Setting

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

p.1

Andrew Burton Executive Headteacher Beckfoot Oakbank Oakworth Road Keighley West Yorkshire BD22 7DU

p.1

Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Beckfoot Oakbank

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 23 September 2025, 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 first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to have serious weaknesses following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in January 2025.

p.1

Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Beckfoot Oakbank

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision 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.

p.1

Serious weaknesses monitoring inspection of Beckfoot Oakbank

During the inspection, Nikki Heron, His Majesty’s Inspector (HMI) and I met with you, as well as the head of school, other senior leaders, the chief executive officer of the Beckfoot Trust, the vice chair of the trust and members of the interim oversight committee, to discuss 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. We also spoke with pupils and staff, observed behaviour in lessons and social times, visited the school’s internal provision for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs, spoke with leaders about attendance, behaviour, personal development, special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and the quality of education. We considered a range of data and documentation. We have considered all this in coming to our judgement.

p.1

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.

p.1

designation

Since the previous graded inspection, there have been significant changes to the leadership structure of the school. You have been appointed as the new substantive executive headteacher. Five deputy headteachers are now in post. Five associate assistant headteachers have been appointed with a specific remit on behaviour and culture at the school. A new SEND coordinator (SENDCo) has been appointed along with two assistant SENDCos. These new leadership roles increase the school’s capacity to make improvements.

p.2

designation

The focus of this visit was to evaluate the progress that leaders are making to improve behaviour and attitudes of pupils, rates of attendance, the quality of education and the provision for pupils with SEND.

p.2

designation

Leaders have significantly improved the behavioural culture at the school. Pupils now respond to clear routines and expectations. They move around the school site sensibly and transition calmly from social times into lessons. Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is calm. Pupils told us that this is typical of most school days. Some pupils commented that behaviour at social times is sometimes less positive and that there is occasional pushing on corridors. Pupils who have been suspended talk positively about behaviour at school but do not consistently feel that reintegration processes have helped them modify their own behaviour. Pupils told us that bullying is uncommon and that they rarely hear derogatory language. Staff told us that behaviour has greatly improved since the last inspection, and that this has improved their well-being.

p.2

designation

Staff have been trained on a ‘kind and consistent’ approach to managing behaviour at the school. This has had a clear impact. This has been supported through the work of new behavioural and pastoral leaders. Pupils are now receiving fewer sanctions and more rewards for positive behaviour. Pupil suspensions have reduced considerably, as have incidents of internal truancy. Leaders are now interrogating behavioural data and taking thoughtful action to make further improvements. Leaders recognise that there is a need to further reduce suspensions and improve the behavioural climate at social times.

p.2

designation

The school is currently revising its approach to providing staff with information about the needs of pupils with SEND. A new integrated system has been developed, which provides staff with information on pupil needs, adaptations and supporting strategies. This shows promise but has, so far, only recently been introduced with one year group. This means that teachers do not have the full range of information they need to support all pupils with SEND.

p.2

designation

The school’s on-site internal provision (the ‘Captain Tom Moore Centre’) provides an alternative learning environment and support for pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. This provision has recently had notable impact in helping you to reduce the number of permanent exclusions and eliminating the need for alternative provision placements. Pupils at this provision spoke positively about their experience.

p.2

designation

Leaders told us about a ‘hard reset’ on the school’s attendance strategy following the previous inspection. This has involved changes to the culture and expectations of staff at all levels, supported with new information and tracking systems. The school sought expert advice and guidance with the introduction of these systems. As a result, staff now have a more nuanced understanding of attendance trends and data. This helps them to challenge poor attendance and reward pupils’ positive engagement with the school. Leaders have a philosophy that the more they improve provision at the school, the more pupils will want to attend. Leaders are continuing to refine creative ways in which they can support pupils who are persistently or severely absent. There have been some improvements noted in attendance, but leaders know that there is more to do, as too many pupils still miss too many lessons.

p.3

designation

The school has re-launched a learning model to give structure to teaching and learning within lessons. Leaders have recently introduced specific pedagogical strategies, such as the use of mini-whiteboards, to help assess pupil understanding and identify gaps in their knowledge. These strategies are mostly used consistently in lessons and pupils engage well with these approaches. Teachers successfully use techniques, such as retrieval tasks and modelling, to improve pupils’ understanding of vocabulary. The impact of other strategies, such as using specific questioning to build and develop pupil knowledge, are more variable. In some lessons, pupils continue to not be given enough opportunities to respond to questions or share their ideas. As a result, some pupils lack confidence and remain passive in lessons.

p.3

designation

The school has rightly focused on quality assurance of new strategies and establishing consistency across lessons. This has been aided through the reduction of external supply teaching, with lessons now taught by members of internal school staff. Leaders recognise that more work is now needed to secure high-quality teaching, monitoring of pupil progress through the curriculum and precise interventions for pupils with gaps in their knowledge. You are aware that improving outcomes for pupils is a priority for the school.

p.3

designation

Beckfoot Oakbank receives a high level of support, scrutiny and challenge from the trust and other strategic partners. A ‘Rapid Improvement Action Plan’ has been written in consultation with the CEO, an ‘Improvement Strategic Partner’ from a neighbouring multi- academy trust, the ‘Trust Central Improvement Team’ and leaders at the school. This provides clear direction, prioritisation and accountability for school improvement. Staff talk positively about the improvements at the school. They feel supported by leaders and that their workload is manageable. An Interim Oversight Committee comprised of various educational experts, partners and trustees provides robust additional scrutiny and challenge.

p.3

designation

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. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website. Yours sincerely

p.3