The Manor Academy

The Manor Academy Park Hall Road, Mansfield Woodhouse, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG19 8QA

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

16 to 19 study programmes Requires improvement

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Overall effectiveness Inadequate

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Requires improvement

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This is an inadequate school

 Actions put in place by senior leaders have not brought about sufficient improvements since the last inspection. Standards have stalled in some areas, and declined in others. Leaders, managers and directors have not shown the capacity to secure improvements in teaching and pupil outcomes.  Results in 2015 showed pupils’ achievement was lower than expected for Year 11 pupils in many subjects, including science and humanities.  Pupil results in mathematics declined in 2015 and are currently inadequate.  The gap between the achievement of disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs or disability is not closing quickly enough.  The learning attitude of some older boys is poor and sometimes undermines and disturbs learning.  Leaders have been too slow to improve teaching across the school since the last inspection. The quality of teaching is too variable and overall is not strong enough to ensure that pupils make

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This is an inadequate school

sufficient progress.  The Year 8 to Year 11 curriculum has been restricted for some pupils through changes made mid-course; this has served to undermine older pupils’ results in some subjects.  Leaders have an overgenerous view of how effectively they have led the school’s improvement, and are inaccurate in their self- review. This has served to undermine the school’s capacity for improvement.

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The school has the following strengths

 Appointments made since the last inspection have strengthened senior leadership as well as improving leadership in some subject areas. This is beginning to have a positive impact on teaching and learning.  Governors have recently restructured to become a board of directors. The directors are starting to benefit from a range of training opportunities and are beginning to challenge senior leaders effectively.  There is improving consistency in the quality of teachers’ marking and feedback.  Pupils feel safe in the school and conduct themselves well around the site. They are always presented smartly in their uniform.  Outcomes are better in the sixth form, with most learners making adequate progress. The sixth- form curriculum has been appropriately adapted to meet the needs of learners. The sixth-form curriculum is supported through shared provision with other local schools.

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Full report

In accordance with the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise academic achievements and progress in all subject areas, especially mathematics, by: – ensuring that disadvantaged pupils catch up rapidly and that the most-able pupils attain the highest results – ensuring that all teachers use information about pupils’ starting points to plan effective learning for all pupils, and especially for pupils who have special educational needs or disability – improve further the accuracy of assessment to enable precise identification of those pupils who are not making sufficient progress and provide them with learning appropriate for their needs.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching and learning by building on the strongest practice in the school, and ensuring that all teachers: – deepen pupils’ understanding effectively by planning learning that engages and challenges different groups of pupils, including the most-able pupils – support and challenge disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs or disability to make at least the progress expected of them – support all pupils to be more self-confident and articulate learners, especially older boys.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by ensuring that: – leaders at all levels have an accurate view of the school’s performance and plan strategically for its sustained improvement – senior leaders prioritise developments in a timely and appropriate way to bring about rapid improvements in curriculum provision, teaching, learning and assessment – all subject and other middle leaders build their capacity to monitor and improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment within their subjects and across the school, resulting in improved outcomes for all pupils – the directors of the school challenge leaders more stringently, and hold them to account for the strategic improvement of the school.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Senior leaders have been to slow to address the recommendations from the previous inspection report. Consequently, the school has not made enough progress and many of the actions put in place have proved to be too little, too late. There has not been a clear, sustained upward trend in outcomes. The changes put in place since the 2015 results have not had the desired effect in improving the quality of teaching and pupil outcomes. Leaders have not developed a consistent culture of high expectations.  Leaders have not been accurate in their self-review. Senior and subject leaders are overoptimistic in the performance of the school. This is seen in the way leaders expected much better 2015 results than were achieved, especially in mathematics and science, where results declined. This inaccurate view of the school meant that the necessary improvements to teaching and learning were not put in place urgently or

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

early enough. Leaders have very optimistic predictions for 2016 results; the quality of teaching seen during the inspection, work in books and the attitudes of some pupils indicate this to be overly optimistic.  Many of the changes the principal has introduced have not been swift enough to respond to the needs of the school. This is because the improvement needs were not recognised early enough in the self-review process and largely relied on inaccurate assessment information.  Leaders have not brought about improvements in teaching quickly enough. As a result, too few pupils make the progress of which they are capable. Senior leaders report that the quality of teaching has not been consistently good in the past, with some being inadequate.  The progress of pupils who have special educational needs or disability is not improving rapidly enough, because leaders have not ensured that teachers plan learning that meets their needs.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

