Sign In

Recent Awards

 

The Belvedere Academy was inspected by Ofsted on 26th & 27th May 2010. This was the Academy's first ever inspection to be carried out by Ofsted.

The Ofsted inspection followed on from last years highly successful HMI Monitoring Visit.

The Ofsted inspection team was made up of a team of 5 (3 x Her Majesties Inspectors, HMI, and 2 x Ofsted Inspectors). The Inspection team contacted Mr Kennedy, Principal, 36 hours in advance to inform him of their impending inspection visit. Before arriving on site, the inspection team had spent considerable time analysing and evaluating the Academy's own online self evaluation documents (SEF), regarding its judgements upon its progress and achievements against the Ofsted standards.The inspection team then spent 2 full days on site during the inspection analysing key documents, interviewing members of the SMT, and other staff, governors, and students. The inspectors conducted questionnaires with staff, students, and parents, and observed a large number of lessons.

After a gruelling, rigorous, and highly challenging 2 days for all concerned, the Academy came out with flying colours, achieving an overall 'Outstanding' in all of the core inspection categories!

After receiving incredibly postive verbal feedback from the inspectors, the SMT and governors were informed that the Academy had achieved an amazing 28 'Outstanding' and 3 'Good' grading judgements from a possible 31 - equivalent to an 'Outstanding' judgement in all core categories (see below).

In summary the main findings were:

  • Overall effectiveness: how good is the Academy - Grade 1 'Outstanding'
  • The Academy's capacity for sustained improvement - Grade 1 'Outstanding'
  • Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils - Grade 1 'Outstanding'
  • How effective is the provision? - Grade 1 'Outstanding'
  • How effective are leadership and management? - Grade 1 'Outstanding'
  • Overall effectiveness of the Sixth Form - Grade 1 'Outstanding'

 

Notably in the main findings of the full report, the Inspectors reported that the Academy:

"provides its students with an excellent education."

"The outstanding leadership of the Principal and the very effective support of the senior team have skillfully guided the Academy through a challenging period of transition while maintaining very high standards."

"Almost all aspects of teaching, the curriculum and the care, guidance and support provided for students are exemplary."

"The behaviour, conduct and attitude of the students are excellent. They are studious, mature and highly aspirational young people."

"All aspects of safeguarding and health and safety are rigorously enforced and are highly effective."

"Morale amongst staff and students is high and is reflected in their loyalty and commitment to the Academy and in promoting its success."

"Capacity for further improvement is outstanding"

Please share further in celebrating and acknowledging the outstanding Ofsted inspection achieving by all of the staff, students, parents, and governors, by viewing a copy of the full Ofsted Report here.

A summary brochure can be found here
 

 

 

Investors in People

On 30th April 2010, The Belvedere Academy was recognised as achieving the Investors in People standard.

This prestigious award celebrates the immense work over the last three years by the Principal and his teams – both teaching and support staff, to ensure that robust leadership and management structures are in place.

The report states that since “the Academy has come into existence and with this and the appointment of the Principal and his new leadership team, there are many examples of improvements that have been made to the way in which people are led, managed and developed.” Find the full report here.

The amount of time and effort that has been devoted to developing the organisational structure has resulted in more than just the recognition of this award. Effective leadership and management and a shared vision at all levels, inevitably facilitates the best possible provision in the classroom.

And finally...the Investors in People framework demands continuous improvement – with this in mind, the Academy will be going for the Investors in People Gold standard during the next academic year!!

 

The Belvedere Academy has embraced considerable change from being a fee-paying, highly selective independent school, three years ago to being a government funded, inclusive school today.
This has meant a complete change of culture; a “turn round” in staff and community attitudes; the acquisition of new knowledge and skills and the adoption of new systems and working practices.  The transformation has been monumental.
Admissions now take place according to inclusive principles and the resulting changes in the pupil population (with additional needs and a wider range of abilities) has resulted in the adoption of flexible working practices.
All this has been achieved with the maintenance of very high academic standards and the notion of what it means to be a “Belvedere girl” has remained unchanged.  To establish an inclusive culture and achieve such a level of inclusive practice in just three years is to be highly commended and celebrated. 

The full report can be viewed here

 

 

 

The Belvedere Academy- awarded Artsmark Gold!
We are delighted that Arts Council England has awarded our school its prestigious Artsmark Gold Award. This is in recognition of all the fantastic work that goes on in Art, Drama, Music and Dance.
Artsmark is a national award scheme managed by Arts Council England that recognises schools with a high level of provision in the arts. The award is open to all schools and lasts for three years.
As an Academy we had to demonstrate our commitment to the wider development of young people and teachers and to raising the profile of arts in the school and the local community.
To achieve Artsmark we had to undergo a detailed audit of our Arts provision. We could have been awarded one of three awards: Artsmark, Artsmark Silver and Artsmark Gold.
This is an amazing achievement and an acknowledgement of our deep commitment to the arts and their continued development at the Academy. A special word of thanks to Ms S. Bell, Miss Poole, Mrs Deeley and Miss L. Bell for all their hard work in putting together a fantastic bid.
Please support us at arts based events- you will be amazed at the standard of skill that our students display across the arts spectrum. Check out the calendar for further details. 

The International School Award (ISA) is an accreditation scheme which recognises curriculum-based international work in schools.
 
At The Belvedere Academy we recognise that an international dimension in education is an increasingly important part of agendas such as Every Child Matters and Community Cohesion; it supports the cultural heritage of our teachers, learners and local community leading to positive learning across the academy.
 
We are delighted to announce that we have now been awarded the Intermediate International Schools Award.  This category is awarded to schools that:
• Have more substantial curriculum-based international activities and have started to work with international partner school(s).
• Have a number of teachers from a range of subjects who have begun to integrate global issues and international awareness into their lessons.
• Organise whole school activities such as a European Languages week or world projects.
• Provide opportunities for students to exchange emails and letters or video conference with pupils in another country.
• Offer visits abroad and international exchanges or teacher study visits.

We are now planning to achieve the Full ISA and will submit plans to the awarding body in November 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The Eco-Schools programme provides a simple framework to enable The Belvedere Academy to analyse its operations and become more sustainable. The Award that we hold supports the Science specialism that Belvedere has.
By following the programme, our academy will become an even more stimulating place in which to learn, whilst also reducing the environmental impact of the whole academy on the community.