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)  In the standard inspection of April 2024, it was found that the curriculum was delivered inconsistently because staff lacked subject knowledge. At that time, systems for checking the quality of education were not effective enough to identify or address these weaknesses. By the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, the school’s action plan had not been implemented with sufficient quality. While the school had begun to address gaps in staff knowledge and curriculum delivery, these efforts were inconsistent. Furthermore, ongoing issues with staff recruitment and retention undermined the school’s actions, which in turn impeded pupils’ progress through the curriculum.  In the previous monitoring inspection in July 2025, it was found that the implementation of the school’s improvement plan had stalled due to changes in leadership and teaching

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Main inspection findings

staff. While leaders had successfully recruited staff with stronger subject specialisms, these actions were too recent to have a sustained impact. Consequently, inconsistencies in curriculum delivery remained, leading to unaddressed misconceptions in pupils’ learning. Furthermore, although new assessment strategies and methods to revisit prior learning had been introduced, they were in the early stages of implementation and had not significantly improved the quality of teaching and learning.  This inspection found that there has been further turbulence in staffing and leadership at the school during the autumn term. While the proprietor has successfully minimised any adverse impact of changes in leadership, the ongoing fluctuations in teaching staff have hampered the school’s ability to ensure that the curriculum is delivered consistently well. Consequently, since the last progress monitoring inspection, some subjects have not

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Main inspection findings

been implemented as effectively as they could be. Ultimately, this has had a negative impact on how well pupils learn and achieve in these subjects. Although leaders have taken appropriate steps to address previous weaker teaching and have recently appointed new staff with stronger subject expertise, it is still too early to see a sustained impact of these new changes on pupils’ learning over time.  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)  In the previous monitoring inspection, it was found that the school had ensured that strengths in safeguarding arrangements remained in place. Staff continued to receive relevant training and updates on a range of safeguarding matters. They knew the school’s procedures well, and records of concerns demonstrated vigilance. Furthermore, pupils reported feeling safe due to the positive relationships they had with staff.  This inspection demonstrated that the school has maintained an effective safeguarding culture. Staff receive regular updates on risks and remain confident in using the school’s reporting systems. Safeguarding records are well organised and show that leaders take timely action to support vulnerable pupils. Pupils report feeling safe, and value the approachability of staff should they need to raise a concern.

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Main inspection findings

 The proprietor has ensured that the school’s safeguarding policy is published online for parents and carers. This policy has been updated to reflect the most recent statutory guidance and is implemented effectively by staff.  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)  In the standard inspection of April 2024, it was found that checks on the quality of education were insufficient to identify strengths and weaknesses in curriculum delivery. By the progress monitoring inspection in November 2024, monitoring and evaluation plans still lacked the necessary rigour. Consequently, the school’s actions were not having the intended impact in addressing the lack of coherence within the curriculum.  In the previous monitoring inspection, it was found that while the proprietor had introduced support from the central team these efforts were in the early stages. The actions set out in the school’s plan had not been carried out with enough speed or rigour to ensure that the curriculum was delivered consistently well. This was largely due to turbulence in staffing. Although there were recent signs of improvement at that time, the

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Main inspection findings

school was still in the early stages of its journey.  Despite more changes in leadership since the previous inspection, the proprietor has maintained a sense of continuity through the ongoing involvement of the executive headteacher and members of the central team. This has meant that leadership activity and the implementation of the school’s action plan have not been excessively disrupted. In turn, this has enabled leaders to more routinely monitor curriculum delivery and steadily develop the skills of teaching staff through a programme of professional development. However, while leaders are taking appropriate actions to bring about positive improvements, further changes in the wider staff team have once again limited the impact of leaders’ strategic efforts. Ultimately, this ongoing instability has prevented a stable quality of education from taking hold across the school and meant that pupils have continued to experience variability in the overall quality of curriculum delivery.

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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

Gender of pupils in the sixth form Mixed

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School details

Chair Charlotte Charnley (known as Charlotte Barton) Headteacher Gina Lunt (executive headteacher)

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School details

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

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School details

Email address info@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 October 2025.  The school operates from Belgrave House, 211 Chestergate, Stockport SK3 0AN.  The school is registered to admit up to 35 pupils. There are currently 8 pupils on roll, 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.  The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  At the time of the inspection, the recently appointed head of school had just vacated their post. The school continues to be overseen by an executive headteacher and supported by 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 has received 2 progress monitoring inspections, in November 2024 and July 2025. This inspection is the school’s third progress monitoring inspection.  Following the school’s progress monitoring inspection in July 2025, the Department for Education required the school to submit a statutory action plan. This was evaluated in October 2025 and found to be acceptable with modifications.  This inspection was conducted without notice.  The inspector reviewed a sample of pupils’ work, observed lessons and spoke with

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Information about this inspection

leaders, teachers and pupils. The inspector also spoke with the proprietor in order to check compliance with the independent school standards.

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Inspection team

David Spruce, 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

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