Leeds school has improved in every aspect 'at a rate of knots' according to Ofsted

The school had previously been rated as inadequate but has undergone a transformation since joining The GORSE Academies Trust in 2017.

Overall effectiveness has been rated as 'good', although the school has reached 'excellent' status in three categories - behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management.

Inspection of the school, which is located on Clark Lane close to the city centre, took place across 9 and 10 March.

Leadership at all levels has been described as 'exceptional' and assessors also hailed a 'highly successful curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education'.

Richmond Hill Academy's principal Anna Mackenzie said: “We are incredibly proud of our Ofsted report, which has been the culmination of over four years worth of work in striving to improve the school for the benefit of the whole school community. We have placed significant value on teaching our pupils the importance of our school values, one of which is respect. Taught and delivered through our personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education, pupils respect for their peers and wider community was described as ‘breathtaking’ by Ofsted. Other areas of our PHSE work were also described as ‘exemplary’ by the inspectors.

“’Exceptional leadership’ and a ‘highly ambitious curriculum’ has allowed to us deliver the highest quality of education to one of the most impoverished areas of Leeds. To have both our hard work and the behaviour of our pupils recognised as excellent, really affirms our belief that all children should receive the education they deserve and that equal opportunities are paramount when it comes to education.

“The children of Richmond Hill had not, historically, received the education they deserve, and the community rightfully felt let down. Rated as inadequate by Ofsted before joining the Trust, we have now demonstrated that we have transformed the Academy into the exceptional school that its community deserves."

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The work of leaders to involve the local community was praised as 'exemplary', meanwhile Ofsted also documented that there were multiple examples of staff going 'above and beyond' to help pupils and families.

Amidst the praise, Ofsted's report did detail areas for improvement. The environment and how some staff support children during independent learning was described as not being 'as exact or purposeful as it needs to be'.