The Weston Road Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Students achieve well. All groups of students are now making good progress across the academy and in most subjects, as a result of the good teaching they are receiving. Leaders have established a high degree of consistent practice in the quality of teaching and teachers have high expectations of what their students are able to achieve.

The marking of students' work is detailed and informative so they know how to improve their work to reach their targets. Students' behaviour in lessons and around school is exemplary. Relationships between adults and students are warm and supportive and students say that the school keeps them safe and secu...re.

They show great enthusiasm for their learning and are keen to do well. The Principal is well supported by his senior team and governing body in his drive to raise achievement and ensure all students' well-being. All staff share his drive and ambition.

Leaders have taken robust action to eliminate inadequate teaching and are relentless in their drive to further raise the quality of teaching. The sixth form is good. Students achieve well because of the good teaching and wide range of courses that they are offered that meet their needs well.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : In a small minority of lessons, the tasks that teachers plan do not fully match the range of abilities of their students, so that sometimes they find them too easy or too difficult. Although parents and carers are fully informed about the work of the school, the engagement of parents and carers, particularly those hard to reach, is an area for further development.

Information about this school

The academy is smaller than the average-sized secondary school.

The proportion of disabled students and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is below average, while the proportion supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average. The proportion of students from minority ethnic heritages is low as is the proportion who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of students known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for students in local authority care and those known to be eligible for free school meals, is below the national average.

Nineteen students follow a variety of part-time alternative courses at Stafford College. Students are entered for mathematics GCSE during their final year. The academy meets the current government floor standards for secondary schools, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress in English and mathematics.

The school runs a breakfast club every morning for those students eligible for the pupil premium funding. The academy is one of only four schools to be awarded the Marjorie Boxall quality mark for the provision of nurture in a secondary setting. The sixth form provision is in collaboration with the Stafford Collegiate, a group of 6 Stafford secondary schools.