Manor Academy Sale

Inspection of a good school: Manor Academy Sale Manor Avenue, Sale, Cheshire M33 5JX

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 February 2024

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Outcome

Manor Academy Sale continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Pam Symonds. This school is part of The Sovereign Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Paul Eckley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Edward Austin.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and friendly school where pupils are known and celebrated as individuals. The school’s vision to prepare pupils to become self-reliant, caring and responsible adults is at the heart of every aspect of school life. Pupils are listened to, respected and valued by staff. This helps them to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

All pupils have an education, health and care (EHC) plan. The school has high expectations for pupils’ achievement across a range of subjects. Through thoughtfully designed learning pathways, pupils take qualifications in subjects that match their aspirations and ambitions. As a result, all pupils leave school to progress to positive destinations.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Across the school, pupils behave well. High staff-to-pupil ratios mean that support is available to help pupils manage their behaviours and emotions. This means that pupils can learn without disruption from others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Opportunities for pupils to rehearse important life skills are carefully designed. For example, pupils enjoy using the food technology space to develop their cooking skills. Pupils value learning how to make a bus journey and use money in a shop. Students in the sixth form learn how to budget and financially plan for their futures.

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What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school’s ambitious curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils are prepared well for adulthood and, where appropriate, can move from school to meaningful education, training or employment. The school carefully considers the information in pupils’ EHC 28 and 29 February 2024

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plans to make certain that the correct provision is in place to meet their learning, social and emotional needs. Students in the sixth form study academic courses and learn how to look after themselves so that they can be as independent as possible.

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Mostly, the school has mapped out the building blocks of knowledge that teachers expect pupils to learn. However, in a small number of subjects, the school is still finalising the specific knowledge and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. In these subjects, pupils do not build securely on earlier learning. This hinders how well pupils develop their understanding in these subjects over time.

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Teachers use effective assessment strategies to establish pupils’ starting points and to shape their future teaching. In lessons, teachers explain new learning clearly. Their skilful questioning helps them to spot any misconceptions that arise and they address these before moving on to new learning.

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The school’s approaches to identifying and addressing gaps in pupils’ reading knowledge are new. The school has recently introduced a phonics programme and other reading strategies to help those pupils who are early readers. However, the school’s systems to monitor the impact of this work on pupils’ reading knowledge are underdeveloped. This means that pupils with gaps in their reading knowledge do not receive the prompt support that they need to read confidently and fluently.

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The school identifies the additional needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) swiftly and accurately. Pupils benefit from carefully tailored sessions to support individual targets linked to their EHC plans. Pupils take part in all the school has to offer.

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Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils are motivated to earn rewards, including ‘Manor dollars’ to spend in the school shop. Pupils are inquisitive, polite and welcoming to visitors. Students in the sixth form support each other well in lessons. Typically, pupils attend school regularly.

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Pupils’ personal development is thoughtfully considered. The curriculum for personal, social and health education, alongside weekly assemblies, develops pupils’ tolerance and respect for different faiths, cultures and perspectives. Additionally, pupils experience a wide range of activities beyond the school, such as residential trips, visits to museums and sporting events. Pupils can work towards their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. These activities help build pupils’ confidence, resilience and self-belief.

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Pupils’ preparation for adulthood threads through school life. Pupils develop in their independence and ability to manage risks and unpredictable situations. Staff encourage pupils to increase their own aspirations. Pupils receive impartial careers guidance. This helps them to make informed decisions about their next stage of education, employment or training.

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Trustees and members of the local governing have the necessary skills and commitment for undertaking their roles. They are well informed about school improvement. Staff said 28 and 29 February 2024

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that leaders are approachable and supportive. They appreciate the consideration that is given to their workload when changes are introduced.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the school is still finalising the identification of the specific knowledge that it wants pupils to learn. As a result, some pupils do not learn subject content as well as they should. The school should ensure that all curriculums are logically ordered and set out the most important information that pupils need to know and remember. This is to ensure that pupils are even better prepared for the next stage of their education.  The school’s systems to monitor and track those pupils who find reading difficult are underdeveloped. This means that some of these pupils do not receive the support that they need in a timely and effective way. This hinders their learning of the curriculum and prevents them from achieving as well as they should. The school should ensure that the reading strategies that they have recently introduced are prioritised for the pupils who need the most help.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Manor High School, to be good in November 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 28 and 29 February 2024

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 28 and 29 February 2024

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School details

School category Academy special converter

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Website https://www.manoracademysale.org/

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Dates of previous inspection 4 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined The Sovereign Trust in January 2016.  The school uses three unregistered alternative providers for a very small number of pupils.  The school provides education for pupils, aged 11 to 19, with autism and other learning needs.  All pupils have an EHC plan. Places are commissioned by different local authorities.  The school meets the requirements of the provider access legislation, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information and engagement about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. 28 and 29 February 2024

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  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 and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and with other leaders. They also spoke with members of the trust, the local governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in English, mathematics and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  An inspector discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  The lead inspector met with the SEND coordinator and reviewed samples of

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Information about this inspection

documentation relating to pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors took account of the views of parents and carers expressed through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Kate Bowker, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Stephen Ruddy Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 February 2024

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regulates and inspects 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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