Bader Academy

Bader Academy is a special academy free school in Doncaster for pupils with autism and associated social, emotional and mental health needs; all pupils have an EHC plan. It is part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust and was previously judged to require improvement. This graded inspection found the school has improved: the quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development, and leadership and management were all judged good, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. No overall effectiveness grade is given for graded inspections from September 2024. Pupils are well known and feel safe, and they value strong relationships with staff. The school has high expectations and meets pupils’ SEND needs well, so pupils achieve well. Routines are clear and classrooms are purposeful, while well-trained staff support pupils’ emotional and social development. The curriculum is carefully designed and broad, reading is prioritised, and attendance actions are reducing absence. Leaders have an accurate view of the school and consider staff workload and well-being. The main area for improvement is curriculum consistency. In some subjects, the knowledge and skills pupils should learn are not as clearly defined or taught as in more established subjects, and some subjects are at an earlier stage of development. The school should further develop the curriculum so that essential knowledge and skills are identified clearly across all subjects.

Strengths

• Pupils feel safe and value strong relationships with staff.
• Staff meet pupils’ SEND needs well, so pupils achieve well.
• Clear routines create a calm and orderly learning environment.
• Well-trained staff skilfully support pupils’ emotional and social development.
• The curriculum is carefully designed and broad, with increasingly ambitious qualifications.
• Staff identify individual needs accurately and adapt teaching effectively.
• Teachers have strong subject knowledge and check pupils’ recall well.
• Reading is prioritised, with strong phonics support and a refurbished library.
• Attendance monitoring and work with families are reducing absence.
• Pupils contribute through Pupil Parliament and learn about community, faiths and careers.
• Leaders have an accurate view of the school and consider staff workload and well-being.

Areas for Improvement

• In some subjects, the knowledge and skills pupils should learn are not as clearly defined as in more established subjects.
• Some subjects are at an earlier stage of curriculum development, which affects teaching and pupils’ achievement.

In 2024–25 pupils at Bader Academy attended 84.7% of sessions (the national figure for special schools was 87.2%). 38.8% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 35.3%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 11.7% of pupils at Bader Academy were suspended at least once (nationally 5.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Bader Academy had 6.3 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for special schools was 6.6). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 9.9% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 14.5%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26 Bader Academy had 131 pupils, 99.2% of them with an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 99.5%).

It says it provides for: speech, language and communication needs.

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded special school schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Bader Academy received £29,616 and spent £28,878 for each of its 120 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £505,000 (£4,208 per pupil).

Across all 18 schools of Nexus Multi Academy Trust, income was £26,093 and spending £25,319 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Doncaster · Doncaster local authority: places and applications

Bader Academy is part of Nexus Multi Academy Trust, which runs 22 schools. The nearest others:

• Heatherwood School Doncaster
• Coppice School Doncaster
• North Ridge Community School Doncaster
• Pennine View School Doncaster
• Crags Community School Rotherham
• Hilltop School Rotherham
• The Willows School Rotherham
• West Riding Academy Barnsley
• Kelford School Rotherham
• Abbey School Rotherham

What is Bader Academy's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Bader Academy is Good, from an inspection in July 2025.

When was Bader Academy last inspected by Ofsted?

Bader Academy was last inspected in July 2025.

How many pupils does Bader Academy have?

Bader Academy has 131 pupils on roll.

What age range does Bader Academy cover?

Bader Academy for pupils aged 5 to 19.

What are Bader Academy's GCSE results?

In 2026 its average Attainment 8 score was 11.1, and 6% of pupils achieved grade 5 or above in both English and maths GCSE.

What are Bader Academy's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 0% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Bader Academy?

Bader Academy is at Chappell Avenue, Edenthorpe, Doncaster, DN3 2EW.