Beckfoot Oakbank School 'remains inadequate' - Ofsted

After a visit last November, it was revealed in that Beckfoot Oakbank School, in Oakworth Road, Keighley, had been given the lowest rating by the education watchdog.

This remained the case six months later when inspectors returned to the school - which provides education for 1,568 students - on May 11.

A report published on June 28 said: "Beckfoot Oakbank remains inadequate and has serious weaknesses".

It added: "Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is necessary for the category of concern to be removed."

In the last report, behaviour was highlighted as an issue and it was revealed more than 130 pupils were removed from lessons in one day.

The monitoring visit indicated the school was working to reduce these numbers.

The report said: "The actions you have taken to improve behaviour demonstrate a positive impact. Suspensions and removals from lessons are reducing over time.

"When a pupil is removed from a lesson, they are taken to the internal inclusion unit.

"Your staff provide work for these pupils to complete.

"However, there is inconsistency in how well the learning that staff provide meets pupils’ individual needs.

"Some pupils do not complete the work or do not complete it to an acceptable standard."

The report added: "Teachers address pupils’ poor behaviour confidently. Behaviour is beginning to improve.

"While some pupils are aware that the culture in school is starting to change, many think the school remains the same.

"There is further work to do to make sure changes are having a sufficient impact to change pupils’ perceptions of behaviour at school."

The school recognised greater leadership capacity was needed and the Beckfoot Trust created an Interim Oversight Committee , which is composed of highly experienced leaders from other multi-academy trusts. 

The inspector highlighted how leaders at the school made the decision to extend the school day since Ofsted's last visit.

The report said: "Your quality assurance processes are well developed. These help to measure the impact of recent staff training. They are pointing to improvements in teachers’ practice.

"Your action planning towards pupils’ receiving a good quality of education is clear and focused. You are addressing the next steps identified in the previous inspection report."

A spokesperson for the school said: "We were pleased with the positive feedback at the Ofsted ungraded monitoring visit, and that the inspector recognised that the school's pace of improvement is sufficient for it to be removed from a category at a later date. 

"We have taken significant steps in recent months to address Ofsted's comments about the school, and we remain committed to ensuring there are robust plans in place to drive forward further improvement and at pace.

"We are pleased that our action plan and quality assurance processes were recognised by Ofsted as having an impact.

"As the inspector noted, our plans are clear and focussed and we are working to measurable milestones to expedite improvement and positive change.   

"We are also pleased that Ofsted has recognised leaders have made progress to improve the school, and that Trustees have tight oversight of the school through the introduction of an Interim Oversight Committee.

“We fully recognise there is more to do and as Ofsted has noted, the areas for further improvement are stated in our action planning.

"We are continuing to work on creating a strong curriculum and addressing the poor behaviour of a minority of students.

"As the inspector noted, our strategy is having an impact. We are committed to high standards for all.

"Thank you to the many parents who have supported us in bringing about necessary change.

"We want to reassure our whole community that we will be working tirelessly to implement our action plan to bring about further rapid change as we continue our journey of improvement."