Ofsted report is glowing about the new era for Cowley Academy
Ofsted report is glowing about the new era for Cowley Academy
The significant journey of improvements made at Cowley Academy since the school joined South Lincolnshire Academies Trust in September 2022 has been recognised by Ofsted after Cowley Academy had its first ever inspection as a new school.
On 20th and 21st May 2025, Cowley Academy had a full Section 5 inspection. The new Ofsted framework does not give one overall judgement anymore, but instead gives individual gradings on four key areas and judges whether safeguarding is effective.
The glowing Ofsted report has graded Cowley Academy as ‘Outstanding’ for Leadership & Management and ‘Good’ for the Quality of Education, Behaviour & Attitudes and Personal Development, as well as assessing that safeguarding is effective.
This is an incredible turnaround as before joining the Trust in 2022, the school was previously graded ‘Inadequate’ in all areas by Ofsted who identified that “students and staff have been let down”.
Cowley Academy can proudly enter a new era as Ofsted said “students appreciate the significant improvements that have occurred since the school opened in 2022” and “staff embrace and value the changes that have led to significant improvements in recent years”.
It wasn’t just the students and staff who were enthused as typical comments from parents included, “I have nothing but praise for Cowley Academy. My child loves coming to school and is absolutely thriving.”
Mrs Lucy Conley, Chief Executive Officer at South Lincolnshire Academies Trust said “We can celebrate the many, many highlights in this report across all of the key areas in the inspection. I am delighted that this glowing report recognises that Cowley Academy has benefitted from a new era as our Trust have a relentless focus on continuous improvement to providing exceptional education to young people.
For the school leadership to be recognised as ‘Outstanding’ in its first Ofsted inspection is a testament to the wider leadership team across the Trust who are highly experienced in making significant improvements as Inspectors praised that we lead with a strong moral purpose.
The report identified the quality of education as a strength where our dedicated teachers have strong subject knowledge and the curriculum is ambitious as we identify the knowledge and skills students need to learn. As a ‘reading school’, Inspectors were impressed with how we promote students’ love of reading.
In our schools, we set high expectations for behaviour, and students were commended for their behaviour as lessons are calm and purposeful so they learn well, it was also observed how well students conduct themselves at breaktimes. We know how much families and students appreciate the strength of pastoral care in the school and students said they feel safe and know who to turn to if they have worries or concerns.
During the inspection, I would like to praise every member of staff who are proud to be part of this school as we have been on an incredible journey. Our amazing students, who have a strong sense of belonging to both the school and Trust could not have done any more to demonstrate how great Cowley Academy is. They are all the heartbeat of what makes this school a truly special place and embodies our core key values of Aspire, Challenge, Achieve.”
For the full Ofsted report, please visit: www.cowleyacademy.org.uk/ofsted-reports
Below are some of the key statements from the latest Ofsted report:
- Leaders have improved the school significantly since it opened and lead with a strong moral purpose.
- Students are proud of their school. They have a strong sense of belonging to the school and South Lincolnshire Academies Trust.
- Students appreciate the significant improvements that have occurred since the school opened in 2022.
- The school sets high expectations of students’ behaviour and these high expectations are consistently met.
- Students feel safe and know who to turn to if they have worries or concerns.
- Students conduct themselves well in lessons and during breaktimes.
- Students gain from many personal development opportunities and are taught the importance of diversity, equality and respect.
- Leaders have a relentless focus on continuous improvement.
- The school has developed ambitious subject curriculums that identify the knowledge and skills students need to learn and when.
- Teachers have strong subject knowledge and students learn well.
- The school promotes students’ love of reading.
- The school’s careers, advice and guidance provision is particularly strong.
- The school provides many opportunities for students’ personal development and the
- PSHE education offer is carefully structured.
- Staff are very proud to be part of this school.
- Typical comments from parents include, ‘I have nothing but praise for Cowley Academy. My child loves coming to school and is absolutely thriving.’
- The school lives daily its core key values of, ‘Aspire, Challenge and Achieve’.