Bruntcliffe Academy Morley: Ofsted full of praise for Leeds school with 'high expectations' of pupils
Ofsted inspectors were full of praise for a south Leeds academy during a recent inspection.
Bruntcliffe Academy, located on Bruntcliffe Lane, Morley, was rated Good across all four inspected categories - quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.
The academy, part of the GORSE Academies Trust, continues to build on successful inspections in both 2018 and 2023.
Ofsted inspectors said: “Pupils are taught to have pride in themselves at this school. They learn and represent the school’s core values of productivity, community, integrity, inclusivity and ambition.
“The school has high expectations of all pupils. Pupils take pride in their work. They talk knowledgeably about what they have learned. They achieve highly.”
Most pupils are “polite and behave sensibly,” any pupils misbehaving or caught bullying are “dealt with quickly” by staff.
The school provides a “consistently high quality curriculum,” ensuring that important knowledge and skills are precisely identified and developed, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Focusing on areas of further improvement, the education watchdog added: “The implementation of the curriculum is inconsistent. Some lessons lack consistent application of agreed pedagogical methods that help pupils know and remember more. This limits the progress that some pupils make through the curriculum.
“A significant number of pupils are persistently absent. This limits their ability to make progress through the curriculum. The school should further develop relationships with the community and improve the attendance of all pupils.”
Pupils revisit topics regularly and are “challenged to recall prior learning.” This helps them to know more and remember more. The school ensures that the curriculum meets the needs of all pupils.
Some parents and carers at Bruntcliffe “expressed concerns about the impact of changing leadership.” The school now has stable leadership and there is “demonstrable improvement” across all areas of the school.