Nottingham: Bulwell Academy moves out of special measures

The school had been in special measures since December 2022

A Nottingham school has come out of special measures for the first time in more than a year.

Bulwell Academy, run by the Creative Education Trust (CET), was placed into the lowest category in December 2022.

The previous head teacher left in February after staff went on strike, saying they had lost confidence in the school's leadership.

The school has been upgraded to "requires improvement" following Ofsted inspections in March.

Its executive principal said the upgraded rating "demonstrated rapid improvements".

When initially rating the school as inadequate in 2022, Ofsted raised concerns about high pupil absence, special needs provision and safeguarding.

Teachers formed a picket at Bulwell Academy on 10 January

In its report on last month's inspection, Ofsted said the school "has been through a period of significant change" during what was "an unsettling time for pupils", but noted improvements had taken place.

"Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), now benefit from an ambitious curriculum designed to give them the knowledge and skills they need to be successful," the report said.

"However, in some areas the curriculum is still developing."

Timekeeping and attendance were identified as areas of concern, with inspectors reporting "too many pupils are absent too often or late to school".

The report said the school "needs to ensure that all pupils attend school regularly, and on time", adding it "needs to make sure that the curriculum identifies what pupils will learn and when they will learn it, in all subjects".

In a letter to parents, executive principal Chris Keen said the school "will do everything to secure a 'good' judgement" in future inspections.

"We have already started to make the improvements we need to as we enter a new phase," he said.