Pupils and staff at Cedar Children’s Academy in Strood are celebrating the school’s positive Ofsted report as it maintains its ‘Good’ school status following its recent ungraded Ofsted inspection.
Under the new Ofsted framework that came into effect in September 2024, schools no longer receive an overall Ofsted rating. However, Cedar Children’s Academy was inspected before the new framework in 2019 and was found to be a ‘Good’ in all areas. Following its most recent inspection in October this year, Ofsted found the school to have taken effective action to maintain its high standards.
The highly complementary report emphasised the school's commitment to fostering an engaging and caring community where students have a strong voice and feel empowered to make a difference, stating that, "pupils are happy to be part of this aspirational and caring school. They proudly contribute to the wider school community.” It was noted that, “adults are excellent role models and inspire pupils to be their best selves. Pupils strive to live up to the school’s high aspirations.”
The inspectors also praised the school’s inspiring curriculum for all its pupils, commenting, “it is broad and well sequenced, building toward ambitious goals for pupils.” This is supported by the “secure subject knowledge” of teachers. The report noted, “adults are knowledgeable about the most important parts of the curriculum that must be taught, so pupils’ learning builds securely.”
The school was praised for providing their pupils with every opportunity to explore new experiences and build confidence. The report stated, “pupils know the school attributes and proudly strive to live up to them.”
Furthermore, Ofsted commended the strength of the school’s leaders and with the support of the trust, applying the wealth of experience they offer to their school and teaching community. The report noted, “leaders focus their work sharply on the areas that benefit pupils most. The trust creates a climate of professional openness and honesty. It supports the school effectively, for example, through opportunities for training and professional development.”
Other highlights from the report included:
As Cedar Children’s Academy continues to enhance its provision with its inspiring curriculum, school leaders say they will be focusing on ensuring pupils have even more opportunities to revisit topics and establish knowledge within their long-term memory and further embed the school’s new early reading curriculum.
Tracey Baillie, Headteacher of Cedar Children’s Academy, reflected:
"I am incredibly proud of our school and thrilled to see that Ofsted has recognised the continued hard work of our Cedar community. This result highlights the nurturing, creative environment we have worked so hard to create, where every child is encouraged to thrive and reach their full potential. We are determined to further build on this success, ensuring our school continues to be an engaging and aspiring place to learn.”
Kirstie Jones, Executive Headteacher for the school said, “I am thrilled that Ofsted has recognised our continued dedication to providing the best possible educational opportunities for our children. The overwhelmingly positive feedback reaffirms that we are on the right path. As we move forward, we remain committed to evolving and adapting to meet the needs of our students, all while upholding the high standards that define our school.
“Well done to all of the school community to your ongoing support. This wouldn’t be possible without you.”