Staff relish new challenge as academy turns corner

STAFF at the first academy in Yorkshire to be placed in special measures by Ofsted are celebrating being lifted out of the failing category in less than two years.

By The Newsroom

Published 14th Apr 2011, 01:00 BST

Inspectors visiting Sheffield Park Academy, which opened in 2006, have rated the school as giving a satisfactory level of education.

Ofsted said progress had been made in teaching and learning, behaviour and attendance.

Sheffield Park, which is sponsored by education charity the United Learning Trust (ULT) was placed in special measures in September 2009 by an inspection report which criticised leadership, academic attainment and pupil behaviour.

Ed Balls, the then Children’s Secretary intervened later that year after an Ofsted monitoring visit raised concerns about the progress being made.

Since then Maria Nightingale had been seconded to the school from the ULT’s Manchester Academy and has now been appointed as principal in Sheffield on a permanent basis.

She said: “I very much relish the challenge of taking the academy forward.”