Manchester Creative Studio

Manchester Creative Studio 16 Blossom Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester M4 5AW

p.1

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

p.1

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

p.1

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Inadequate

p.1

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 There are serious and widespread failures in the school’s safeguarding arrangements. Leaders do not follow their own policies and procedures. Governors do not fulfil their statutory duties relating to safeguarding.  Leaders and governors oversee poor-quality provision. They have an inaccurate view of the quality of education that the school provides.  In 2016, pupils’ progress across subjects was inadequate. Pupils’ progress in mathematics and English was in the lowest 1% nationally.  Current pupils continue to underachieve considerably. Pupils’ progress in mathematics and English continues to be inadequate. Expectations of what pupils can and should achieve are too low.  Leaders’ systems to track pupils’ progress are inadequate. Leaders do not know whether groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, are on track to succeed.  Ongoing staff training is inadequate. Teachers and middle leaders do not develop the skills to

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

deliver high-quality teaching and learning.  Teachers’ assessment of where pupils are at in their learning is inaccurate. Pupils believe that they are on track to achieve well; they are not.  The curriculum is not taught effectively and it is poorly planned. Teaching does not develop pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding to any depth. Teachers do not plan effectively for learning and progress.  Pupils do not have access to a wide range of extra-curricular activities, including provision to keep themselves healthy and fit.  Pupils’ attendance and punctuality are inadequate. Many pupils are regularly absent from school.  Pupils’ behaviour is not good enough. Too many pupils do not take pride in their work.  Students do not have access to appropriate work experience placements in the sixth form. Leaders do not routinely make the required health and safety checks.  Students do not have access to impartial advice

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

and guidance about their options post-16. As a result, too many students leave their courses in the first year.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender feel safe in the school.  Pupils enjoy undertaking ‘live project briefs’ that promote their creativity and curiosity.  Leaders have successfully redesigned the sixth- form curriculum.  Leaders have forged effective partnerships with employers.

p.1

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of 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.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Take immediate action to ensure that safeguarding arrangements are effective by: – ensuring that leaders and staff fully adhere to policies and procedures and that accurate records are kept of incidents when they arise – strengthening accountability so that senior leaders know their roles and responsibilities in safeguarding pupils in the school – listening to concerns raised by pupils and staff and acting on those concerns as per the school’s policies – ensuring that there is a culture of openness about safeguarding issues across the school and that lines of communication between staff, including senior staff, are strengthened – developing pupils’ understanding of how to apply what they have been taught about radicalisation and extremism to their own lives – ensuring that the effectiveness of computer filtering systems are checked regularly so that pupils only have access to age-appropriate content and are protected when

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

online – ensuring that governors fulfil their statutory duties in relation to safeguarding.  Take swift action to improve leadership and management by: – ensuring that the school’s curriculum is planned effectively and taught well – providing a wider range of extra-curricular provision – setting high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve – overhauling ongoing staff training so that middle leaders and other staff have the tools to help pupils to reach their potential – strengthening procedures for monitoring the quality of teaching, learning and assessment – using the outcomes of monitoring to inform school improvement priorities, ongoing staff training and support performance management arrangements – strengthening governance so that it robustly holds leaders to account for the standard of education that the school provides.  Rapidly improve pupils’ progress and attainment right across the curriculum and

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

especially in English and mathematics.  Take immediate action to improve the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by: – ensuring that the system for assessing pupils’ progress is accurate – ensuring that teachers plan effectively for learning and progress – ensuring that teaching develops pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.  Take immediate action to improve pupils’ personal development, behaviour and welfare by: – rapidly improving pupils’ rates of attendance, their punctuality and by reducing the proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school – improving pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning so that exclusions reduce – improving the quality and presentation of pupils’ work – ensuring that pupils receive impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance – improving the opportunities that pupils have to keep themselves healthy and fit.  Improve the 16 to 19 study programmes by:

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve further?

