‘Caring’ Batley specialist school celebrates first ‘amazing’ Ofsted report

Becker School, on Ruby Street, was visited by inspectors in July - just 10 months after opening its doors to provide learning for children aged between five and 13 with a diverse range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) - and was judged as ‘good’ in all areas.

The report, which was released on September 23, says:

“Becker School specialises in helping pupils with additional needs thrive. The school focuses on establishing strong relationships, which is evident in how staff and pupils interact. This caring atmosphere builds trust, so pupils feel safe expressing themselves. They share their views through resources, sign language, and talking with adults.

“The school sets ambitious goals for its pupils. High expectations support pupils in making progress. Pupils develop well from their starting points. Tailored approaches to learning help pupils to behave well and to be successful learners.

“Becker School provides tools for staff to support different learning styles. The environment encourages practical, written, and contextual learning, creating a lively experience. Staff understand their pupils well, offering support when needed. This helps pupils refocus and return to tasks with energy. Pupils eat, play and learn together.

“The school’s effort to integrate pupils into the community is positive. Pupils join community outings. This enriches their education and boosts their awareness of the local area. Local police and MPs visit the school. This helps pupils connect with their community. They gain insights and learn about civic responsibility.”

The report adds: “The school meaningfully addresses potential barriers to learning, which supports the school’s aspiration to foster an inclusive environment. It emphasises the unique needs of each pupil and sets a strong foundation for their academic and personal growth.

“The school gathers information on pupils’ progress. This helps plan the next steps in each pupil’s learning journey.

“School leaders value their staff. The school prioritises staff’s well-being, which the team appreciates. Staff enjoy the supportive leaders. The school looks at staff workload and builds in additional personal time for staff at busy times.”

Headteacher Michala Pennington said:

“It feels amazing to have recognition of the ethos and values we strive for here at Becker. Ofsted witnessed how we have adapted our curriculum to meet the unique needs of each and everyone of our pupils, fostering an inclusive environment. It recognises the understanding our staff have of our pupils, our high expectations and how they deliver tailored approaches for the pupils to be successful learners.

“I am so proud of what we have achieved and how far we have come since opening in September last year.”

She added: “Schools like ours are so important because we can offer bespoke learning environments based on individual needs which work at the pace of the pupil, develop and nurture through the interests of the child and help our pupils become successful learners.”

Becker School is hosting an open day on Friday, October 24, in which it is inviting the wider community and local authorities to come and see what the setting provides.

There are also plans to create an outdoor classroom with a link to forest schools, allowing for different activities for the pupils, including therapy through equine-led programmes to develop the communication of the children.