Moorside High School

Moorside High School

Address: 57 Deans Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 0AP Unique reference number (URN): 144199

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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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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils' attainment in national examinations at the end of key stage 4 is improving. This includes for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Pupils’ GCSE results are close to the national average overall, including for English and mathematics. This helps pupils to move on to the next stage of education, employment or training successfully.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils’ responses in lessons show that they are developing their knowledge in different subjects across the curriculum. Teachers identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and work to close these. This supports pupils’ progress through the curriculum and between key stages. The work produced by disadvantaged pupils and non-disadvantaged pupils is of a similar quality.

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Achievement Expected standard

Leaders' and staff's work to address gaps in some pupils' basic knowledge of reading, writing and numeracy is effective. This work is helping to enable pupils to access new learning in lessons and build up their knowledge securely.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders carefully monitor pupils' attendance. They are clear about the importance of high attendance and work to instil this importance in pupils and families. Leaders put strategies in place to support pupils with their attendance. They regularly review the impact of these strategies and adapt their approaches if attendance is not improving. As a result of leaders’ actions, attendance has improved for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Generally, attendance has been broadly in line with the national average over time.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have established clear rules and routines for behaviour. These rules and routines help to ensure that pupils feel safe. When bullying or other serious misbehaviour occurs, leaders deal with it quickly and effectively. Leaders have created a culture where pupils know that staff care for them. Pupils confide in staff. They know that staff have high expectations and will not tolerate any form of discrimination, harassment or abuse. These high expectations are also evident in classrooms, where pupils are calm and follow the school's rules. Pupils rarely disrupt learning in lessons. For pupils who find appropriate behaviour difficult at times, leaders work well in adapting their approaches. Leaders help pupils understand the impact of their choices and to manage their emotions more effectively.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have created a curriculum that is appropriate and well designed for all year groups. Most teachers are subject specialists. Where this is not the case, leaders provide regular training to develop teachers' subject knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

On the whole, the curriculum is taught well. Teachers generally devise tasks that allow pupils to build on their prior knowledge. Teachers also use a range of assessment strategies to understand what pupils know. Typically, teachers use this understanding to close any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers understand the barriers to learning that pupils in their classes face, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Teachers put appropriate strategies in place to help reduce these barriers for pupils. For example, teachers check identified pupils’ understanding immediately after setting a task. Strategies such as these help pupils to access their learning and achieve.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders provide support for pupils with gaps in their knowledge of reading, writing and numeracy. Staff receive training on how to address these gaps in pupils' knowledge. Staff provide targeted support for pupils who need it. This support improves pupils' basic knowledge in these fundamental areas of learning and enables pupils to access the curriculum with greater success.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have clear processes to identify any barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing. When necessary, leaders work with other professionals to identify the right support for pupils. Leaders share support strategies for pupils with staff, who generally apply these strategies appropriately. Leaders check the impact of this support, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those known, or previously known, to social care. When appropriate, leaders adjust things to ensure that barriers to pupils' learning and wellbeing are being reduced effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils in the school's specially resourced provision for pupils with SEND join their peers in the main school for most lessons. Typically, pupils get the support that they need to succeed in these lessons. Staff adapt support for pupils in the specially resourced provision well. Pupils also get individual and small-group tuition that helps them to secure essential knowledge.

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Inclusion Expected standard

When appropriate, leaders use alternative provision to help reduce pupils’ barriers to learning and wellbeing. Leaders work closely with alternative providers to track pupils' progress. Generally, alternative provision has a positive impact on pupils who attend.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders provide additional resources and support, mostly through pupil premium funding, to reduce disadvantaged pupils' barriers to learning and wellbeing. Disadvantaged pupils benefit from extra tuition and financial support for educational trips. The school's provision for disadvantaged pupils supports both their achievement and their participation in school life.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders are determined to continue to improve the school for the pupils and community that they serve. Leaders at all levels have a clear understanding of the school’s priorities and share the same vision for the school. Trustees fulfil their statutory duties and, together with local governors, provide the school with effective support and challenge. Trust leaders provide the school with the resources it needs to address its key improvement priorities. Leaders use those resources well, for example in establishing a stable staff and in improving pupils' performance in key stage 4 examinations.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders take staff workload and wellbeing seriously. Leaders deliberately seek out effective ways to ensure that staff have what they need to work effectively. This ranges from teaching resources through to more personal support for staff wellbeing. Staff value the support that leaders give them and are proud to work at the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff benefit from the school's professional development programme. Leaders provide staff with training that improves their subject knowledge and teaching practice. Leaders ensure that staff are trained on emerging safeguarding issues. This enhances the school's safeguarding culture.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders work closely with the local community, and this provides additional opportunities and experiences for pupils. Leaders keep families informed about school life. The majority of parents, carers and pupils appreciate the improvements that leaders have made to the school and are proud to be a part of the school community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have created a personal development programme that gives pupils the knowledge that they need to understand themselves and the world around them. Pupils develop knowledge of different cultures and faiths and of the fundamental British values. They gain an age-appropriate understanding of relationships, identity and personal safety. Some pupils articulate an awareness of local politics and financial literacy. While pupils in all year groups show some understanding of these topics, pupils in key stage 3 have a deeper understanding. This reflects the changes that leaders have recently made to the personal development curriculum.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

