The Brian Clarke Church of England Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 June 2025

This is an extremely welcoming school. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and rooted in high levels of care. As a result, pupils feel happy and safe. Pupils learn the importance of being kind and respectful to others through faith events and culture days. This helps to promote a strong sense of belonging and community cohesion. It prepares pupils exceptionally well for life in modern Britain. Behaviour routines are clearly established. Pupils' conduct is exemplary. They learn in a positive and calm environment without disruption. They are extremely polite to visitors and one another. They are highly committed to their learning. The school's expectations of pupils' achievement are high. Pupils are encouraged to be ambitious and aspirational. Most pupils respond well to these high expectations and excel. In the main, pupils benefit from a carefully designed curriculum that prepares them well for their next stage in education. The school's values underpin every aspect of its work. For instance, pupils value taking part in sporting events and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme. They cherish opportunities to expand their skills and interests through clubs, such as Ancient Hebrew and 'poetry by heart'. Pupils enjoy singing in the choir, particularly when performing in nursing homes or school plays. This helps them to build their confidence.

What the school should improve

• On occasions, the checks that are made on pupils' learning do not identify gaps in their knowledge. This means that pupils move on to new learning before they are ready. This hinders them from building their knowledge securely. The school should ensure that assessment information is used effectively across the curriculum to support pupils to know more and remember more.

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