Magnus Academy improving following Ofsted report

The headteacher of a secondary school rated as requiring improvement said she was changing its culture by making pupils believe in themselves more.

Magnus Church of England Academy, Newark, received the rating following an Ofsted inspection in January.

However, the report noted the impact of headteacher Mrs Anna Martin, who had only been in post for a term when the inspection took place.

Her continuing influence has been recognised in a letter following an Ofsted monitoring inspection visit at the school, on May 8, that noted further improvements had been made.

Mrs Martin said: “I am coming into a school community that for a long time hasn’t believed in itself.

“What I’ve been saying is ‘we are better than this’.

“To some people that is threatening because they have thought ‘what was wrong with us before?’”

The school, in Earp Avenue, made headlines in September last year when some pupils were sent home or were put in isolation for breaching its uniform policy.

Mrs Martin said her approach was key to raising standards.

“People sometimes find change difficult and when I joined I did have zero tolerance about behaviour and uniform – but that approach has changed the culture of the school,” she said.

“We are a positive school community. If we expect the pupils to behave and achieve the same way they would if this were a private or grammar school, they will.

“The kids are starting to believe they are worth something.”

'I have high expectations'

Inspector Zarina Connolly wrote to Mrs Martin with her findings from the latest visit.

She praised Mrs Martin’s “swift action to tackle the areas of weakness identified at the last inspection” and said she was a strong leader.

New strategies had been implemented to improve teaching, behaviour and pupils’ outcomes.

The proportion of pupils persistently absent from school had been reduced thanks to working with specific pupils and their families.

The quality of teaching was said to be improving and pupils’ behaviour in class and school was orderly and calm.

Zarina Connolly identified three areas in which the school should take further action: develop the school’s literacy strategy with particular emphasis on writing skills; promoting more positive parental engagement; and monitor more robustly the progress of disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities from their different starting points.

“I have high expectations and there should be clear accountability,” said Mrs Martin.

“We have had an intensive year of teaching and learning. The pupils will take their lead from us.

“The turning point has been that people are starting to realise that these higher standards are possible.”

The Magnus is part of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Multi Academy Trust.

Its CEO, Mr Chris Moodie, a former senior managing inspector at Ofsted, said: “The monitoring inspection confirms what we know about Magnus - that it is rapidly improving and is on the way to becoming a good school in the near future.

“Staff and students are working together really well to bring Anna's vision to life.”