Proud school in Retford celebrates a hat-trick of 'Good' ratings from Ofsted

In its latest review, inspectors bestowed rich praise on The Elizabethan Academy, which now has 1,137 pupils, aged 11 to 18, on its books.

They rated it ‘Good’ not only overall but also in all five individual categories, which assessed the quality of education, the behaviour and attitudes of pupils, the personal development of pupils, leadership and management, and sixth-form provision.

It means that, since becoming an academy in 2012, the school has been handed a ‘Good’ rating three times on the trot.

The Ofsted inspectors’ report described The Elizabethan Academy as “an inclusive school, which has high expectations of how pupils should behave and what they can achieve”.

"The school has designed a well-planned curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), most of whom achieve well,” the report went on.

"It has set out what pupils should learn, and when, in all subjects. Teachers have good subject-knowledge and explain new information clearly. Pupils’ work shows that most are progressing well.”

The Hallcroft Road school is part of The Elizabethan Academy Trust, which is run by the school’s principal, Christine Horrocks, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Derek Cheetham.

Ofsted found that “pupils behave well” and “understand how they should conduct themselves in school”. They were “polite and treat each other and staff respectfully”.

The report said: “Pupils feel safe in school, and say bullying is rare. There are positive relationships between staff and pupils.”

The inspectors praised The Elizabethan for “placing a high importance on pupils’ broader development”. Pupils learned about healthy relationships and different religions, and how to treat others with respect.

Pupils also had “many opportunities to develop their talents and interests”, joining sports clubs and taking part in ‘enrichment activities’, such as rock-climbing, mountain-biking, art and baking, “to develop their character and social skills”.

The school was “committed to helping pupils develop a love of reading”, while the 126 students in the sixth form “benefit from an ambitious curriculum”.

Areas pinpointed for improvement included rectifying repeated errors in punctuation, spelling and grammar by some pupils, and making sure that all youngsters are well prepared for life in modern Britain by “understanding fundamental British values”.