Stamford Welland Academy received three areas rated as ‘Strong Standard’ following an Ofsted Report Card inspection in May.
The academy has been rated ‘Strong Standard’ in ‘Attendance and behaviour’, ‘Inclusion’ and ‘Personal development and wellbeing’. It received an ‘Expected Standard’ in ‘Achievement’ and ‘Leadership and governance’.
The new Ofsted framework no longer uses single-word overall judgements and instead evaluates how well schools meet the needs of all pupils. The previous grading system has been replaced by a five-point scale, with ‘Strong Standard’ reflecting highly effective, consistent practice that makes a meaningful difference and ‘Expected Standard’ representing secure performance.
Attendance and behaviour were identified as significant strengths. Inspectors said, “leaders have created a culture where all pupils are expected to be aspirational, resilient, understanding and to achieve.” Pupils speak confidently about the strong sense of belonging they feel at the school and take great pride in attending Stamford Welland Academy. One pupil described the school as “just magic.” Inspectors found that pupils who struggle to attend school receive “incredible care, support and encouragement from staff”, with leaders’ actions leading to “highly positive levels of attendance for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.”
Pupils are welcomed by staff who “truly care about them” and provide “amazing support that helps them to feel safe.” Behaviour was described as “exemplary”, with calm, purposeful lessons where pupils are motivated, self-confident and committed to their learning. Pupils also said they “do not fear bullying or harassment” and trust staff to resolve concerns quickly and effectively.
The school’s commitment to inclusivity was also praised, with inspectors describing it as “a highly inclusive school” where leaders are “knowledgeable and ambitious for all the pupils in their care.” Pupils feel the academy works “relentlessly to broaden their horizons and celebrate their achievements,” and staff are praised for their work to raise aspirations, develop leadership skills and build personal confidence.
Inspectors also recognised the school’s strong commitment to personal development and wellbeing, describing this area as “a significant strength.” The report praised the school’s “extremely well-planned and well-delivered” PSHE curriculum, which equips pupils with the knowledge and confidence to stay safe and make informed decisions. The wide range of enrichment opportunities, including the PLEDGES programme, Combined Cadet Force and Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, was also highlighted for supporting pupils’ confidence, aspirations and sense of responsibility.
School leaders have already identified areas to further strengthen consistency in curriculum delivery and teaching, acknowledging “some variability in the consistency of teaching” and that “further work is still required” as improvement continues at pace. Inspectors observed that leaders are actively refining whole-school approaches, including literacy, where “the whole-school literacy policy is not implemented with the regularity required.” Work is also underway to strengthen the precision of assessment, so that learning gaps can be addressed more quickly, particularly in writing.
Vicky Lloyd, Principal at Stamford Welland Academy, said: “We’re thrilled with this report, which celebrates the strength of our school community and the care and commitment our team shows every day. Hearing pupils describe Stamford Welland Academy as ‘just magic’ means so much to us and really captures the warm, welcoming and ambitious environment we work so hard to create, where every young person feels safe, included and able to thrive, belong and achieve. In addition, to hear the staff describe the school as ‘a family they are proud to be part of’ fills me with pride.’
“While we’re incredibly proud of the recognition in this report, we’re also relentless in our drive to continually improve and become better still. We remain focused on continuing to strengthen consistency in our curriculum and teaching, so that every child benefits from the very best learning experience in every lesson. We’re very grateful to our parents and the wider Meridian Trust community for their continued support. They have played a vital role in our success to date and their support will be instrumental as we continue to strive for even greater success in the future.”
The academy is part of Meridian Trust. Inspectors noted that leaders “value the support provided by the trust from its range of specialists” and that staff benefit from trust-wide subject networks and training opportunities. They added that this support “has contributed significantly to the swift improvements currently taking place in the school.”
Mark Woods, CEO of Meridian Trust, said: “We’re really proud of everyone at Stamford Welland Academy, led so strongly by Vicky Lloyd and her team, who work tirelessly every day to ensure our young people feel known, valued and supported to achieve their very best.”