School comes out of special measures as inspectors grade it '˜good'

A school that was placed in special measures 18 months ago has been graded '˜good' in its latest Ofsted inspection.
The Mayor of Kirklees Cllr Martny Bolt with ambassadors from BBG Academy,Birkenshaw,at the official opening ceremony.The Mayor of Kirklees Cllr Martny Bolt with ambassadors from BBG Academy,Birkenshaw,at the official opening ceremony.
The Mayor of Kirklees Cllr Martny Bolt with ambassadors from BBG Academy,Birkenshaw,at the official opening ceremony.

BBG Academy in Birkenshaw has turned around its fortunes since being rated ‘inadequate’ by the education watchdog in 2014.

Inspectors, who visited the school last month, said teaching had improved, pupil behaviour was good and all students were making good progress.

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The inspection report said: “Senior leaders and governors are highly ambitious for the pupils at BBG Academy.

BBG Academy.BBG Academy.
BBG Academy.

“Senior leaders have ensured that there is a consistent approach to behaviour management and have rapidly improved the quality of teaching.”

It said attendance had improved and the school had worked hard to reduce the number of fixed-term and permanent exclusions.

Inspectors said: “Pupils, including the most able and those who are disadvantaged, are making good progress across all subjects. This is as a result of effective teaching and the careful tracking of pupil performance.”

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BBG opened in 2013 on the former Birkenshaw Middle School site after a long-running campaign by parents.

BBG Academy.BBG Academy.
BBG Academy.

Members of the community wanted to retain a school on the site, after Kirklees Council announced plans to close Birkenshaw. Their campaign attracted support from David Cameron prior to the 2010 General Election.

Ofsted placed the academy in special measures after the school’s first inspection in October 2014. Inspectors cited badly behaved students, a lack of effective leadership and poor standards of handwriting, spelling and punctuation as some of the main problems.

Since then, the academy has had three monitoring visits and has taken steps to improve the effectiveness of its leadership and management, the quality of its teaching, pupil outcomes and the personal development, behaviour and welfare of its students.

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A statement from the head of school Jason Kenneally on the academy’s website read: “I am very proud to invite you to read the Ofsted report. The outcome of this has seen the BBG Academy, as part of The Rodillian Multi Academy Trust, be removed from Ofsted’s rating of special measures and is now officially judged as good.”

A letter sent to parents added: “We will address the points raised in the report and will continue to develop and improve the quality of provision, opportunity and support for all students.”

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