Bradford Academy

Inspection of Bradford Academy Teasdale Street, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD4 7QJ

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 January 2023

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Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Requires improvement Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Sixth-form provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 11 and 12 January 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

The educational experiences that pupils receive at Bradford Academy are mixed. In some areas of the school, there are inconsistencies in the quality of education. In some subjects, the curriculum is not ambitious enough. It is not sequenced in a way that helps pupils to develop their knowledge over time.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe in school and know who to speak to if something is worrying them. However, some pupils feel like their concerns are not sufficiently acknowledged by leaders. Some pupils told inspectors that low-level disruption interrupts their learning and that fights between pupils in the secondary phase happen too frequently. Pupils say that when incidents of bullying occur, some instances are dealt with more effectively than others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Bradford Academy plays an important role in the community. Leaders know their pupils well. This means that they build strong relationships with pupils’ families during their time in school. The distinct Christian ethos means that the school is an inclusive place. Staff work tirelessly to support the most vulnerable pupils.

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better?

The quality of education that pupils receive in different subjects and phases is variable. In some subjects, primary and secondary leaders work closely together to plan the curriculum. However, in too many other subjects, the curriculum does not build on what pupils already know. In some instances, the way the curriculum is taught does not help pupils to learn and remember the most important content. This means that in some subjects, such as science and design and technology, pupils cannot build well enough on their previous learning. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported through the curriculum. Teachers are given and use clear information on how to meet pupils’ needs.

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better?

In some areas of the curriculum, assessment has been carefully considered. However, this is not consistent across the different key stages that subjects cover. In some subjects, such as English in the secondary phase and history and phonics in the primary phase, leaders and staff use assessment well. It allows staff to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills. However, this is inconsistent, and assessment does not identify what pupils know in other subjects. This means that some gaps in pupils’ knowledge and understanding remain.

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better?

Leaders have focused on developing a culture of reading right from when children join the school. There is more work to do to implement this effectively across all key stages. Well-trained staff ensure a consistent approach to how pupils learn to read and write in the primary phase. Younger pupils who need additional help benefit from effective support. The support for older pupils who are at the early stages of reading is inconsistent. Their needs are not identified accurately enough. 11 and 12 January 2023

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In the primary phase and some secondary subjects, pupils have positive attitudes in lessons and follow the school’s behaviour system. However, there are too many incidents of poor behaviour for secondary-aged pupils, which disrupts the daily life of the school. Pupils have to be removed from lessons too often, and leaders are not doing enough to reduce the incidents that interrupt learning. Those pupils who are at risk of permanent exclusion or display the most challenging behaviour are well supported in the school’s ‘Reset’ provision.

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The curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) is not coherently planned across the school. Leaders do not monitor the quality of these lessons closely enough. As a result, the delivery of the PSHE lessons varies in quality. This means that some pupils are not taught as well as others about life in modern Britain. Some could be underprepared for life in modern Britain.

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Leaders have established a programme of careers information, education, advice and guidance. All pupils receive independent advice and guidance, and the school is compliant with the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 7 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.

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Staff in the early years have created an environment that supports children’s needs. The relationships between adults and children are strong. Children show positive attitudes toward their learning. The curriculum identifies the most important knowledge that children need to learn to be ready for the next stage of their education. Teachers deliver it well. Some children, however, are not as secure in this knowledge as they need to be before accessing independent learning.

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Students in the sixth form, including those with SEND, have a curriculum that meets their needs. Teachers have secure subject knowledge. Students use technical vocabulary when answering questions or taking part in discussions. Students’ wider personal development is well considered. They have opportunities to work with younger pupils to develop their leadership skills. The support for students taking GCSE English and mathematics, however, is weak. It does not focus sufficiently on the key content that students struggle with. This means that it takes some students much longer to achieve a pass.

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Leaders, including those responsible for governance, recognise the important role the school plays in the school community. Leaders have faced additional challenges after the pandemic. However, the actions leaders take to improve the school are not always based on careful analysis of the information available to them. This means that they do not always focus on the right things. As a result, the quality of provision varies across the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 11 and 12 January 2023

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Leaders ensure that staff are well trained in safeguarding. It is seen as everyone’s responsibility. All staff know how to report concerns. Leaders have a strong awareness of the local context and safeguarding issues. The necessary checks on adults who work at the school are carried out diligently.

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Leaders have ensured that pastoral, attendance and safeguarding staff in the school communicate effectively to keep pupils safe. Leaders keep accurate records of the actions they have taken to support the most vulnerable pupils.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the curriculum is not ambitious enough or well planned. Some pupils miss out on acquiring crucial knowledge. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should review subjects where this is the case and ensure that the curriculum is ambitious and is sequenced effectively to support pupils to build cumulative knowledge over time.  The implementation of the curriculum in some subjects is not as effective as others. Subject matter is not presented clearly enough, and teaching does not support pupils to build a deep body of knowledge. Leaders need to ensure that teaching is effective that and teachers choose the most appropriate methods to help pupils follow the curriculum.  Leaders do not have high enough expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct in the secondary phase. Low-level behaviours permeate across the school. As a result, in some lessons and around the school, the environment is not positive.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders should identify the root cause of weaker behaviours and develop and monitor strategies that are consistently implemented by all staff.  Leaders are not analysing and interpreting the information that is available to them effectively. This means that school priorities are not always based on the right things. Leaders need to carry out thorough and accurate analysis of information to identify school priorities.  In the sixth form, the provision for those pupils resitting English and mathematics is weak. Students do not receive enough targeted support. Leaders should ensure that students receive the targeted support they need to improve their English and mathematical skills so that they can pass their exam sooner.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection. 11 and 12 January 2023

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The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

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. 11 and 12 January 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255672 Type of school All-through

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provision

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,766

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sixth form

Date of previous inspection 29 November 2017

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered alternative providers.  The school has not yet received a section 48 inspection in accordance with the Education Act for schools of a religious character.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, history, design and technology, science and early reading. As part of the deep dives, inspectors visited lessons, reviewed curriculum plans and spoke with curriculum leaders and teachers. They 11 and 12 January 2023

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also talked to pupils about their learning, looked at the work they have completed and listened to pupils read.  In addition, inspectors looked at curriculum plans and discussed assessment in mathematics and physical education.  Inspectors met with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinators, spoke to pupils with SEND, reviewed plans to support these pupils and visited lessons to see how pupils with SEND are supported to learn.  Inspectors met with the leader responsible for reading to discuss how reading is promoted in the school.  Inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leads and reviewed a range of documentation, including safeguarding records and policies, to ensure that appropriate actions are being taken to keep children safe.  Inspectors considered the views of pupils, parents and staff through Ofsted surveys.  Inspectors scrutinised the school’s records of bullying, reviewed the actions

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leaders take when bullying occurs and spoke to several groups of pupils, including some single-gender groups, to understand their experience of school.  Inspectors met leaders to discuss pupils’ behaviour and reviewed the school’s data on suspensions, internal suspensions and permanent exclusion. They visited the restoration room and Reset provision and spoke to pupils about their views on behaviour.  Inspectors met with representatives from the local governing body and spoke to representatives from the diocese.  Inspectors scrutinised records relating to attendance.

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Inspection team

Stuart Voyce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Philippa Kermotschuk His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Debbie Redshaw His Majesty’s Inspector 11 and 12 January 2023

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regulates and inspects to 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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