Setting

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

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Headteacher Co-op Academy Grange Haycliffe Lane Bradford BD5 9ET

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Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Co-op Academy Grange

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 12 November 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 Co-op Academy Grange

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key judgements, 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 Co-op Academy Grange

During the inspection, I discussed with you, the executive headteacher, the regional director, the chief executive officer (CEO) and the chair of the trust the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also spoke with pupils and staff, observed behaviour during lessons and social times, visited the resource provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, spoke with leaders about attendance, behaviour and personal development. I considered a range of data and documentation. 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 no longer be judged as having serious weaknesses.

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designation

Since the previous monitoring visit, there have been several changes to the leadership structure of the school. You have been appointed as the new headteacher. A new deputy headteacher has been appointed. Various new leadership roles have been created to increase the school’s capacity to make improvements. The focus of my visit was the progress that leaders are making to improve behaviour, attendance and the quality of education. Leaders continue to have high expectations of pupils. Pupils’ behaviour and attendance continue to improve. Pupils now experience greater consistency in terms of lesson structure and expectations. However, many pupils continue to underperform in published examinations and assessments.

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designation

The school has made substantial changes to how the curriculum is designed. Senior leaders have set clear expectations for the quality of the curriculum. They have supported subject leaders to identify the important knowledge that needs to be taught. The school has ensured that methods of assessment are designed to address pupils’ misconceptions.

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designation

The school has taken steps to ensure that there are commonly understood expectations for teaching quality. For example, the school’s ‘climate for learning’ sets out clear routines that are expected in the classroom. Leaders have effective systems for checking the quality of teaching. Teachers receive training that is tailored to their identified development needs. My observations of lessons confirmed that basic expectations of teaching were routinely being met. For example, teachers use retrieval tasks, model concepts and emphasise pupils’ use of correct vocabulary.

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designation

Leaders recognise that more work is needed to develop consistently high-quality teaching. Pupil outcomes at the end of key stage 4 remain low. Leaders are aware that improving outcomes for pupils is a priority for the school.

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designation

The school continues to prioritise improvements to pupil behaviour. The school has further consolidated the behaviour curriculum, methods of tracking pupil behaviour, staff training on behavioural management techniques and the role of a dedicated pastoral team. Pupils are now receiving fewer sanctions. Pupil suspensions have reduced significantly and continue to decrease. Pupils explain the positive impact of the school’s on-site ‘Base and Bridge’ provision in helping them to make positive choices. Pupils who have been suspended talk positively about the support they have received to improve their behaviour. For example, they talk about the impact of intervention programmes such as boxing and ju-jitsu. The school continues to work on addressing internal truancy.

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designation

There is evidence that staff and pupils feel that behaviour is improving. Pupils spoken to during this visit commented that bullying happens rarely and is dealt with effectively when it occurs. They reported feeling safe in school and having trusted adults to talk to about any problems that might occur. Pupils told me that behaviour is generally good in lessons unless they have substitute teachers. My observation of pupils at lunchtime showed that most pupils behave sensibly and are respectful to others. Pupils are tolerant of different cultural and racial backgrounds. However, pupils told me that the same tolerance does not always extend to some other protected characteristics. Pupil attendance and persistent absence have improved significantly. This is particularly notable in younger year groups. However, overall attendance figures are still below local and national values. Some groups of pupils show particularly low attendance. The school

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designation

has made significant investments in new processes, systems, staff and strategies to continue the improving picture with attendance. Leaders analyse attendance data and use this to inform strategies. The school uses various initiatives to engage with the community and educate parents, carers and pupils about the importance of attendance.

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designation

Co-op Academy Grange receives high levels of support and prioritisation from the trust. The trust CEO now chairs the academy intervention board to further accelerate the school’s progress. Trust leaders work closely with school leaders and have a keen understanding of the school’s progress and ongoing needs. Staff talk positively about the improvements at the school. They feel supported by leaders and consider their workload to be manageable.

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designation

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

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