A school in Ipswich has outlined its plans to address the findings of Ofsted after they were rated 'requires improvement' for the first time since 2016.

Following an inspection in May by the education watchdog, Ipswich Academy has said they will launch a programme of weekly meetings with parents and students as part of its drive to address the results of its recent inspection.

Ofsted inspectors found that the school "has not ensured that the curriculum is taught consistently well" as well as finding that "some pupils do not study a sufficiently wide range of subjects."

School co-principals, Abbie Thorrington and Samuel Fox announced an action plan to ensure that the quality of teaching provided by supply staff is of high standard and to place a stronger focus on the quality of teaching and consistency of approach across all areas.

Abbie Thorrington and Samuel FoxAbbie Thorrington and Samuel Fox (Image: Paul Nixon Photography)

Miss Thorrington said: "We've been through the Ofsted report carefully with the inspectors and are now engaging with the whole school to address issues raised.

"Yes, that means staff, but parents and pupils also have an important role to play. By working together, we can make changes quickly and effectively."

Mr Fox added: "We’ll use these meetings to keep our parents and carers informed about progress and to tap into our students’ experiences and views in order to find what will work best.

"The inspectors have pointed to the areas in which we need to improve. As well as our local school community, we’ll be drawing on the expertise within Paradigm Trust, which runs schools in both Ipswich and London."

Ipswich Academy was inspected in May this yearIpswich Academy was inspected in May this year (Image: Newsquest)

Ofsted did find, however, that pupils trusted adults at the school, which helps pupils feel "happy and safe".

They also found that "pupils benefit from a rich range of personal development opportunities" and they "understand the school's expectations for behaviour".

Miss Thorrington continued: "While we know we have issues that need to be addressed, we were pleased that inspectors highlighted the high degree of trust between staff and pupils and the rich range of personal development activities we provide."

The school has targeted three main areas to drive school improvement and address issues highlighted by the inspection

They are culture and ethos, stabilisation of staffing and providing a high quality of teaching for all students.