– ensuring that students receive high-quality impartial advice and guidance about their options post-16 – ensuring that all students undertake appropriate work experience and that the relevant health and safety checks are routinely undertaken. An external review of governance should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership can be improved.

p.3

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders and governors have an overgenerous view of the quality of education that the school provides. Current provision is inadequate and pupils underachieve significantly.  Leaders, including governors, do not currently demonstrate sufficient capacity to secure the improvements needed.  Leaders do not create a culture of high expectations and aspirations. This results in poor-quality teaching and learning because pupils are not challenged to reach their potential. All groups of pupils underachieve.  Leaders do not know how much progress pupils make in their subjects. Leaders do not ensure that teachers’ assessment is accurate. Teachers’ inaccurate assessment gives pupils a false impression of how much progress they have made.  Leaders do not monitor the progress of disadvantaged pupils, or of those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, effectively. They do not know whether these pupils are on track to succeed or not.

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders’ plans to spend the pupil premium funding have not yet had the desired effect on raising disadvantaged pupils’ progress and attainment.  Much of the curriculum is poorly planned and taught. This leads to significant underachievement. There are insufficient opportunities for pupils to take part in extra- curricular provision, for example a range of sports. This limits pupils’ progress and development.  Leaders monitor the quality of teaching and learning but their systems lack rigour. Leaders do not use the information they gain to drive school improvement and improve the progress pupils make. It is not linked to ongoing teacher training.  Leaders have a programme in place for newly qualified teachers but key training on behaviour management, for example, is too late in the year. There is no coherent programme for other staff, including middle leaders. Newly qualified teachers do, however, feel that leaders support them well.

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

 Leaders’ systems for measuring teachers’ performance are not robust enough. Targets to support school improvement are not linked to the school improvement plan, staff training and the systems to monitor the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.  Leaders have been slow to implement strategies to challenge poor attendance. To date, despite very poor attendance rates and high persistent absence rates, no fixed penalty notices have been served. Leaders continue to write to parents of absent pupils but this strategy is not effective. At the time of the inspection, no referrals have been made to multi-agencies to enlist their help and support to address this safeguarding issue.  Pupils are not prepared for life in modern Britain because their inadequate progress and achievement does not allow them to compete with other pupils nationally.  Leaders struggle to recruit high-quality teachers to the school. This has a negative

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

impact on pupils’ progress and attainment.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is secure. Pupils, through ‘live briefs’, get the opportunity to be independent thinkers and to be entrepreneurs. Pupils have the opportunity to work with professional artists and designers. They also undertake ‘live briefs’, for example, to design a campaign to promote a driving school. Pupils also get the opportunity to reflect on social, cultural and moral issues through their art work.  The principal and his team ensure that the school is highly inclusive. Pastoral support for pupils with social and emotional issues is strong.  The principal has a clear vision for the school and he is passionate about the quality of education he wants to provide for his pupils. He acknowledges that serious financial constraints hamper school improvement.  The principal has very recently sourced a new assessment system to track pupils’

p.4

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

progress but this is not yet available for use.  Leaders are very successful in promoting equality and diversity in the school. Pupils are tolerant of one another.

p.5

Governance of the school

 Governors have an overgenerous view of the quality of education that the school provides. As a result, they do not hold leaders to account for the far-reaching failures across the school.  Governors believe that pupils make good progress. This is because the information that leaders give them about how well pupils are doing is inaccurate. Governors do not check how leaders know what standards are like. The actual progress made by current pupils is inadequate.  The governing body does not ensure that the school’s curriculum is well taught. Governors oversee very low standards of attainment and progress, especially in key stage 4.  Governors do not ensure that the school meets the expectations of pupils who want to develop the skills and knowledge that they need for a career in the creative and digital industries. Pupils have not received the quality of education that they were promised.  Governors do not fulfil their statutory safeguarding duties. Governors’ policies,

p.5

Governance of the school

procedures and practice are ineffective.  No member of the trust was available to take part in the two-day inspection.  Governors are committed to the school. They strive to ensure that the school offers a range of high-quality, industry specific qualifications, informed by employers in the creative sector.

p.5

Safeguarding

 The arrangements for safeguarding are ineffective.  There are serious failures in relation to safeguarding arrangements. Leaders do not adhere to their own safeguarding policies and procedures. Where incidents occur, senior leaders do not share the information that they have with each other so that appropriate action can be taken.  During the inspection, inspectors received information relating to the well-being and safety of pupils in the school. The concerns raised by a number of pupils and staff during the inspection are now being examined by the appropriate bodies.  Leaders do not record safeguarding incidents appropriately. They do not have sufficiently detailed records of incidents that take place in the school or of the subsequent investigations that they undertake.  Leaders do not routinely undertake health and safety checks to ensure that students in the sixth form are safe at their work experience placements.

