A SPECIAL school in the Bradford district is "delighted" after being told it has the potential to be Outstanding by Ofsted, in its first inspection since becoming an academy.

Beckfoot Phoenix in Braithwaite Avenue, Keighley was visited by the education watchdog on February 15 and 16.

It is the first time the special primary school, which caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties and profound and complex learning and medical needs, has been inspected since joining the Beckfoot Trust in September 2017.

The inspectors' report said: "Beckfoot Phoenix continues to be a Good school.

"There is enough evidence of improved performance to suggest that the school could be judged Outstanding if the inspectors were to carry out a section 5 inspection now."

The school was rated Good in June 2016 before changing to an academy and Ofsted usually will visit a setting every four years then, to confirm it remains at that level.

These visits (a section 8) are not graded, but if there is evidence the school might now receive a higher or lower grade, its next inspection (a section 5) will allow that rating to change.

Beckfoot Phoenix had 103 pupils between the ages of three and 11 on its school roll at the time of inspection.

Its motto is "learning lots, making memories and being brilliant" and Ofsted feels this accurately describes the school.

Shirley Watson, CEO Beckfoot Trust said: "We are all delighted that during their recent inspection at Beckfoot Phoenix, the HMI’s judgement was that there was enough evidence to suggest that the school could be judged as outstanding if the inspectors were to carry out a section 5 inspection now.

"Reading the Ofsted report for Beckfoot Phoenix is quite simply humbling and as CEO of our Trust, I could not be more proud of the pupils, the staff and their inspirational Headteacher, Rachel Stirland.

"The feedback describes Beckfoot Phoenix in a way that we entirely recognise, as a school of ‘warmth, care and ambition’ and a place where ‘there are no limits to what staff believe their pupils can achieve'.

"In my view, there is no better praise for any school, although I know, that the team at Beckfoot Phoenix do what they do every single day for the children and not for any badge of honour, as lovely as it is to receive one."