Bailey Street Alternative Provision Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 May 2026

Pupils experience an environment where they feel safe, known and valued. Routines and clear expectations mean that they know what to expect. Pupils are given a genuine chance to succeed at the school. The majority of pupils have been permanently excluded from previous settings. Many have moved between 2 or more secondary settings before arriving at the school. They settle quickly into a calm, predictable day that begins with a warm welcome at the gate, established searching routines and a free breakfast. New arrivals follow these routines with confidence. Staff sit with pupils as they ease into the day. Pupils who find the dining room overwhelming are quietly and sensitively supported to experience this positive start in less busy areas of school. Pupils describe Bailey Street as their 'only chance' of an education. Relationships are at the heart of pupils' experiences. They trust staff, who anticipate when pupils need help to regulate their emotions and support them calmly. Pupils describe staff as 'world class'. They are taught to articulate stress, disappointment and disagreement openly rather than acting on these feelings. For pupils whose previous behaviours reached the threshold of permanent exclusion, this is a meaningful shift. Pupils feel safe. Bullying is rare and dealt with seriously when it does occur. Attendance is rising sharply from low starting points. Pupils enjoy their learning and take pride in what they achieve. They read with growing confidence and talk maturely about democracy, consent and healthy relationships. They access purposeful lessons in well-equipped subject rooms. Most pupils leave the school with a mathematics and English qualification and move on to destinations that they aspire to. Pupils also take part in trips that broaden their horizons, including a recent visit to 10 Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament. Pupils feel listened to and are well supported in moving forward academically, socially and personally.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should strengthen the subject knowledge of all teaching staff in the delivery of the phonics programme so that staff are able to consistently support pupils who need to develop their early reading skills in order to access the full curriculum.
• Leaders should continue to prioritise attendance and punctuality by building on the school's embedded, personalised approach, with an ongoing focus on further improving pupils' attendance from their individual starting points.

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