E-ACT North Birmingham Academy in Erdington has become the first secondary school in the West Midlands to receive the newly introduced ‘exceptional’ grade from Ofsted.
The education watchdog recently overhauled its inspection framework, replacing traditional one-word ratings like ‘outstanding’ and ‘good’ with more detailed assessments across seven key areas. This approach aims to offer a more comprehensive and accurate picture of a school’s everyday performance.
Under the new system, the highest accolade schools can attain is an ‘exceptional’ grade. E-ACT North Birmingham Academy impressed inspectors by achieving ratings ranging from ‘exceptional’ to ‘expected standard,’ including an ‘exceptional’ mark for attendance and behavior — a critical area of assessment.
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The academy also earned four ‘strong standard’ grades and two ‘expected standard’ ratings, showcasing an overall strong performance. Achieving an exceptional rating is particularly challenging, making this accomplishment rare across Midlands schools this year.
Ofsted’s report highlighted that staff at the academy know their pupils exceptionally well, providing effective support whenever issues arise. Attendance rates are notably high, surpassing national averages for all year groups, including post-16 students. These standards have been consistently maintained over time, with swift interventions in place when attendance dips.
The report also noted that suspensions are very low, and pupils consistently meet the school’s high behavioral expectations. Instances of bullying and prejudicial behavior are rare, a fact confirmed by the pupils themselves. Lessons proceed without disruption, and students move calmly and orderly throughout the school day, contributing to a positive and nurturing environment.
E-ACT North Birmingham Academy is already sharing its innovative strategies for maintaining high attendance with other education providers, setting a benchmark for excellence in the region.