Co-op Academy Beckfield in Bradford underwent an inspection on May 17 and 26, 2022, and received an overall effectiveness rating of requires improvement. The quality of education, behavior and attitudes, leadership and management, and early years provision were all rated as requiring improvement, while personal development was rated as good. The school had not been previously inspected under section five of the Education Act 2005.
Pupils at the school feel safe and have trusted adults to turn to for support. Most pupils express happiness in their school environment. However, behavior among pupils is not as strong as it could be. A new behavior policy implemented in September 2021 is beginning to show positive effects, with pupils understanding the associated sanctions. The school emphasizes the values of the Co-op Academies Trust, including self-responsibility and honesty. While pupils acknowledge that bullying occurs, they believe it is infrequent and trust that staff will address it. Nonetheless, some pupils reported the use of racist language, prompting leaders to design a curriculum that promotes equality and celebrates diversity.
Leaders have high aspirations for their pupils and are committed to providing a high-quality education. The trust is actively supporting the school in its improvement efforts, which is gradually raising expectations for pupil achievement. Since January 2022, the level of support from trust directors has decreased as their confidence in the school's ability to improve has grown.
The school is working on enhancing its curriculum and assessment processes, but the implementation is still in progress, leading to gaps in learning for some pupils. Leaders are aware of these gaps and are taking steps to address them, including re-teaching content missed due to COVID-19. The physical education curriculum is well-designed and enjoyed by pupils. However, the phonics program for teaching reading has inconsistencies, with some staff lacking training in its delivery. Additionally, reading materials do not always align with the sounds pupils are learning, causing difficulties in reading.
In mathematics, a new curriculum is being planned, but it does not adequately build on early years foundations. Support for pupils in mathematics varies due to inconsistent deployment of teaching assistants and incomplete staff knowledge. The early years environment is positive, but the curriculum does not fully align with the early years foundation stage framework, affecting children's preparedness for future learning.
Pupils' behavior has historically been a concern, but the new behavior policy is beginning to yield improvements. However, some pupils still struggle to follow instructions consistently. Communication between the school and parents is identified as an area needing improvement, particularly regarding behavior and bullying. Attendance rates are lower than expected, especially among disadvantaged pupils, although some improvements have been noted with the implementation of a bespoke attendance policy.
Leaders are focused on ensuring that all pupils needing support are included on the special educational needs and disabilities register, and appropriate support is being provided. However, some parents of pupils with SEND have expressed concerns about communication regarding their children's needs.
The leadership at Co-op Academy Beckfield has experienced variability since joining the trust in 2017, with COVID-19 and leadership changes impacting school improvement. Recent changes have led to a more stable leadership structure, allowing for more rapid change. Teachers feel supported and are clear about the school's improvement journey.
The safeguarding arrangements are effective, with staff trained to identify risks and take timely action to support pupils. Pupils are educated on safety, including online dangers and stranger danger.
Overall, while the school has made strides in certain areas, significant work remains to ensure a consistently high-quality education and environment for all pupils.
