Taking steps to a better school
The Principal of a Bradford academy, which was put into special measures by Ofsted last year, says the school has begun to ‘unlock its enormous potential’ as it continues to take ‘effective action’ towards improvements.
Oasis Academy Lister Park is a multi-faith academy located in Bradford for young people aged between 11 and 18.
Following a damning Ofsted report in February 2015, inspectors have this month praised the academy for making ‘considerable change’.
Inspectors reported that the Principal and his senior team provide strong leadership, and are continuing to drive up standards across the school.
Meanwhile, the school has also started to benefit from ‘regular bespoke training for teachers’ which is beginning to make a real difference in the classroom, enabling students to be fully engaged in their lessons.
Commenting on the report, Executive Principal of the Academy, Ian Simpson, says: “Staff are dedicated to their students and have approached all the changes we have made around the Academy with great energy and attitude.
“At Lister Park each student is eager and able to progress thanks to the support and encouragement of their teachers.
“This latest visit from Ofsted is a welcome confirmation of what we at the Academy already know; the changes we are implementing are bringing real, positive and lasting change.”
Inspectors also praised the significant impact made by the academy’s prioritising of academic progress, especially for those in their final GCSE year.
Teachers are said to know their students well, enabling them to plan effective lessons, and are flexible in their implementation so that the young people can secure their understanding of new ideas and practice skills appropriately.
Mr Simpson added: “While there is zero complacency after this report and there is more hard work ahead of us, the staff and students can be rightly proud of what they and their Academy have achieved in recent months.”
Oasis Academy’s ethos is based around nine habits: being compassionate, considerate, patient, forgiving, humble, self-controlled, joyful, honest and hopeful.
Currently working in 10 countries across the world, the school is involved in projects as diverse as helping people trapped in poverty in India to pioneering education in the UK.
