The “most broken school in the country” which waited 11 years for a trust to take it on has been rated ‘good’ in all areas by Ofsted.
After being issued with an academy order in 2011, the Hanson Academy in Bradford was left to endure ‘inadequate’ inspections and saddled with a multi-million-pound deficit as no trust would sponsor it.
But, three years after it was taken on by Delta Academies Trust, the school has been issued with a rating ‘good’ in all areas. This would equate to a ‘good’ overall in the old Ofsted system – the first time the school has ever achieved such a grade.
“It was the most broken school in the country. No one would touch it,” said Delta CEO Paul Tarn. “It’s an incredible story. We take visitors there now as a showcase school.”
11 years in limbo
After being rated ‘inadequate’ in 2010, seven cohorts of 11-year-olds had started and finished at Hanson – then called Hanson Grammar – before it became an academy in July 2022. This roughly equates to 1,500 pupils.
Three trusts provided temporary support but then backed out.
The school was given another ‘inadequate’ rating at its last graded inspection in 2020.
Inspectors reported “a significant number of pupils still do not come to school often enough”, with “too many” youngsters “excluded on more than one occasion”.
It was also saddled with a £5.4 million deficit – which the local authority took on when the school converted. The council also paid a reported £1.3 million to end a problematic contract that had put trusts off.
In April, following the school’s first Ofsted visit under Delta’s stewardship, it was rated ‘good’ in all areas.
The report, due to be published this week, said pupils “appreciate that their experience of school has improved greatly in recent times”. They enjoy “an inclusive and aspirational environment”.
Attendance “has significantly improved”, with youngsters supported “to broaden their horizons”.
‘School of choice’
However, inspectors noted that some “older pupils’ gaps in knowledge from poor attendance or fractured experience in previous years persist”.
The curriculum was “ambitious”, but “published outcomes are low”, inspectors said.
Tarn said Delta identified “480 periods of surplus in the staffing structure”, which saved the school “about £1 million”.
It also spent around £400,000 a year to move children “who had never attended school before” into alternative provision. This gave them “an offer that met their need”.
He said the trust spent £1 million to improve Hanson’s IT and £340,000 on “fences and making the site secure”.
“It’s now a school of choice for parents, for the community,” Tarn added. “We’re a showcase for what can be done with a broken school.”
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