The Keystone Academy

The Keystone Academy is a caring and vibrant special school where pupils are safe, happy and well supported. This was its first inspection since opening in 2022, and inspectors found that behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management are good, while the quality of education requires improvement. The school has grown significantly, moved to a new building, and recently began early years and key stage 1 provision; it is a specialist provider for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, and all pupils have an education, health and care plan. Staff are highly skilled at helping pupils settle, manage emotions and behaviour positively, and relationships across the school are respectful and nurturing. Pupils behave well, bullying is handled promptly and sensitively, and pupils’ personal development is a notable strength. Reading is prioritised, with effective assessment and interventions, and pupils benefit from a wide range of activities and careers guidance. Trustees are highly supportive and ambitious for pupils, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. The main concerns relate to the curriculum. In some areas, especially the primary phase, essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary are not identified or sequenced clearly enough. The secondary curriculum does not build coherently on the primary phase, so pupils’ learning can feel disjointed as they move between phases. There is also variability in how well staff deliver the curriculum: in some lessons subject matter is not presented sharply enough, leaving pupils unclear about activities and limiting how well they develop key knowledge and skills. The school has recognised these issues and is working to improve them.

Strengths

• Caring and vibrant school culture that puts pupils’ best interests first
• Pupils feel safe, happy and valued
• Highly skilled staff support pupils’ emotional and behavioural needs
• Respectful and nurturing relationships across the school community
• Pupils behave well and respond positively to staff
• Bullying is dealt with promptly and sensitively
• The school’s motto promotes individuality and belonging
• Reading is prioritised with effective assessment and interventions
• Personal development is very well supported and is a strength
• Pupils benefit from well-thought-out activities and residential visits
• Effective careers guidance helps raise pupils’ aspirations
• Trustees are highly supportive and share high aspirations
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective

Areas for Improvement

• Curriculum is not fully developed or sequenced in all areas, particularly in the primary phase
• Secondary curriculum does not build coherently on primary learning, creating a disjointed experience
• Key knowledge, skills and vocabulary are not clearly identified and sequenced in some subjects
• Variability in curriculum delivery means some subject matter is not presented clearly enough
• Some pupils do not understand learning activities and do not develop key knowledge and skills well enough

In 2024–25 pupils at The Keystone Academy attended 82.3% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 48.3% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 14.4% of pupils at The Keystone Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 The Keystone Academy had 6.1 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 31.6% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 The Keystone Academy had 122 pupils, 100.0% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: social, emotional and mental health; speech, language and communication needs; autistic spectrum disorder.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 The Keystone Academy received £36,660 and spent £31,846 for each of its 111 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £715,000 (£6,438 per pupil).

Across all 3 schools of Youth Engagement Schools Trust, income was £35,727 and spending £32,625 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Shrewsbury · Shropshire local authority: places and applications

The Keystone Academy is part of Youth Engagement Schools Trust, which runs 3 schools. The nearest others:

• The Axis Academy Crewe
• The Raise Academy Widnes

What is The Keystone Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for The Keystone Academy is Requires Improvement, from an inspection in May 2025.

When was The Keystone Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

The Keystone Academy was last inspected in May 2025.

How many pupils does The Keystone Academy have?

The Keystone Academy has 122 pupils on roll.

What age range does The Keystone Academy cover?

The Keystone Academy for pupils aged 4 to 16.

What are The Keystone Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is The Keystone Academy?

The Keystone Academy is at Squinter Pip Way, Shrewsbury, SY5 8PY.