'We're on an upwards trajectory': Wolverhampton headteacher takes action after his school is told to improve by Ofsted

Wednesfield Academy has seen a number of changes since its last visit by the education watchdog in 2022, where it was found to "require improvements".

The school became part of the Matrix Academy Trust in January 2023 and welcomed a new headteacher, Joe Phillips, in September of the same year.

Mr Phillips said one of the many things the school has worked to improve in the past two years is its quality of education, which is the only inspection area Ofsted deemed it "required improvement", earning a "good" ranking in the other four areas.

One of the ways the Lichfield Road school has achieved this is by only employing substantive, qualified teachers for classes and no longer taking on supply teachers who lead lessons in the event of staff absence, which the headteacher said has helped create a "consistent and stable" staff body.

The attendance of pupils has also improved by almost six per cent in the past two years, with figures increasing from 87.4 per cent in 2023, to 92.7 per cent in 2025.

One of the ways the school has worked to up its attendance numbers is through its 'house system', which was put in place in 2023.

Every school goer is assigned to one of four 'houses' and compete weekly for the best attendance numbers and the least number of pupils turning up late to school.

Mr Phillips said: "There is a very clear structure now which we follow through pupils not attending.