 Following a review of pupil premium provision in 2015, leaders have begun to implement some of the recommendations. The additional funding is now being used appropriately, for example through the employment of support staff to provide targeted intervention . However, these changes are too recent to have secured demonstrable impact in outcomes for the disadvantaged pupils currently in the school.  Leaders have not managed curriculum changes well. For example, in order to improve the achievement of key stage 4 pupils, leaders made changes to their timetables to provide them with additional intervention in English, mathematics and science. Pupils told the inspectors that they felt this devalued the learning they had done for the GCSEs they would not get the chance to complete. They also expressed their frustration at the number of different teachers they have had in some subjects, with work being repeated,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

in some cases several times. The school provides a ‘New Basics’ curriculum in Year 7, which aims to provide pupils with the skills needed to be highly effective learners. This is followed by the ‘Manor Expressway’ curriculum, providing opportunities for pupils to opt for a range of subjects. This approach enables a relatively large number of pupils to follow English Baccalaureate subjects. The curriculum has not brought about sufficient improvements in pupils’ outcomes.  Leaders provide a range of opportunities to enhance the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils, through a range of extra-curricular activities and an enriching ‘squad’ curriculum; this is where pupils meet every morning. Opportunities for developing British values are seen in the election of senate members and the way they function as a council to bring about change and improvement in the school.  Some middle leaders have an understanding of their role in improving the school. Some are enthusiastic

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

and have the drive to raise standards. Middle leaders monitor the quality of pupil work regularly and are beginning to monitor the quality of teaching within their subject areas; they also provide opportunities for teachers to plan collaboratively. Recent leadership appointments in English, mathematics and science have not yet brought about the significant and sustained improvements needed in these subjects. This very recent involvement of subject leaders is a further example of an appropriate action not being implemented swiftly enough.  The school is benefiting from support from Redhill Teaching Schools Alliance. Teachers and leaders have attended various training sessions, with school staff also leading training for others in the alliance.  Leaders have successfully brought consistency to the process of marking of pupils’ work. Where focused feedback is provided, pupils understand clearly the next steps they need to take to improve their

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

attainment. However, the clarity of feedback varies across the school.  Leaders have promoted homework through the use of electronic devices and ‘take away learning’. Pupils indicate that these initiatives are helping them with their learning. Parents also recognise that homework is supporting learning; this is reflected in the parental feedback received from the school’s survey of parental views.  There is a range of professional development opportunities for teachers, and leaders provide some teachers with additional coaching. While this is beginning to have a positive impact on the quality of teaching, this has come about too slowly.  The principal conveys a strong passion and determination to build the culture of the school. Most of the staff who responded to the questionnaire recognise that she has improved the conduct of pupils.  The governance of the school – Governors, until recently, have been over-reliant on information provided by senior leaders. They have

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

largely accepted reports and have not thoroughly monitored strategic plans and the reorganisation of staff. Governors have recently become much more aware of the school’s weaknesses and are now more involved in monitoring outcomes more carefully. – Improvements are emerging since re-designation of governors as directors. The directors have recently begun to draw upon their skills, having completed a skills audit, enabling them to work to their varied strengths. Directors now work alongside senior and subject leaders to monitor pupils’ learning. – Directors value some of the training some they have had. As changes to the arrangements for the governance of the school are very recent, further training is needed to ensure that directors are effective in supporting and challenging the school. – Directors receive the results of the parental surveys conducted by the school. They recognise that the relationship between the school and parents is growing, though they know that admissions to the

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

school are falling. In response to falling numbers in the sixth form, level 2 qualifications have been introduced to meet the needs of learners who have attained at level 1 in Year 11; this meets the needs of learners as well as improving recruitment to Year 12. – Directors are aware of how the pupil premium funding is spent, but are not robust in the way they hold leaders to account for how effective the use of funding in in bringing about improvements. – Directors take their safeguarding responsibilities seriously and have a designated safeguarding director, who oversees safeguarding procedures. Recent training has partly clarified their role and their enthusiasm is now being channelled more positively.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. New colleagues receive child protection induction training, with annual training for all staff; they know how to keep children safe. Three senior leaders

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is inadequate

share responsibility for safeguarding with a further assistant; they support students and staff appropriately where there are safeguarding concerns. Staff recruitment processes are through and appropriate. Leaders recognise that staff need further training to understand the processes included within the policy related to allegations being made about a member of staff. A small number of key stage 4 pupils attend the RAMP alternative provision off-site. Safeguarding practices are effective for those pupils who attend the RAMP alternative provision

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

 Teaching is inadequate across years and in a range of subjects. As a result, pupils’ achievements are not improving quickly enough, especially in mathematics and for disadvantaged pupils and boys.  Leaders know that teaching in recent years has not been good enough. Older pupils, therefore, have more to catch up on from earlier years but are still not consistently taught well to ensure that they make adequate progress. Leaders identify that outcomes for pupils in 2015 were inadequate as a result of some poor leadership and teaching. Older pupils also comment on the poor experience some have had in learning mathematics, a view supported by the inspectors, as seen in the limited progress made by some older pupils.  Teachers do not consistently have sufficiently high enough expectations of what pupils can do and learn. Some do not use assessment information to plan for the needs of different pupils. For example, pupils

