Oasis Academy Lister Park Review 2026: Inclusive 11 to 16 academy with a structured teaching model

A calm, orderly secondary setting with a clear emphasis on relationships, routines and reading sits at the centre of Oasis Academy Lister Park’s offer. The leadership team is explicit about inclusion and character development, and the academy’s day is built around consistent lesson structures plus dedicated time for reading and personal development.

For families in Bradford weighing up comprehensive options, this is a school that prioritises predictability, a consistent approach to teaching, and a “know the child” culture. The most recent Ofsted inspection (March 2024) confirmed the academy remains Good, and that safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Leadership is stable and visible. Jules Millar is the Principal and took up post in September 2023, with a published senior team structure underneath that includes Deputy Principals and Heads of Year.

The tone here is shaped by two linked ideas, strong relationships and consistent expectations. Day-to-day routines are clearly laid out, including an early line-up and tutor time before lessons, which helps create a settled start for students.

The academy is explicit about values, using the Oasis nine habits and weaving them into daily life through behaviour systems, rewards and tutor conversations. The language of tolerance, respect and good citizenship is positioned as practical, not decorative, and it is reinforced through a dedicated session in the timetable focused on reading and understanding the wider world.

Support structures are also framed around early identification and fast response. Students who need extra help, whether socially, emotionally or academically, sit within a pastoral system that includes rewards for attendance and punctuality, plus partnerships with external organisations for more complex issues.

There is also a clear digital strand to how learning is organised. The academy describes Oasis Horizons, its programme to provide each child with a personal device, as part of its strategy to reduce disadvantage and support learning in and beyond the classroom. For families, the practical implication is that independent practice, homework routines and online safety are not add-ons, they are part of the core operating model.

The data picture is mixed and is best read alongside the academy’s improvement priorities.

On the FindMySchool GCSE measures, Oasis Academy Lister Park is ranked 3,576th in England and 31st in Bradford for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data). This places the school below England average, within the lower performance band nationally.

Headline outcome indicators from the dataset include an Attainment 8 score of 32.6, an EBacc average point score of 2.91, and 8.1% achieving grade 5 or above across the EBacc. The Progress 8 score is -0.58, which indicates students, on average, made less progress than pupils with similar starting points across their GCSE subjects. (All figures reflect the dataset provided for this school.)

For parents comparing local options, the most useful approach is to treat these metrics as a starting point, then test the detail during visits. Ask how the academy is improving attendance, how it is closing gaps in core literacy, and how subject leaders are refining curriculum delivery so that more students retain key knowledge over time.

If you are shortlisting across Bradford, FindMySchool’s Local Hub Comparison Tool can help you place these outcomes next to nearby schools with similar intakes and age ranges, so you can separate raw results from contextual factors.

Teaching is designed to feel consistent from room to room. The academy uses a shared lesson model, including a common start-of-lesson task intended to identify misconceptions quickly, so teaching can be adjusted early rather than waiting until assessment points. The practical benefit for many students is lower cognitive load: routines are familiar, which frees attention for subject content.

Curriculum planning is described as ambitious and structured, with sequencing that revisits key ideas so that students build knowledge over time. Where this is working well, it supports retention and helps students prepare for the next stage of education or training. Where it is still bedding in, the focus is on refining adaptations for students who have gaps from earlier learning, including within science.

Literacy and reading are positioned as priorities, not simply English-department responsibilities. The academy describes targeted identification of students who struggle with reading, vocabulary work across subjects, and regular assessment using standardised tests to track progress. This will suit families who want a school that is direct about closing literacy gaps and making reading a visible part of daily life.

Support for students with special educational needs and disabilities is a significant strand in the school’s self-improvement agenda. The academy describes the use of student profiles to guide support, alongside a broader inclusive approach in mainstream classrooms. It also hosts a resourced provision specialising in speech, language and communication needs, with capacity for up to 16 places across Years 7 to 11, where placements are agreed and named via an Education, Health and Care Plan process.

Because the academy’s published emphasis is on preparation for the next stage, the most helpful way to evaluate destinations is to look at how careers education and post-16 planning are embedded for all students, not only high attainers.

The March 2024 inspection report describes compliance with provider access requirements, meaning students receive information and engagement about technical qualifications and apprenticeships as well as academic routes. For families, that matters because it increases the likelihood of informed choices at 16, particularly for students who may be considering college courses, apprenticeships or mixed pathways rather than a single traditional academic route.

There is also evidence of employer-linked enrichment. A Year 10 engineering project with a local company is cited as an example of students building teamwork skills alongside curriculum learning. Ask during visits how widespread these opportunities are, and whether they are targeted (for example, to specific year groups) or available as a broader programme.

