Harriers Banbury Academy continues to be a ‘Good’ school according to latest Ofsted report

Staff and students at Harriers Banbury Academy are proud to have retained their status as an Ofsted ‘Good’ school following a recent ungraded inspection. The school was last inspected in 2018 under the previous Ofsted assessment framework.

In March, inspectors found that the school has ‘an ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum starting from the early years,’ and that a focus on vocabulary and reading means ‘pupils are now learning to read sooner and more accurately,’ with ‘abundant opportunities to read, celebrate authors and explore a range of literature… instilling a culture of reading for joy.’

Principal, Steph Coley (pictured, left) who has led the school since September 2022, is delighted with the report: “This is the first visit from Ofsted since the pandemic,” she explains, “ and the inspection team clearly recognised the work we have done to counter some of the disruption to learning that ensued. As a staff we have honed the curriculum to ensure the children all receive high quality learning experiences as well as a wide range of enrichment opportunities outside the classroom. It was very rewarding to see these acknowledged in the report, and of course, we are delighted to retain the status we’d achieved in 2014 and in 2018.”

The report praised the school’s wider offer which includes opportunities for student leadership which enable pupils to ‘make a real difference in the school through their work on the environment, safety and storytelling.’ ‘Pupils,’ it said, ‘develop into highly responsible individuals who learn to think independently, with a deep sense of what is right and wrong.’

Speaking on behalf of Aspirations Academies Trust, Jeffery Quaye, National Director of Education, Standards and Quality added, “We know how hard the staff and pupils have worked on this journey of continual improvement with a relentless focus on high standards. The Ofsted report rightly states that ‘pupils are expected to achieve well and to participate fully in school life.’ We are proud of the report and recognise without doubt that the school is on track to become an outstanding school.”