Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 www.gov.uk/ofsted Direct T 01695 566 855 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email : gnewton@cfbt.com

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Mr Andrew Goulty Executive Headteacher BBG Academy Bradford Road Cleckheaton West Yorkshire BD19 4BE

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

Following my visit with Tanya Stuart, Her Majesty’s Inspector, to your school on 13 and 14 May 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 academy’s previous monitoring inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

The inspection was the second monitoring inspection since the academy became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in October 2014. The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the academy is making reasonable progress towards the removal of special measures.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

The academy’s improvement plan is fit for purpose.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that the academy may appoint newly qualified teachers through the Rodillian Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) in all subjects on the understanding that high quality support is provided by the Trust.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of BBG Academy

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be published on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Executive Headteacher, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director for Children and Young People for Kirklees.

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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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place in October 2014

 Urgently improve students’ safety by: - insisting that all students move around the building, especially corridors, in an orderly and civilised manner and that students show respect for adults, other students and the school environment so that no-one is at risk of being hurt - making sure that the personal, social and health education programme takes students’ increasing maturity into account so that they better understand how to stay safe, especially, the potential risks in sexual relationships.

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place in October 2014

 Rapidly improve the behaviour of students, particularly of the small minority whose behaviour outside lessons is unacceptable, by: - making sure that all staff adopt the school’s policy for managing students’ behaviour so that staff are consistent in their approach - making sure that any incidents of poor behaviour are always challenged and followed through to an acceptable solution - making sure that expectations of students’ behaviour are high, and are clearly understood and put into action by all.

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place in October 2014

 Urgently improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, including governance, so that the school has the ability to improve more rapidly, by: - ensuring that governors hold senior leaders rigorously to account for quickly improving students’ behaviour so that it is good both in and out of lessons, and, that the school’s work to ensure students are kept safe and secure is effective - improving leaders’ use of information about students’ attainment and progress so that they have a precise understanding of how well all the various groups of students are achieving, and so that any students or groups who may be falling behind are quickly spotted and provided with effective support - developing the roles of middle leaders so that they are fully involved and equipped with the skills they need to check the quality of teaching and students’ achievement, so that teaching and students’ achievement improves at a faster rate.

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place in October 2014

 Further improve the quality of teaching so that it is at least good and ensures that all students, including the disadvantaged, make good progress across a wide range of subjects, particularly in writing in English and in mathematics, by: - making sure that teachers’ expectations of what students are capable of achieving are consistently high - insisting that students always present their work to a good standard and that poor standards of handwriting, spelling and punctuation are not accepted - ensuring that all teachers plan and provide work that meets students’ varying needs and abilities, and stretches and challenges them to achieve their best, especially the most able - making sure that work is always interesting or varied enough to motivate students to learn and so that students always have good attitudes to learning, behave well and do not cause any disruption at the start of and during lessons - making sure that the quality of marking is consistently good and that

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place in October 2014

teachers insist that students correct their work after it has been marked. Report on the second monitoring inspection on 13 to 14 May 2015.

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the academy’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the head of school, the executive headteacher, members of the senior leadership team, members of staff with responsibility for subjects. The inspectors also met with members of the school improvement board and two groups of students. Twenty-two part-lessons were observed, in the main with senior leaders. The academy’s revised plans for improvement were evaluated.

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Context

The academy is going through the due diligence process to become part of the Rodillian Multi-Academy Trust (MAT): this is due to be completed on 1 June 2015. Since the previous monitoring inspection, the acting headteacher has been appointed as head of school and continues with the day-to-day leadership of the academy. The director of behaviour and attendance has left and a new leader from the MAT is due to take up post in June 2015. The head of modern foreign languages has been appointed as head of academic studies. Two members of the teaching staff and two teaching assistants have left. Four new members of staff have been appointed to the mathematics department. Two mathematics teachers will start in June and the new head of department and a second in department in September 2015.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

The quality of assessment in the academy is improving because more stringent checks are now in place to ensure the accuracy of data on students’ performance. All students have taken mock examinations which have given senior leaders a much clearer picture about their attainment. The academy has created a data system which is reliable and allows both staff and students to monitor their progress.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

The data clearly show that there are wide gaps in the levels of attainment for different student groups and in different subjects. Students’ performance in English is better than in mathematics across the academy; girls are performing better than boys in most year groups and disadvantaged students are performing less well than their peers in all year groups.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Senior leaders have a clear understanding of what the data are showing and what they need to do to improve the progress of the students. A whole-academy approach is starting to happen, but interventions are not always coordinated and actions taken are not always evaluated. A targeted intervention programme to address the concerns about attainment and progress is underway. Many students are now able to talk about the progress they need to make and how they will do this. There are also a number of targeted interventions for disadvantaged students. However, leaders have not evaluated clearly the impact of these interventions to ascertain which are effective in helping to close the gap. The academy has planned further assessments for the summer term so that leaders can get a better picture of which interventions are having the greatest impact.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

