The Five Islands Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 11 October 2023

Five Islands Academy is an inclusive, all-through school for pupils living on the Isles of Scilly. Most pupils attend school on the largest island, St Mary's. Primary-age pupils living on the islands of Tresco, Bryher, St Martins and St Agnes attend one of three 'off island' bases. From the age of 11, these pupils enjoy boarding at Mundesley House on St Mary's. This gives them access to subject-specialist teaching and resources ready for the secondary phase. The school provides a remarkable range of cultural experiences for pupils, especially within the arts. An impressive range of expert practitioners are brought to the islands to work creatively with pupils. Pupils are inspired to take the initiative with local projects of their own. For example, after securing National Lottery funding, Year 11 pupils are leading the redevelopment of the Isles of Scilly Museum. Pupils develop a powerful sense of community. Every effort is made to bring pupils from the different islands together. On Fridays, pupils come together as one school for a day of learning on St Mary's. The culture of the school is such that everyone works together to find solutions and resolve issues. Pupils regularly engage in constructive discussions. They feel safe to air any worries or fears during 'circle time', or to raise these privately with trusted staff.

What the school should improve

• Teaching is not adapted consistently in the light of potential barriers to pupils' learning. Pupils with insecure basic skills, such as those who lack fluency in reading and arithmetic, struggle to keep up with their peers when learning new content. The trust should ensure that the school helps teachers to identify pupils who are likely to require new content further broken down.

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