Wellacre Technology Academy

Wellacre Technology Academy

Address: Irlam Road, Flixton, Urmston, Manchester, Lancashire, M41 6AP Unique reference number (URN): 136378

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have made a number of highly impactful decisions to support pupils who may face barriers to their learning or wellbeing. Many of the innovative approaches in place improve the life chances of disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, there is a range of safe spaces that pupils can access when they may need help or guidance. These spaces, and the highly trained staff available, are used very well. This means that no pupils are left behind. The school has highly effective systems and processes to swiftly and accurately identify the barriers to learning that pupils may have. These identify what they need to overcome them. Staff have the precise information and training they need to ensure that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum. Staff rigorously check pupils' progress against their target. When necessary, staff provide or arrange additional support or adaptations that support pupils.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders use pupil premium funding effectively to overcome obstacles disadvantaged pupils may otherwise face. For example, all pupils have equal access to clubs, trips and any additional opportunities.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders work closely with lots of external agencies to enhance the bespoke help in place for pupils who need it. This includes pupils who are known, or previously known, to social care.

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Inclusion Strong standard

A small number of pupils access alternative provision. Leaders rigorously monitor how well these pupils are learning and continue to provide support for them and their families. The number of pupils who access alternative provision has reduced significantly. This is because of the strengthened support now available in school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have crafted and embedded a robust, engaging personal development programme. They regularly review the impact of this programme. Leaders diligently make any necessary changes. For example, leaders are responsive to local issues. They make sure that pupils are swiftly provided with current guidance and information through meaningful assemblies and form-time activities. As a result, pupils understand how to keep themselves safe in school, online and in their local community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The ‘Respect’ curriculum is at the heart of leaders’ work to provide pupils with knowledge of the world around them. Pupils have a deep understanding of how to behave in society. They understand about a variety of faiths, cultures and the importance of diversity. Consequently, the values of respect and tolerance truly permeate school life.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils have a wide range of enrichment opportunities available to develop their chosen interests and talents, and to be active citizens. This includes dedicated weekly sessions for all pupils to access clubs and activities. Everyone has equal access to activities they may not have the chance to experience otherwise. These include gardening club, skateboarding, handball and music lessons. Pupils are encouraged to engage in local charitable activities, and many do. Some pupils help at a nearby residential care home. Pupils value the leadership opportunities they have.

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Expected standard

Pastoral support is integral to the fabric of school life at Wellacre Technology Academy. Leaders make sure that pupils receive the right support at the right time.

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Expected standard

Leaders have built a highly effective careers programme. Pupils benefit from a range of encounters with local and national employers. Pupils in Year 10 participate in tailored work experience placements. Consequently, pupils progress to suitable education, training or employment routes when they move on to their next steps.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have successfully embedded processes to help pupils who struggle to attend school regularly. Leaders provide targeted and effective support for these pupils. As a result, the number of pupils who are persistently or severely absent is consistently reducing. Generally, pupils attend school as regularly as their peers nationally. This includes disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders and staff have high expectations for how pupils should behave. They share a common vision of how they want school to feel for pupils. Most pupils meet these high expectations. Classrooms are harmonious and studious environments where pupils can concentrate on their learning. Pupils work well together to maintain these standards. Leaders work closely with pupils and their families to provide help if they need it to reach leaders’ expectations. This includes pupils that have barriers to learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Bullying is not tolerated at this school. Pupils are respectful of each other, including any differences they may have. They know to speak to staff if they encounter any unkindness. Pupils are confident that any incidents will be dealt with swiftly.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have taken effective action to improve the curriculum and teaching since the last inspection. The curriculum is now well sequenced and appropriately ambitious across all subjects and year groups. Leaders have developed highly impactful strategies to improve teaching. Teachers embrace their professional learning and make positive changes to enhance their practice. As a result, typically, teachers skilfully break down concepts for pupils. This means that pupils can focus on the most important knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers use a range of strategies to regularly check what pupils know. In lessons, they generally use this information to provide pupils with the help they need to move on and learn securely. This is particularly true for pupils with barriers to their learning. At times, however, teachers do not use information from these checks to provide pupils with opportunities to fill any gaps in their learning or deepen their knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have devised appropriate systems to identify pupils who need help to read. As a result, pupils who may need this help receive timely and highly effective support to improve