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

who have special educational needs have ‘passports’ that identify the support they should receive. Not all teachers ensure that this support is in place, and this slows their progress.  In some subjects the work set is too easy, with insufficient challenge for the most-able pupils. As a result, these pupils do not make the progress they should. In some subjects, teachers’ questioning does not challenge these pupils enough to secure their deeper understanding.  At times learning is disturbed by behaviour which reflects pupil disaffection and at times an attitude of apathy from some boys; this is because teachers fail to challenges them and do not sustain their interest in learning.  Leaders have improved the quality of marking with the consistent use of a feedback form. This is used across all subjects and year groups. Where teaching is better, the feedback is constructive and helps pupils understand the next steps in their learning, in line with the school assessment policy. Some

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is inadequate

teaching is more effective because teachers ask questions that challenge pupils to deepen their understanding. Positive relationships also serve to engage and motivate pupils where teaching is strongest. However, there is too much variation in the quality of teaching across the school, which means some pupils are not making adequate progress.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare requires improvement.  Pupils learn about a range of personal issues are dealt with in pastoral ‘squad time’, assemblies and Year 7 ‘New Basics’ rich tasks. These include healthy lifestyle, anti-bullying and safety. The majority of pupils say they feel safe in the school, a view that their parents share.  Leaders did not foresee all the risks that the introduction of electronic devices would bring. Consequently, according to pupils, incidents of cyber-bullying increased. However, pupils now feel confident that the school has secure processes in place to monitor these incidents, and there are more opportunities to learn about how to stay safe online. Pupils are sure that other types of bullying, which are very rare, are dealt with promptly by the school staff.  Careers guidance is planned across all years, with targeted input for those school leavers who need the

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Personal development and welfare

greatest advice and support. This results in virtually all Year 11 students progressing to the next stages of their education. However, outcomes in both English and mathematics limit the routes open to some pupils who have not achieved as well as they could have and mean that too few pupils fulfil their potential. The Flourish team of staff support individual pupils emotionally, as well as assisting some pupils to reflect on their poor behaviour. This is helping to reduce unacceptable behaviour and is improving pupils’ self- discipline. The Flourish team also works with more-vulnerable pupils.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils requires improvement.  Leaders have worked to support better attendance and challenge absence, resulting in improved attendance of pupils to just above national average. This is also true for those who are regularly absent, including those disadvantaged pupils who have had higher absence in the past. Attendance of pupils who attend alternative provision is carefully monitored, as is their behaviour and welfare.  Attitudes to learning are not consistently positive. Some pupils lack confidence and are apathetic. Some pupils lack motivation, particularly some of the older boys. Year 7 pupils were seen to be more confident in their learning within a ‘New Basics’ lesson where their interpersonal skills were being developed well.  Pupils generally conduct themselves well at breaktime and lunchtime and socialise well. However, some pupils demonstrated a lack of respect for a supervising member of staff at lunchtime when asked to

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Behaviour

follow simple instructions.  Staff and pupils report that behaviour is improving, with a more positive culture of respect being developed. They wear their uniform smartly.  Exclusions have reduced, as have the points awarded for negative behaviour and detentions. Exclusions are below national averages, though they are high for pupils who have special educational needs.

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

 The attainment of pupils in 2015 was well below national average. These results reflected a decline in academic standards, especially in mathematics and science, from the previous academic year.  Raising standards in mathematics was a priority for improvement in the last inspection report; however, they continue to remain much too low. Leaders have taken action too slowly to address inconsistent and often poor teaching. In 2015, too few pupils made the progress expected in mathematics. School information indicates that even fewer pupils are currently making the expected progress in mathematics.  Results in science also declined considerably in 2015. Changes in the curriculum at key stage 4 now mean that some pupils no longer study triple science and will gain two science grades in the dual award course. Some pupils, however, expressed dissatisfaction at this late change.  There are significant gaps in achievement between disadvantaged and other pupils: these gaps are not

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

closing swiftly enough. Leadership recognise that the gaps are too wide and are allocating pupil premium funding to support pupils in a range of different ways. The improvements are not seen in key stage 4, though leaders indicate that the gaps are beginning to close in key stage 3. This information is partly based on unreliable assessment data gathered before September 2015, which is not entirely accurate. The progress made by disadvantaged pupils is inadequate.  The outcomes for pupils who have special educational needs or disability are also not improving swiftly enough. Despite each pupil having a ‘passport’, which identifies their learning need, not all teachers use this information to improve the learning of these pupils.  The ‘Manor Expressway’ curriculum enables 85% of pupils to study towards the English Baccalaureate. The proportion who gained the measure rose slightly in 2015, though it remained a little below the

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Outcomes for pupils are inadequate

national average. Progress in other subjects is also inconsistent and variable. Attainment and progress in humanities and modern languages is still poor.  Results in English have improved slightly since the last inspection report, but they are still below the national average. Progress is significantly below average for most groups of pupils, including boys and disadvantaged pupils.  Leaders are confident that pupils are now making better progress and will fare better in the 2016 examinations. They believe their predictions are accurate, because they are based on improvements in monitoring processes. Predictions are higher for current pupils but inspection evidence did not identify any considerable improvements.

