Ark Alexandra on track to being a ‘good’ school says Ofsted

The school’s current Ofsted rating of ‘Requires Improvement’ was conducted in 2017 when it was known as Ark William Parker Academy.

Since merging with Ark Helenswood and becoming Ark Alexandra in 2019, the school has rapidly improved, which was noted on July 13, this year, when Ofsted last visited as part of its monitoring schedule.  

The principal, Liam Collins, joined the school in September 2020, and the report commented that his leadership team had shown “unwavering determination to do what is necessary to provide pupils with a better education” and “parents have an increasingly positive view of the school”.

Liam Collins said: “I am pleased with our latest Ofsted report. The inspector spoke to staff, students, parents, governors and local stakeholders. He understands what we are trying to achieve as a school - giving all students access to the best teaching and extra-curricular opportunities to achieve high standards in and outside the classroom.

“The report highlighted that one of our priorities is reading, and the school has invested heavily in staff training and new books to support our students and encourage a love of reading.

“The inspector also noted that we revised our personal, social and health education curriculum, so students have a better understanding about issues such as e-safety, equality and respect. With the ongoing impact of the pandemic, we know some students need extra support with managing their worries, so it is fantastic that students mentioned that they are finding our new counselling service helpful.

“We still feel like a new school, and there is so much we want to do, so I am confident our next inspection will be even more successful.”

Ark Alexandra is hosting opening evenings this autumn. For more information, please visit www.arkalexandra.org/.

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