Pupils at St Aidan’s Catholic Academy, Willowbank Road, ‘take every opportunity to learn, through the highly consistent experiences that they have’. They have ‘exceptionally positive attitudes towards their learning’ and ‘feel cared for and know that staff have their best interests at heart,’ according to a new Ofsted report.
The school, which is part of Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust, was inspected by Ofsted in February and was awarded Outstanding grades in key areas including Quality of Education, Behaviour and Attitudes, Personal Development, and Leadership and Management.
Ofsted lead inspector Richard Wakefield, said in his report, “St Aidan’s is a thriving and happy place. Pupils are extremely proud to be part of this highly ambitious school. Leaders have the highest expectations for the pupils. Pupils meet these expectations consistently.
The school’s values are visible through all the work done, particularly in pupils ‘making excellence a habit.’ The relationships between staff and pupils are exceptionally strong.
Pupils demonstrate kindness, both in and out of lessons. They treat everyone with courtesy and respect those with different lifestyles and backgrounds.”
The report highlighted the school’s high expectations for pupils, the exceptional relationships between staff and pupils, and the ambitious curriculum that enables all, including those with SEND, to thrive. Inspectors noted that pupils ‘demonstrate kindness,’ are ‘completely engaged in lessons,’ and take “every opportunity to learn” in a stimulating and supportive environment.
The school’s personal development programme was also praised as ‘extraordinary,’ equipping pupils with a strong understanding of different cultures, career pathways, and leadership opportunities. The Ofsted team commended the school’s efforts to enhance reading skills, support disadvantaged pupils, and create a calm and respectful learning environment.
Headteacher Anne-Marie Whitten said, “This Ofsted report is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and ambition of our pupils, staff, and wider school family. At St Aidan’s, we strive to ‘make excellence a habit,’ and I am delighted that Ofsted has recognised our collective commitment to ensuring every student reaches their full potential.”
For more information about St. Aidan’s visit www.staidanscatholicacademy.co.uk
For more information about BCCET, visit www.bccet.org.uk
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Photo captions: Pupils are pictured with Headteacher Anne-Marie Whitten.
Press release issued by Gemma Hogg, St. Aidan’s Catholic Academy for more information email ghogg@staca.co.uk