Staff and pupils at The Hereford Academy, located on Marlbrook Road, are celebrating after the school received a ‘good’ rating following a two-day SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) visit last month.
The inspectors, who visited the school on 8th and 9thFebruary, concluded that the school is ‘moving forwards confidently’ and that a ‘deeply caring family image’ is one that is embedded in its ethos. They also found that the pupils are thriving through learning opportunities that encourage aspiration and resilience and that the ‘carefully structured’ lessons give confidence to all pupils.
The key findings from the inspection included acknowledgment that the school’s ‘vision and intrinsic values give rise to pupils and adults full of hope and aspiration’, that the ‘extremely committed leaders put the wellbeing of pupils and adults at the heart of everything they do’ and that because of this, ‘the academy is characterised by mutually strong relationships’.
Speaking about the ‘good’ rating, Michael Stoppard, Headteacher at the Hereford Academy, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive this rating and personally I am most pleased for all the staff who have worked so hard to help the school reach this point. I passionately believe the good rating is no more than our school deserves and it’s very satisfying to find that the inspectors recognised this too.
“To read that the school’s vision is so positive and so strong makes me really proud and it’s clear that our partnership with local parish church, and the support provided through it, is having a real impact on the quality of education and cultural learning we offer.
“It was also pleasing to see that our work in the local community such as helping the local foodbank was singled out, alongside the way we use our endowment fund to help vulnerable pupils and the pioneering work we do to support pupils who identify as LGBTQI+.
“I really couldn’t be prouder of the progress that has been made at the Hereford Academy in recent years and I’d like to thank everyone who has played their part – including colleagues at Diocese of Hereford Multi-Academy Trust, my team of staff here and, most importantly, our students and their families. Their support has been key to us achieving this rating.”
Andrew Teale, Chief Executive Officer at the Diocese of Hereford Multi-Academy Trust (DHMAT), commented:
“This rating is fantastic news and it’s richly deserved as the Hereford Academy is a school everyone can be proud of. The hard work done in recent years has not beenstraightforward, but the commitment and effort put in by the leadership team and all the staff deserved to be rewarded by a good rating.
“At DHMAT we are incredibly proud of the quality educational experience offered at all our 15 academy schools. Reports like the one recently received about the Hereford Academy show exactly why we are totally committed to having a positive impact on the lives of young people across Herefordshire and Shropshire.”
