Progress Schools - Stockport

School progress monitoring inspection report

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Progress Schools - Stockport Belgrave House, 211 Chestergate, Stockport SK3 0AN

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Main inspection findings

Part 1. Quality of education provided Paragraph 3, 3(c) to 3(e)  At the time of the school’s last standard inspection in April 2024, inspectors found that there were inconsistencies in the way in which the curriculum was delivered. This was because staff lacked subject knowledge. These inconsistencies were not identified and addressed because the systems in place to check on the quality of education at this time were not effective.  At the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the school’s action plan was not put into place well enough. At this time, the school had started to address the weaknesses in staff’s subject knowledge and curriculum delivery. However, this was not consistent. This was made worse by staffing recruitment and retention issues that impinged upon the effectiveness of the school’s actions. As such, pupils’ progress through the curriculum was impeded.  In its most recent action plan, the school has set out its actions in greater detail and has

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Main inspection findings

defined clear success criteria to measure its actions by. The plan explains how the school intends to use assessment information to support teachers in designing the curriculum, so that it is adapted for pupils’ special educational needs and/or disabilities.  Although fit for purpose, this inspection found that the school’s improvement plan has stalled due to changes in teaching staff and in leadership. Current leaders have changed the school’s culture to ensure that staff engage well with the opportunities that are on offer to develop their teaching skills. They have recruited teachers with subject specialisms to ensure that there is stronger knowledge among staff. However, these improvements have been very recent. There remain inconsistencies in the delivery of the curriculum, which lead to unaddressed misconceptions in pupils’ learning.  The recent improvements that the school has introduced include more purposeful

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Main inspection findings

assessments to highlight gaps in pupils’ knowledge, as well as strategies to revisit prior learning. The school is in the early stages of implementing these actions. As such, there has not been a demonstrable impact on the quality of teaching and learning in the school at this stage.  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), 32(1), 32(1)(c)  At the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the inspector found that staff had been provided with appropriate training to maintain a vigilant safeguarding culture. The school was paying due regard to the statutory guidance for safeguarding. It also ensured that the safeguarding policy was published on its website.  At this inspection, the school has ensured that these strengths in the arrangements for safeguarding remain in place. Staff continue to receive relevant training and recent updates on a wide range of safeguarding matters. They know the school’s procedures well and the school’s records of concerns demonstrate vigilance. Pupils say that they feel safe at the school because of the positive relationships that they have with staff.  The proprietor has ensured that any updates to the school’s safeguarding policy continue

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Main inspection findings

to be published online for parents and carers. This policy continues to follow the most recent statutory guidance.  These standards remain met.

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Main inspection findings

Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools Paragraph 34(1), 34(1)(a), 34(1)(b)  At the time of the standard inspection in April 2024, inspectors found that the checks on the quality of education were not sufficient to identify strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of the curriculum. At the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, there remained a lack of rigour in the plans to monitor and evaluate the school’s quality of education. The school’s actions were not having the intended impact in addressing the lack of coherence in the curriculum.  When the school’s action plan was evaluated in March 2025, it identified the necessary improvements needed to address the unmet standards. The plan set out how leaders would check on compliance with the standards. In addition, it showed how the school intended to provide curriculum training for staff to bring about sustainable improvements

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Main inspection findings

to the quality of education.  This inspection found that the proprietor has put in place support from its central team to start to make a difference at the school. However, this is still at an early stage. The actions previously identified in the school’s plan have not been carried out swiftly enough or with sufficient rigour to ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well. This is largely due to turbulence in staffing. There are recent signs of improvement, but the school is still in the early stages of its journey.  The standards in this part 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 was 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

Chair Charlotte Charnley (known as Charlotte Barton) Headteacher Gena Lunt (executive head of school)

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School details

Annual fees (day pupils) £17,500 to £54,000

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School details

Email address admin@progress-schools.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous standard inspection 23 to 25 April 2024

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Information about this school

 The school’s previous standard inspection took place in April 2024. Since then, the school received a progress monitoring inspection in November 2024. The school’s most recent action plan was evaluated in March 2025.  The school operate from Belgrave House, 211 Chestergate, Stockport SK3 0AN.  The school is registered to admit up to 35 pupils, all of whom have disengaged from education, have been permanently excluded or are at risk of exclusion from education. All pupils have an education, health and care plan. At the time of the inspection, pupils in Year 11 had left the school.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  At the time of the inspection, there was no head of school in post. The school is supported by an executive headteacher and a central team of staff employed by the proprietor.

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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 was judged to not comply with at its previous inspection.  The school’s previous standard inspection took place in April 2024. Since then, the school received a progress monitoring inspection in November 2024. This inspection is the school’s second progress monitoring inspection.  Following the school’s progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the Department for Education required the school to submit a statutory action plan. This was evaluated in March 2025 and found to be acceptable.  This inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspector reviewed a sample of pupils’ work, observed lessons and spoke with leaders, teachers and pupils. The inspector also spoke with the proprietor and with a

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Information about this inspection

representative of Stockport local authority in order to check compliance with the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

Steve Bentham, 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

 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(e) demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the subject matter being taught.

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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

Parent View You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Part 8. Quality of leadership in and management of schools

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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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

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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