Manor High School Oadby

120263 Unique Reference Number Leicestershire Local Authority 313571 Inspection number 6 December 2007 Inspection date Ian Hodgkinson Reporting inspector

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This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Middle deemed secondary Type of school Community School category 10 °14 Age range of pupils Mixed Gender of pupils Number on roll 902 School The governing body Appropriate authority Graham Wilson Chair Sheila Major Headteacher 15 March 2004 Date of previous school inspection Copse Close School address Oadby Leicester LE2 4FU 0116 2714941 Telephone number 0116 2720277 Fax number

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10-14 Age group 6 December 2007 Inspection date 313571 Inspection number .

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This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated.

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Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Introduction

The inspection was carried out by two Additional Inspectors. The inspectors evaluated the overall effectiveness of the school and investigated the following issues: pupils' standards and progress in their work, the quality and breadth of the curriculum, and the impact of the school's strategies to improve behaviour and secure pupils' emotional well-being. Evidence was gathered through discussion with school senior leaders, subject leaders, the chair of governors, a parent, pupils, and representatives of the school council; together with visits to lessons, scrutiny of pupils' work, and analysis of school records and planning documents. Parents' questionnaire responses were also analysed. Other aspects of the school's work were not investigated in detail, but inspectors found no evidence to suggest that the school's own assessments, as given in its self-evaluation, were not justified, and these have been included where appropriate in

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Description of the school

This heavily over-subscribed school serves a relatively affluent suburb in the south-east of Leicester. Over two thirds of pupils are from minority ethnic groups, with nearly half of Indian heritage. Over half of pupils speak English as an additional language. Pupils join the school with attainment which is above average. A low proportion has learning difficulties and/or disabilities, although the proportion with statements of special educational need is average. Manor High was designated as a specialist technology school in September 2006, but a delay in funding deferred implementation until April 2007.

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Key for inspection grades

Outstanding Grade 1 Good Grade 2 Satisfactory Grade 3 Inadequate Grade 4 3 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007

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Grade: 1

Manor High is an outstanding school. Its pupils consistently reach exceptionally high standards by the time they leave in Year 9, and these standards have continued to rise since the last inspection. Pupils' outstanding achievement is brought about by excellent teaching. Teachers plan their lessons very thoroughly to incorporate a variety of methods which suit the ways different pupils like to learn. So, as well as listening to the teacher and reading books, pupils are frequently able to learn through practical activities, role play, building models and handling artefacts. They develop a very high level of capability in information and communication technology (ICT) as skilful teaching challenges them to explore more advanced features of computer programs, and they apply these skills across many subjects. Pupils are well aware of the objectives of their activities, and this makes lessons very purposeful and fast moving.

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Grade: 1

Teachers' assessment of pupils' work is very clear and helpful. Pupils assess their own work and that of their peers so that they gain a good awareness of the criteria they need to meet to improve their work. In most subjects they have very clear individual targets for improvement and teachers' marking very effectively reminds pupils of what they need to do to meet those targets. Pupils' progress against their targets is checked frequently and very carefully to keep them on track. Additional support is subsequently deployed where necessary to ensure success for all groups of pupils. Progress appears to slow somewhat when pupils first join the school in Year 6, their last year of Key Stage 2 work before the major national tests at the end of that year. Results in those tests are above average and represent sound progress for pupils, but they are not as strong as pupils' excellent results in tests at the end of Year 9. The procedures

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Grade: 1

that the school has in place to help pupils settle in to Year 6 and 'hit the ground running' in their studies are nonetheless comprehensive and helpful, and most pupils evidently feel well supported in that transition. Also during Year 6 some important skills are secured which contribute much to later success, such as the development of investigative skills in science. The excellent development of pupils' basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT is underpinned by the challenging work undertaken in a good curriculum. A super resources library makes a strong contribution to pupils' abilities to research and learn independently. Together with a broad range of extra-curricular and enrichment activities, the curriculum helps to ensure that pupils' personal development is good. That pupils enjoy what is on offer is evident from their excellent attendance records, although the school's rigorous policies to support attendance

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Grade: 1

helps in this too. Pupils willingly take on responsibilities, and make a good contribution to help in the smooth running of the school. The school council, with democratically elected officials, makes real decisions and learns to prioritise effectively because it has a degree of autonomy in how it spends a budget. A good degree of participation in sports clubs contributes well to pupils' development of healthy lifestyles, although weaknesses in accommodation for indoor physical education seriously constrain the opportunity for high quality physical activities. Pupils are mostly well prepared for later life. Through collaboration with a partner secondary school and college, a growing proportion of pupils in Years 8 and 9 are now able to follow vocational courses in preparation for possible education and career pathways when they transfer to upper school. However, within the whole-school curriculum, direct links with business for

