Setting

Mr Alex Burnham Headteacher BBG Academy Bradford Road Cleckheaton West Yorkshire BD19 4BE

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

Following my visit to your school on 22 January 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the school’s recent section 5 inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in October 2014.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, the executive headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, five subject leaders, the Chair and two further members of the Governing Body and a National Leader of Governance (NLG). In addition the academy’s statement of action and improvement plan were evaluated and a tour of the school was undertaken.

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Context

The academy is in the process of becoming part of the Rodillian Multi-Academy Trust (MAT). Due diligence is taking place and the sponsorship by the Rodillian Academy MAT has been approved in principle by the Regional Schools’ Commission. The governing body have put into place new leadership arrangements in collaboration CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566 855 Direct F 01695 729 320 Direct email :gnewton@cfbt.com with the Rodillian Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) from 1 December 2014. An acting headteacher has been appointed and he has taken over the day-to-day leadership of the academy. The headteacher has been on sickness absence since November 2014. The acting headteacher is overseen by the executive headteacher of the Rodillian MAT. A deputy head has been appointed, who is leading on performance data. A

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Context

director of curriculum has been appointed and will take up post after half term. He will oversee mathematics as the subject leader will have a teaching role. The faculty structure has been changed so that subject leaders are leading specific departments.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The new leaders from the Rodillian MAT have moved swiftly and effectively to stabilise the academy and make sure it runs smoothly. The academy’s leadership capacity has been strengthened and senior leaders are clear about what actions need to be taken. Rapid action has been taken to address the issue of behaviour with the introduction of a new behaviour management system. Behaviour is now being analysed according to groups and at individual student level so that interventions can be put into place. The senior team is taking a strong lead which has helped to embed these procedures and there is consistency of application across the staff. The data indicates that behaviour has improved.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

A timetable of actions to address other areas identified in the inspection report, especially the use of data to inform teaching, has been well developed. Some professional development has already taken place and more is planned in order to support improvements. Partnerships have been established with other schools within the MAT in order to support staff further.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Whilst the internal timetable of actions that leaders have produced is clear the statement of action is less so. It does not clearly indicate milestones, who is leading on the actions or how they will be evaluated.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The academy is in the process of establishing an accurate picture of students’ performance. All year groups will be taking controlled assessments this term, which will be marked externally in order to give the school validated data, which up to this point has been missing. It is too soon to see the impact of this on developing teachers’ use of data to inform teaching and to develop their understanding of different groups, especially the most able. Leaders have helped staff to develop a file, which they are all using, to ensure greater consistency in their classroom practice and high expectations. The implementation of this work is still at the early stages. A new curriculum for personal, social and health education has been put into place so that students can learn how to keep themselves safe. Further curriculum changes are planned for June 2015 in order to support the next steps for the students.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The governors’ decision to join the Rodillian MAT is beginning to pay dividends. They will be supported by a training programme that has been developed by the trust’s NLG to enable the governing body to operate at a more strategic level rather than an operational one. Governors’ ability to challenge effectively is further supported by the more realistic information about the academy’s performance provided by the senior leadership team.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Following the monitoring inspection the following judgements were made:

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The academy is making reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The academy’s statement of action is not fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The academy’s improvement plan is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that the academy may appoint newly qualified teachers in all subjects on the understanding that high quality support is provided by the Rodillian MAT.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Kirklees and the Executive Headteacher. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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Associate Inspector

Appointed as an Associate Inspector under the powers relating to additional inspectors, in paragraph 11 of Part 2 of Schedule V2 to the Education and Inspections Act 2006

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