TLG Manchester

Inspection of TLG Manchester Parish Hall, Water Street, Harpurhey, Manchester M9 5US

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Does the school meet the independent school standards?

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have the opportunity to reflect and reset their attitude to learning at TLG Manchester. They feel welcome, safe and valued. Staff take the time to get to know pupils well. They understand the challenges that pupils may have faced before arriving at the school. With effective support from staff, pupils regain confidence in themselves and their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils told inspectors how much they have developed both personally and academically since they joined the school. They learn to understand and manage their emotions and behaviour better. Sometimes pupils do fall out. However, staff are quick to intervene and help pupils to understand different points of view. This includes resolving any incidents of bullying quickly and effectively.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and achievement. Pupils rise to the challenge. They learn to think for themselves and discuss their views and opinions with others. At the end of each day, leaders provide time for reflection. Staff and pupils discuss the day, how they felt, what went well and what they could do better. This allows pupils to talk about their emotions, mental health and feelings in a safe space. Pupils also value and enjoy team games, including basketball and cricket.

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better?

Pupils attend this school for a short period of time to receive specialist support that helps them to value and enjoy learning again. Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of pupils. The curriculum is sequenced logically and teachers are clear about the knowledge that pupils will learn over time.

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better?

Pupils catch up with their learning quickly because teachers use assessment strategies carefully to identify what key knowledge pupils may have missed or forgotten. Pupils grow in confidence as they move through the curriculum.

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better?

Teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to practise and apply their skills across a range of subjects. Pupils continue to apply these skills on the one day each week when they attend their mainstream school. This helps pupils to revisit learning and remember the curriculum for the long term.

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better?

Leaders provide staff with useful training opportunities. However, some staff would benefit from further training for subjects they teach outside their specialism. This will strengthen the wider subjects and allow the curriculum to be delivered well.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading in school. Pupils have a range of fiction and non- fiction books available to them. They read often in class, as well as individually. Those pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read benefit from the support of well-trained staff. However, from time to time, leaders have not ensured that 24 and 25 May 2022 pupils read books that match closely to the sounds that they know. This hinders some pupils’ engagement and progress in reading.

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better?

Following their placement at TLG, most pupils make a successful return to their mainstream school or move to appropriate specialist provision. Leaders work closely with a range of professionals to ensure that pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities are identified effectively. Leaders ensure that these needs are well met. Consequently, pupils are well prepared for their next phase of education.

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better?

Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. They want to achieve well. Any disruptions to learning in classrooms are dealt with quickly and effectively. Staff build strong and trusting relationships with pupils. Pupils show respect for staff and visitors to the school.

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better?

Leaders seize every opportunity to improve pupils’ personal development. For example, pupils gain from preparing and eating food together and joining in team games. Pupils learn to take turns and how to lose gracefully.

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better?

Pupils learn about other cultures and life in modern Britain. They debate and discuss social and political issues. Leaders have implemented a strong relationships and sex education curriculum. Pupils learn about healthy, respectful relationships and how to maintain good physical and mental health.

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better?

Careers information, advice and guidance is used effectively to introduce pupils to possible next steps. Pupils learn about career opportunities that are new to them. Leaders provide visits to colleges and universities to show pupils a range of available courses and apprenticeships.

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better?

The proprietor body holds leaders to account effectively and understands its duties. It has an accurate view of leaders’ priorities. Staff feel that their workload and well- being are considered carefully by leaders and the proprietor body. The school meets all the independent school standards. There is a suitable accessibility plan in place. The proprietor body has ensured that all the required policies, including the safeguarding policy, are available on the school’s website.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff are highly vigilant and have been trained to remain alert to any changes in pupils’ appearance or behaviour that may indicate a cause for concern. Leaders act swiftly to secure the help that pupils and families need. This includes involving external agencies, including the local authority when required.

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Safeguarding

The proprietor body has robust training, policies and procedures in place that adhere to the latest guidance about safeguarding. This ensures that the school building is safe for pupils and visitors. Pupils learn to recognise and report any situations that make them feel uncomfortable. 24 and 25 May 2022

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

 Some teachers lack the knowledge and support that they need to deliver some aspects of the curriculum, outside their subject specialism, as well as they should. This hinders them in designing effective learning for pupils to the same standard as the core subjects. Leaders should ensure that teachers are suitably trained to deliver the full curriculum with confidence.  Leaders have not ensured that some pupils in the early stages of reading have reading books that are matched closely to the sounds that they have learned. This hinders these pupils in developing their reading fluency and accuracy. Leaders should ensure that pupils have access to books that support them to practise reading the sounds that they know so that they can read with confidence.

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How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the provider and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted . 24 and 25 May 2022

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 to 17 May 2018 24 and 25 May 2022

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Information about this school

 Pupils are dual registered with a mainstream school. They attend for four days per week and return to their mainstream school for one day per week.  The school received its last standard inspection in May 2018.  There have been no significant changes to staffing at the school since the previous inspection.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative provision.  The school has a Christian ethos.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors carried out this inspection under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008. The purpose of the inspection is to advise the Secretary of State for Education about the school’s suitability for continued registration as an independent school.

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Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other members of staff. Inspectors also spoke with members and the chair of the proprietor body.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: English (including reading), mathematics, physical education and science. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Inspectors also evaluated the curriculum, visited lessons and spoke with leaders about some other subjects.  During the inspection, inspectors reviewed a range of documentation, including that in relation to safeguarding and information relating to the independent school standards. They also looked at records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance.  Inspectors spoke with a number of parents and carers and spoke with staff from pupils’ mainstream schools.

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Inspection team

Julie Bather, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Maria McGarry Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 2022 to 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.

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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