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Grade: 1

enterprise education are limited and this in turn limits pupils' knowledge and understanding of the world of work. Although pupils are encouraged in a large variety of ways to be active good citizens, the current programme for citizenship does not offer consistently well-planned 4 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007 opportunities to develop their understanding of the institutions and structures which run the society in which they live. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good, although some opportunities are missed to allow pupils time for spiritual reflection. The school, however, successfully promotes respect for and understanding of cultural diversity, so that there is a good degree of racial harmony in a community which is ethnically very mixed. Relationships are good, and pupils say they feel safe. New structures are having a positive impact in supporting pupils' emotional

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Grade: 1

well-being, including the use of well-trained peer mediators to provide support to fellow pupils. Pupils acknowledge the breadth of support now available and say that they always know who to turn to if they need help. Similarly, strategies designed to improve behaviour are increasingly effective and pupils' behaviour has improved and is good. Their very positive attitudes and behaviour make a strong contribution to their excellent learning in class. Pupils feel that the new school behaviour policy is well understood and consistently implemented by teachers. 'The school is fair and democratic, and strict in a good way,' said one. Narrow corridors and cramped social spaces do, however, become congested, which can lead to some pushing and impatience. Care, guidance and support for pupils are good overall. Required procedures for safeguarding pupils' welfare meet government requirements and the school has recently introduced measures

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Grade: 1

to strengthen them further. Academic monitoring and support for individuals is of a very high quality and ensures that all groups achieve extremely well. Those with English as an additional language attain standards in line with other pupils. Provision for pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities is rigorously managed, and pupils' progress against regularly-reviewed targets is very carefully tracked, so that these pupils too achieve exceptionally well. The headteacher has been outstandingly successful in developing the capacity of leaders and managers at all levels to play a full and highly effective role in accurately evaluating performance and planning for improvement. Detailed subject reviews have created a common view among highly effective senior and middle leaders about what needs improving and how to go about it. In particular, the focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning, through better

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Grade: 1

use of assessment information and better planning to meet the needs of all pupils, has continued to strengthen results. That the school sets itself very challenging performance targets and continues to meet and exceed them is a clear indication of an excellent capacity to improve further. The school has energetically pursued new ways of broadening and enriching its provision, especially through its partnerships with other schools and colleges. Newly introduced strategies to improve behaviour and support emotional well-being are having a positive impact on pupils' good personal development. Governors have given good support in developing the school's provision, although they need to ensure that the school moves towards meeting requirements for collective worship. It is too early to evaluate the success of its specialist technology school designation at present, but the rationale of substantially modernising technology provision

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Grade: 1

and raising the profile of the subject in the school and in its community is well judged. While a very small minority of parents feel that the school does not communicate well with them on their children's progress, most hold the school in high regard. Indeed, inspectors agree wholeheartedly with the parent who wrote that Manor High is 'an excellent school with a positive and confident attitude which is instilled and reflected in its pupils'.

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What the school should do to improve further

■ Improve pupils' preparation for later life by strengthening curricular links with business and improving the quality of the citizenship curriculum. 5 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007 .

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What the school should do to improve further

in the guidance 'Complaints about school inspection', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. 6 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007

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Inspection judgements

School Overall Key to judgements: grade 1 is outstanding, grade 2 good, grade 3 satisfactory, and grade 4 inadequate

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Overall effectiveness

How effective, efficient and inclusive is the provision of education, integrated care and any extended services in meeting the needs of learners? Yes Effective steps have been taken to promote improvement since the last inspection How well does the school work in partnership with others to promote learners' well-being? 1 The capacity to make any necessary improvements

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Achievement and standards

1 How well do learners achieve? 1 The standards 1 reached by learners How well learners make progress, taking account of any significant variations between groups of learners 1 How well learners with learning difficulties and disabilities make progress

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learners?

2 The extent of learners' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2 The extent to which learners adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which learners adopt safe practices 2 How well learners enjoy their education 1 The attendance of learners 2 The behaviour of learners 2 The extent to which learners make a positive contribution to the community How well learners develop workplace and other skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being

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and interests of learners?

