Broadbeck Learning Centre

Inspection of Broadbeck Learning Centre Brearcliffe Drive, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire BD6 2LE

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Inspection dates: 29 April to 1 May 2025

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in this caring school community. They join the school having faced significant challenges. The school prioritises pupils’ well-being and gives them every opportunity to thrive.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School staff work collaboratively with clinical, therapeutic and home staff to help pupils overcome any barriers to their learning. Pupils soon build positive self-esteem, they develop healthy relationships and start to practise ways to manage their emotions and behaviour. Staff support them expertly, giving pupils the time they need to think and express themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand what bullying may look like. They are confident to voice any concerns they may have. The school takes appropriate action in response to the rare incidents that happen.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ academic achievement and social development. Pupils respond to these well. They start to develop a positive mindset to learning and achieve well from their individual starting points. Pupils leave the school well prepared for their future lives.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to pursue their wider interests. For example, every Friday, pupils try out a range of activities, such as ice-skating or adventurous woodland activities. They take on additional leadership responsibilities at the school, such as becoming anti-bullying ambassadors.

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better?

Since the last inspection, the proprietor has strengthened its quality assurance systems and processes. This includes checks on how pupils’ new or historic concerns are listened to and acted upon. The proprietor knows the school well and holds the school accountable for its work to secure any necessary improvements. The school fulfils its statutory duties effectively. All the independent school standards (the standards) are met. The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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better?

The school fosters a culture in which pupils are encouraged to be ambitious and achieve strong academic outcomes. Alongside their academic qualifications, pupils learn how to build healthy relationships and navigate social situations effectively.

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better?

The school has established an ambitious curriculum. Pupils experience a well-sequenced curriculum, which clearly outlines what they will learn, how they will learn it and how their learning will be checked. Pupils have the opportunity to achieve aspirational qualifications, and many go on to do so. Older pupils talk about their learning with maturity. For example, one pupil spoke about local species diversity and distribution following experimenting with a quadrat frame. 29 April to 1 May 2025 Mixed-age classes for the full primary phase means that the school is having to adapt to a wide range of pupils’ diverse needs. While the school ensures that any curriculum changes provide a quality offer for all pupils, the implementation of this offer is not yet checked robustly, nor are any identified actions reviewed effectively for impact. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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better?

The school has worked hard to successfully implement a robust programme to develop the teaching of reading. Those pupils who are at the early stages of reading receive bespoke teaching in phonics. Highly positive relationships with the school’s expert practitioners support pupils’ desire to learn and work hard. The school’s guiding principles of being playful, accepting, curious and empathetic (PACE), have been instrumental in this success. A passion for reading genuinely permeates this school and staff know that this is the key to successful learning.

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better?

The school’s younger pupils are well supported to use their growing phonics knowledge in their writing as part of their English lessons. However, the school does not yet foster the same high expectations in the wider curriculum. In wider subjects, staff transcribe pupils’ ideas or do not expect the same level of written work. This limits pupils’ ability to practise and apply their skills more widely.

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better?

Since the school’s previous inspection, the proprietor has supported it well to ensure that its vision for behaviour is realised. Clinical expertise is used effectively to enhance the professional development of all staff. There is a consistent approach to help pupils in a positive and inclusive environment. Staff have a comprehensive understanding of the individual needs of each student. They implement carefully considered strategies and appropriate interventions.

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better?

Pupils’ attendance is exemplary. The school consistently achieves very high attendance rates. In part, this is due to the support that the school offers to help pupils to feel safe and secure.

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better?

The school delivers a well-organised personal, social and health education (PSHE) programme. A personalised package of relationships and sex education is adapted to meet individual needs and ages. Tailored careers education and guidance make a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development and wider aspirations. The curriculum promotes respect and tolerance, helping pupils understand the importance of equality and valuing individuals regardless of any differences.

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better?

Staff are proud to work at this school. They value the school’s commitment to ongoing professional development; this supports them to refine their practice and build expertise in line with evidence-based research strategies. Staff report that their workload is manageable, that they are well supported and that leaders consider their well-being. They are delighted when the fictitious ‘Director of Tombola’ communicates upcoming staff rewards.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 29 April to 1 May 2025

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Expectations for pupils’ writing across the curriculum are not consistent. Pupils do not have the opportunities they need to practise and apply their knowledge of writing in subjects other than English. The school should ensure that staff have consistent expectations of, and approaches to, the teaching of writing across all subjects so that pupils improve the quality of their writing across the curriculum.  Some of the school’s systems to evaluate the impact of the quality of education on pupils’ learning are in their infancy. This is specifically the case in the school’s recently revised primary curriculum, where identified actions for improvement are not yet being realised effectively. As a result, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that staff have appropriate knowledge to make improvements to the curriculum, where these are needed.

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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.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 29 April to 1 May 2025

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School details

Unique reference number 142784 DfE registration number 380/6013

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School details

Inspection number 10374859 Type of school Other Independent Special School

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School details

Website www.witherslackgroup.co.uk/broadbeck- integrated-therapeutic-provision/ Email address admin@witherslackgroup.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 11 and 12 December 2024 29 April to 1 May 2025

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Information about this school

 Broadbeck Learning Centre is an independent special school for pupils aged 6- to 18-years old. All pupils have social, emotional and mental health needs. Some pupils have a diagnosis of autism or a learning disability. Most pupils have an education, health and care plan, but this is not a requirement for admission.  The school’s registered premises are at Brearcliffe Drive, Buttershaw, Bradford, West Yorkshire, West Yorkshire BD6 2LE.  The school has capacity for 14 pupils and 14 pupils were on roll at the time of the inspection.  The school’s last inspection was in December 2024.  The current headteacher has been in post since June 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  During the inspection, inspectors checked whether the school now meets the independent school standards that it was judged to have failed at its previous emergency inspection on 11 and 12 December 2024.  The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the proprietor, headteacher, members of the school’s leadership team, staff and pupils. The lead inspector met with a representative of the school’s governing board.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and PSHE, including citizenship. For each deep dive, inspectors held

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Information about this inspection

discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 29 April to 1 May 2025  The inspection team considered the views of parents through responses to Ofsted Parent View. Inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through surveys, as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.  Inspectors considered a wide range of evidence to check compliance with the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Marcus Newby, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Sarah Gordon His Majesty’s Inspector 29 April to 1 May 2025 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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