For students who need a carefully supported transition at 16, also ask about links with Bradford further education providers, local sixth forms, and how the academy supports applications, interviews and travel planning.

Admissions for Year 7 are coordinated through Bradford local authority via the common application process, rather than applying directly to the academy.

The academy publishes a Year 7 published admission number of 175 places (with separate published numbers for other year groups). When applications exceed places, allocation follows a clear priority order that includes looked-after children, exceptional medical or social needs, sibling priority (within and outside the priority admission area), then other children, with distance used as the tie-break within categories.

For the September 2026 Year 7 intake, Bradford’s published timetable states that the online application window closed at midnight on 31 October 2025, with national offer communications issued on 2 March 2026. Late applications follow a separate process.

Open events are also clearly signposted. The academy advertises an open evening for prospective September 2026 starters on Monday 15 September with a 5pm start, and a Principal talk scheduled during the evening.

If you are assessing your likelihood of securing a place, FindMySchool’s Map Search is the sensible way to check your exact distance to the school gates and to sense-check your options, especially if you are likely to fall into a distance tie-break category.

Pastoral care is framed around three elements, relationships, predictable systems, and timely escalation to external support where needed. The academy describes a sizeable pastoral team and an on-site Safer Schools Police Officer working alongside families and local agencies, with a particular focus on encouraging stronger attendance.

Inspectors described the academy as a caring school where positive relationships matter, and where students say they feel safe and supported.

Students with additional needs sit within a broader inclusion approach that expects participation in school life alongside targeted support. The resourced provision for speech, language and communication needs is a distinctive part of the offer, including specialist input and the expectation that students remain connected to mainstream experiences such as trips and assemblies wherever appropriate.

The main pastoral development priorities are also clear. Attendance is identified as a key barrier for some students, and the academy’s improvement plan is directed towards tighter tracking and analysis so that absence patterns are addressed earlier and more precisely.

Enrichment is positioned as a lever for belonging and motivation, and the academy reports that the range of experiences has increased considerably in recent period. The programme includes clubs, leadership roles, external visits, and opportunities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.

What stands out is the variety of practical clubs that extend beyond the standard list. A published clubs programme for autumn term includes activities such as War Hammer, ICT Club, Film Club, Music and Drama Club, Art Club, and design-focused options such as Product Design and Cooking and Art. For students who need a reason to stay after school and build confidence outside lessons, these kinds of clubs can be the difference between simply attending and feeling part of a community.

Leadership opportunities are also referenced, including a student leadership team. Used well, student leadership can improve behaviour culture and give quieter students a route into visibility and responsibility. Parents should ask how students are selected, what training is provided, and whether leadership roles connect to genuine decision-making or are mainly representational.

The academy also references external partnership work, for example linking Year 10 students to an engineering project with a local company. This matters because it introduces real-world standards and shows students what teamwork and deadlines look like outside school.

The statutory day runs 8:25am to 3:00pm, with a structured sequence including tutor time, lesson periods, break and lunch, plus a dedicated session later in the day. Students can extend the day through extra-curricular activities.

For access, the academy states it has lift access for all floors, dedicated disabled parking, and an outdoor lift from the car park to the main building.

For events, the academy notes limited on-site parking and some off-street parking nearby, while encouraging visitors to arrive on foot where possible.

• Attendance expectations and support. Attendance is identified as an area where some students are not yet benefiting fully from the education on offer. Families should ask how attendance is monitored day to day, what early interventions look like, and how the school works with parents when absence becomes a pattern.

• SEND consistency in classrooms. The academy has strengthened its strategic approach to SEND, but the latest inspection highlights that support is not yet consistently tailored enough for every individual, and that gaps in learning remain for some students. If your child has an EHCP or significant learning needs, explore how classroom adaptations work in practice, not only on paper.

• GCSE outcomes are a work in progress. The dataset places the school below England average on GCSE measures, with a negative Progress 8 score. Parents should probe what has changed since the measurement period and which subjects are improving fastest, then look for evidence in student work, assessment routines and staffing stability.

• Competition for places can arise in oversubscription categories. The admissions policy uses a priority admission area, sibling criteria and distance tie-breaks. Families should ensure they understand which category they are likely to fall into and plan on the basis of the published process rather than assumptions.

Oasis Academy Lister Park offers a structured, relationship-led secondary experience with clear routines, a consistent teaching model, and a visible focus on reading, character and inclusion. It will suit families who want an orderly environment and who value predictable systems that help students feel known and supported. The key decision point is whether the academy’s improvement priorities, especially attendance and SEND consistency, align with your child’s needs, and whether recent changes are translating into stronger outcomes over time.