The Orchards

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: The Orchards Audley Avenue, Stretford, Greater Manchester M32 9TG

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 February 2025

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Helen O’Brien. This school is part of Bright Futures Educational 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), John Stephens CBE, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Daniel Rubin.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision of ‘championing remarkable children’ is truly at the heart of everything the school does. Pupils thrive in this supportive, compassionate environment. They arrive full of joy in the morning. This is in part because the school respects pupils’ rights and listens to their views and opinions. The school encourages and supports pupils to be themselves.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. Staff are highly skilled in supporting pupils with their behaviour and emotions. Relationships between staff and pupils are key to the school’s success. This allows staff to respond in highly effective ways when pupils need additional support. Over time, pupils become more successful in managing their own behaviour. This has a positive impact on their learning and attendance.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is determined for each pupil to receive a high-quality education. It is focused clearly on ensuring that pupils, through their individual curriculum, gain the knowledge, skills and character needed to become as independent as possible in their future lives. Pupils achieve excellently across a range of curriculum areas. They are prepared splendidly for the next stage in their education.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy many experiences which promote their wider development. These include visiting the theatre, going to football matches and visiting local amenities. 11 and 12 February 2025

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has accurately evaluated and improved its curriculum offer. The curriculum reflects the different and more complex needs of pupils who now attend the school. Pupils follow a highly personalised curriculum. Their targets, based on their education, health and care (EHC) plans, are interwoven seamlessly with the school’s overall curriculum. Staff securely and successfully deliver the curriculum to help pupils to learn.

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

Staff have an impressive, in-depth knowledge about the different ways in which pupils learn. They adapt the activities that pupils complete with precision, to ensure that pupils access the curriculum successfully. Underpinning this curriculum offer, the multi-academy trust and school ensure that staff have the expertise needed to deliver the curriculum in such an individualised, unique way for pupils. Ongoing training and learning for staff is a core value for the school, so that the education on offer for pupils continues to improve.

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

The school has a particular focus on developing pupils’ communication skills. The well- thought-out curriculum is successful in ensuring that pupils gain these important skills. For some pupils, this involves using different aids which they are familiar with and use well. When ready, pupils access the phonics programme. This allows them to successfully gain reading skills. Well-targeted support is put into place for pupils when required. Checks on pupils’ learning help to ensure that pupils move swiftly onto new learning. Pupils achieve exceptionally well from their starting points in this area of the curriculum.

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

Pupils concentrate well in lessons, ensuring that they complete the tasks set for them. When they move around the school, they are sensible. Clear routines are in place. This helps to give pupils a sense of security and to feel safe. The school’s work to ensure high pupil attendance is noteworthy. It understands the intricate reasons as to why some pupils might not be able to attend regularly. The school works with pupils, parents and carers and wider services where needed. Ultimately, this ensures that pupils want to be in school. Consequently, pupils’ attendance improves over their time at the school, often from low starting points.

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

The pastoral and therapy teams within the school play a key part in ensuring that pupils’ individual needs are met. They support pupils’ education through a range of strategies which effectively help to meet the specific targets in pupils’ EHC plans.

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

Each aspect of pupils’ wider development is carefully thought through. The school ensures that experiences add to pupils’ lives and prepare them for adulthood. The school works with a local sports team to give pupils a range of sporting opportunities. This includes giving pupils the opportunity to take part in competitive sport. These opportunities help to develop pupils’ talents and interests. Pupils are taught how to stay safe and build healthy, positive relationships with others. Pupils are given the opportunity to represent their school on the ‘trust youth board’ where they offer what they think should be improved in the school. 11 and 12 February 2025

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The multi-academy trust, local governing body and the school work effectively together. Clearly defined roles ensure that each member knows what their roles and responsibilities are. Trustees and governors hold the school rigorously to account for pupils’ performance across all areas of their education. Staff are exceptionally positive about working at the school. They feel valued and listened to when discussing changes in school. For example, recent changes to administration tasks have made their workload easier to manage. This has allowed them to concentrate on providing the best learning opportunities for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 July 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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You can search for published performance information about the school.

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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). 11 and 12 February 2025

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School details

School category Academy special free school

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School details

Website www.theorchards.bright-futures.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 9 and 10 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of Bright Futures Educational Trust.  All pupils who attend the school have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Many of the pupils have an EHC plan. The school caters for pupils with a range of often complex needs, including those with severe learning difficulties, autism and/or with profound and multiple learning difficulties.  The school runs a breakfast club for pupils.  The school does not make use of alternative provision for pupils.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 11 and 12 February 2025

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 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 visited lessons, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They also listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They met with school leaders to discuss pupils’ rates of attendance.  Inspectors met the CEO and deputy CEO on behalf of the board of trustees. The lead inspector also met with the local governing body, including the chair of the local governing body. He spoke with a representative of the local authority.  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

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extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour at lunchtime and as pupils moved around the school building. They scrutinised leaders’ records of pupils’ behaviour.  Inspectors spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at the school.  They spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for staff.  There were no responses to Ofsted’s online survey for pupils.  Inspectors took account of the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Stuart Perkins, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Lindy Griffiths Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 February 2025

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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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