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

 Outcomes in the sixth form are not yet good, but are improving slowly. In 2015, academic qualifications were below average in terms of learners making expected progress; the small number who took vocational qualifications achieved better.  Leadership of the sixth form is developing and ensures that the curriculum is more responsive to the needs of learners. Year 12 learners are offered appropriate level 2 or 3 courses. These are complemented by shared provision with other schools in the Mansfield Learning Partnership. Learners who need to gain a C grade in GCSE English and mathematics are given the opportunity to study these.  The retention of students from Year 12 to Year 13 was strong last year. Progression to higher education and apprenticeships, employment and training is also strong. Careers guidance is available with additional links to Nottingham Trent University. Learners benefit from weekly volunteering: some remain within the

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

school to support in classes, others volunteer in the wider community. Requirements for the 16 to 19 study programmes are through the curriculum, voluntary experiences and the opportunity to learn English and mathematics where GCSE grades were below C in year 11.  Leaders are beginning to monitor the quality of teaching and learning by conducting lesson observations with senior leaders. Teaching is not consistently good or better in the sixth form: where teaching is strongest, learners are challenged to deeper levels of understanding; where it is weaker, teachers do not plan to meet the needs of learners from their starting points.  Learners feel safe. They engage with ‘V-inspire’, a weekly volunteering programme, which also supports their personal development. Some students were less positive about their experience in the sixth form, being concerned about changes in teaching staff and continuity of learning. Their conduct is good and

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16 to 19 study programmes require improvement

they largely serve as positive role models for other pupils in the school.

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School details

Unique reference number 137158 Local authority Nottinghamshire Inspection number 10011618

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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School details

Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Academy converter Age range of pupils 11–18 Gender of pupils Mixed

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programmes

Appropriate authority Board of directors Chair Neil Melton Principal Donna Trusler Telephone number 01623 425100 Website www.themanor.notts.sch.uk Email address enquiries@themanor.notts.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 13–14 May 2014

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized secondary school with a sixth form.  Most pupils are of White British heritage and almost all speak English as their first language.  The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is average; these pupils are supported through pupil premium funding. Pupil premium funding is additional government funding for pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability supported by the school through education, health and care plans is well below average.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The sixth form, The Manor College, is part of the Mansfield Learning Partnership, which comprises three other local sixth forms.  The school is part of the Redhill Teaching School Alliance, which supports teaching and learning across 34

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Information about this school

schools.  The curriculum in Year 7 is focused on ‘New Basics’, with a ‘stages not ages’ approach across Years 8 to 11.  A small number of key stage 4 pupils attend RAMP, an alternative provision centre where they learn a range of academic and work related courses with the opportunity to be involved in the world of work.  In the sixth form a range of academic and work-related learning course are provided at levels 2 and 3.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 37 lessons, including eight jointly conducted with the Principal and other senior leaders.  Inspectors held meetings with senior leaders, subject and faculty strand leaders. They met with colleagues responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, safeguarding, pupil premium achievement, behaviour and attendance and the sixth form. The lead inspector met with a representative of the Redhill Teaching School Alliance and a principal from the Mansfield Learning Partnership. The lead inspector also met with four directors, including the Chair of the Board of Directors.  Inspectors met formally with pupils from all year groups and spoke with pupils in lessons, and during breaktime and lunchtime.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at the end of the school day, and around the school site during breaktime and lunchtime, and between lessons.  Inspectors took into account the views of 70 members of staff who responded to the questionnaire.

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Information about this inspection

 Ninety four responses were received from parents through the online questionnaire, Parent View, for the inspectors to consider their views. Inspectors also considered the school’s own parental survey information. Responses to the school’s own survey were more positive than those expressed on Parent View.  Inspectors looked at a variety of documentation, including the school’s own evaluation of how it is performing and its current improvement plan. Inspectors also considered information related to safeguarding, achievement, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors looked at systems used to manage performance management, records of directors’ meetings, and a range of other school policy documents.  Guidance for obtaining information on complaints in preparation for inspections was also considered.

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Inspection team

Christopher Davies, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Frances Le Pla Ofsted Inspector Anna Fisher Ofsted Inspector Andrew Hunt Ofsted Inspector guidance ‘Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Inspection team

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Inspection team

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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