Sol Christian Academy

Inspection of Sol Christian Academy 115, Fairfield Street, Manchester M12 6EL

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision 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’ well-being is at the heart of leaders’ vision for the school. Pupils speak about their experience at Sol Christian Academy with a sense of pride. They know that staff are there to take care of them. Pupils have an in-depth understanding of how to look after their physical and mental health. They said that staff act quickly if there is a problem. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school expects their best effort. They live up to these high expectations and show impressive attitudes to learning. Consequently, they achieve well. The school expects pupils to show high levels of independence. This starts in the early years where children get off to a strong start. Children in the early years build the foundations that they need to relate to others, develop in confidence and solve problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take responsibility for ensuring that the school is calm and orderly. Older pupils act as role models for younger pupils. They encourage them to think about the impact of their actions on others. The school prioritises pupils’ character development. Pupils reflect on their character traits throughout their learning in school, as well as in their day-to-day lives. For example, pupils learn what it means to show resilience when something is difficult.

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better?

Pupils learn a broad curriculum that enables them to build their knowledge well. The wide range of curriculum subjects on offer are broken down into small, manageable chunks. This supports pupils to remember their learning over time. The curriculum begins in the early years where pupils benefit from the support of staff who understand how young children learn. Staff know children’s areas of strength well and use this to plan learning that builds on what children know and can do. There is an ongoing focus on vocabulary development in the early years to ensure that children are well prepared for Year 1.

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better?

Pupils across the school show high levels of independence and motivation when completing the work set. They take responsibility for assessing their work and discussing it with staff. This collaborative approach supports pupils to recognise their next steps accurately. Staff have the subject knowledge that they need to explain learning well. Pupils recognise when to seek support from an adult and when to persevere independently.

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better?

The school wholeheartedly prioritises reading. Children in the Nursery Year enjoy listening to and joining in with stories, rhymes and songs. Children in the early years get off to a flying start in learning to read. This strong start gives them the confidence in reading that they need to succeed as they move through the school. Pupils regularly read a wide range of books that are carefully matched to their reading ability. They told inspectors that ‘reading fuels the imagination’. Pupils learn to read accurately, fluently and with understanding. 20 to 22 March 2024 The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) well. Teachers generally adapt learning activities so that these pupils can access the curriculum successfully. That said, at times, some of the targets set for pupils with SEND lack specificity. Where this is the case, some of these pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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better?

The opportunities that the school provides for pupils to learn about a range of careers are far-reaching. Pupils benefit from expert careers advice and guidance and the close links that the school has with industry. Pupils have a wealth of opportunities to hold leadership roles, such as prefects. They take these roles seriously and talk with confidence about the impact they have on the development of the school.

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better?

Pupils celebrate and respect difference. They are confident that being different would not be a barrier to being accepted by other pupils at this school. ‘Everyone is special and everyone is unique’, was a typical comment. However, some pupils’ knowledge of religions, other than their own, lacks depth. Where this is the case, pupils are not as prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be.

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better?

Pupils live out leaders’ vision for them to ‘strive to do their best’. They listen to staff intently and show the utmost respect to staff, visitors and other pupils. This means that lessons proceed without disruption. Mutual respect features in relationships across the school.

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better?

Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration for staff’s workload and well-being when making decisions about the further development of the school. Staff receive the time that they need to embed new ways of working and refine their practice. The school actively engages parents and carers to help them to support pupils with their learning at home. For example, parents visit the school to learn about the chosen approach to phonics.

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better?

The proprietor makes regular checks on the quality of education that pupils receive. It has the depth of knowledge of the independent school standards (‘the standards’) that it needs to make sure that these are met consistently. The proprietor ensures that the school meets the statutory requirements of the early years foundation stage.

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better?

The school complies with schedule 10 of the Equality Act 2010.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and proprietor)

20 to 22 March 2024  Some pupils with SEND have learning targets that are too broad to be useful. When this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should make sure that all pupils with SEND have targets that are realistic, specific and measurable.  Some pupils’ knowledge of different religions lacks depth. Where this is the case, pupils are not as well prepared for life in modern Britain as they could be. The school should make sure that all pupils leave the school with the knowledge of world religions that they need to fully understand different people’s beliefs and customs.

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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. 20 to 22 March 2024

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School details

Unique reference number 139831 DfE registration number 352/6008

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School details

Inspection number 10299223 Type of school Other independent school

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School details

Email address headteacher@solacademy.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 to 14 June 2019 20 to 22 March 2024

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Information about this school

 The school’s previous standard inspection took place between 12 to 14 June 2019.  This is a Christian faith school.  The school provides an individualised Bible-based core curriculum. In addition, pupils are taught other subjects, including music, art, history, French and physical education.  The school operates from premises at 115 Fairfield Street, Manchester M12 6EL.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  There are currently no students in the sixth form.  There were no two-year-olds on roll at the time of the inspection.  The school is registered to admit up to 50 pupils.

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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

The school meets the independent school standards. These are the requirements set out in the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

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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.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and the chair of the proprietor body, who is also the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and personal, social and health education. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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

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Information about this inspection

culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  An inspector carried out a tour of the premises. 20 to 22 March 2024  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation to check compliance with the standards.  An inspector listened to pupils read to a trusted adult.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free- text responses.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  Inspectors spoke with pupils to gather their views of the school. They also considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.

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Inspection team

Jane Dennis, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 20 to 22 March 2024 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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