The leaders of departments are enthusiastic and understand that they need to be more strategic when using the data. The ‘red file’ system the academy has put into place is helping leaders to be more consistent in monitoring progress, for example, through learning walks and work scrutiny. The impact of these activities is still to be felt, as staff are in the process of developing the skills needed to use this information effectively.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Good work has been done to improve the literacy skills of the students. Literacy mats and literacy displays are beginning to be provided in various subjects to support students with their writing, spelling and use of subject-specific vocabulary. The library is used well and a member of staff is tracking the books that students read in order to help them chose texts that are gradually more challenging. The teachers are helping the students to write longer answers.

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The quality of teaching

Students are making better progress in lessons. There is some good practice in a number of subjects where more challenging work is set, for example in English and in food technology. With the support of the MAT, the academy has set up a rigorous, high quality programme of well-targeted training to help the teachers develop their classroom skills and the impact of this training is beginning to pay off.

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The quality of teaching

However, there are a number of lessons where teachers’ expectations are too low and the work does not challenge or inspire students. Many teachers are not planning lessons so that all students are given work that is suitable for them. When students are in lessons where they are challenged, they show that they are articulate and able to debate, using appropriate subject-specific language.

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The quality of teaching

Staffing problems, particularly in the mathematics department, have hindered students’ progress. The academy is addressing this issue and staffing is in place for the coming academic year, with some new staff starting after half term.

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The quality of teaching

The new marking and feedback policy is beginning to have a positive impact. While it is not being used consistently by all staff, presentation in books is mostly good across the subjects. Staff in subjects other than English, are helping students to improve their literacy, and specifically writing, skills. Students are responding increasingly well to the marking and feedback they receive.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Senior leaders have taken effective action to deal with unacceptable behaviour. There is a consensus across the staff, governors and students that behaviour is improving. Everyone knows how the new behaviour system works and it is generally being used effectively. Around the school the students are polite and well mannered, they respect the spaces they have and each other. They listen to what adults say and move round in an orderly manner. After breaks they leave areas clean and tidy and move quickly to lessons with little adult intervention. At the start of the day the students arrive on time and with the right equipment. Their uniform is immaculate.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

There is some low-level disruption in a number of lessons. This happens when the lessons are not engaging or well structured and students go off task. Where lessons are engaging, students work well and are keen to learn, as was evident in food technology, where a variety of tasks were completed with enthusiasm.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The academy monitors exclusions and the use of the isolation room well. This detailed information is now used to help put in support for individual students. The academy makes sure that appropriate agencies work with students who face challenges in managing their behaviour: the level of support is impressive. While the introduction of the new, more demanding behaviour system resulted initially in high numbers of students being withdrawn from lessons or excluded for unacceptable behaviour, this is starting to show a decrease. Senior leaders are aware that these figures need to reduce further, especially for disadvantaged students and those with special educational needs.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

The attendance data for the year show that attendance is below the national average, and especially low in Year 10. Since the MAT has started to work with the academy, the attendance figures have begun to increase significantly so that attendance is moving in line with other schools. The appointment of an attendance officer, who will start after half term, is aimed at ensuring attendance continues to improve. Students are aware that their personal target for the school year is 96%.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

A new programme of personal, social and health education has been introduced to address issues such as personal safety. Students in Years 8 and 9 feel that they have been given good information about keeping themselves safe. In Year 10, previous gaps in students’ knowledge have not always been identified fully in order to address their particular needs.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Senior leaders have taken prompt and decisive action and this has meant that the academy is now a more calm and purposeful place of learning. They have a clear vision for the academy and high expectations. They understand the steps that need to be taken to make the academy successful. The actions they have already put into place have begun to have a positive impact.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The senior leaders support the middle leaders well and hold weekly meetings with them to make sure all are building on areas of strength, as well as addressing areas that need improvement. The middle leaders are beginning to develop their skills and they are benefiting from training.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Governors have undertaken further training and have begun to be much more strategic in their approach. The training has allowed them to understand the complexities of the academy and to give appropriate challenge to the senior team. They have developed protocols to ensure that their visits to the academy are beneficial. They are undertaking an audit of skills in order to form the Local Governing Body once the due diligence for the MAT has been completed.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Governors have discussed the academy’s improvement plan. The plan now includes suitable milestones so that governors can evaluate the academy’s progress.

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External support

The MAT has continued to bring strong and strategic leadership to the school. Staff have been brought in to support the work of leaders and teachers. The training programme is comprehensive both for staff and governors and is having a positive impact. The staff in the academy are able to go to other schools in the MAT to see good practice. The support that has been given is extensive and effective.

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