Q3 Academy Tipton makes history with the first Good Ofsted inspection since school inspections began 33 years ago

Students, families and staff at Q3 Academy Tipton are celebrating their fantastic Ofsted report that has officially graded the school as ‘Good’ in every category for the first time in its history.

Not only is this a ringing endorsement of the school’s improvement journey under its current leadership but is also a cause for huge celebration in the wider community. The school and its predecessors, ACE Academy and Alexandra High School, have never before been judged by Ofsted to be considered good schools, so this excellent report. conducted in April 2025, is a landmark achievement.

The school’s unwavering ambition of ‘Knowing More, Doing More, Achieving More’ shone during the Ofsted inspection, conducted on 29 and 30 April 2025. Inspectors highlighted the school's commitment to academic rigour, the positive behaviour and attitudes of students, and the strong leadership and management in place. The report praised the school's efforts in creating a supportive and inclusive learning environment where students feel safe, motivated, and proud of their achievements.

Headteacher Adam Slack, said;

Students and staff have achieved something which had never yet been the case before at Alexandra High School, ACE Academy or Q3 Academy Tipton. We have made history.

The inspection team confirmed that we are doing everything we need to be doing - and more - to support students achieving incredible things and living life to the full.  We will always work to know more, do more, and achieve more because that is the right thing to do, and our children deserve the absolute best.

As we celebrate this history-defining moment we continue to our new era of being truly incredible and unstoppable. 

Prof John Pymm, Chair of the Local Governing Body, added;

This is a defining moment in our history and I’m immensely proud to be Chair of Governors. Q3 Academy Tipton really is a school where we make the incredible happen.  These Ofsted judgements affirm what we have all known for some time, that this school has at its heart a committed group of professional staff for whom the success of our students is central as we bring into reality our vision for a school that is both incredible and unstoppable.

Dan Parkes, CEO of the Mercian Trust, also shared his congratulations, saying;

As CEO of the Mercian Trust, I am thrilled to see Q3 Academy Tipton receive such a positive Ofsted report.  There have been many challenging times for this school over the years, but I am delighted that Ofsted have provided a resounding confirmation of a school that our students and the community in Tipton are proud of. This is the first time the school has been judged 'good' in every judgement, a genuinely historic achievement that underscores the incredible progress made as a result of the relentless and tenacious drive of everyone in the school and our trust.