Humberston Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Select Academy leaders and governors have driven considerable improvement over a very short time.

High achievement, personal development and well-being of individual students are at the heart of everything this academy does. Many students attending the academy had, in the past, experienced inadequate teaching and for many, their achievement was inadequate. Achievement for all groups of students is now outstanding.

This has been the direct result of inspirational leadership and the dedication of all staff, the rapid improvement in the quality of teaching and the excellent care students receive. Teachers have high expectations of t...heir students, and students themselves are highly aspiring. The academy has many teachers who teach consistently outstanding lessons, but not all do.

In a few lessons, the most-able students do not make as rapid progress as others do. Staff are ambitious and all recognise they can improve further. The improvement in the quality of teaching has been systematically developed through rigorous management of teachers' performance and excellent programmes for their professional development.

These programmes are tailored to the needs of each teacher. Teachers work collaboratively to improve. The academy considers students' personal development is as important as their academic development.

Students are keen to learn, confident and ambitious. They have very well developed social skills and demonstrate high moral standards. Their behaviour is outstanding.

Students show respect for all adults in the academy and they express appreciation for what adults do for them. Students show care for each other. Older students talk in detail about the improvements they have seen in their academy.

Students and staff are proud of their academy.

Information about this school

Humberston Academy is a smaller than average secondary academy. Applications to join the academy have exceeded available places for the last two years.

An increasing number of students are now attending from a neighbouring local authority. The school converted to an academy in September 2011. It is a member of the David Ross Education Trust of schools.

The executive Principal and a vice Principal of the academy are seconded, part-time, to another academy within the trust to support its improvement. This has resulted in some reorganisation within the groups of senior leaders at Humberston including the appointment of an associate Principal. The proportion of students who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is significantly lower than the national average.

Almost all students have White British heritage. English is believed to be an additional language for very few students. The proportion of students supported at school action is higher than that found nationally.

The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also above average. Five students attend off-site provision. One student attends the Grimsby Motor Project for one day a week, and four are full-time attendees of the Western Young People's Centre.

The academy meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. Humberston Academy converted to become an academy on 1 September 2011. When its predecessor school, Humberston Mathematics and Computing College, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good.