. Leaders should ensure that, in these subjects, teachers check that pupils' prior learning is secure before introducing new knowledge.
• Some older pupils do not read as regularly as they should. This means that these pupils miss out on opportunities to broaden and expand their vocabulary. Leaders should ensure that staff promote the importance of reading and that pupils have sufficient opportunities to read a range of literature.

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