Staindrop Academy

Staindrop Academy

Address: Cleatlam Lane, Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham, DL2 3JU Unique reference number (URN): 144991

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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

Staindrop Academy welcomes and supports all pupils. Leaders identify pupils' needs accurately and share important information with staff. Staff receive highly effective training that helps them to meet pupils' needs consistently well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known, or previously known, to social care. Leaders respond swiftly when pupils' needs change. Pupils who need additional help with reading, writing and mathematics receive precise support. This helps them to make secure progress through the curriculum.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders make sure that extra help is in place for pupils who need more support with their emotional wellbeing or behaviour. Leaders use alternative provision when it is in pupils' best interests. They regularly check on pupils' academic progress, attendance and wellbeing while they attend alternative provision.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use additional funding well to support pupils and close gaps in their knowledge and skills. They use research evidence to focus on the right approaches. As a result, staff understand the best strategies to support each pupil.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders thoughtfully manage extra-curricular activities to include all pupils. Pupils benefit from a wide range of activities beyond the classroom. Leaders prioritise the most vulnerable pupils when they make choices for the enrichment period. Pupils talk confidently about the support they receive. They feel increasingly independent as they progress through school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have designed a well-considered personal development and wellbeing programme. The programme is seamlessly woven through the curriculum so it becomes part of everyday school life. This helps pupils develop a deep understanding of important topics and values. Pupils recall important learning in impressive detail. For example, they speak confidently and at length about topics such as safety and relationships. They recognise and reflect on how their learning has developed as they have moved through the school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders support pupils' character development and prepare them well for life in modern Britain. They understand the different experiences pupils bring to school and adapt the personal, social and health education curriculum so it meets their needs. Through learning about fundamental British values and different faiths, pupils build a secure understanding of fairness, equality and moral issues.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

A wide range of enrichment activities develop pupils' sporting, creative and other skills, talents and interests. Leaders ensure that all pupils take part by timetabling enrichment time within the school day. Pupils take part in these activities in mixed-age groups. This builds their confidence and social skills. Older pupils act as role models for younger pupils. Pupils with additional barriers or complex needs take part in wider activities, including school productions. Events such as a summer musical and an annual Staindrop pantomime give pupils the chance to perform or support behind the scenes.

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Expected standard

Leaders ensure pupils receive high ‑ quality careers education that raises aspirations and helps them make informed choices. The careers programme is comprehensive and becomes more detailed as pupils move through the school. Pupils meet a wide range of local post ‑ 16 providers and employers, which helps them understand the routes available to them. All Year 10 pupils complete work experience that builds their confidence and develops important workplace skills. Staff provide extra support for pupils who need it, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. As a result, all pupils move on to appropriate education, employment or training after Year 11 where possible.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders create a culture of high expectations that encourages pupils to take pride in their learning. As a result, pupils make secure progress through the curriculum. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, who build knowledge securely from their individual starting points. Year 11 examination results are broadly in line with national averages.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils' work, including that of disadvantaged pupils, shows clear development in their knowledge and skills. Pupils typically recall previous learning accurately. For example, in history, pupils show clear understanding of the complex topic of the British Empire.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders know that some pupils have gaps in important areas such as reading, handwriting and mathematics. They act quickly to put effective support in place so that pupils close these gaps and achieve well. The school ensures that pupils are well prepared for their next steps in education, employment or training.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear and welcoming routines that help pupils start the day ready to learn. They check attendance thoroughly and act quickly if issues emerge. Leaders engage well with pupils and parents and carers to remove barriers to attendance. Attendance has improved for all pupils and is in line with national averages, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The attendance of the small number of pupils with the most severe absence is improving.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have high expectations for behaviour. They have established a school culture based on respect and focused on learning. Behaviour is usually positive, enabling pupils to focus on their work in lessons. Staff deal quickly with any issues, including any rare instances of bullying, unkind or discriminatory language. Leaders ensure that routines are clearly in place in lessons and around school. These carefully considered structures help embed respectful behaviour. Staff make sure that pupils who need extra support with behaviour receive it. Suspension levels are very low and leaders use permanent exclusion only as a last resort. Alternative provision is used only when necessary. Leaders make every effort to meet pupils' needs so that they can remain in school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders design and sequence the curriculum carefully so that pupils build knowledge and skills over time. Leaders understand the strengths of the curriculum and aspects that need further development.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, staff teach the curriculum well. They use consistent lesson structures that help pupils to focus and learn important knowledge. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and explain new learning clearly. In the most effective lessons, staff support pupils well and move them on to more complex or independent tasks when they are ready. Staff check what pupils know and remember and deal with misconceptions swiftly. They provide pupils with helpful feedback so that they know what they have done well and what to improve. Teachers revisit topics to secure pupils' understanding. Pupils can explain their learning in depth and use subject-specific vocabulary confidently. For example, in English, Year 8 pupils show a thorough understanding of character and language in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Staff focus on developing pupils' vocabulary and basic skills. They provide effective support for pupils who have not yet mastered these skills, helping them to catch up with their peers. Leaders ensure that staff adapt their teaching to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Staff adjust lessons effectively to help all pupils to learn well.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The trust's guiding ethos is 'your child is our child'. Leaders show that they wholeheartedly believe this. Leaders understand the community that the school serves. They focus on appropriate improvement priorities, supported by the trust. Leaders ensure clear systems are in place to bring about improvement. They identify where action is needed and act swiftly and effectively. The trust empowers staff to make decisions in pupils' best interests, based on a strong understanding of their needs.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders engage with the wider community, for example through working with the village church to build links with local residents. Leaders build constructive relationships with parents and carers. Parents praise the school's caring, approachable staff and its nurturing environment. Staff work effectively with other schools, the wider trust and the local authority. This helps them to share good practice and develop their expertise.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Governors and trustees meet their statutory duties well. They feel valued by the school and ensure its strategic direction is clearly defined and reflects the needs of the community. Governors use clear systems to check leaders' work. For example, governors check leaders' work on safeguarding, personal development, and behaviour and attitudes.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the way leaders help them to manage their workload and look after their wellbeing. Staff benefit from dedicated training time, including bespoke training relevant to their roles. They value trust networks, which help them develop their expertise.

