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10
Sept
Ofsted publishes report into Outwood Academy Ripon
Outwood Academy Ripon has received its latest Ofsted report.
The report, published today (September 10), rated the 717-pupil school on Clotherholme Road as 'good' overall.
It was published just days after Ofsted’s assessment of neighbouring Ripon Grammar School’s boarding provision.
Outwood became part of the Outwood Grange Academies Trust in 2011. The trust operates 41 schools in the north of England.
Inspectors assessed the school in July for its first full inspection since 2016, when it was graded ‘outstanding’.
This time inspectors rated the school ‘good’ overall and in three categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management.
It received an ‘outstanding’ rating in the fourth category - personal development.
Inspectors praised the “ambitious” curriculum, and said:
Outwood Academy Ripon provides pupils with a strong academic curriculum alongside a breadth of wider opportunities that significantly enhance the education.
Most pupils at the school behave well. Lessons are calm. Pupils focus on their learning well. Staff praise pupils regularly for their efforts and contributions. Pupils learn to become mature and respectful members of the school community.
It added that pupils:
Benefit from a high-quality education. They achieve well. Their detailed knowledge, and the qualifications that they achieve, prepare them well for their next steps in education, employment or training.
New principal
Rachel Donohue took over as principal in January this year and the report praised the school's leadership. It said inspectors found that staff “agree that the actions taken by leaders are improving the school".
The report said:
Leaders, including those with responsibility for governance and the trust, know the school well. They have supported school leaders to manage recent staff absence and changes to staffing well. They understand which areas of the school’s work can be improved even further.
They have taken actions, such as providing additional training, to make these improvements.
Outwood Academy Ripon
Inspectors added that “the school has taken steps to understand the views of parents and carers”.
A small number of families are not satisfied with some aspects of the school’s work. The school has acted quickly to respond to many of these concerns. The school, and trust, continue to make changes to ensure that all stakeholders work together to support pupils who attend the school.
The report added that pupils with special educational needs and disabilities achieve well and that “since the previous inspection, the school has made improvements to the support that these pupils receive".
It continued to say that:
Some improvements need further time to embed. However, in a minority of lessons, teachers do not use this information consistently well to make adaptations that would benefit pupils with SEND.
The Stray Ferret asked Outwood for its response to the report. Ms Donohue said:
I am absolutely delighted that Ofsted has acknowledged the quality of education our students benefit from and that they achieve well. I am particularly proud of staff who are recognised for preparing pupils well for their next steps in education, employment or training through the delivery of our personal development curriculum.
Moving forward, we will continue to strive for excellence, placing our pupils at the heart of every decision we make.
The new Labour government has scrapped one-word Ofsted overall gradings. However, this only applies to inspections taking place from this school year onwards.
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