Whitworth Park Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 October 2022

Whitworth Park Academy is a welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils develop a strong sense of belonging and pride in their school community. Leaders have high expectations for pupils' academic success. Staff help pupils to develop strength of character and resilience. The ethos 'children at the heart of everything we do' is a strong feature of life at the school. There have been significant changes at the school in a short space of time. The vision, determination and actions of leaders and staff have led to considerable improvement. Pupils behave well in lessons. They are keen to answer questions and share their ideas. Bullying is rare. If pupils raise a concern, they know that staff will take action to address it. They understand how to stay safe in person and online. Pupils are well supported by staff that know and care for them. Pupils' personal development is a strength in the school. Leaders plan a number of 'Inspire' days throughout the year which enrich pupils' understanding of their local community and the wider world. Pupils hear from visiting speakers, go on educational visits and take part in team building activities. Pupils value these opportunities to learn outside of the classroom.

What the school should improve

• Some pupils do not have the opportunity to study a wide range of subjects at all stages of their education. This, in part, is due to the limited curriculum time given to some subjects at key stage 3. As a result, not all pupils receive a broad, rich set of experiences. Leaders should ensure they review and amend the curriculum offer to ensure that all pupils have the opportunity to develop talents and interests across all curriculum areas.
• In some lessons, teachers do not consistently implement planned strategies to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with SEND. Consequently, pupils including those with SEND, do not learn as well as they might. Leaders should ensure that staff receive further training to help them adapt and implement teaching strategies to meet the needs of all pupils.
• New leaders have identified a number of priorities to further strengthen the quality of education pupils receive. Some of these changes are very new. Senior leaders should ensure that there is the capacity to quality assure the impact of these changes and provide further staff training to support ongoing school improvement.

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