De Lacy Academy

De Lacy Academy

Address: Middle Lane, Knottingley, West Yorkshire, WF11 0BZ Unique reference number (URN): 138006

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school has robust systems in place to ensure it swiftly identifies any pupils with additional barriers to their learning, including special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders draw on wider information, including from primary schools and other professionals, to inform the support provided to pupils by the school. Consequently, pupils quickly get the help that they need to overcome these challenges.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders are particularly aware of those pupils with multiple barriers to learning, including those who are known to social care. The school provides an enhanced offer to pupils who have experienced disruptions to their learning and those with social, emotional and mental health needs through its 'personal learning centre' and 'bridge' provisions. These help pupils to build resilience and to be better prepared for future learning.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school’s support for disadvantaged pupils is very effective. For example, it works closely with the virtual school to benefit children in care, resulting in these pupils attending very well and enjoying school. Leaders ensure that the school’s pupil premium strategy is informed by evidence and adjusted to the school's context. This helps to improve provision for these pupils.

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Inclusion Strong standard

A small number of pupils attend alternative provision. This is carefully selected to further pupils’ interests and education.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils consistently benefit from a high-quality personal development offer. The school has refined this over time, ensuring that it is well thought out and that it reflects the context of the school and its pupils. Leaders actively identify a range of opportunities that broaden pupils’ understanding of the world around them. Through a combination of educational visits, external speakers and the curriculum, pupils learn about life in British society as well as how others live.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

In ‘ethics, philosophy and citizenship’ (EPC) lessons, pupils learn about all aspects of the personal, social and health education and relationships and sex education curriculums. Pupils have a detailed and interconnected understanding of what they learn in EPC lessons. They talk confidently about issues such as equality. Pupils make connections between what they have learned and how this informs the decisions that they make, contributing to the school’s welcoming and inclusive atmosphere. Pupils understanding develops over time. For example, older pupils can explain the different precautions that they take to keep safe as they gain greater independence or the signs that they or a friend may be in an unhealthy relationship. Pupils know the steps that they should take if they have concerns about their own wellbeing or that of a friend.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders take a deliberate approach to exposing pupils to experiences and possible future opportunities that they may not consider independently. For example, all pupils visit colleges and universities as well enjoying experiences of the workplace, such as a recent visit to learn about working in well-established national finance companies. This, combined with the

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Expected standard

school’s effective careers education and guidance ensures that pupils leave school making well-informed decisions about their futures.

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Expected standard

Leaders carefully adjust provision so that all pupils gain experiences that aid their development, be that visits to the Palace of Westminster or ensuring that they access a club that supports them to develop their individual talents and interests. More broadly, many pupils hold purposeful leadership roles and use these to the benefit of their peers in school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Generally, pupils achieve well and are prepared for the next stage in their education. Achievement in public examinations is typically close to the national average having improved from 2024 to 2025. Disadvantaged pupils have achieved in line with their peers nationally more consistently over time.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders have strengthened subjects, including mathematics and humanities, where pupils have achieved less highly in recent years. The impact of these improvements is largely evident. In these areas, current pupils are achieving better. This is seen in their more secure knowledge of mathematics and in the improved quality of work that pupils produce.

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Achievement Expected standard

The school has prioritised pupils securing basic skills in reading. A number of targeted interventions, including phonics help pupils to catch up and to better access the school’s curriculum. Pupils who have received support build increased proficiency and fluency in their reading.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Published attendance data does not fully reflect the impact of the school’s work. Rates of attendance remain lower than the national average. However, the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, and those who are not disadvantaged, has increased gradually over time. Each group now attends close to the average for similar pupils nationally. New leaders have raised the profile of high attendance, ensuring that this is now incentivised and promoted. In combination with other improvements, the school has ensured that absence continues to fall. Leaders use data to inform their understanding of where initiatives are having the desired impact and where there remains more to do, such as in particular year groups.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well around the school. Well established routines, supported with positive relationships between pupils and staff, ensure that pupils generally respond well to leaders’ high expectations and show positive attitudes to school. When pupils struggle to manage their behaviour effectively, the school helps pupils to reflect on the impact of their behaviour on themselves and others. Consequently, sanctions for poor behaviour, including suspensions and removals from lessons, are reducing quickly from previously high levels. Incidents of bullying or discrimination are rare and addressed appropriately by staff.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has an ambitious, well-designed curriculum in place. It draws on the expertise of the trust to ensure that this is of high-quality and that the school’s approach to teaching is evidence informed. Leaders use training to develop teachers’ knowledge of effective teaching approaches. Overall, this training is implemented successfully by staff, contributing to the curriculum being well-taught. The school’s approach to teaching ensures that lessons are predictable and that all pupils, including those with barriers to learning, experience a secure standard of provision.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

