Ofsted gives good rating for Mirfield’s Old Bank Academy
Old Bank Academy in Mirfield has been rated good in all categories by Ofsted.
The school, which is part of the Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, was praised by inspectors who praised the “transformational work” that has taken place and said that “new leaders have transformed the school and have created a highly positive culture”.
During the inspection, inspectors judged the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision all to be good.
The report said that “pupils feel safe and happy” and that there is a “strong ethos of care and support the school provides”.
Judy Wood, headteacher, said: “I am delighted that Ofsted have agreed with our own assessment of Old Bank Academy.
"I am really pleased that the comments of the inspectors who recognise the hard work and rapid progress we have made over the last four years.
"I would like to thank pupils, staff, parents, governors, trustees and our wider community for their continued support and dedication to the academy.”
Inspectors praised student behaviour and the culture of the academy, saying that “communication, relationships and working together are a strength of the school” and adding that “the relationships between adults and pupils are respectful”.
Inspectors also praised the quality of the teaching and learning in the classrooms, saying: “The school has an ambitious curriculum….and has the same ambitions for pupils with SEND” and that “pupils work with focus in lessons”.
Chair of Governors, David Fann, said: “The governors are incredibly proud of the whole academy community who have worked so hard to achieve this well-deserved grading.
"We now need to continue to build on this strong ‘good’ judgement and move towards becoming an ‘outstanding’ academy.”
The inspectors praised the work to support students’ personal development and guidance where the ‘GROW’ values of growth, respect, opportunity and well-being are “threads that run through school life” and said that “this school provides a wealth of opportunities to broaden pupils’ life skills”.
Mick Kay, CEO at Impact Education Multi Academy Trust, added: “Old Bank Academy is unrecognisable from the school we inherited in April 2020.
"To be judged good in all areas is a significant achievement and I’m proud of our exceptional pupils and staff who have worked incredibly hard to deliver transformational change at Old Bank.
"The inspection team also identified that this is a nurturing and inclusive school which pupils are proud to attend.
“Our main focus now as a Trust is to build upon the significant improvement in standards for pupils at Old Bank over the past few years and ensure that all pupils achieve success and leave as kind, courteous, confident and hard-working young people.”