'A reminder of their incredible potential' - West Sussex academy celebrates result of first Ofsted inspection under new framework

The academy – in Upper Boundstone Lane, Sompting – received glowing praise from inspectors, with the school meeting safeguarding requirements and achieving ‘strong standard’ ratings in key areas including attendance, behaviour, inclusion, leadership, and personal development.

Principal Kieran Scanlon said: “Of all the lines in our Ofsted report, the simple sentence ‘pupils are happy’ is the one that gives me the most satisfaction.

"Our students are on the whole a joy to work with. They are generous, kind, inclusive and optimistic. The description of students in the media and elsewhere has swung too far into the negative and it simply isn’t an accurate reflection of the incredible students that we see everyday.

"I look forward to sharing the report with our cohort and that it serves as a reminder of their incredible potential.”

Carried out in January, this was the academy’s first inspection under its new framework.

Inspectors highlighted the teachers’ commitment to pupil wellbeing and achievement. They noted that leaders have ‘established an open culture’ in which ‘safeguarding is everyone's responsibility’. I

The report added that concerns are ‘actively identified, acted upon and managed’. As a result, pupils are ‘made safer and feel safe’.

Pupils’ behaviour and attendance were praised, with inspectors observing that ‘staff have consistently high expectations of pupils' conduct, which are respected and adhered to’ and that ‘lessons are calm and purposeful, taking place without interruption’.

Leaders were commended for their targeted support, with the report citing that ‘leaders provide highly effective support to pupils who have barriers to positive attendance’.

Inclusion was another area of strength, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. Inspectors found that the needs of pupils with SEND are ‘quickly and accurately identified’ so that ‘well-matched support is put in place’, and that leaders are ‘wholly committed’ to ensuring that every pupil has the ‘opportunity to excel, regardless of their starting points’.

The report also highlighted the effectiveness of leadership and governance, stating that leaders are ‘consistently ambitious for all pupils in the school’, and that trustees and those responsible for governance ‘understand their roles and responsibilities well’. Staff were described as well-supported, with teachers in the early stages of their careers ‘making a strong start to their professional development’.

Pupils’ personal development was similarly praised. Inspectors noted that students are ‘knowledgeable about the risks’ they should be alert to at different stages in their development, and that they ‘celebrate differences and understand the implications of discrimination’. The report added that pupils are ‘thoroughly prepared for their next steps’ and value the school’s pastoral support.

While the overall assessment was positive, inspectors noted that in areas such as achievement and curriculum, there is room for further improvement. Pupils were found to be ‘achieving outcomes close to national expectations’ and to ‘develop secure foundations in reading, writing and mathematics’. but inspectors observed that ‘sometimes, pupils do not write as fluently or accurately as they could’. Leaders are working to address this.

Inspectors encouraged the school to continue embedding improvements in assessment practices, noting in the next steps section that leaders should ‘continue to embed improvements in how assessment is used to adapt and refine teaching across the school, including in writing’.

The inspection findings paint a picture of an academy where pupils ‘truly thrive’, describing it as a ‘warm and welcoming school where pupils are happy’.

The report read: “They attend regularly and behave well. Pupils are kind and respectful.”

The inspectors noted that leaders have ‘given careful consideration’ to the post-16 offer so that it ‘reflects the school's ethos and context’.

In W6 – the academy’s sixth form – a ‘culture of high ambition’ was recognised with Ofsted noting that an ‘increasing proportion’ of students are securing offers from aspirational universities.

Pupils from the class of 2024 and 2025 now studying at St Andrews, Durham, Cardiff, Sussex, Southampton, Bath, and Loughborough ‘to name a few’, the academy said. Graduates have also progressed to high-level apprenticeships with global giants like Apple and top-tier accountancy firms.

Mr Scanlon said: “W6 has quietly become the number one destination for our students over the last few years. The rich, personalised experience is second to none and our sixth formers serve as an inspiration to the rest of the cohort of the impact of a transformational education.

"We look forward to the continued expansion of W6 in the years ahead.”

Read the full report at https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/23/135744