Simpson's Lane Academy

Inspection of Simpson’s Lane Academy Sycamore Avenue, Knottingley WF11 0PJ

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Outstanding

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The head of academy is Lee Colley. 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), Paul Tarn, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steve Hodsman. 24 and 25 June 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Simpson’s Lane Academy is full of happy, polite and considerate pupils who thrive in the remarkable environment that leaders have crafted over time. Pupils’ love of learning and respect for one another radiate throughout the school. They are exceptional ambassadors for their school. They enjoy highly positive and nurturing relationships with staff. Pupils are safe. They talk eloquently about how staff ensure that this is the case.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has established very high expectations for pupils’ academic and wider development. Pupils get every opportunity to excel. Staff do their utmost to ensure that pupils achieve exceptionally well. Outcomes in national tests are high.

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What is it like to attend this school?

In lessons and at unstructured times, pupils embody the school’s behaviour principles of ‘good to be green’, where maintaining high standards of behaviour is celebrated. They demonstrate a well-developed sense of empathy and understanding. They are exceptionally well prepared to become active, socially aware citizens within the wider community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parental engagement is a high priority for the school. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They praise teachers for ‘going above and beyond’ and mention children who are ‘thriving’. Such comments reflect the findings of the inspection team.

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

Throughout the school, there is a tangible love of reading. Books are accessible everywhere: in classrooms, in ‘book nooks’ and in the lavish libraries. The youngest children in Nursery sing and chant familiar refrains. They re-enact stories that they have heard. Older pupils enjoy many opportunities to read for pleasure. Pupils at the earliest stages of reading get highly effective support to enable them to develop into confident, fluent readers. There are robust processes for identifying gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge. Through accurate and effective support, those who might fall behind catch up quickly.

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

In the early years, skilled staff demonstrate an astute understanding of children’s early development. They model and promote adventurous language and vocabulary that children then use. The provision for children enables them to explore and develop their knowledge and skills. For example, children draw detailed treasure maps and explain the meaning behind them. Children use red, yellow and blue powder paint to accurately mix different shades of green and purple, explaining clearly as they do so. From what are often lower starting points, children in early years make exceptional progress.

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

The school has developed and tailored a high-quality curriculum. This personalises the education that pupils receive. The school makes pupils’ learning highly relevant. Knowledgeable staff teach with high levels of consistency. Pupils’ recall and understanding of their learning are strong. For example, children in early years speak with confidence 24 and 25 June 2025

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about the composition of numbers and accurately recall letter sounds to help with their reading. Older pupils talk with understanding about different beliefs, religious festivals or the feudal system in medieval England.

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Leaders have established robust processes for identifying pupils’ needs. Staff ensure that pupils get the support that they need. As a result, pupils achieve highly. Disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well.

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Procedures for following up on absence are rigorous and show demonstrable impact. There has been a significant improvement in pupils’ attendance as a result. Pupils’ absence, including persistent absence, is below national figures. This means that more pupils now benefit from the excellent education in school.

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The school has very high expectations for behaviour. Staff and pupils make positive contributions to the excellent atmosphere for learning. Pupils who form the team of trained mental health ambassadors make a palpable difference to the school through their work to support others. They actively support the well-being of others. If pupils struggle with their behaviour at times, well-trained staff ensure that pupils get the support they need.

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The programme for pupils’ wider development across school is astonishing. An extensive range of opportunities are discretely mapped out. These give pupils high aspirations for their future and help them become active citizens. Opportunities such as activities to improve the local community, or chances to develop important life skills such as cooking or financial management, impact profoundly on pupils’ wider development. Pupils are also guided to develop in terms of their awareness of spirituality. They speak fondly of an educational visit to a gurdwara, for example.

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Staff are very well supported with their workload and well-being. Advisory board members and trustees fulfil their roles with diligence. They get the information they need to secure a deep understanding of the school. They hold leaders to account, support the school effectively and ensure that all decisions have the best interests of pupils at their heart.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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. 24 and 25 June 2025

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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 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). 24 and 25 June 2025

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School details

Headteacher Lee Colley (Head of Academy)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Simpson’s Lane Academy has undergone a significant change in leadership since the previous inspection. The head of academy was appointed in 2022. The vice-principal was appointed in 2023.  The school is one of 58 schools in the Delta Academies Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  A breakfast club operates on site under the management of the school.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 24 and 25 June 2025

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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the head of academy, other senior leaders in school, some other school staff, an executive principal from the trust, two representatives of the board of trustees, the associate CEO and two members of the academy advisory board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at sample of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also looked at samples of pupils’ work in English, science and religious

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education.  An inspector listened to pupils from Reception and Years 1 to 3 reading to a familiar adult.  An inspector met with the school’s special educational needs and disabilities coordinator. Inspectors evaluated the plans and provision for some pupils with SEND.  An inspector visited a ‘stay and read’ session for parents and pupils.  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’ interests first.  Inspectors met with same-sex groups of older pupils to discuss their wider development.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at breaktime and lunchtime.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  Inspectors spoke to some parents at the end of the school day.

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 The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires, including the free-text comments.

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Inspection team

Richard Beadnall, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sam O’Brien Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 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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