Staff and students at Queen Elizabeth’s Academy have celebrated a significant milestone in the school’s history after it was rated Good by Ofsted for the first time.

Inspectors praised leaders’ work at the Mansfield-based academy — which is now part of the Diverse Academies Trust — for rapidly improving the school.

Since joining the trust, the academy said staff had worked relentlessly to improve standards, behaviours, and outcomes.

Academy principal Donna Percival said: “We are proud of all that we’ve achieved together as a school community. It is a real blessing to be part of the Queen Elizabeth’s improvement journey.”

Inspectors found leaders to be ambitious for what all pupils can achieve — this included support for children with special needs and disabilities (SEND), who share the same opportunities as all other students.

They also noted that leaders have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and commented on the calm classrooms and corridors, polite students, welcoming and inclusive atmosphere, and that most pupils show positive attitudes to all aspects of school life.

The academy’s Christian values were well understood by students, and they recognised how such values could help them to be successful.

The report outlined that the academy had planned ‘an ambitious curriculum’ with students having a wide variety of courses to choose from. Inspectors concluded: “Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They provide pupils with clear explanations.

“Teachers help pupils recall what they have learned and deepen their understanding. They routinely check what pupils can remember. When pupils need extra support, teachers adapt lessons to help them.”

This is the second time this year that the academy has had cause for celebration. In February, it was also graded Good’ following a Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) — an inspection that focuses on the impact of a Church school’s Christian vision on the school community.

Executive principal Caroline Saxelby added: “The outcome of the Ofsted report is very well-deserved and testament to the commitment and care that all staff provide to the pupils at Queen Elizabeth’s Academy every day.

“The provision both within and beyond the classroom is of the highest quality and expectations are also consistently high. Under strong and determined leadership the academy has gone from strength to strength.”