Bahr Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 July 2025

Bahr Academy is a welcoming environment in which pupils feel safe and cared for. The school's Islamic ethos underpins a strong culture of respect. There are positive relationships between staff and pupils. The school has a considerate atmosphere in which everyone is valued. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Pupils' experiences in lessons are inconsistent. Some activities do not support pupils to learn the most important information that teachers have identified. In some subjects, the expectations for what some pupils can learn are too low. The school does not ensure that the ambitious curriculum aims are the same for all pupils. However, pupils are eager to take part in the learning activities that teachers plan. Pupils behave well and want to do their best. In classrooms across the school, pupils are enthusiastic and eager to learn. The school encourages pupils to support each other. Younger pupils speak positively about the relationships they have with older pupils and the help they receive. Pupils are excited by their involvement in events, such as World Book Day and Cultures Day. They enjoy listening to external speakers talk to them about future career possibilities.

What the school should improve

• Record-keeping and communication related to safeguarding are not strong enough. This means that important information related to the safety and well- being of pupils may not be accessible, or may not be shared, in a timely way. The school should ensure that systems to record and share safeguarding incidents, including with a clear chronology of actions, are strengthened. The school should also ensure rigorous oversight of these systems by the board of trustees.
• The proprietor has not ensured that staff have the training they need for all the subjects that they teach. This means that pedagogical approaches and lesson activities do not consistently support pupils to develop progressively more sophisticated knowledge. The activities for some pupils are not ambitious enough. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver the school's planned curriculum so that all pupils achieve.
• In some subjects, the learning intentions do not show appropriate ambition for all pupils. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they should across all subjects. The school should ensure that all subjects have clear learning intentions so that pupils are able to acquire the most important knowledge.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)