Manchester Vocational and Learning Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 26 November 2024

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming school. They value the time that staff take to get to know them as individuals. This helps pupils to build up trusting relationships that make them feel safe and happy in school. Positive relationships with staff and their classmates also create calm and purposeful classrooms. Pupils are supported well to build up their self-esteem and to become increasingly confident. This stems from the high ambition that the school has for pupils' personal and academic development. Many pupils have had significant periods of time out of education. However, they soon begin to devote their attention to learning at this school. Pupils work hard and strive to meet the high expectations that the school has. They are keen to gain the qualifications that they need to be ready for the next stage of their education. Pupils benefit from opportunities to take part in a range of trips. These include visiting museums, attending theatre productions and visiting the local park. They also have opportunities to take part in charitable work. For example, some pupils make bracelets, which they sell. They donate the proceeds of these sales to a charity of their choice.

What the school should improve

• In a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not account for the gaps that some pupils have in their knowledge. As a result, some teachers are not sure what key knowledge they should prioritise when designing learning. Consequently, gaps in some pupils' knowledge are not addressed as quickly as they could be. The school should finalise its curriculum thinking so that teachers are equipped to promptly identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge.
• In some subjects, the school has not ensured that teachers have the knowledge they need to teach the intended curriculum effectively. Some of the learning activities that pupils complete do not enable them to learn the important knowledge as well as they could. The school should make sure that teachers have the knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively, so that pupils achieve well.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)