In June 2022, National Church of England Academy had a two-day inspection carried out by the Church of England. This is known as a ‘SIAMS’ inspection. Together with an OFSTED inspection, these are the two main inspections our Academy receives.

We are pleased to announce that the overall judgment for our ‘SIAMS’ inspection was ‘Good’.

We have attached a copy of the full report for our community to read. We are already at work making our Academy even stronger. During that inspection it was a typical two-day period and our students were heavily involved throughout the process, working closely with the inspector.

Some of the positive highlights from this report can be seen below.

• The National Church of England Academy has a strong sense of community and togetherness. It is a family, where leaders proudly place the interests of their pupils and the Christian vision at the centre of their work
• Staff, parent and pupil voice is regarded by leaders
• Pupils articulate the vision and are proud of how ARCH values encourage them to strive for academic excellence and live well together in the school community
• Pastoral support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is a pocket of excellence. Clearly planned layers of provision are underpinned by the Academy’s Christian values, meaning that staff know pupils very well
• The headteacher and leadership team have a compassion for pupils and adults, along with unrelenting high expectations for the academy
• The vision for pupils to flourish as children of God drives excellent pastoral support for vulnerable pupils and those with SEND
• The academy is seen as a safe space where nurturing helps pupils to develop humility and gain a better understanding of themselves and those around them

Leaders have developed an aspirational curriculum for pupils that deepens their learning and develops their understanding of themselves
• Collective worship is invitational and inspirational
• The academy utilises training and professional development that supports the staff to meet the needs to the pupils
• Senior leaders and governors at the National Church of England Academy have a clear understanding of the Christian vision which shapes their strategic decision making
• Inclusion leaders work with care, compassion and clear expectations
• Staff know their pupils well and vulnerable pupils say they have safe spaces in the academy and trusted adults they can turn to in difficult times
• Pupils access layers of carefully planned provision and personalised strategies
• Pupils engage with deep theological thinking while learning about Christianity and other faiths
• Leaders are supported by a strong and talented Chaplaincy team
• Leaders were creative and committed in their approach to supporting learning and the wider needs of the community during the pandemic

It is always important to celebrate when our Academy receives such a strong inspection report, but we also want to reassure our community that we have already started working on the areas we know we want to improve.

Thank you to everyone associated with our Academy. This inspection report is reflective of a community effort and is something we should all be proud of.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Brailsford
Headteacher