When used to the greatest effect, teachers use the school’s teaching approach very effectively and skilfully. They explain new learning clearly, building carefully on what pupils have learned previously and checking what pupils know at each stage. In these cases, questioning is used carefully to sharpen and deepen pupils’ understanding. Teachers provide purposeful feedback that quickly strengthens pupils’ knowledge of the curriculum. More typically, teaching is effective but less refined. In these cases, teachers use the same approaches but with less marked impact on pupils’ learning.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pupils who have gaps in their knowledge, including those who are in the early stages of learning to read, receive additional help to close these. This helps pupils to better learn the school’s curriculum.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders, including the trust, have a secure understanding of the school, its strengths and areas for continued development. The trust has proactively supported the school during a period of transition, helping the school’s new senior leadership team to become established and build on existing practice. The deployment of the executive principal and wider support from the trust has ensured that it maintains an accurate knowledge of the school. This enables those with responsibility for governance to scrutinise leaders’ work effectively as well as providing additional support and resources, such as the planned investment in the school facilities, as required. Consequently, leaders ensure that the school meets its statutory responsibilities, such as those related to safeguarding.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are well-supported by school and trust leaders. They feel valued and typically enjoy working at the school. Staff benefit from a well-considered professional learning offer. This blends external qualifications, evidence-informed training and wider support, such as trust professional networks. As a result, staff develop increasingly secure knowledge of those approaches used in the school. Leaders are mindful of staff wellbeing and workload.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have worked to strengthen relationships between the school and the local community, including parents and carers. Many parents hold a positive view of the school and how it supports their child, although this is not shared by all families. In aspects of this work, leaders have had success, such as increased numbers of parents attending school events, including parents’ evenings. However, leaders understand that strengthening this work further is important to improving other important parts of the school’s work, such as attendance.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy their time at school. They value the support that they receive and how this helps them to be successful. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive and respectful. This creates a welcoming and purposeful school environment. Pupils form secure friendships with their peers. They are considerate of one another and treat others with kindness. Incidents of bullying and discrimination are rare. Staff challenge these effectively and never tolerate such behaviours. The school provides support for those pupils involved, helping them to learn how to resolve differences with peers independently.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The school has experienced a significant amount of change in recent years. This includes the appointment of a new principal and wider senior leadership team since September 2025. Leaders, including from the trust, have ensured that this transition is managed well. New leaders have made a number of improvements, such as to the school’s attendance strategy, since coming into post. These are increasingly strengthening the educational experiences of pupils. For example, lessons are taught with greater consistency, misbehaviour is infrequent and absence is declining.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders have prioritised pupils’ personal development and providing them with help to overcome barriers through the school's approach to inclusion. Consequently, pupils consistently benefit from personalised support that enables them to better access their learning. Well-chosen enrichment activities deepen pupils’ knowledge of their local community and broaden their experience of the wider world. These combine to raise pupils’ aspirations. Pupils receive the help that they need to realise these aspirations.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils typically engage with learning positively. Well-taught lessons help them to build their knowledge and confidence securely. Pupils respond well to teachers’ high expectations. Largely, pupils achieve well. Results in public examinations are similar to the national average. Pupils ate generally well prepared for their next steps in education and training.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that teaching is consistently as skilled and impactful as the most effective practice in school, enabling all pupils to achieve highly across subjects and phases. Leaders should continue to develop the school's attendance strategy in order to raise rates of attendance further, including through strengthening partnerships with parents and carers.

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About this inspection

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, Andrew Barnett, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steven Hodsman.

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Team inspectors:

Elizabeth Cresswell, Ofsted Inspector Michael Laidler, Ofsted Inspector Pali Dhesi, Ofsted Inspector Tristan Keates, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 16 June 2026

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School and pupil context

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School and pupil context

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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School and pupil context

Inspectors spoke with the principal and other senior leaders from the school and trust, including the chief executive officer of the trust. The lead inspector spoke with members of the trust board. Inspectors discussed the school’s work with representatives of the virtual school. During the inspection, inspectors visited lessons across a range of subjects and year groups as well as speaking with pupils and reviewing samples of their work. They also spoke with other members of the school's teaching and non-teaching staff.

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School and pupil context

The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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School and pupil context

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School and pupil context

The school makes use of 5 alternative provisions, including 4 that are unregistered.

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School and pupil context

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. The principal and several members of the wider senior leadership team were appointed to their current roles in September 2025.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last 6 years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support. National average: 3.09%

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational needs support at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English indices of deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 46.9% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 38.8% 45.9% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 45.6 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 44.5 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 44.1 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.12 -0.03 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.09 -0.03 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 20.4% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 24.5% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 24.0% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 33.4 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 35.4 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 35.9 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.43 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.81 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 9.9% 9.0% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 30.6% 26.5% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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