Beckfoot Oakbank

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' behaviour is poor during social times and on corridors.

Too many pupils miss important learning as they opt out of lessons and wander around the building. The school has introduced recent strategies to address this, but these are not currently having the desired impact. A significant minority of pupils do not treat staff or peers with respect.

These incidents are not consistently addressed by staff. As a result, pupils say they feel less safe during these times.

Most pupils have an adult they can speak with if they have concerns.

When bullying occurs, the school takes appropriate action to address it.

The school has improved the qual...ity of education that pupils receive. Pupils focus on their learning in class.

Pupils recognise these improvements. The school has increased the ambition of the curriculum that pupils follow. More pupils study a full range of academic subjects than at the time of the last full inspection.

Pupils say that some changes have helped them to get more out of lessons. However, pupils do not achieve well. Published GCSE outcomes in 2024 were poor, particularly for pupils with low attendance.

There is still more to do to ensure that pupils in Years 7 to 11 are well prepared for the next stages of their education.

Students in the sixth form enjoy their experience. They progress well from their starting points.

They have clear aspirations for their future careers.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has made positive changes to the curriculum since the last full inspection. The school has identified the key knowledge that pupils should remember.

Adults demonstrate how pupils should approach independent tasks. This helps pupils understand how to respond to the tasks set. The school checks what pupils have remembered.

However, misconceptions are sometimes not addressed. This is particularly the case for the significant proportion of pupils who have missed learning over time and have gaps in their knowledge.

The school has developed and embedded a consistent structure to lessons, known as the 'Oakbank Way'.

The school identifies key features of the lesson, known as 'active ingredients'. This ensures that pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience a consistent approach throughout the day.However, sometimes, the support identified on pupils' individual plans is not provided.

This means that pupils with SEND do not achieve as well as they should.

A significant minority of pupils do not meet the school's expectations of behaviour. Too many pupils spend vital lesson time out of class and wandering in corridors.

This disrupts learning. The school has made recent changes to its behaviour management approach. However, this strategy is not having a positive impact on behaviour outside the classroom and at unstructured times.

The changes have not been implemented fast enough. Recent changes are still to be evaluated by the school. Therefore, weaknesses have remained unresolved.

Pupils read a range of interesting books. This is helping pupils develop an enjoyment of reading. The school identifies pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read.

Those who need extra support receive this from trained adults. Support such as phonics teaching is helping pupils develop their reading fluency.

Students in sixth form have a positive experience.

They benefit from a well-designed curriculum and progress well. Students can recall and apply their learning over time. Students benefit from the positive relationships they have with adults in the school.

They value the care they receive. This helps students feel supported during their time in sixth form.

The school's work to improve pupils' attendance is having limited impact.

Too many pupils have high levels of absence. They miss out on valuable learning opportunities. Those with SEND or who are disadvantaged are more likely to be absent from school than their peers.

There is an improvement in attendance for some of those who are persistently absent from school.

The curriculum extends beyond the academic. However, some pupils lack understanding about different faiths and cultures.

They do not understand important concepts such as the protected characteristics. This limits pupils' ability to empathise with others. The school supports pupils to develop their leadership skills.

Students in the sixth form help pupils in younger classes. Pupils in Years 7 to 11 take on roles in the school council, such as supporting charities. These experiences help pupils develop a sense of responsibility.

The school develops pupils' understanding of different careers. Pupils enjoy visits from different speakers who talk about their work. This helps pupils understand the job opportunities they might pursue in the future.

Students in the sixth form benefit from the guidance they receive. They understand the different options available to them when they leave school.

The school and those responsible for governance have not acted decisively enough to tackle weaknesses in pupils' behaviour outside of the classroom or to encourage pupils to attend school well.

However, trustees have provided some effective challenge, particularly around the quality of education. They have added capacity to the leadership of the school. This has had some positive impact.

Many staff recognise that their workload and well-being matter. They say they are valued by leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not successfully embedded changes to behaviour systems. This means that the behaviour of pupils during unstructured times has not been challenged sufficiently over time and remains a concern. The school must carefully embed, monitor and evaluate changes so that it is clear about which aspects are improving and which need increased focus.

• Pupils' behaviour during unstructured times, and on the corridor when they opt out of lessons, is poor. This disrupts pupils' learning and makes others feel less safe in school. The school must ensure that the behaviour policy is applied consistently and understood by all members of the school community.

• Some pupils do not attend school often enough, especially those with SEND or those in receipt of the pupil premium. This means that these pupils develop gaps in their knowledge and do not achieve as well as they should. The school must intensify its actions to improve attendance by working with external agencies and parents and carers.

• The school does not address gaps in pupils' knowledge, especially if they have missed lessons. This means pupils do not achieve as well as they should. Leaders should develop systems to check pupils' understanding of their learning and ensure that gaps in knowledge are closed.

• There are inconsistencies in how well the needs of pupils with SEND are met. These pupils do not get the help they need in some lessons. The school should ensure that support for pupils with SEND is accurately identified and consistently provided by all staff.

• The school's work to promote respect for others and awareness of difference is not sufficiently developed. Some pupils do not show respect for others. The school should ensure that pupils understand the importance of respect and tolerance as part of their preparation for life in modern Britain.