The Pingle Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 24 February 2026

Pupils typically enjoy learning at The Pingle Academy, and most make reasonable progress through the curriculum. Leaders have taken steps to strengthen the quality of the curriculum. Pupils are increasingly benefiting from a more ambitious, well-sequenced curriculum. In many lessons, teachers check what pupils know more consistently. Pupils recognise that many staff help them to do their best. However, weaknesses in teaching remain in some subjects. Some pupils do not always learn as well as they could in the mainstream provision because teaching is not consistently adapted to meet their needs, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is reflected in attainment at the end of key stages 4 and 5. Additionally, some pupils with SEND within the mainstream provision do not have precise enough plans to help teachers adapt the curriculum as well as they could. Most pupils attend regularly and are happy to be in school. Pupils experience a caring, well-structured environment where staff know them well and provide strong pastoral support, including for young carers. Pupils typically feel safe. They understand how to stay healthy and make informed choices. Behaviour is improving, though some pupils, staff, parents and carers assert that further improvement is still needed. That said, suspensions are reducing. While most pupils and parents agree that bullying is resolved, a minority do not share this view. Pupils experience a broad, ambitious and inclusive enrichment offer beyond the curriculum. Pupils access a wide range of clubs, trips and activities, including overseas visits, cultural trips and sports tours. Sixth-form enrichment is growing, with leadership roles, societies, charity work and trips abroad, including for example, the trust expeditions to Kenya. Pupils and students in the sixth form also benefit from well-planned careers guidance, which gives them a clear understanding of the world of work. This, alongside the personal development programme, supports pupils in being well prepared for life in modern Britain.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should swiftly embed their plans to reduce underachievement by embedding consistent, high-quality teaching so more pupils and students in the post-16 provision, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.
• Leaders should ensure that the plans for pupils with SEND in the mainstream consistently include clear targets and specific, precise strategies that will enable them to make stronger progress across the curriculum.
• Leaders should ensure that staff have the expertise needed to adapt teaching, so that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum successfully in the mainstream provision.
• Leaders should strengthen support and guidance for staff so that the school’s approach to behaviour is implemented consistently and all pupils are helped to behave well.
• Governors and trustees should strengthen their oversight, develop their expertise to fully hold leaders to account, and rigorously monitor improvement actions to ensure they deliver swift, positive impact on the quality of the provision.

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