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Needs attention

how well they read. Staff identify pupils who need additional support to improve their writing or number skills. These pupils receive the help they need.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and trustees are fully committed to improving the life chances of every pupil who attends Wellacre. They are increasingly ambitious in their expectations of what pupils can achieve. Leaders, including trustees, have clear oversight of the quality of the school's work. Since the previous inspection, they have developed many effective methods to check the impact of their work. This is particularly the case for teaching, behaviour, inclusion and personal development and wellbeing.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders understand that weaknesses remain in how well pupils attain in national examinations at the end of key stage 4. They have implemented plans to begin to address these weaknesses. They regularly review how effective these strategies are. However, it is too soon to see the full impact of this work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Trustees fulfil their statutory duties. They typically provide effective support and challenge. This means that leaders are equipped to make impactful decisions. They work cohesively to strive for excellence.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are proud to work at Wellacre. They appreciate the recent improvements that leaders have made. Teachers value the support they receive to improve their practice. This includes the programme in place for professional development. Leaders make sure that staff workload and wellbeing is well considered when they make any changes. Staff understand this.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with parents and the wider community. Parents feel included in any decisions leaders make. They value the communication they receive.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders’ positive changes to curriculum and teaching have not yet resulted in sustained improvements in how well pupils achieve across all subjects and stages. This includes how well pupils attain in national examinations at the end of key stage 4 in English and mathematics.

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Achievement Needs attention

Typically, pupils at Wellacre Technology Academy develop their reading, writing and numeracy skills securely. Many pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, attain in line with national averages. That said, over time, pupils generally do not attain as well as they should from their starting points in GCSE examinations.

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Achievement Needs attention

Leaders make sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), disadvantaged pupils and pupils who may face other barriers to their learning receive support to achieve well. They rigorously track how well these pupils progress through the curriculum and provide timely, effective help.

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Achievement Needs attention

Increasingly, pupils move on to suitable education, employment or training when they leave school. This is particularly true for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils are very proud to attend Wellacre Technology Academy. They care for each other. Pupils share warm and courteous relationships with their peers and staff. The school's expectations of being 'ready, respectful and safe' are lived out by pupils. In lessons, pupils quickly settle into their learning. Pupils benefit from teachers’ explanations of complex concepts. They enjoy their lessons. Some pupils achieve their academic potential. Most pupils attend school regularly. They leave the school with the knowledge and skills they need for their next steps.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Staff know pupils very well. Pupils benefit from the raft of support that is available, and they know they are safe. Staff quickly notice if pupils need help, and they provide bespoke support. Pupils know this. Pupils who face the toughest challenges are rightly prioritised at this school. Staff go the extra mile for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and disadvantaged pupils. This is also the case for young carers and pupils who are known, or have previously been known, to social care. Pupils who speak English as an additional language thrive here.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Beyond the classroom, pupils benefit from a variety of distinctive clubs and activities. This includes music and performing arts clubs, sporting clubs, mathematics club and LEGO club. Pupils enjoy being part of their house team, Turing, Pankhurst or Lowry. This helps them to develop their team spirit. Many pupils gain the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Wellacre’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is open to all pupils from Year 8 to Year 11. Pupils who attend CCF are provided with a free uniform and have access to numerous teamwork challenges. Pupils appreciate the visits that are on offer to broaden their understanding of the world. They enjoy giving back to their local community.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that the systems they have in place to monitor the impact of their actions lead to an improvement in how well pupils achieve in national examinations at the end of key stage 4. Leaders should continue to refine the assessment strategies in place to provide pupils with regular, meaningful opportunities to revisit their work and deepen their knowledge across the curriculum.

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Team inspectors:

Iain Sim, Ofsted Inspector Mark Cocker, Ofsted Inspector Derek Yarwood, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

The school is part of the Wellacre Technology Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is a single-academy trust that is run by the chief executive officer, Julie Sharrock, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steve Casey.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal and other senior leaders during the inspection. Inspectors also spoke with a representative of the local authority, the headteacher of the virtual school and a group of trustees, including the chair of trustees. Inspectors considered the views of parents and carers via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They also considered the responses to Ofsted's online staff and pupil questionnaires.

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About this inspection

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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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school uses 2 registered and one unregistered alternative provision settings for a small number of pupils.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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English and maths GCSE

Percentage of pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 40.5% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 47.4% 45.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 37.6% 45.3% Close to average

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Attainment 8

A measure of pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 46.0 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 45.6 45.9 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 43.5 46.3 Close to average

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Progress 8

How much progress pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils achieving grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 19.4% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 29.2% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 23.5% 25.2% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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national average

2024/25 (final) 36.5 34.9 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 36.4 34.6 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 37.5 35.0 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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national average

2023/24 (final) -0.40 -0.57 Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) -0.65 -0.57 Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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Disadvantaged pupils' English and maths GCSE grade 5 or above

Percentage of disadvantaged pupils who achieved grade 5 or above in English and maths GCSE.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Attainment 8

A measure of disadvantaged pupils' point scores across 8 subjects including maths (double weighted), English (double weighted if both language and literature are taken), 3 EBacc measures and 3 GCSE or technical measures.

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Disadvantaged pupils' Progress 8

How much progress disadvantaged pupils made between the end of primary school (key stage 2) and the end of secondary school (key stage 4), compared to pupils across England who got similar results at the end of key stage 2.

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Destinations after 16

Percentage of pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after the end of secondary school (key stage 4).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (3 term) 7.5% 8.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 8.1% 8.9% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 22.5% 25.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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