The Academy of St Francis of Assisi is an 11 to 16 joint church school sponsored by the Anglican Diocese and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Liverpool. It is not part of an academy chain. A half of the academy’s students are Roman Catholics, others have a wide range of faiths, or none at all. Almost all live in the local community. The Academy is slightly smaller than the average-sized secondary school. More boys attend the academy than girls. Since the last full inspection, there have been significant changes to staff, particularly within the English and mathematics departments. Senior leadership has been restructured and two new vice-principals have been appointed. The academy has received national recognition from the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust as one of the most improving schools in the country in terms of GCSE results. The proportion of students who are known to be eligible for the pupil premium is significantly higher than the national average. Students are predominantly of White British heritage with an increasing proportion from other backgrounds including those who are new to learning English as an additional language. The proportion of students supported at school action is similar to that found nationally. The proportion of students supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is significantly above average. Fifteen students attend alternative provision to study engineering for part of their education at Liverpool Community College. The academy is a focal point for community education and is an adult learning centre. The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students’ attainment and progress. The academy specialism is the environment and sustainability. Its work in this area has been acknowledged by Ofsted as an example of good practice.