Sandwell Academy celebrates its outstanding report

Students and staff at Sandwell Academy school in West Bromwich are celebrating after being rated as 'outstanding' by school inspectors and being praised in their report.

The school on Halfords Lane has been praised for its innovative curriculum, the pupils' good behaviour, the standard of teaching and attainment of pupils. Sandwell Academy, which was visited by Ofsted inspectors on November 23 and 24, was rated "outstanding" for both its overall effectiveness and its capacity for sustained improvement.

In a report published yesterday inspector James McNeillie praised the leadership of headteacher Simon Topper and his staff.

"Mr Topper and his colleagues are leading the academy in an outstanding way," he wrote. "The curriculum (they) experience is of the highest quality and is flexible enough to make sure there are qualifications and opportunities available to meet the needs of students with different abilities and interests. Much of the teaching you receive is good and some is outstanding."

He added that the contribution made by students was "very strong" and he praised their "above-average attainment" as well as their "excellent progress".

This achievement marks an improvement since the school was last inspected in June 2009 when it was awarded a "good" overall.

The nursery, which has 21 pre-school children on its register, was also included in the same inspection.

Mr Topper said: "The staff are absolutely delighted and the students are too. We are lucky enough to have a team of staff who are dedicated and hard working, and they have been since the school opened."

He added that the nursery was an integral part of the school which had been moved into new facilities in September. But he also said there was plenty of hard work ahead to maintain those high standards. The standards have been set and we've got to live up to those high expectations," he said.

Sandwell Academy opened in September 2006, with 330 students but now has more than 1,250 students.

Report by Matthew Viney