Beckfoot Oakbank

Beckfoot Oakbank Oakworth Road, Keighley, West Yorkshire BD22 7DU

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a school that requires improvement

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 In the past, weaknesses in teaching have slowed pupils’ progress over time. Leaders have worked hard to improve the quality of teaching in the school; however, it is still inconsistent and requires further improvement. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve are not consistently high. Teachers do not consistently check that pupils have fully completed set tasks.  Achievement in English, mathematics and science requires improvement. The quality of pupils’ work in these subjects is variable. Their written work is not of a consistently good standard and in many cases remains unchallenged. Consequently, many pupils in these subjects do not make the progress they are capable of.  Those pupils who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not make the progress they are capable of when compared to other pupils nationally, with similar starting points.  Over time, leaders have taken a wide range of

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

actions to make improvements. However, they have been slow to prioritise effectively and take the actions which would ensure that pupils’ progress improves quickly enough.  Leaders gather a wealth of information to help identify where improvements are required. However, not all leaders have the necessary skills to use this information effectively.  A minority of pupils are disruptive to learning through their behaviour in lessons and on the corridors. Although leaders have implemented a system for managing behaviour, it is not applied consistently or effectively across all areas of the school.  Attendance remains below average. Too many pupils are regularly absent. The achievement of some pupils, and in particular those who are disadvantaged, is limited because of their poor attendance.

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Leaders and governors are clear about what needs to improve. They know their school well.  The sixth-form provision is a strong feature of the school. It meets the needs of its students well and so they make strong progress.  Leaders’ actions to ensure that pupils are kept safe, and feel safe, are effective.  Leaders have improved the curriculum so that it better meets the needs of all pupils and students at the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that teachers’ expectations of pupils are raised so that the quality of pupils’ work improves, and pupils make better progress – reducing the variability in the quality of teaching and learning across the school, particularly in English, mathematics and science, so that the majority is at least good – ensuring that the progress of those pupils who are disadvantaged and/or with SEND improves rapidly – ensuring that the work set for pupils is challenging and encourages them to make at least good progress in their lessons.  Improve the personal development, behaviour and welfare of pupils by: – ensuring that the school’s systems to manage pupils’ behaviour effectively are consistently applied by all staff – urgently improving the attendance of all pupils, including those pupils who are disadvantaged, and reducing the number of pupils who are regularly absent.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve leadership and management by: – prioritising the actions which will have most impact on the rapid improvement of pupils’ learning and progress – developing leaders’ skills in using school information to identify the need for further actions so that improvements can be made quickly and effectively.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

 The appointment of a new headteacher towards the end of the previous academic year has been key to strengthening the leadership of the school at all levels. Changes and appointments in leadership have begun to have the desired impact in making the necessary improvements which will make a difference to the achievement of pupils. However, this is a relatively recent change and the levels of impact of these actions are variable and many of the required improvements are at a very early stage.  Until the appointment of a new headteacher, leaders had not successfully prioritised their actions in order to have a rapid enough impact on the achievement of pupils and, as a result, pupils have continued to fall behind others nationally who have similar starting points.  Methods of presenting useful school information to leaders and governors have been refined and improved recently. However, there are still school leaders who require

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

more support to develop and improve their understanding of how they can best use this information to inform and prioritise their actions.  Middle leadership across the school continues to develop. Leadership in both mathematics and science has lacked stability in recent times. However, leadership appointments in these subjects have been made and are expected to be in place for the new academic year.  Leaders have established a rigorous system to monitor and improve the quality of teaching and learning but it remains variable. Teaching and learning are not consistently strong enough in English, mathematics and science to enable pupils, including those pupils who are disadvantaged, to make good progress.  School leaders are working hard to improve the attendance of those pupils who are too often absent from school. However, there remains much work to do. A significant number of those pupils who are disadvantaged do not have good attendance or are

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

persistently absent from school.  Professional development is valued by the staff and they report that there have been improvements in the programme of training recently. Staff talk positively about the induction programmes for new staff and opportunities to take part in both internal and external professional development courses which are aimed at improving their practice.  Leaders are constantly developing the curriculum so that it meets the needs of pupils and students. They have introduced a range of applied and vocational subjects in key stage 4, which pupils are keen to engage with. In addition, they have also ensured that those pupils who stay on into the school’s sixth form are given improved advice and guidance so that they choose the courses which will help them to meet their ambitions after they have left the school.  Leaders have a realistic view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The

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Effectiveness of leadership and management Requires improvement

majority of their self-evaluations are accurate and, consequently, this allows them to identify, with confidence, important areas for improvement.

