School is far from the minds of many families enjoying the summer break. But in a matter of weeks a new term will begin, and thousands of children across Manchester will be starting at new primary and secondary schools.
With that in mind, the Manchester Evening News looked at schools that have been inspected by education watchdog Ofsted, and what they found when they visited.
There are 212 schools and colleges on Ofsted's list in Manchester , with Ofsted scores ranging between 'Outstanding', for those who most impressed inspectors, and 'Inadequate', for those who gave them the most concern. Almost 20 percent of Manchester's schools are ranked 'Outstanding', with a further 57 percent as 'Good'.
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At the other end of the scale, only 3 percent of schools and colleges in the city have been ranked as 'Inadequate' and just under 6 percent as ‘Requires Improvement’. However, 14.5 percent of schools and colleges in Manchester, or 30 schools, do not have scores, with Ofsted's website saying, ‘no data available or applicable for this school or college’.
The Manchester Evening News has been through Ofsted's records to compile a list of the best and worst Ofsted results in schools in the city of Manchester in the last three years. Since we've focussed on the most recent inspections, the list does not include schools with reports dated before 2019. For more information, click here.
The Best:
Abbott Community Primary School, Collyhurst
Abbott Community Primary School scored second in terms of grades out of the outstanding primary schools. According to the 2019 data, the school was average in terms of reading and writing, but well above average in their maths teaching.
Abbott, where 50.7 percent of students rely on free school meals, almost double the national average of 23.5 percent, was rated as Outstanding in all areas by the Ofsted inspectors. Previously, Abbott Community Primary School had been awarded ‘Good’.
The inspectors said: “The governors’ clear vision for school improvement has created a culture of inclusion, nurture and high expectations. This ensures that the needs of pupils are met very well.
“Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. Pupils are polite and orderly. They get on well together and support each other in lessons. This is because of the consistent messages they receive from staff concerning respect and care for others.”
Armitage CofE Primary School, West Gorton
At Armitage C of E Primary School, the scores for reading and writing were all well above average, with maths being above average.
A much bigger school than the other outstanding primary schools, with 486 pupils in 2020/2021, and a higher than average proportion of pupils in need of special educational support (15 per cent), the school excelled with its teaching.
Rated overall outstanding, the school achieved an ‘Outstanding’ rating through inspection in all areas except one. For ‘early years provision’, the school was awarded ‘good’.
The report details the reasoning for this area being awarded ‘good’, explaining: “Most children enter early years with skill levels that are below those typical for their age. There is an increasing proportion of children with SEND in early years, whose starting points are well below those typical for their age.
“Due to good-quality teaching, children make good progress and catch up well. For those children who attend the school’s Nursery and Reception classes, most reach a good level of development and are well prepared for Year 1.”
Ashgate Specialist Support Primary School , Wythenshawe
Ashgate school in Wythenshawe is a top specialist school and the third best primary in Manchester. Ashgate has improved from being a ‘Good school’ at the last three inspections to coming out as ‘Outstanding’ in 2019.
For overall effectiveness, every area came out as outstanding. The report from Ofsted said: “Leaders have created a school where the individual pupil is at the heart of everything. Staff know and understand the needs of every pupil.
“They work closely with parents and carers to plan targets that support the holistic development of pupils. Consequently, pupils are thriving and make exceptional progress.”
Ofsted suggested one way the school could improve - to widen outreach 'so that this outstanding school can help others to thrive'.
Wright Robinson College, Gorton
Wright Robinson College is the first secondary school on this list. The school, in Gorton, made great strides between 2014, when it was labelled as ‘Requires Improvement’ and 2016 when it became ‘Outstanding’.
In 2019, Wright Robinson College converted into an academy, part of the Flagship Learning Trust. The most recent inspection of the school was conducted in 2021, following the change to an academy, and resulted in an overall 'Outstanding' rating again.
The curriculum is described as ‘ambitious’, but inspectors maintain that this school is one where students are happy to be. The report says: “Pupils are proud to be part of this exceptional school. They are adamant that it is a safe, happy and harmonious place to learn.
“Pupils thoroughly enjoy coming to school to learn. They say, ‘Every aspect of school life is about teamwork.’
“All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve exceptionally well. The ambitious curriculum motivates and engages pupils to work extremely hard. Staff have very high expectations of each of them.”
Pioneer House High School, Northern Moor
This free school opened in 2017 and is a part of the Prospere Learning Trust. The school’s first Ofsted inspection took place in 2019 and it was rated as ‘Outstanding’.
Pioneer House High School scored ‘outstanding’ in all areas of effectiveness, so much so that the summary opens by discussing the great achievements of the school’s first cohort. It says: “This school’s success is the fruition of years of meticulous planning and preparation.
“Leaders have been relentless in their pursuit of excellence. Consequently, the first cohort of pupils to leave the school has secured qualifications and paid employment.”
To improve, Ofsted suggests that this school needs to: “Further raise expectations for lower-ability pupils so that they too consistently achieve the school’s ambitious aspirations for all pupils, including the skills and confidence to live independently and get a job.”
