Airdrie Academy

Overview

The inspection team found that the headteacher is “well-respected” and has fostered a “nurturing and caring environment” where young people feel a strong sense of belonging. While staff successfully secure positive post-school destinations for almost all pupils, the report identifies significant weaknesses in raising attainment and achievement, alongside satisfactory performance in other areas. Consequently, the school requires additional support and will undergo a further inspection within one year.

Strengths

• The headteacher has developed a clear vision and values that underpin success in securing “positive post-school destinations for almost all young people.”
• Staff have created a “nurturing and caring environment” with “strong, positive relationships” between staff and pupils.
• Targeted approaches are successfully improving attendance, attainment, and destinations for specific groups of young people.
• Pupils benefit from a “wide range of leadership roles,” including charity and voluntary work with local community partners.

Areas to improve

• Senior leaders must improve approaches to “monitoring and evaluating the work of the school” in key areas such as raising attainment and inclusion.
• Staff need to develop a “shared understanding of high-quality planning, learning, teaching and assessment” to provide more engaging experiences.
• Leaders should ensure staff plan appropriately to meet the needs of all young people requiring additional support, particularly regarding inclusion and attendance.

Safeguarding

The report states that senior leaders and staff have created a “nurturing and caring environment” where young people feel a sense of belonging and pride, though it does not explicitly detail separate safeguarding procedures.