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Governance of the school

 Governors and trustees have a passion to improve the school further and do the very best they can for its pupils and students. They are now able to hold school leaders to account more effectively than they were in the past, due to the improvements in the quality of information which leaders now present to them.  The school works closely with other schools in the trust and receives support from the trust to develop policies and practice. This work is beginning to have an impact in a number of areas of the school’s work.

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Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.  The trust and school leaders are proud of the policies and procedures which are adopted and embedded, and which keep pupils safe. They are right to be so; they are rigorous and well established. There is a culture of safeguarding across staff and pupils alike.  A significant number of pupils are enrolled on courses which are applied and/or vocational, which they access through alternative provision. In all cases, the school ensures that pupils’ progress, behaviour and attendance are closely monitored and in line with the school’s safeguarding procedures.  The register which records all the necessary checks on the suitability of staff and visitors to work with children is comprehensive and compliant.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

 The quality of teaching and learning across the school is inconsistent and variable. While there are strong features in some areas, such as in the humanities subjects, physical education, technology and the creative subjects, there are significant inconsistencies in English, mathematics and science. It is in these subjects where a significant number of pupils do not make the progress they are capable of.  Leaders have developed a rigorous system to monitor the quality of teaching and learning and, as a result, they are aware of the weaknesses and strengths across the school. However, improvements in those areas which require it have been slow to materialise and, consequently, teaching and learning require further improvement.  Through the school’s approach to developing the skills of teachers, teachers’ subject knowledge is now a strong feature, as is the ability of teachers to structure planning

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

for learning effectively. Despite this, pupils are not always provided with tasks which stretch and challenge them sufficiently so that they make the strong progress they are capable of.  The expectations which teachers have of pupils, including those pupils who are most able, is inconsistent across and within subjects. In science, for example, inspectors observed poor-quality, missing and incomplete work which remained unchallenged and unchecked. Furthermore, in the workbooks of pupils from the same teaching groups, work of a very high quality was also observed, suggesting that the quality of work produced and the progress which pupils make are reliant upon the pupils’ self- motivation alone.  Particularly in English, mathematics and science, many pupils who are disadvantaged and/or with SEND are not sufficiently challenged to deepen their learning. Additionally, the expectations of these pupils to complete work to an acceptable standard is

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Requires improvement

inconsistent. Consequently, these pupils do not make the progress they should in these subjects.  Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive overall. However, a minority of pupils are easily disengaged from learning and can be disruptive to the learning of others. Staff and pupils also report that a significant minority of pupils sometimes disrupt lessons through their behaviour on the corridors during lesson times.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils are polite and respectful towards their peers, staff and visitors. They wear their uniform in line with the school’s expectations. Inspectors observed a calm environment during social times throughout the two days of inspection.  The school currently provides personal development and welfare programmes through the curriculum. The programmes are comprehensive and very well considered, covering important issues which are closely aligned to any local issues or pressures which pupils may be subjected to.  Inspectors observed several form tutor sessions, which were consistent in the content being delivered across each year group. Pupils were given tasks relating to developing numeracy skills and careers information, for example.  Pupils report that where bullying does occur, they are satisfied that, more often than

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Personal development and welfare

not, bullying issues are resolved quickly before they escalate further. Pupils were particularly positive about the role of the pastoral teams who support them and who have a responsibility for monitoring the well-being of pupils.  Pupils report that they feel safe in the school. They are clear about who they should go to for support and are complimentary about the effectiveness of the staff and how they deal with pupils’ problems.  Pupils also report, however, that derogatory language remains a problem and is not always challenged effectively by staff.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Most pupils have positive attitudes to learning. However, pupils and staff report that a minority of pupils are regularly disruptive and compromise the learning of others as a result.  Despite the hard work of school leaders, the attendance of pupils has declined during the last academic year. A re-energised attendance team, including new senior leadership, has put into place a wide range of strategies and actions since early 2019. It is too early to see any long-term impact of these actions.  Fixed-term exclusions have risen sharply during this academic year. Leaders explain that this is due to the raising of expectations in teaching and learning. Although this explanation has merit when considering the changes leaders have made, the impact on improving teaching, learning and the progress of pupils is not so clear to see when considering inspection evidence.

