Setting

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404045 F 020 7421 6644 www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Mrs S M Knight Headteacher Manor High School Copse Close Oadby Leicester Leicestershire LE2 4FU

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Secondary Schools

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 29 September 2006 to look at your work in promoting attendance.

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Secondary Schools

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions, but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text. All feedback letters will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of each half-term.

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Secondary Schools

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included: interviews with staff, pupils and a representative of the local authority, scrutiny of relevant documentation and brief observations of three part lessons.

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Secondary Schools

The overall effectiveness of your work in promoting attendance was judged to be good, with some outstanding features.

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Achievement and standards

 The school makes a very good and effective link between attendance and attainment. Teachers and senior leaders use data in a robust way. This ensures that suitable targets are set for pupils whose attendance is a cause for concern. Pupils’ progress towards meeting these challenging targets is monitored closely.  The school’s national test results at the end of Year 9 are high and have been so over recent years. Teachers’ expectations for the small minority of pupils whose attendance is irregular are as high as for those pupils who attend regularly.  Overall, pupils have very positive attitudes to learning, reflecting the quality of relationships between pupils and staff. There is a wide range of strategies to ensure that pupils at risk of becoming disengaged with school are identified quickly and their personal development and well- being is catered for very effectively.

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Quality of teaching and learning

 In all of the three part lessons observed, the quality of teaching and learning was good because it engaged pupils’ interest. Lessons started promptly and teachers were diligent about registering the pupils.  There has been a recent change in the role of managers who have pastoral responsibilities, so that they are now designated as learning managers. The purpose of this change is to help ensure that the guidance and support provided for pupils is robust.

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Quality of curriculum

 The school has made some alternative provision for the few pupils whose attendance rate has been among the lowest. As a result, their attendance and behaviour have improved significantly.

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Leadership and management

 At a senior leadership level, there is a demonstrable enthusiasm and determination to address the relatively minor attendance problems. There is very good knowledge at a strategic level of what works in improving attendance for the few who experience difficulties.  Senior leaders’ strategies are also very effective in sustaining good levels of attendance because they set high expectations for staff and pupils. This means that the vast majority of pupils attend school, enjoy learning and make at least good progress.  Systems to monitor attendance are well considered, clearly understood by staff and implemented effectively.

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Inclusion

 No groups underachieve. Vulnerable pupils are well known and their needs are met effectively. The school has good links with education welfare services.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

 to ensure that the changed role of learning managers is implemented fully.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, included:

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to develop your attendance work in the school. As I explained in my previous letter, a copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority and will be published on Ofsted’s website. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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