Ofsted

The Ofsted report for The Skipton Academy has confirmed that the school is rated “Good” in all areas.  The inspection took place on the 25^th and 26^th of January and concluded “The Skipton Academy has improved significantly over the last few years. It is now a good school. Leaders have raised ambitions for what pupils can achieve. Pupils are proud to say they attend The Skipton Academy. Parents and carers would overwhelmingly recommend the school.” The report goes on to say that “pupils are now making strong progress. Behaviour in lessons, and around school is calm. Pupils are keen to do well.“

Richard McManus Principal of The Skipton Academy said “I’m pleased that Ofsted have recognised the hard work of all our staff, pupils and their families to make the school such a wonderful place to come and learn. It is even more pleasing that for the first time in recent memory we are completely full in Year 7 next year with 167 students joining us in September and others on a waiting list. That is the true evidence that the community know we are a good school and buy into what it is we are working hard to achieve. The journey that the school has been on over the last few years is truly incredible. We started this journey in a very difficult place with standards not being good enough and the local community choosing to have their children educated elsewhere. There were many people who didn’t believe that this day would come but now to be continuing to grow the school and expand all the things we can offer students still further is amazing. Having that confirmed by Ofsted will hopefully mean that people will look at The Skipton Academy and recognise how the school has been transformed from those difficult days of Aireville and the original launch of the academy. It is absolutely fantastic that The Skipton Academy has now received this external confirmation of its strong, inclusive, comprehensive education offer for all families in Skipton, and that there is a full choice of Good schools in the area for parents to choose from.

The number of families choosing to send their children here show that the improvements we have made will last and we are continuing to build a legacy for the young people and families in Skipton. I’m particularly proud that we have achieved these things as part of, and with the support of Moorlands Learning Trust as a local multi academy trust. It is great that the partnership has enabled our students to access an academic path to A levels which has seen many TSA students go on to Russell group Universities and recently Oxford to study.  I knew before I took the role of Principal that the students who came here had massive potential and it is right that we should celebrate their success.

This is a momentous day for The Skipton Academy to be recognised for the first time ever by Ofsted as a “Good” school. The pupils and staff are re writing the history of the school and creating a future which just keeps getting better and better. I’m extremely grateful to all the staff, pupils and their families who have supported us on this journey and I can’t wait to continue to make things even better still for the young people we work with.”