2 How well are learners cared for, guided and supported?

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and interests of learners?

Grade 1 - Exceptionally and consistently high; Grade 2 - Generally above average with none significantly below average; Grade 3 - Broadly average to below average; Grade 4 - Exceptionally low. 7 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007

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and supporting all learners?

How effectively leaders and managers at all levels set clear direction leading to improvement and promote high quality of care and education 1 How effectively leaders and managers use challenging targets to raise standards 1 The effectiveness of the school's self-evaluation How well equality of opportunity is promoted and discrimination tackled so that all learners achieve as well as they can How effectively and efficiently resources, including staff, are deployed to achieve value for money The extent to which governors and other supervisory boards discharge their responsibilities Yes Do procedures for safeguarding learners meet current government requirements? No Does this school require special measures? No Does this school require a notice to improve? 8 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

7 December 2007 Dear Pupils Inspection of Manor High School, Oadby, Leicestershire LE2 4FU Many thanks for the welcome you gave to me and my colleague when we visited the school for its recent inspection. We very much enjoyed talking to you and seeing you at work. We have judged your school to be outstanding. Pupils in Year 9 consistently get exceptionally high results in national tests, which is an excellent achievement. It is brought about because of the very high standard of teaching you receive. Teachers keep a very close check on how well you are doing, and plan their lessons carefully to help each of you make rapid progress towards your targets. They use a good variety of methods to help each of you learn very well. Your lessons move at a quick pace, and you enjoy them a good deal. No doubt this enjoyment contributes to your excellent attendance records! You are well cared for and your personal development is good. Relationships are good across

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

the school. The school has evidently worked hard to ensure that pupils get on well and have respect for each other's cultures and backgrounds. It is good to see how many of you get involved in supporting other pupils, for example, as buddies for younger classes or peer mediators. This helps pupils feel safe at school. It also shows that you are willing to make a good contribution to your school and community. The school councillors clearly carry out their roles very efficiently, and it was good to hear how they had been democratically elected and how they have to decide on spending a budget. Your school has excellent leadership and management. The headteacher works very closely with other leaders in the school to find out what is working well and what needs improving. As a consequence, standards of pupils keep rising, and the school keeps developing in new ways, such as in gaining its technology specialism.

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Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection

My report points to one main area for improvement. Your school prepares you well for later life, especially in your basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. You would be even better prepared if you were able to have more links with business in learning about subjects, and if you could learn better about how our society is run. I wish you every success for the future, and am sure that you will continue to help the school by working hard and getting involved in its activities. Yours sincerely Ian Hodgkinson (Lead inspector) 9 of 9 Inspection Report: Manor High School, 6 December 2007

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Annex B

Inspection of Manor High School, Oadby, Leicestershire LE2 4FU

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Annex B

Many thanks for the welcome you gave to me and my colleague when we visited the school for its recent inspection. We very much enjoyed talking to you and seeing you at work.

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Annex B

We have judged your school to be outstanding. Pupils in Year 9 consistently get exceptionally high results in national tests, which is an excellent achievement. It is brought about because of the very high standard of teaching you receive. Teachers keep a very close check on how well you are doing, and plan their lessons carefully to help each of you make rapid progress towards your targets. They use a good variety of methods to help each of you learn very well. Your lessons move at a quick pace, and you enjoy them a good deal. No doubt this enjoyment contributes to your excellent attendance records!

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Annex B

You are well cared for and your personal development is good. Relationships are good across the school. The school has evidently worked hard to ensure that pupils get on well and have respect for each other’s cultures and backgrounds. It is good to see how many of you get involved in supporting other pupils, for example, as buddies for younger classes or peer mediators. This helps pupils feel safe at school. It also shows that you are willing to make a good contribution to your school and community. The school councillors clearly carry out their roles very efficiently, and it was good to hear how they had been democratically elected and how they have to decide on spending a budget.

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Annex B

Your school has excellent leadership and management. The headteacher works very closely with other leaders in the school to find out what is working well and what needs improving. As a consequence, standards of pupils keep rising, and the school keeps developing in new ways, such as in gaining its technology specialism.

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Annex B

My report points to one main area for improvement. Your school prepares you well for later life, especially in your basic skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT. You would be even better prepared if you were able to have more links with business in learning about subjects, and if you could learn better about how our society is run.

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Annex B

I wish you every success for the future, and am sure that you will continue to help the school by working hard and getting involved in its activities.

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