CELEBRATIONS are under way for a Runcorn academy after a successful Ofsted visit.

Students and staff at Sandymoor Ormiston Academy are celebrating the academy’s transformation after Ofsted announced today that it is now Good in all areas.

In its previous inspection, in 2018, Ofsted inspectors had judged it to be Inadequate.

But a year later the school joined Ormiston Academies Trust in 2019 – and today its transformation was confirmed by Ofsted in a hugely positive report.

Inspectors said Sandymoor Ormiston Academy has ‘progressively raised its ambitions for what pupils can learn and should achieve’ and has ‘successfully strengthened the quality of education’ with the school’s leaders and teachers well supported by Ormiston Academies Trust.

Ofsted also congratulated the academy on its ‘ambitious, academic and vocational curriculum’ which has ‘fostered pupils’ desire to attend regularly and to learn with enthusiasm’.

Throughout, the report highlighted how teachers provide meaningful opportunities for pupils to recall, use, and apply their knowledge’ and how they are ‘well supported to develop their knowledge of the subjects that they teach’.

Sally Jones, Principal of Sandymoor Ormiston Academy, said: “We’re so proud Ofsted has recognised Sandymoor’s transformation, and our continued hard work and efforts to strengthen our student outcomes with this incredibly positive Ofsted report.

“It’s excellent that inspectors noted how our ambition, high-quality teaching and staff support, and rich development opportunities are helping students to achieve their fullest potential.

“I would like to thank our whole school community – committed colleagues across Sandymoor and Ormiston, parents, and young people – for what they have done. We are all so excited for the future of Sandymoor.”

Alongside this, the education watchdogs praised improvements in personal development and welfare since Sandymoor joined Ormiston.

The report highlighted the ‘support from the Trust to develop the knowledge and skills of all’ those who work in the school community, the ‘friendly and warm’ atmosphere at the school, and the ‘high expectations of what pupils can achieve’.

Meanwhile Tom Rees, chief executive officer of Ormiston Academies Trust, said: “I am very proud of the whole school community at Sandymoor, including Sally and her team, and would like to thank the families for their support and the inspiring students for their hard work in making this achievement possible.

“The school is providing an excellent standard of education for its students, and this has been rightly recognised by Ofsted. I look forward to seeing the academy build on this success in the months and years to come.”