Manor School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 16 July 2024

The curriculum at Manor School does not provide pupils with the knowledge and skills that they need to achieve well. Expectations are too low. The quality of teaching is inconsistent. Lessons are not well matched to pupils' stage of learning. This is having a negative impact on pupils' achievement, which is reflected in published outcomes. The curriculum in the sixth form is better, particularly in vocational courses. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not get the support they need. Many pupils with SEND become disengaged in their lessons or do not attend school regularly. This creates further gaps in their learning. The majority of pupils are polite and respectful. Most behave well. Pupils say that bullying is infrequent. Pupils told inspectors that occasionally their learning can be disrupted by a small minority of pupils. Also, that sometimes school routines are not implemented consistently and fairly. Some pupils told inspectors that the behaviour of others can leave them feeling uneasy at times. A small number of pupils attend alternative provision. The school does not make robust checks to ensure this provision is suitable for these pupils. This includes checks to ensure pupils attend and achieve well.

What the school should improve

• The school's delivery of the intended curriculum is of poor quality. It does not support pupils to gain knowledge and skills securely. This is reflected in pupils' work and their performance in external examinations at key stages 4 and 5. The school needs to ensure that pupils benefit from a well-planned and well- implemented curriculum and that they gain the knowledge and qualifications to be successful in their next stages of education and future careers.
• Pupils with SEND do not benefit from a high-quality education because expectations for these pupils are too low. Staff do not receive accurate information, or have the expertise, to effectively adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Therefore, these pupils are not reaching their potential. The school needs to ensure that expectations are raised, and that staff adapt teaching approaches so that pupils with SEND benefit from the curriculum and achieve well.
• The school does not have systems in place to identify gaps in pupils' reading knowledge. As a result, pupils who need more help with reading, including those with SEND, do not receive the support they need to access the curriculum. The school should ensure that it has an accurate understanding of pupils' reading needs. It should ensure that all pupils can access reading material across the curriculum through appropriate adaptations.
• The school has not made appropriate and robust checks on the alternative provision used to support the needs of a small number of pupils. Routines are not in place to measure the impact of the provision or monitor the attendance of these pupils. As a result, these pupils do not benefit from a high-quality education. The school needs to ensure that secure systems are in place to ensure any alternative provision used meets the needs of pupils. It should ensure pupils attend well and benefit from an appropriate curriculum.
• The school has introduced new systems to improve attendance, behaviour and the number of pupil suspensions. Although these new systems are starting to have some positive impact, they are still in their infancy. This results in these pupils missing too much of their learning. Pupils with SEND and those that are disadvantaged are disproportionately represented in these figures. The school must fully implement its systems to improve behaviour and reduce the rates of poor attendance and suspensions so that all pupils benefit from the school's curriculum.

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