ONE of Bradford’s biggest secondary schools, placed into special measures last year, will become an academy in September.

Buttershaw Business and Enterprise College, which has almost 1,500 pupils, is expected to join the Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust at the start of the next school year.

The trust also runs Immanuel College and Bradford Forster Academy.

Ofsted inspectors gave the school a highly critical report when they visited last year, saying students did not make good enough progress in key subjects and that teaching was “weak.” But after a more recent visit inspectors were more positive about the school’s future.

A new follow up report points to the work being done in preparation of becoming an academy, including support being offered by Immanuel.

It says: “A team established to provide coaching and support to teachers in the school and sixth form is helping in the drive to improve the quality of teaching. This is having a striking effect in some classrooms.”

It also reveals the changes that took place after the school was put into special measures - 19 teachers have left, with another three on long term sickness or maternity leave.

Ofsted had told the school to review its governance, but the report reveals the initial attempt to do this was not successful: “An external review of governance has been carried out but it has not supported or aided governors as well as it might and the expense involved did not provide value for money. Governors have overcome this setback.”

A spokesman for BDAT said: “The trust was pleased with the outcomes of the Ofsted inspection and feel there is real recognition of the step change in the pace of improvement within the school.

“This is a result of the hard work and collaboration between the teams at Buttershaw, Immanuel and the Trust and our joined up ambition to make Buttershaw a great school for the children of Bradford.

“We will continue to work together to drive standards in advance of the school conversion to academy status, planned for the Autumn term.”