Stretford High School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Stretford High School Great Stone Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 0XA

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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Outcome

Stretford High School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of the diversity represented within their school. They animatedly described ‘the power of you’ days where they celebrate each other’s cultures and faiths. Pupils said that everyone is free to be themselves. This creates a sense of belonging which helps pupils to feel happy in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are keen to ensure that visitors are made to feel welcome. Polite and respectful interactions between pupils and adults are the norm. The atmosphere in the school is calm and orderly. Pupils typically behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils embrace opportunities to make changes for the benefit of others. For instance, following a consultation with their peers, the student council negotiated a change to the uniform policy. Community ambassadors help to look after the environment in the local area.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school prioritises pupils’ personal development alongside academic success. Pupils benefit from the ‘CARE’ (community, aspiration, resilience, education) programme which includes activities that help to promote well-being and develop their self-esteem. For example, pupils participate in sessions where they reflect on their positive qualities.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the care that staff have taken to ensure that the diversity of the school community is reflected in the school’s high-quality curriculum. The school has high expectations of pupils’ achievement. Most pupils achieve well. 12 and 13 November 2024

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

The school has ensured that the curriculum is broad and ambitious. It has taken action to raise the profile of the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects. For example, information about careers is woven into the curriculum in key stage 3 so that pupils understand what qualifications in these subjects can prepare them for. This is beginning to take effect. For instance, the number of pupils opting to study a modern foreign language in key stage 4 is increasing.

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

The school has identified the most important information that pupils should learn in each subject. Key concepts are revisited over time to help pupils to consolidate their learning. Teachers are knowledgeable about their subjects. They explain new information clearly to pupils. In lessons, pupils are attentive to staff. Typically, learning proceeds undisturbed.

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

The school has ensured that teachers check what pupils have learned. However, at times, some teachers do not conduct these checks successfully to identify where pupils have missed or forgotten their learning. On occasions, some teachers move learning on before some pupils are ready.

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

The school is sharply focused on ensuring that vulnerable pupils are supported to access the curriculum well. It rigorously identifies any barriers to learning that pupils may have. This includes any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and any difficulties with reading. Well-trained staff help to prepare and equip these pupils to access their learning successfully. For example, pupils appreciate the support that is available to them in ‘the hub’. Pupils at the earlier stages of reading receive the help that they need to develop into confident and fluent readers.

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

The school is determined to provide pupils with knowledge and experiences that enable them to grow into confident and successful members of society. It has crafted a comprehensive approach to promoting pupils’ personal development. This includes the ‘everything else’ programme, through which pupils deepen their knowledge of a wealth of topics. These range from first aid and financial planning to discussion of international issues, such as modern-day slavery. In addition, the school’s extensive careers programme provides pupils with useful information to enable them to make well-informed decisions about their next steps.

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

Governors bring a range of expertise to their roles and the school makes good use of this. Governors and leaders work closely together to review and refine the quality of education that the school provides. They prioritise giving staff opportunities to work together to do this. For instance, staff have dedicated time with their subject teams for curriculum development. Staff appreciate leaders’ consideration of their well-being. Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 and 13 November 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teachers do not check that pupils have understood and remembered their learning before they move on. As a result, some pupils develop misconceptions or gaps in their knowledge which are not swiftly addressed. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies well to identify and remedy gaps in pupils’ knowledge before they introduce new content.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2019.

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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.

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Catherine Counsell

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 December 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school uses two registered and two unregistered alternative provisions.  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.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 spoke to the headteacher, other senior leaders, subject leaders and members of staff.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 An inspector met with representatives of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  An inspector spoke with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors spoke with pupils about their experiences of school and their views on behaviour and bullying. They also observed pupils’ behaviour during lessons and at breaktimes.  Inspectors considered the responses shared through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for staff and for pupils.  Inspectors reviewed a wide range of evidence, including the school’s policies and records relating to pupils’ attendance.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Sally Rix, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 2024

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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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