Other high schools in the Prospere Learning Trust include: the 'Good' Manchester Enterprise Academy and Chorlton High School, and the 'Outstanding' Piper Hill High School.
The Worst:
The King David High School, Crumpsall
The latest inspection took place at The King David High School in 2021. It was rated ‘Inadequate’, down from ‘Good’ in 2015.
Despite receiving an ‘Inadequate’ grade, three areas of the overall score were still deemed good. The quality of education, behaviour and attitudes and sixth-form provision were all graded as good, but personal development, and leadership and management were rated inadequate.
When pupils were asked ‘what is it like to attend this school’, the Ofsted report indicates a mixed response, saying: “Many pupils, including students in the sixth form, said that they are happy at The King David High School. They feel safe, behave well and show respect for staff and their peers.
“However, a significant minority of pupils said that they are unable to share their worries with staff. Some pupils feel that staff do not treat them with respect. This makes these pupils feel anxious and unsafe.”
Ofsted criticised arrangements at the Yavneh stream of the school, which caters for more religious pupils. They found Yavneh boys were free to mix with the rest of the school, however Yavneh girls were not.
“The pupils who attend Yavneh Girls told inspectors that they feel isolated and that the current arrangements, and the behaviour of some staff, prevent them from mixing socially with pupils in the main school and pupils in Yavneh Boys," inspectors said.
"The current arrangements are discriminatory because the pupils who attend Yavneh Boys can mix socially with pupils (both girls and boys) in the main school, whereas pupils who attend Yavneh Girls cannot.
“Yavneh Girls are, therefore, subject to a detriment because of their sex. This constitutes unlawful direct discrimination on the ground of sex, contrary to the Equality Act 2010.”
Despite the criticism from the watchdog, the school's chair of governors, Joshua Rowe, wrote to parents disputing Ofsted’s findings earlier this year. He said: "The report presents a picture of the school which is unrecognisable to those who know it.
"It is perfectly legitimate for Ofsted to highlight areas which require improvement. We welcome constructive criticism but their sweeping negative statements and their massive downgrade are way beyond the mark and border on the absurd."
The East Manchester Academy, Beswick
The East Manchester Academy was rated as ‘Inadequate’ during its formal inspection in 2019, and placed in special measures. The overall rating was a downgrade from the 2017 rating of 'Requires Improvement’.
Since the downgrade, the school has had four monitoring visits. Following the latest of these inspections in December 2021, inspectors concluded that the school’s leadership are taking effective action to get out of special measures.
The report 2019 says: “The people who are responsible for this school have not ensured that it is a safe place for its pupils. Many pupils behave in an unruly and aggressive way, particularly during social times.
“Pupils say that there are frequent fights. This means that pupils are not physically safe. Incidents of racism and homophobia are commonplace. The culture of the school is not kind or accepting of people’s differences.”
“This school is in a worse position now than at the time of the last inspection," the report said.
St. Chad’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Cheetham
Back in 2015, St Chad’s was rated as a 'Good' school. However, in January 2020 it scored the lowest ranking by Ofsted: 'Inadequate.' Later that year, in December 2020, St Chad’s closed down and reopened as a voluntary academy.
The inspection carried out in January 2020 is the most recent review offering a grade. The quality of education, leadership and management and early years provision were all graded as inadequate, while behaviour and attitudes and personal development were said to require improvement.
The report said: “The quality of education at the school is unacceptable. Deep-rooted weaknesses in leadership hinder school improvement. The capacity to improve the quality of education across the school is poor.
"Pupils’ attainment in reading is very low in all key stages. Achievement across the curriculum is weak. This is particularly true for children in the early years. Throughout the school, pupils do not have a wide range of opportunities to promote their personal development.”
However, the Ofsted inspectors still found some positives at St. Chad’s, and said: “Despite its shortcomings, pupils are proud to belong to their school. They feel safe and staff deal with bullying effectively.
“The school motto of ‘Love one another as I have loved you’ is apparent in some aspects of school life. Staff and pupils show this by the welcome that all pupils receive, regardless of their faith or ability.
“Pupils empathise with those who are vulnerable. They are keen to help others.”
Dixons Brooklands Academy, formally Manchester Health Academy, Wythenshawe
In December 2021, Manchester Health Academy closed and reopened as Dixons Brooklands Academy. However, in March 2020, the school received an ‘Inadequate’ score from Ofsted.
Following the full report, a monitoring visit was conducted by Ofsted in September of 2021 who described it as having ‘serious weaknesses’.
Despite this, not all areas of the school came back graded as ‘inadequate’. Personal development at the school was described as being ‘good’. However the quality of education and sixth-form provision were both graded ‘inadequate’, while behaviour and attitudes and leadership and management were slightly better at ‘requires improvement’.
The report said: “Pupils are beginning to learn more than they have in the past. Teachers are starting to raise their expectations of pupils. However, pupils and students at this school have not achieved well for far too long. This is especially the case for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.”
However, the report also highlighted how the school had begun to address these issues and was working on improving the curriculum to help students achieve more.
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