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Behaviour

 Pupils and staff report that the school’s systems for managing the behaviour of pupils in lessons and around the school are not consistently applied by all staff. Consequently, the behaviour of pupils is not consistently good.  Leaders accept that both the attendance and behaviour of pupils require improvement. They have taken action and are taking additional actions, which are appropriate, to improve both of these areas further.

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

 Typically, pupils enter the school with standards of attainment which are below the national averages. In the recent past, many pupils have left the school making less progress than their peers do nationally, who have similar starting points.  In the past, the progress of pupils in English, mathematics, science and languages has been weaker than that of other pupils nationally, who have similar starting points. Over the past three years, although the progress of pupils has improved, it has done so at a much slower rate than could be reasonably expected.  The progress pupils make in mathematics remains a concern when compared to the progress pupils make nationally who have similar starting points. It is considerably weaker than their progress in English, for example, and requires greater improvement.  Those pupils who are disadvantaged and those with SEND make weaker progress than other pupils who have similar starting points. These pupils are now making some

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Outcomes for pupils Requires improvement

improved progress, although at a slower rate than others in the school. They still do not make the progress other pupils make nationally who have similar starting points.  Pupils make good progress in the humanities, physical education, technology and creative subjects as a result of more effective teaching and learning.  Pupils move on to appropriate destinations for the next stage of their lives, in line with the national average.

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

 Leadership of the sixth form is good. Leaders have an accurate view of the current strengths and areas which need further improvement in the sixth-form provision. Leaders monitor the progress of students closely and put into place any interventions which are required if students fall behind others who have similar starting points.  In the past, students were not always on programmes of study which accurately met their needs. The quality of information, advice and guidance for those joining the sixth form has now been much improved. Consequently, students are placed on those programmes which give them the best chances of success and achievement and are appropriate for their chosen career pathways.  The quality of teaching and learning in the sixth form is now closely monitored as part of the school’s quality assurance systems. Consequently, the quality of teaching and learning is improving and is now more consistent. However, there remains some

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

variability within and across subjects.  The progress students are making is improving further. Students in the sixth form make progress which is at least in line with, or better than, the progress other students make nationally, who have similar starting points.  Students report they receive high-quality advice and guidance when choosing subjects to study and when making decisions about future learning and career routes. They are also offered opportunities to develop their employability skills through work experience, and through the personal development programmes the school offers them. Students are now securing the learning, training and employment pathways of their choice when they leave the school, which is an improvement from the recent past.  The attendance of students in the sixth form has much improved since the previous academic year. New systems to contact those who are absent are in place and both the

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16 to 19 study programmes Good

attendance and punctuality of students is closely monitored. Students report that expectations in terms of their attendance, behaviour and progress have risen considerably since the beginning of this academic year.  Students feel safe in the school. They have welcomed the move into the new building. They benefit from a personal development programme which prepares them well for life in modern Britain, including a focus on community and national issues through a series of visiting speakers, visits and discussion groups.

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School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,557

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School details

Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Appropriate authority Board of trustees

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School details

Email address office@beckfootoakbank.org

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school is larger than the average-sized secondary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than average.  The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average. The proportion who have an education, health and care plan is below average.  The majority of pupils are from White British heritage backgrounds.  The large majority of pupils speak English as a first language.  A significant number of pupils attend Pipeline and Tracks alternative provision, which offer vocational and applied curriculum subjects.  The school is a member of the Beckfoot Multi-Academy Trust.  The school receives support from leaders and partner schools within the trust.  Responsibility for the school rests with trustees who delegate some powers to the local governing board. The academy trust website and scheme of delegation can be found at www.beckfoottrust.org/ .

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in 50 lessons and several form tutor sessions, some jointly with senior leaders.  Discussions were held with senior and middle leaders, other staff and representatives from the trust.  The lead inspector met with the chief executive officer of the Beckfoot Multi-Academy Trust along with the chair of trustees and members of the local governing body.  Inspectors looked at pupils’ work in lessons and a sample of pupils’ workbooks.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour before school, during lessons, around school, during form tutor sessions, at breaktime and at lunchtime.  Inspectors held discussions with the managers of the Tracks alternative provision.  Inspectors spoke with pupils in discussion groups and informally around school.  Inspectors scrutinised a wide range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation, its improvement plans, information about the attainment and progress of all

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Information about this inspection

pupils, records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding and information on the school’s website.  Inspectors considered the 64 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View, including the 57 free-text responses. Inspectors also considered the 101 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Barry Found, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Carl Sugden Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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