Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Liz Hart Headteacher Beckfoot Oakbank Oakworth Road Keighley West Yorkshire BD22 7DU

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Beckfoot Oakbank

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 16 July 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in November 2022.

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Beckfoot Oakbank

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Beckfoot Oakbank

During the inspection, I discussed with you, other senior leaders and the chief executive officer (CEO) of the trust the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. I also reviewed records of visits by the trust, visited lessons, spoke with some members of the Interim Oversight Committee, spoke to pupils and met with some curriculum leaders. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to be no longer judged as having serious weaknesses.

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designation

Since the previous monitoring inspection, you have appointed new members of teaching staff to fill vacancies and reduce the need to use supply staff. These appointments are yet to commence their posts at the time of this inspection.

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The focus of this third monitoring visit was primarily on leaders’ work to improve pupils’ attendance and behaviour and aspects of quality of education.

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The school is taking action to better check how well pupils can read. These checks now identify pupils who need extra help with their reading more quickly than before. These pupils are receiving phonics sessions and help to build their vocabulary. You are taking wider action to promote reading. Tutors read with their form classes. You have thought carefully about the books that pupils read. For example, books explore themes linked to diversity. All English teachers have been trained in phonics delivery to ensure that they can include aspects of this in their lessons when needed. As a result, pupils are becoming increasingly fluent and confident readers who can access the curriculum.

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designation

There are some signs of improvements in behaviour. The school behaviour protocol has been reviewed with invited consultation from all stakeholders. A behaviour curriculum is taught to all pupils, making expectations clear across the school. You have put support in place for pupils who need extra help to manage their behaviour. Further support is provided to pupils at risk of exclusion in the Sir Captain Tom Moore Centre, where pupils receive guidance alongside access to core curriculum work. Rates of suspension for poor behaviour are declining from a peak in the autumn term, but remain high. Pupils state that behaviour in classrooms is generally positive but this can vary depending on the lesson and the teacher. Most pupils say that they do not hear discriminatory or bad language in school. Pupils feel that bullying would be taken seriously in school and is not a widespread problem. Pupils say they feel safe in school and have trusted adults they

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designation

The systems that you have in place to improve attendance are used consistently. You are able to show where your work with individual pupils and families has had led to improvements. You analyse attendance data carefully and are aware of which year groups have lower attendance than others. You continue to work with key groups of pupils to support them to attend school more regularly. Despite this work, attendance remains significantly below the national average. You have plans to launch a school wide focus on attendance, using new material, so that all staff raise the profile of attendance.

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The school’s engagement with stakeholders continues to be a focus. The school invites parents to a regular parental forum and holds various events that parents can attend. This is starting to engage more parents. Some parents have a more positive view about the education and support that their children are receiving than before, but some remain negative. Staff told inspectors that they feel valued and well supported. They feel that their well-being is considered.

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designation

The support from the trust has continued to be clearly targeted. The trust continues to support improvements in the curriculum and is helping to build the expertise of subject leaders. The trust is working with all staff to support the consistent management of behaviour. The Interim Oversight Committee remains in place and ensures that trustees are well informed about the school. You have been proactive in seeking support and work with a number of local initiatives to support improvement, particularly in middle leadership development and behaviour support.

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I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of trustees and the CEO of Beckfoot Trust, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Bradford local authority. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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