Proud to be an FMAT Academy

Our Academy

Ofsted reports

All state-maintained schools in England are inspected by Ofsted. This includes local authority-run schools, academies and free schools, as well as non-maintained special schoolspupil referral units and further education/sixth form colleges. Ofsted also inspects some independent schools.

School inspection is currently set out in legislation through the Education Act 2005. In this act, the regular two-day inspection is described as a Section 5 inspection and ‘other inspection’ is described as a Section 8 inspection (in England). This includes the new ‘short inspection’ of schools graded ‘Good`

Schools that are rated Requires Improvement usually have a full re-inspection within 30 months.

Schools rated Inadequate have more regular monitoring, alongside support to improve their rating.

Ofsted inspectors look at four main areas:

  • Quality of education
  • Behaviour and attitudes
  • Personal development of pupils
  • Leadership

Schools receive a judgement for each of the four inspection areas, and an overall judgement. There are four numerical grades:

  • 1: Outstanding
  • 2: Good
  • 3: Requires Improvement
  • 4: Inadequate

Ofsted report

Note: the link below takes you to the highlights of our most recent Ofsted report:

Ofsted Report 2019

Parent view

Ofsted takes into account the views of parents and carers giving parents the chance to tell Ofsted what they think of your child’s school, responding to the questions asked.

The questionnaire can be completed at any time – you don’t have to wait until the school is being inspected.

Fairfax Academy was last inspected in March 2019 and remained a good school.  The inspection highlighted the following strengths:

  • The school is inclusive with high expectations of what all pupils can achieve and where every individual pupil receives strong levels of support, guidance and care.
  • The headteacher provides strong leadership and the senior leadership team continue to make improvements.
  • Relationships between pupils and staff remain positive.
  • Pupils have good attitudes to work and are well behaved.
  • In classes, pupils are ready to learn and routines are clearly in place. Pupils show positive attitudes to their learning and are making good progress.
  • There is a real commitment to the Academy motto ‘sinceritas laboris’ (there is dignity in labour) And this was seen in lessons and in pupil’s books.