p.5

Safeguarding

 Pupils receive information about radicalisation and extremism. However, leaders do not ensure that, should it occur, pupils would know how to recognise the signs of radicalisation in their own lives.  Leaders do not monitor the effectiveness of online filtering systems and governors do not receive reports on the how effectively their systems keep pupils safe when online. Consequently, leaders and governors do not know whether the school’s filters are age- appropriate and whether they effectively protect pupils from inappropriate content.  Nearly half of parents who responded to Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey, think that pupils are not safe in the school. Current safeguarding arrangements do not allow leaders to engage effectively with parents and other stakeholders. Pupils think that there is a culture of ‘turning a blind eye’ to issues that arise in the school.  Pupils receive regular information about how to keep themselves and each other safe

p.6

Safeguarding

online. Leaders have also forged good links with a local charity that helps pupils with their emotional well-being and mental health.  Staff receive appropriate training and induction to the school’s safeguarding procedures. Leaders ensure that all recruitment checks are completed appropriately.

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

 Teaching is poorly planned and does not meet the needs of the pupils at the school. Teachers do not routinely plan lessons that deepen pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding.  Teachers do not plan for different abilities. All too often pupils get the same work, regardless of whether they find it too easy. Support for the least able and the most able pupils is inadequate. Lessons lack challenge. Too many pupils do not reach their potential because of low expectations.  Pupils’ written work is incorrectly assessed. Teachers have an erroneous view of how much progress their pupils make. Insufficient time is given to developing pupils’ literacy skills. There is no coherent approach to developing these skills. The quality of pupils’ written responses in many subjects is inadequate. Pupils’ written work lacks depth of thought and precision.  Pupils do not act on teachers’ feedback to address misconceptions. Consequently,

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

many pupils do not demonstrate the capacity to learn from their mistakes.  Many pupils do not take pride in their work. There are frequent examples in pupils’ books of incomplete tasks, graffiti and torn-out pages. Furthermore, pupils do not routinely correct their errors. This means that pupils do not have an accurate source of revision for their examinations.  Teachers do not ensure that pupils adhere to the school’s expectations regarding behaviour. Teachers’ inconsistent approach means that pupils’ behaviour is very variable. Inspectors observed pupils using their mobile phones to watch inappropriate footage of incidents that occurred in the school earlier in the week. This anti-social behaviour detracts from pupils’ learning and progress.  A number of parents are concerned about the quality of teaching. They have concerns that pupils are not well prepared for GCSE examinations. Inspectors’ examination of

p.6

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

pupils’ work over time confirms that pupils are ill-prepared.  Teaching in mathematics has been inadequate over time. Leaders acknowledge this. They have now appointed an experienced member of staff who recognises that pupils do not currently have the skills to succeed in the new examination. The difference between pupils’ targets and their current attainment is vast.  Relationships between teachers and pupils are strong. Pupils value the extra support sessions that their teachers offer.  Teachers use their questions well to develop pupils’ spoken responses. This is especially the case in history.  The quality of teaching in science and media is stronger than in other subjects. In science, pupils enjoy learning and they participate well in practical activities. The teacher insists that pupils produce work of a high quality. Pupils cover the curriculum in greater depth than in other subjects.  The development of creative skills through digital and artistic media is effective and

p.7

Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is inadequate.  Pupils are not safe in the school due to inadequate safeguarding arrangements.  Pupils do not receive impartial careers advice and guidance so that they can make informed choices about the next stages of their education, employment or training. As a result, some pupils are confused about what options are available to them.  Pupils say that incidents of bullying are rare in school. They are happy at Manchester Creative Studio School because it is a tolerant and accepting community.  Pupils who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender integrate well into the school. Pupils are open and accepting of one another’s differences. The school is diverse and pupils like its open culture.  Pupils, through ‘live briefs’, get to work with voluntary organisations. They engage in a range of different work, for example community work to help homeless people.

