A Brighton school was celebrating a remarkable success story today (Thursday 12 June) as it was rated good by the education watchdog Ofsted in an inspection report.
Just three years ago the Brighton Aldridge Community Academy (BACA) was rated inadequate and placed in “special measures”.
BACA principal Jack Davies was appointed to turn the school around and today he said: “To say we’re proud is an understatement.
“This is a huge achievement and a testament to the hard work, resilience and belief of our entire BACA community.
“BACA really is a school where everyone can thrive and achieve. It’s something we’ve believed for a long time and it’s brilliant to have that recognised externally too.
“We hope this result is seen by our school’s families as a real endorsement of the brilliant all-round education that students are receiving – and that it inspires prospective students to come and see everything BACA has to offer.”
The school, which is run by the Aldridge Education multi-academy trust, has 813 pupils, with 123 of those in the sixth form. The trust also runs the Portslade Aldridge Community Academy (PACA).
A team of four Ofsted inspector spent two days at the school in late April and said that the quality of education, personal development, behaviour and attitudes and the leadership and management were all good. The sixth form was given the same good grade.
The report said: “The school provides a welcoming environment for pupils. It is ambitious for all, setting challenging expectations. Pupils have positive attitudes to learning. Most work hard to meet those expectations and to be ready for the next step in their lives and learning.
“Pupils have access to a wide range of subjects to build important skills and develop their interests. They like the broad sporting opportunities in the main school and the sixth form.
“This includes links to Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club, Sussex Cricket and the Russell Martin Academy, which feed into the school’s sporting academies.
“The school offers many extra-curricular options. Pupils value the ‘BACA 100’ list of things to do at the school. Very strong links with the local community extend well beyond sport, for example, giving pupils opportunities to work with employers in the city.
“Close support for pupils’ welfare is an important feature of school life. Pupils feel safe. The school goes to great lengths to ensure pupils have a trusted adult. Pupils say they are confident to talk with staff if they have any concerns.
“Effective guidance for those who require help to behave well means they usually get back on track. Parents are very positive about the improvements in their children’s experiences at the school.”
The report also said: “The school has continued its effective improvement drive since the last inspection, focusing its efforts on the most important weaknesses.
“The school has provided the right training and development for staff. This has led to clear improvements in key areas of the school’s work.
“The quality of education has improved so that pupils’ learning builds securely on what they know. As a result, they are now achieving well in subjects across the curriculum.
“Leaders and staff are ambitious to do more. They are taking the right action to ensure that pupils’ current levels of achievement are fully reflected in their GCSE results.
“Staff feel well supported, including those new to teaching (and) the school works hard to engage with groups such as parents and carers.
“The school offers an ambitious curriculum. Vocational subjects … are popular with pupils. The school … offers a wide range of modern foreign language options where past numbers have been lower.
“The school has worked hard to sharpen how new learning is explained to pupils and the effectiveness of teachers’ checks on how well pupils have understood it.
“This is much improved so that staff typically correct any misunderstandings. However, a few occasions remain where staff do not identify when pupils’ understanding is less secure and tackle it.”
The report added: “The school identifies effectively any pupils who need support to read well. This includes through close work with primary schools when pupils join.
“The right support is provided so that pupils catch up. The school has improved how reading is supported in day-to-day lessons, so this now helps build pupils’ confidence.
“Effective training for staff has honed their support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). On most occasions, staff make good use of information about these pupils to adapt activities and support their achievement.
“While this is much more consistent than in the past, there remain occasional instances when activities are not suitably tailored to match pupils’ needs.
“The school ensures that support for pupils with education and health care plans, including those who attend the Swan Centre, continues to be a strength. It is precisely focused on what they need.
“The school has refined its approach to managing pupils’ behaviour. Staff are well supported to apply the school’s high expectations consistently. Pupils respond well to the system of consequences and rewards.
“This has sharply reduced the number of behavioural incidents and suspensions. Disruptions to learning are rare. Staff usually manage low-level disruption well. Sixth-form students behave very well and provide a positive model to others.
“The school has a clear focus on pupils’ attendance, especially among more vulnerable pupils. Although figures remain below the national average, the school has reduced overall absence effectively and the numbers of pupils who regularly miss school.
“Staff support pupils with poor attendance tenaciously so that these pupils’ attendance improves. However, the school is not always effective in identifying any pupils whose attendance is becoming a concern early enough. This means action to avoid poor attendance could be even more effective.
“A well-planned programme supports pupils’ personal development. The school has worked hard to build an aspirational culture.
“The school’s major focus on sport means it is a significant element of the school’s character. Pupils like this.
“The school offers good leadership opportunities for pupils, for example, as prefects or leaders on climate awareness.”
Aldridge Education chief executive Jane Fletcher said: “We’re really pleased with the result of this inspection.
“The resilience and commitment of BACA’s team has shone through and this is a proud day for all involved.
“What is so clear to me is that the Aldridge values are present from the moment you walk through the doors of BACA.
“Everyone is welcome – no one is left behind – and there is a real sense of focused and engaging learning going on in every classroom.
“That’s what makes an Aldridge school and we’re looking forward to supporting BACA to go from strength to strength.”
The deputy leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, Jacob Taylor, also praised the school. Councillor Taylor represents Moulsecoomb and Bevendean ward where many of BACA’s pupils live.
He said: “This is fantastic news for everybody involved with the school and a reflection of the huge amount of work that Jack and his team have done in recent years.”
Mr Davies said in a letter to parents and carers: “Today feels like the culmination of lots of hard work, and we’re all really proud.
“We hope you will share in that pride too, because you are absolutely part of our school team and without your support and help, BACA wouldn’t be the school it is today.”
He praised “the incredible commitment our staff show every day, the extra time and effort they give without ever being asked (and) the fantastic learning happening in classrooms and beyond”.
He added: “We also know that, while today we’re celebrating, it’s still business as usual because this is just another step in our journey.
“We’re not done yet. There’s always more to be done and we certainly cannot become complacent.
“A final thought from me: our school motto is: ‘Believe you can.’ We instil that in every student that walks through our doors.
“I am proud to say it’s instilled in our staff too. We all believed we could – and we did. And we think that’s the best possible example we can set for our students.”
