Waterside Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 27 January 2026

Pupils at Waterside Academy value being part of a small community, where staff know them well. Staff understand pupils’ individual needs. They help them settle quickly so that they feel they belong. Pupils arrive each morning into a calm and well-organised school. Routines are clear and established. Staff greet pupils warmly as they line up for lessons. Pupils know what is expected of them and follow these expectations with little need for reminders. They move around the small school site sensibly and treat each other and staff with high levels of respect. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is extremely positive. Pupils listen carefully, work hard and show pride in their learning. They say that behaviour systems are fair and that teachers use these consistently across the school. Disruption to learning is rare. Pupils feel safe and know who to speak to if they have a concern. They trust staff to act quickly, when concerns are raised. Bullying is not common here. Staff deal with it promptly when it does occur. Pupils enjoy their learning. Those who are disadvantaged, or who face additional challenges, make strong progress through the curriculum. Pupils who need extra help, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, receive timely support so that they can take part fully in lessons. Pupils consistently achieve well from their different starting points. There are a range of clubs, trips and enrichment activities, including sport, drama, art and cooking on offer to pupils. These help pupils to develop wider skills and cater to their interests. They enjoy opportunities to take on responsibilities, such as through the school council. Older pupils benefit from highly effective work experience and careers guidance that helps them to prepare well for their next steps. Pupils feel safe, included and well supported. They enjoy school and are rightly proud of what they achieve here.

What the school should improve

• Leaders and those responsible for governance should maintain their highly effective approaches to providing all pupils, including those who face additional barriers, with a high-quality education, making adjustments and enhancements to the school's provision across all areas as needed.

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