p.7

Personal development and welfare

 Pastoral support is strong. Pupils who need counselling receive timely support. Leaders ensure that, where possible, agencies such as the child and adolescent mental health services can meet with pupils on the school grounds.

p.8

Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is inadequate.  Pupils’ overall rate of attendance is inadequate. In 2016, overall attendance was significantly below the national average. This year’s overall attendance figure is lower than that recorded last year.  The proportion of pupils who are regularly absent from school is very high. In 2016, over half of girls were regularly absent from school. Nearly 40% of disadvantaged pupils regularly missed school. This year, the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent from school shows no improvement.  Pupils’ punctuality to school is poor. Leaders acknowledge that pupils’ lateness to school negatively affects their progress.  Pupils’ behaviour is not good enough. Just under half of parents have concerns about the behaviour in the school. The principal recognises this weakness and is taking effective action to address disruption to lessons and incidents of poor behaviour around

p.8

Behaviour

the school. The principal’s actions to tackle poor behaviour have resulted in an increase in the number of pupils who are temporarily excluded from school and an increase in those who are permanently excluded.  There are examples of poor behaviour at lesson changeover times. Students’ progress in sixth-form lessons is occasionally disrupted by younger pupils moving between lessons.

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 In 2016, the first year that the pupils received examination results, the progress made by pupils was in the lowest 1% nationally. On average, pupils achieved over two grades lower than other pupils nationally from the same starting points. Pupils made poor progress in English language, mathematics, science, art, media and computer science.  Current pupils are not faring any better. Pupils believe that they are on track to achieve well. However, the quality of their work and the ineffectiveness of leaders’ assessment and tracking systems mean that pupils are ill-advised of their actual rates of progress.  Leaders do not track how well groups of pupils are doing based on their prior attainment. Leaders were unable to give inspectors any information on the progress being made by the most able pupils or the least able pupils. Pupils’ work shows that all groups underachieve in relation to their abilities.

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

 Disadvantaged pupils make poor rates of progress. In 2016, disadvantaged pupils underachieved considerably compared to other pupils nationally. The difference between the achievement of current disadvantaged pupils and other pupils nationally is not diminishing. Leaders do not track the progress that disadvantaged pupils make with any rigour or determination.  The progress made by pupils in mathematics and English is extremely weak. Assessment data in mathematics shows a sharp decline in pupils’ progress as the year goes on. This is because previously pupils were ill-prepared for the new examination. Pupils’ shortfall in knowledge, skills and understanding have recently been identified.  Leaders know which pupils have special educational needs and/or disabilities, however, they do not know how well they are doing across their subjects because assessment data is wildly inaccurate.  Leaders have appropriate plans for the use of the pupil premium funding. However, to

p.8

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

date, the use of the additional funding has not improved the progress made by disadvantaged pupils so that it is more closely in line with other pupils nationally. The tracking of pupil premium pupils’ progress and attainment is inadequate.  In 2016, all of the school’s Year 11 pupils progressed to employment, training or an apprenticeship. However, the standards that pupils achieve limit their aspirations. As a result, pupils are not prepared to compete with other pupils nationally in modern Britain.  Work scrutiny shows that over time pupils make better progress in the creative subjects than in English, mathematics and history. Pupils now make the best progress in science because they enjoy the subject and teaching is stronger.

p.9

16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate

 Students are not safe in the sixth form because safeguarding arrangements are inadequate.  Leaders do not undertake appropriate health and safety checks to ensure that pupils are safe when students organise their own work placements.  Leaders do not ensure that students have sufficient access to high-quality work experience as part of their study programmes. Currently only two pupils have an external placement organised by the school. The remainder of pupils use their own jobs to supplement their programmes of study. Often, these are not related to students’ study programmes. This is a barrier to employment should students not choose to go to university. This is because they cannot compete against graduates as they have no relevant experience.  In 2016, all students progressed to employment, education or training. Only one student went on to higher education. Of those students who sought employment, most

