Greater Manchester Alternative Provision

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Greater Manchester Alternative Provision 87 Blandford Street, Ashton Under Lyne, Tameside OL6 7HW

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraphs 2(1), 2(1)(a), 2(1)(b) and 2(1)(b)(i)  At the time of the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the proprietor had ensured that the curriculum policy reflected the full range of subjects that pupils study. This included the previously missing curriculum experiences of technological, creative education and physical education (PE). However, this amendment was not supported by appropriate schemes of work for each of these subjects.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated in February 2025, it was judged that leaders’ plans to improve the quality of education for pupils regarding the curriculum were not sufficient to meet this standard.  The proprietor continues to ensure that the curriculum policy reflects the full range of subjects that pupils will study at the school. This includes the three curriculum experiences that were missing at the time of the previous standard and first progress

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Main inspection findings

monitoring inspection, namely technological, creative education, and PE.  At the time of this inspection, there has been no further progress in addressing the remaining unmet standards. The curriculum policy is still not supported by appropriate schemes of work for each subject of study. There remains a limited scheme of work for information technology. The same broad outline of where this subject is covered in other curriculum subjects is still in place. There continues to be broad schemes of work for art and design and PE, but these remain underdeveloped and do not fully reflect what is being taught. The school’s curriculum remains incomplete which continues to make it difficult for staff to fully consider the specific and individual needs of pupils, all of who are pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Paragraphs 3, 3(c), 3(d) and 3(g)  At the time of the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the school had

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Main inspection findings

made small, but limited steps in identifying gaps in pupils’ learning. However, this was not precise enough to enable staff to match the curriculum that they were offering to the individual needs of pupils.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated in February 2025, it was judged that the school’s plans to improve curriculum delivery were not sufficient to meet this standard. This was also the case for its plans for identifying gaps in pupils’ learning and from these, devising appropriate activities using the intended curriculum.  The proprietor and headteacher are qualified teachers, but they remain the only teachers in the school and continue to teach most of the day. Added to this, the reduction in pupil numbers on the school’s roll has presented financial constraints. This has resulted in the previously employed full-time member of support staff now only being part-time. This places extra demands on leaders to run the school, develop the

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Main inspection findings

curriculum as required, and to also access extra curriculum training where needed.  The proprietor and headteacher’s improvements in identifying gaps in pupils’ learning have been maintained since the previous inspection. However, they are still not precise enough to enable teachers to match the curriculum that they offer to the individual needs of pupils. Some curriculum subjects and their associated schemes of work do not ensure that teachers deliver well-planned lessons. This means that they continue to not be fully thought through and are still ad hoc.  Overall, the independent school standards (the standards) checked in this part remain unmet.

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Main inspection findings

Part 3. Welfare, health, and safety of pupils Paragraphs 7, 7(a), 7(b) and 32(1)(c)  The proprietor has ensured that there is a suitable safeguarding policy in place and that this is published on the school’s website. This policy has due regard to current statutory guidance.  There are robust procedures in place for staff to report any concerns that they might have about a pupil’s welfare. The school communicates effectively with other professionals to ensure that pupils are safe and well when they are not in school.  Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This helps staff to recognise when pupils may be at risk from harm. The proprietor has not appointed any new staff since the last inspection in November 2024. However, it understands and knows that the school must carry out the required checks on the suitability of staff whenever they are appointed in future.  These standards continue to be met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraphs 34(1), 34(a) and 34(b)  At the time of the last progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the proprietor had made some progress in addressing previously unmet standards. However, the proprietor had not enacted all the school’s plans for improvement. This included putting in place a management committee to hold the school to account. The school had addressed the unmet standards around premises and accommodation.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated in February 2025, it was judged that the school’s plans to improve leadership and management would not fully address the unmet standards.  Since the previous inspection, there have been a series of circumstances that have adversely preoccupied the proprietor and headteacher. This has caused them to lose impetus. As a result, there has been virtually no progress made in addressing the

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Main inspection findings

remaining unmet standards.  The proprietor and headteacher have ensured that pupils continue to be offered the full breadth of curriculum. They continue to be conscientious in promoting the well-being and safety of pupils.  However, all the standards that were unmet at the last inspection remain unmet at this inspection. The proprietor continues to fail to ensure that the standards in Part 1 are met. As such, the proprietor still does not demonstrate that it has the capacity or knowledge to meet the standards consistently. This is further compounded by the fact that this is the third progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in September 2023 where these standards have not been met.  The proprietor and headteacher intend to set up systems to ensure that the school is regularly held to account for its work, responsibilities, and ongoing development. However, this work has stalled. As a result, there are still no regular checks to ensure

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Main inspection findings

that the standards are met. The proprietor has plans to address this situation. A suitable person has been identified to provide external accountability. However, this remains at an early stage of development.  The requirements of these standards remain unmet.

