Springwell Community College in Staveley is delighted to announce that it has been judged ‘Good’ in all areas following a two-day Ofsted inspection on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th November 2024. This is a historic moment for the college and its community, as it is the first time in its 33-year history that it has achieved a ‘Good’ rating across all areas of the report of an Ofsted inspection.

The report celebrates the college’s significant progress in recent years, with inspectors stating, “Springwell Community College has been through a transformative change in recent years. This is reflected in the views of pupils and many parents and carers.”

Students shared their thoughts with inspectors, telling them they “feel happy and safe in this school.” The report also commended the college’s calm and orderly environment, observing that “pupils typically behave sensibly in lessons and at unstructured times,” and describing students as “polite and well-mannered.” Furthermore, the report highlights that “bullying appears rare and pupils trust adults to deal with it.”

The report praised the way “Pupils know and demonstrate the college’s values of ‘ambition, commitment, and kindness.’”, which underpin all aspects of Springwell life. This commitment to creating a positive family-like culture is central as it helps create a nurturing environment for all.

Inspectors highlighted improvements to the college’s curriculum, describing it as “significantly strengthened,” and noting that it is delivered “consistently and effectively” by teachers. The college’s personal development programme was also recognised for “celebrating diversity” and helping pupils “develop a clear understanding of how to stay safe and be healthy.”

Academic ambition was another theme, with the report recognising that “the school has high expectations of all pupils’ academic achievement.” This was further supported with praise for the positive learning environment created by the college, with inspectors observing, “The school has worked hard and developed routines to promote a positive learning environment for all pupils.”

One of the standout aspects of the report was the praise from families, with one quoted as saying, “The staff are kind and caring, and encourage the children to be the best they can be.”

Ian Wingfield, Headteacher of Springwell Community College, expressed his pride in the achievement, stating,

I am delighted to be able to say that our community has a college judged to be good in all areas. This milestone reflects the hard work, dedication and pride that our students and staff put into everything they do. I am deeply grateful to our exceptionally talented team of staff, who have worked tirelessly to improve our college, and to our families for putting their faith in us to provide their children with a high-quality education. This achievement is something the whole community can be proud of, and we will continue to work together to ensure the college goes from strength to strength. We will not rest on this success. The inspection has reinforced key priorities that were already included on the College’s Improvement Plan.”

Wesley Davies, CEO of The Two Counties Trust, congratulated the Springwell College community, saying,

“I would like to congratulate the students, families, governors and staff on achieving this historic accomplishment for the entire Springwell community. This outcome is a testament to the transformation the college has undergone and reflects the unwavering ambition and dedication of everyone involved. As we look to the future, we remain steadfast in our commitment to further improvement and to building on this success.”