p.9

16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate

did not go into the creative and digital field.  Leaders have established effective partnerships with employers from the creative and digital field. They do not, however, maximise and exploit those partnerships to increase students’ work experience opportunities.  Retention rates in the sixth form are not good enough. Too many students leave courses part way through. This is because students do not receive high-quality post-16 advice and guidance to outline the options that are available to them. The proportion of students who leave games design is particularly high.  Although attendance in the sixth form is higher than in the main school, it is still not good enough.  At times, teachers do not routinely plan sufficiently challenging lessons to ensure that the most able students make the progress of which they are capable. This slows their progress.  In 2016, students in the sixth form did not achieve the grades of which they were

p.9

16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate

capable when compared to their high starting points. Most of the students who entered the sixth form had five good GCSE passes including English and mathematics. They came from other providers as the school was only set up in 2014.  There are examples of good monitoring and tracking systems in the sixth form. However, middle leaders and teachers do not use a consistent approach. This makes it hard for leaders to gauge how much progress students make at assessment points.  Current students who do not have GCSE qualifications at grade C or above English and mathematics must resit. Adequate time is given to students for these subjects as part of their study programmes.  Leaders recognised that the quality of provision in the sixth form was not good enough. They have made several changes, for example to the curriculum which underpins study programmes. Leaders have redesigned the curriculum so that it better

p.10

16 to 19 study programmes Inadequate

meets students’ needs. It is, however, too early to see the impact of these changes on students’ outcomes.  Students enjoy their programmes of study in the sixth form. They appreciate the support that they get from their teachers. They develop their self-esteem and confidence. Students have the opportunity to work with the digital sector, for example by pitching their ideas to companies. They are also successful in local and national competitions.  Students enjoy completing ‘live briefs’. These projects enable students to enhance their employability, communication and entrepreneurial skills. They also develop students’ ability to collaborate and work as a team. Students have the opportunity to use technical vocabulary that they need to work in the digital industry.

p.10

School details

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

p.11

School details

Gender of pupils in 16 to 19 study programmes Mixed

p.11

School details

Of which, number on roll in 16 to 19 study programmes Appropriate authority The governing body

p.11

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.11

Information about this school

 The Manchester Creative Studio School is a smaller-than-average 14 to 19 studio school for boys and girls. It specialises in preparing pupils for employment or further training in the creative and digital industries.  The Manchester Creative Studio School opened as a free school in 2014. It is part of the Collective Spirit Academy Trust.  A new principal was appointed in September 2015.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is higher than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is lower than the national average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is lower than the national average. The school does not receive any additional funding to support pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  Inspectors, without investigating a complaint, considered the issues that surrounded or

p.11

Information about this school

linked to the allegations. It is now under investigation by the appropriate authorities.  The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website and complies with Department for Education (DfE) guidance on what academies should publish.

p.12

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed learning in a range of lessons in key stages 4 and 5. Three observations were conducted jointly with senior leaders. Inspectors also observed an assembly and form time.  Inspectors undertook an in-depth analysis of pupils’ work across a range of subjects. In addition, inspectors looked at a wide range of pupils’ work in lessons.  Meetings were held with the principal, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, members of the governing body, middle leaders, teachers, industry partners, a representative from the DfE and newly qualified teachers.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons, to and from lessons and during break and lunchtime. Inspectors met formally with a range of pupils across both key stages. They also spoke to pupils informally in lessons and around the school.  A range of documentation was scrutinised by the inspection team, including the

p.13

Information about this inspection

school’s own self-evaluation, the school improvement plan, records of ongoing teacher training, governors’ minutes, performance management information and records of the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Inspectors also examined attendance and behaviour records, safeguarding documentation, school policies and the school’s own information about current pupils’ progress and attainment.  Inspectors took account of 27 responses to Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire and 21 free text responses from parents. During the first day, it came to light that Ofsted’s official letter to parents had not been issued by the school in its correct format. As a result, the lead inspector requested that it be reissued.  Inspectors analysed 17 responses to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire. No responses were received to Ofsted’s pupil questionnaire.

p.13

Inspection team

Jonathan Smart, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.13

Inspection team

Andrea Machell Her Majesty’s 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 .

p.13

Inspection team

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. www.gov.uk/pupil-premium-information-for-schools-and- alternative-provision-settings .

p.14

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.

p.14

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 .

p.14

Inspection team

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.14

Inspection team

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.14

Inspection team

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.14

Inspection team

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.14

Inspection team

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

p.14