Bradford school is described as 'exceptional' in Ofsted report

A BRADFORD secondary school continues to be 'outstanding'.

Dixons Kings Academy, on Northside Road, Lidget Green, was inspected by education watchdog Ofsted on April 17 and 18.

It was the first ungraded inspection since Ofsted judged the school to be 'outstanding' in January 2017.

The report said: "Pupils achieve remarkably well at this exceptional school.

"Leaders have extremely high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and for the academic progress they will make.

Richard Wilson, principal of Dixons Kings Academy (Image: Dixons Kings Academy)

"As a result, their progress and achievement are well above national averages.

"The mission statement of the trust is to ‘challenge educational and social disadvantage in the north’. Dixons Kings is certainly achieving this.

"The behaviour and attitudes of pupils are exemplary. Pupils behave with maturity and respect.

"They are quiet and compliant in lessons and thoroughly engaged in their learning. Pupils feel safe in school.

"The open safeguarding culture means that all pupils know the staff members of the safeguarding team."

Inspectors said support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities is "highly effective".

They added: "The school has a clear behaviour system. Teachers apply the system consistently well.

"This contributes to classrooms being free from low-level disruption.

"Strategies to improve attendance range from whole-school systems to bespoke interventions to support families and pupils.

"These strategies are highly effective. As a result, pupils attend often and the number of pupils who are persistently absent is low.

"The core values of integrity, diligence and civility are woven throughout the curriculum."

Ofsted inspectors added: "Pupils have access to a wide and varied careers programme.

"They are fully prepared for their next steps in education. Pupils speak ambitiously about their future.

"One pupil stated that the school has ‘prepared them for anything they may encounter during their next steps in education’."

In response to the report, a spokesperson for the school said: "We have always been clear that we exist to provide the best education possible to our students and this is what drives us, not Ofsted judgements.

"However, we are pleased that this report recognises our entire school community and the hard work that all our students, staff and families put in to making Dixons Kings an incredible place to teach and learn.

"The report highlighted much of what we already know about our talented students and the support our dedicated staff give them.

"We are excited to continue serving the young people of Bradford and know there is much more to do."