BUTTERSHAW Business and Enterprise College has been rated requires improvement in its first Ofsted inspection since a new academy trust took over.

BBEC had been rated inadequate before Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust took over in 2016.

In the most recent inspection, Ofsted said: "Although current pupils are now making better progress, leaders and the trust have not acted quickly enough, since the school became an academy, to ensure that pupils are achieving consistently well across the curriculum.

"The quality of teaching and assessment, although improving, remains variable.

"The progress of disadvantaged pupils is improving. However, leaders do not check on the effect of actions to support disadvantaged pupils well enough.

"While permanent exclusions have declined this year, fixed-term exclusions remain too high. There are signs that behaviour is improving.

"However, low-level disruption affects pupils’ learning in some classes. Pupils’ behaviour in corridors can be boisterous.

"Leaders do not ensure that incidents of bullying are recorded consistently. Consequently, leaders do not effectively identify trends over time.

"Too many pupils are regularly absent from school. This has a negative effect on their progress.

"The school’s literacy policy is not consistently applied. Weak literacy skills affect some pupils’ learning, particularly boys.

"New middle leaders are in the early stages of developing their skills in identifying the effect of actions to improve the quality of teaching."

Ofsted inspectors also identified a number of strengths at the school, including "accelerated" progress made under headteacher Ruth Hartley.

The personal development programme in place was singled out for praise, as was the careers advice and guidance provided by the school.

Leadership in maths, science and modern foreign languages was also praised, and the range of extra-curricular activities on offer at the school was also noted as a plus point.