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Compliance with regulatory requirements

The school does not meet the requirements of the schedule to The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014 ('the independent school standards') and associated requirements that were checked during this inspection, as set out in the annex of this report. This included the standards and requirements that the school be judged to not comply with at the previous inspection. Not all of the standards and associated requirements were checked during this inspection.

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School details

This inspection was carried out under section 109(1) and (2) of the Education and Skills Act 2008, the purpose of which 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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School details

Type of school Other independent special school

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School details

Proprietor Greater Manchester Alternative Provision Limited Chair Cerise Toni Pike

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School details

Email address headteacher@gma-provision.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 12 to 14 September 2023

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Information about this school

 The school’s premises are at 87 Blandford Street, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 7HW. The premises are located on the corner of Portland Street and Blandford Street. There is an independent nursery school operating from the same site called Children4Most. This nursery is separately registered and is not connected to the school.  The school is registered to admit up to 30 pupils aged from 11 to 16. Pupils at the school are dual rolled. The proprietor shares responsibility for pupils that attend the school with the pupils’ current mainstream secondary schools.  The school provides short-term placements for pupils who have disengaged from education or are at risk of exclusion from education.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.  The proprietor is Greater Manchester Alternative Provision Limited. The chair is the sole proprietor. Leaders have set up a management committee. The chair of this committee

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Information about this school

acts as the governance for the school.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place from 12 to 14 September 2023. Two previous progress monitoring inspections, commissioned by the Department for Education (DfE), took place on 7 February 2024 and 14 November 2024.

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Information about this inspection

 This inspection was carried out at the request of the registration authority for independent schools. The purpose of the inspection was to monitor the progress the school has made in meeting the independent school standards and other requirements that it be judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  This was the third progress monitoring inspection since the standard inspection in September 2023. It was conducted without notice.  Following the standard inspection, the DfE required the school to prepare an action plan. This plan was statutory. Ofsted evaluated the plan on 1 November 2023. The DfE rejected this action plan.  The first progress monitoring inspection was conducted on 7 February 2024. At this time, the school continued to not meet some of the standards. The DfE required a further action plan to be submitted. This plan was statutory. Ofsted evaluated the action plan on 1 May 2024. The DfE rejected this action plan.

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Information about this inspection

 The second progress monitoring inspection was conducted on 12 November 2024. At this time, the school continued to not meet some of the standards. The DfE required a further action plan to be submitted. This plan was statutory. Ofsted evaluated the action plan on 7 February 2025. The DfE rejected this action plan.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the proprietor, who are the only teachers at the school. She also met with the headteacher in his capacity as the designated safeguarding lead.  The inspector spoke with leaders about the curriculum. She looked at curriculum plans and at samples of pupils’ work. The inspector visited some lessons and talked with a small number of pupils about their work.  The inspection also considered the school’s safeguarding arrangements, including the single central record of pre-employment checks and whether the school’s safeguarding policy is available to parents and carers. These requirements of the independent school

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Inspection team

Sue Eastwood, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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The school does not meet the following independent school standards

Standards that were not met at the previous inspection and remain un-met at this inspection

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

 2(1) The standard in this paragraph is met if- – 2(1)(a) the proprietor ensures that a written policy on the curriculum, supported by appropriate plans and schemes of work, which provides for the matters specified in sub- paragraph (2) is drawn up and implemented effectively; and – 2(1)(b) the written policy, plans, and schemes of work- – 2(1)(b)(i) take into account the ages, aptitudes, and needs of all pupils, including those pupils with an EHC plan; and  3 The standard in this paragraph is met if the proprietor ensures that the teaching at the school- – 3(c) involves well planned lessons and effective teaching methods, activities, and management of class time; – 3(d) shows a good understanding of the aptitudes, needs, and prior attainments of the pupils, and ensures that these are taken into account in the planning of lessons; – 3(g) demonstrates that a framework is in place to assess pupils' work regularly and

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Part 1. Quality of education provided

thoroughly and use information from that assessment to plan teaching so that pupils can progress.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

 34(1) The standard about the quality of leadership and management is met if the proprietor ensures that persons with leadership and management responsibilities at the school- – 34(1)(a) demonstrate good skills and knowledge appropriate to their role so that the independent school standards are met consistently; – 34(1)(b) fulfil their responsibilities effectively so that the independent school standards are met consistently. guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted's website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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