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

Pupils feel part of a friendly and caring community at Staindrop Academy. They understand and value the school's ethos that 'everyone is a wonder' and enjoy feeling part of a family at this small but growing school.

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

Pupils feel safe and supported by their school community. They say that unkind language or bullying rarely happens and are confident staff would deal with it quickly if it did. Staff build positive, trusting relationships with pupils. They know and support all pupils well, including the most vulnerable pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils make secure progress through the curriculum from their starting points because staff remove barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Pupils enjoy learning and can see how their knowledge builds over time, which helps them feel ready for their next steps.

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

Pupils behave well in school and treat each other with respect. They feel well supported by their teachers and speak positively about their learning. Pupils with SEND are particularly positive about the help they receive and feel they become more independent as they grow older. Staff work closely with pupils and their families to support good attendance. This is having a positive impact. Attendance is improving and is similar to national averages.

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

All pupils benefit from carefully planned personal development activities. For example, pupils enjoy many extra-curricular activities as part of the school's 'wonder' programme, such as fly fishing, darts, textiles and performing arts. School plays and musicals help pupils to develop their creativity, confidence and technical skills. Activities such as a Christmas tea party for local residents help pupils to feel involved in their community. Staff make sure that the most vulnerable pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life and that their needs are met.

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Next steps

Leaders should continue to embed their improvements to the curriculum, teaching and assessment so that they are of a consistently high quality across all subjects. Leaders should continue their focus on improving attendance, particularly for pupils who are persistently absent.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Advance Learning Partnership, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Kelvin Simpson, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Neville Harrison.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

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

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Lead inspector:

Karen Blackburn, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

John Lucas, His Majesty's Inspector John O'Hara, Ofsted Inspector Brian Kelly, 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 14 July 2026

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469

Well below average Inspectors spoke with the principal, trust leaders, school leaders, governors and trustees during the inspection. They spoke with staff and pupils. They visited lessons and looked at samples of pupils' work.

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469

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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469

Inspectors were aware during this inspection that an alleged serious incident that occurred at the school since the previous inspection is under investigation by the appropriate authorities. While Ofsted does not have the power to investigate incidents of this kind, actions taken by the school in response to the incident were considered alongside the other evidence available at the time of the inspection to inform inspectors' evaluations.

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469

The school currently makes use of 6 alternative provisions, including 4 that are unregistered.

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469

The school has undergone a significant change since the last inspection. A new headteacher has been appointed. The number of pupils on the school roll has grown significantly.

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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.

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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) 38.5% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 42.9% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 41.0% 45.3% 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) 47.8 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 46.5 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) -0.16 -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

2022/23 (final) 21.4% 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) 32.3 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 36.2 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) -0.47 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.52 -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) 8.8% 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) 28.8% 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

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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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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