The academy, which is part of CORE Education Trust, was praised for being a school where there is a “family feel”, with an “ambitious and inclusive vision”.
Ofsted also highlighted that the Arena Academy “has high expectations of achievement for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)” and that the school has much improved in behaviour and attendance since its last Ofsted inspection in 2022.
Inspectors also noted that “pupils are very proud of the school’s diverse community and remarked on efforts to make a curriculum that reflects [pupil’s] heritage and background.”
The report praises school leaders and staff for working closely together to focus on priorities for school improvement, with “well trained” teachers who have “strong subject knowledge”.
The academy has made huge improvements in recent years, progressing from ‘inadequate’ in 2016, to ‘requires improvement’, to ‘good’ at successive Ofsted inspections. The CORE Education Trust took over management of the academy in 2018.
Other highlights included:
- Pupils produce “high quality work”
- The academy promotes a “love of reading”
- The academy provides “many opportunities to nurture pupils’ talents and interests”
- Most parents are “very positive” about how their children are supported
- The curriculum is “ambitious and carefully sequenced”
- Pupils “behave well in lessons” and are “orderly and calm” around school
Raj Mann, Headteacher at The Arena Academy, said:
“We are very proud to have been rated as a ‘Good’ school across all four ratings, including quality of education, leadership and management, behaviour and attitudes and personal development”.
“I am pleased to see that the many improvements we have made at the school have been recognised by Ofsted.
“The Arena Academy is on a journey from strength to strength, and as a teacher, there is nothing more rewarding than the testimony of our pupils”.
Jo Tyler, CEO of the Core Education Trust said:
“This hugely positive report reflects the remarkable progress The Arena Academy has made over the last two years.
“I am very pleased that pupils are achieving so well, and that the community feel of the school has been recognised and praised by the Ofsted inspectors.
“I want to thank and congratulate all our staff, pupils, parents and carers at the Arena Academy. They should all be very proud of this well deserved achievement”.