St Wilfrid's Academy, Doncaster

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: St Wilfrid's Academy, Doncaster St Wilfrid's Road, Bessacarr, Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN4 6AH

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Dirk Pittard. This school is part of Delta Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Sir Paul Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steve Hodsman.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils excel at this exceptionally inclusive school. Many have experienced disruption to their education. Staff get to know pupils very well. They provide pupils with highly effective personalised curriculums and support programmes. These include holistic therapies which support pupils greatly in their emotional development.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school environment is nurturing and focused. Pupils typically understand and live up to the school’s very high expectations for behaviour and attainment. Pupils feel safe, attend regularly and know that there is someone available to talk to if they have any concerns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils on short term placements are well prepared to return to their mainstream school. Their home school receives precise information to use to support the pupils in their learning. This approach is hugely successful as most pupils then remain in mainstream education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils on longer term placements in key stage 4 leave with numerous qualifications that they originally believed were beyond their reach. Pupils are very well prepared for their next steps, and progress to education, employment or training extremely successfully. 17 and 18 June 2025

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Pupils benefit from a wealth of opportunities to develop their independence, confidence and self-esteem. Pupils appreciate work experience. They find out more about their own talents and become aspirational for themselves. This school provides pupils with hope for the future.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The trust and school are determined that they will change pupils’ lives for the better. This mission underpins everything that happens in school. The school is highly innovative in its work. Members of the ‘task force’ work as part of the school team. The work of experts in mental health and youth justice complements that of the knowledgeable and skilled staff at the school. Together they provide an exceptional offer for pupils. This highly effective support helps pupils to be successful in their learning.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s curriculum is carefully structured. It meets the needs of pupils who arrive at different times of the year from a variety of schools. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Strong procedures are in place to check what pupils already know. Teachers address any gaps in pupils’ previous learning quickly. They are highly skilled in adapting learning activities to the meet the individual needs of the pupils. Teachers make excellent use of resources to help pupils understand new knowledge deeply. Many pupils rapidly develop their knowledge and understanding. This is particularly the case in reading, writing and maths. Pupils are given specific learning related to their needs. Many, who previously had significant gaps in their learning, are working towards qualifications and accreditations that are ambitious. Pupils are well prepared for their next stage in education or employment.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The personal development offer makes a significant contribution in raising pupils’ aspirations. The school constantly reviews the careers offer to match pupils’ interests, flair and ability. Many enter the school with little understanding of the potential careers available to them. The well considered enrichment activities provide pupils with opportunities to develop employment skills. Pupils become motivated to follow career pathways. They find courses and appropriate options for their next steps with the help of the school and its provision.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Pupils are typically well mannered and listen well to each other. Adults are exceptionally patient with pupils. There is a strong emphasis on developing positive relationships between staff and pupils. Pupils learn about the impact of their behaviour on others. With support, they examine the factors that can trigger/result in negative behaviour. The highly bespoke work with individual pupils often has a transformative effect. Pupils have far fewer behaviour incidents in this school than they had in their previous schools. Pupils spoken to during the inspection see a positive change in themselves. They are proud that they have developed more resilience. Pupils gain a deep understanding of themselves. They learn how to interact positively with others. Pupils attend school regularly because they want to be in school. 17 and 18 June 2025

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The school and trust act decisively to maintain and improve standards across the school. Staff are exceptionally well supported through training and the inclusive culture. They are proud of the work that they do and the positive impact that they have on the pupils’ lives.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and 17 and 18 June 2025

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protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school's pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 17 and 18 June 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 4 and 5 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school provides assessment places for pupils from mainstream schools. These vary from six to twelve weeks.  The school offers post-permanent exclusion provision.  There are longer term places for key stage 4 pupils incorporating pathways to recognised qualifications.  The school makes use of several unregistered providers of alternative education.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 17 and 18 June 2025

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 The inspectors met with the executive principal, principal, other senior leaders and members of staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the trust board and the CEO.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke with pupils about their learning, listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult and looked at samples of pupils’ work and considered a range of documentation.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interest first.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative of a local authority that commissions places from the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.  Inspectors visited some of the alternative providers of education.

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Inspection team

Mary Cook, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Claire Leech Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 June 2025

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achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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