Pupils thrive at this inclusive and inspirational school.
One of the main reasons for the continued success of Rushey Mead Academy and its pioneering outlook is a constant focus on evaluating all aspects of practice and making sure we plan effectively for the future.
We perceive change as an opportunity, not a threat and welcome the views of others to help us consider if we are doing the right things to have impact.
The academy undertakes full and searching evaluations of all areas of work, in particular focusing on the quality of education which includes the intent,
implementation and impact of the curriculum. We monitor, review and evaluate behaviour and attitudes of students, their personal development and ensure leadership and management drives school improvement which includes outreach and collaboration within and beyond the Trust. From these evaluations, we plan for future improvement, continually striving to refine and further improve outcomes and wellbeing of students.
In addition to our own in-house reviews and observations, others are welcomed in to academy to share their expert opinions. In particular, the academy’s governors play a vital role in this. ‘Challenge Partners’ is a national group of forward-thinking schools of which Rushey Mead is a lead partner. Every year we undergo a ‘Challenge Partners review’ to consider our effectiveness and Ofsted also considers whether the academy continues to be ‘Outstanding’. We are pleased to share reviews, plans and evaluations and the links below reflect most recent examples:
Ofsted
Rushey last had an Ofsted visit in May 2026. We were graded ‘Exceptional’ across every category and became the first academy in the Midlands to achieve this milestone.
The inspection has followed a four-year focus on thoroughly embedding genuine inclusion across all aspects of the school. This has been achieved through a whole school, forensic approach to ensuring all children are known as individuals and are able to feel a true sense of belonging. Our leaders and staff work tirelessly to ensure every child is supported to succeed, with full access to the high-quality, ambitious curriculum, strong pastoral support, and a vast array of trips, experiences and enrichment opportunities. This has been done in a way that improved achievement for all, with this year seeing the school’s best ever GCSE results. We are proud that Ofsted inspectors have recognised the impact of our work on our students and their future education and lives.
In 2015, Rushey Mead converted to academy status and was re-categorised as a ‘new’ school which ‘opened’ in September 2015. You will be able to find all future Ofsted reports and past Ofsted reports prior to our Academy Conversion using the buttons below. Information regarding Ofsted may be found here.
Challenge Partners
Challenge Partners are a charity, owned and led by schools who work together to lead school improvement. They believe that, when schools are working in partnership to continually improve their practice, an excellent education for pupils will be achieved.
Challenge Partners are made up of over 300 schools, from all different backgrounds across the country, who recognise that they are stronger together and that collaboration is the key to continued success. They exist to support schools in that role by facilitating constructive collaboration and challenge between them and providing a platform for activities which would not be possible for a school to undertake on its own.
Together they aspire to become a world-class, knowledge-sharing community, which leads the way in school improvement and raises the standards of education for all.
Challenge Partners Report 2026
Challenge Partners Report 2025
Challenge Partners Report 2024
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