For some pupils with barriers to learning or wellbeing, leaders provide additional opportunities to revisit the most important knowledge that they have learned, for example about keeping safe both online and offline. Pastoral staff have one-to-one conversations or small-group discussions in safer spaces with these pupils. As a result, pupils secure the essential knowledge that they need to keep themselves safe and healthy.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders track pupils' participation in the range of enrichment opportunities on offer. Pupils engage with visiting speakers, for example from the Royal Air Force, provide food donations for the local community and participate in inspiring educational trips. Where appropriate, leaders provide additional resources to ensure that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities can access these opportunities equally. Pupils enjoy this wider enrichment offer and appreciate how it broadens their view of the world.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's careers programme provides pupils with appropriate careers education and guidance. Pupils learn about different college courses and apprenticeships. The programme helps pupils to know about the range of post-16 destinations available to them. It also helps to inform pupils about the qualifications they need to pursue their chosen careers. Effective pastoral support and guidance ensure that pupils move on successfully when they leave the school.

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

Pupils are proud of this school and embrace the qualities of the ‘Moorside Way’. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), belong to a safe and supportive school community. Pupils benefit from positive relationships with staff and their peers. Staff know pupils very well, and this supports a culture of mutual respect. Bullying is rare and, if it does happen, pupils know that leaders will address it quickly. Staff support and encourage pupils to enjoy the wide range of opportunities on offer, for example flag football, lacrosse and visits to local museums. These opportunities help pupils to find new hobbies and interests. Some pupils also hold leadership responsibilities and appreciate these roles. Pupils feel valued and heard. They understand the part they play in creating a positive school culture.

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

Generally, pupils attend school regularly. Most pupils understand the importance of high attendance. Staff praise pupils when their attendance is high or improving. When appropriate, leaders provide support to help reduce pupils’ barriers to attendance. This includes supporting families when necessary.

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

Pupils benefit from a staff team that is now stable and established. Lessons are calm and rarely disrupted by poor behaviour. Pupils follow a well-designed curriculum, and teachers structure lessons carefully. Generally, teaching supports pupils to build on their knowledge. Pupils who face barriers to their learning, including those with SEND, receive the help that they need. This includes in-class support as well as more targeted help in small groups, if needed.

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

Results in national examinations at the end of key stage 4 have improved, including for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. Most pupils access their chosen path into education, employment or training when they leave school.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that they sustain and accelerate improvements in pupils' attendance so that more pupils benefit from the education that the school provides and achieve well. Leaders should ensure that the curriculum is taught consistently well. In particular, leaders should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding effectively so that gaps in pupils' knowledge are addressed and pupils are able to build a coherent body of knowledge across subjects.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Consilium Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer

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Team inspectors:

Timothy Gartside, Ofsted Inspector Chris Glennon, Ofsted Inspector Michael Gun-Why, Ofsted Inspector Lisa Corrigan, His Majesty's Inspector Gerard Preston, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

(CEO), Michael McCarthy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin Fleetwood.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

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

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Facts and figures used on 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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Facts and figures used on inspection

Inspectors spoke with the principal, other senior leaders, groups of staff and pupils. They also spoke with the headteacher of the local authority virtual school and leaders of the alternative providers that the school uses. The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees, chair of the local academy board, CEO of the trust and members of the trust's executive team.

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Facts and figures used on 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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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The school includes specially resourced provision for 21 pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs. Pupil places at this provision are commissioned by the local authority.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The school currently makes use of 12 alternative provisions, including 11 that are unregistered.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The school and the trust have undergone significant changes in leadership since the school's previous inspection. There is a new chair of trustees, a new CEO, as well as a new headteacher and several new senior leaders.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

Principal: Helen Ryles-Dean 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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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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What does this mean?

The type of Special Educational Needs provision provided at the school (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) 45.5% 45.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 43.1% 45.9% 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) 41.8 46.1 Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 42.8 45.9 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) 28.6% 25.8% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (final) 18.2% 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) 32.2 34.9 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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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) 9.2% 8.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 9.3% 8.9% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 9.4% 9.0% 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

2024/25 (3 term) 27.4% 23.4% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 27.3% 25.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 26.5% 26.5% 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

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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