The government watchdog has issued its lates verdicts on schools across the region.
Hazel Grove High School
Schools across Greater Manchester have been evaluated by a government watchdog in the past two weeks – and some have received glowing reviews. Ofsted’s ‘new look’ report cards have moved away from one-word summaries like ‘good’, ‘outstanding’, or ‘requires improvement’.
Instead inspectors give a descriptive assessment aimed at guardians that ‘gives a clearer picture of what’s working well and where the next steps for improvement are’. The report cards show colour-coded grades for different areas like ‘attendance and behaviour’, ‘achievement’, ‘personal development and well-being’, and ‘inclusion’.
These areas on a new scale of ‘exceptional’, ‘strong standard’, ‘expected standard’, ‘needs attention’ and ‘urgent improvement’.
Ofsted also states whether safeguarding responsibilities are ‘met’ or ‘not met’.
Below is a summary of every Ofsted inspection published for Greater Manchester primary and secondary schools for the period June 22 to July 9. The inspectors’ comments are summarised from the ‘what it’s like to be a pupil at this school’ section of each report.
The reports are by Greater Manchester borough in alphabetical order.
Bolton
Harwood Meadows Primary School
Orchard Gardens, Harwood, Bolton
Report published: June 24
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils enjoy attending this nurturing school and speak positively about their care and opportunities. The atmosphere is calm and purposeful.
Pupils experience a curriculum that is well planned and taught and those with special education needs and/or disabilities receive the support they need. Kids are motivated by rewards such as the ‘golden book’ and the opportunity to share hot chocolate with the headteacher.
Youngsters make friends quickly and generally play well together. Any bullying is rare. If it does happen, staff deal with concerns swiftly.
Highfield Primary School
Marsh Lane, Farnworth, Bolton
Report published: June 24
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governanceInspector’s Comments:
From the moment that pupils join the school, staff build a clear picture of each pupil and their needs. Pupils and families benefit from support that goes well beyond the school gate. This support often makes a real difference to pupils’ wellbeing. Leaders take effective action to reduce the barriers to learning that some pupils face. As a result, pupils are ready to learn. They flourish through this high-quality support.
Bullying is rare. If it happens, leaders act quickly to make sure that it stops. Pupils treat each other with care and compassion because adults model this every day.
St Thomas CofE Primary School
Molyneux Road, Westhoughton, Bolton
Report published: June 26
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governanceInspector’s Comments:
Parents and carers describe the school as ‘like a family’. Staff create a welcoming environment where pupils develop confidence and feel a sense of belonging.
Students typically work hard and achieve well across the curriculum. By the end of Year 6, pupils reach standards above the national averages.
Most pupils behave well and live out the school’s Christian values of ‘love, respect and forgiveness’. They treat adults and each other with kindness and consideration. Bullying is rare because pupils understand the importance of caring for others.
Little Lever School
Church Street, Little Lever, Bolton
Report published: July 6
Strong standard:
Curriculum and teaching
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils appreciate leaders’ high expectations of them. They benefit from a well-taught and ambitious curriculum and lessons that challenge them appropriately. Teachers know their pupils well and provide more help when necessary. This means that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND, know more and remember more over time.
Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils enjoy the range of extra activities and opportunities on offer, such as ‘just dance’ and ‘knit and natter’. Through these opportunities, pupils find new interests and hobbies.
Bury
Bury Church of England High School
Haslam Brow, Bury
Report published: June 24
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governanceInspector’s Comments:
Pupils are happy at Bury Church of England High School. Those who are new to the school settle in quickly, including those who arrive after the start of the school year. Pupils are clear that it does not matter who you are or where you come from, everyone is welcome at the school.
The kids are confident and keen to share what they are learning and make visitors feel welcome. Most pupils attend school regularly. Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities do not attend school as regularly as they could.
Students, typically, benefit from effective teaching and enjoy learning. This helps them to learn the ambitious curriculum that has been planned.
Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary School
Parr Lane, Unsworth, Bury
Report published: June 26
Strong standard:
Attendance and behaviour
Early years
Inclusion
Expected standard:
Achievement
Curriculum and teaching
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeingInspector’s Comments:
A warm and nurturing ethos permeates this school, which is truly inclusive and welcoming for all.
Pupils understand the importance of trying their best and develop a secure sense of themselves as learners. They demonstrate a deep sense of citizenship through the leadership roles that they hold. For example, librarians run daily lunch clubs for those pupils who need a quiet space.
Pupils are aware of age-appropriate risks and how to stay safe, including when using the internet and preparing for lockdown drills.
Manchester
Crosslee Community Primary School
Crosslee Road, Blackley, Manchester
Report published: July 6
Expected standard:
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils’ experiences at this school have vastly improved over recent years. Leaders have established high aspirations for pupils’ achievement and behaviour, with the aim for them to ‘reach for the stars’. Pupils typically behave well and understand leaders’ expectations. Staff swiftly deal with any rare occasions of bullying or unkindness. This helps to create a calm and nurturing school environment for pupils.
Pupils benefit from a much-improved curriculum and effective teaching. They have positive attitudes towards their learning and try their best. Even so, over time, they have not achieved as well as they should.
Pupils enjoy a range of experiences that supports their wider development and broadens their horizons. Visitors to the school help pupils to learn about the world around them.
Oldham
Broadfield Primary School
Goddard Street, Oldham
Report published: June 23
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils are happy to belong to this caring school. Any rare incidents of unkindness or bullying are resolved quickly and effectively.
Kids at the school know why it is important to ‘believe in themselves’ and to treat other people equally regardless of any differences they may have.
Pupils access an ambitious curriculum that is typically taught well. Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ achievement. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, typically rise to these aspirations.
Students benefit from varied and meaningful opportunities that extend far beyond the classroom. They enjoy many visits to museums, parks and places of historical interest. Youngsters are incredibly well prepared for life in the society in which they live.
Maple Leaf Kindergarten
Ellen House, Waddington Street, Oldham
Report published: June 23
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Leadership and governance
Inspector’s Comments:
Children arrive happy, settled and ready to learn. They form strong relationships with staff and confidently seek reassurance, comfort and praise from their key person. For example, children proudly share stickers they receive from staff and talk excitedly about their experiences at the setting.
Babies freely investigate different textures during messy play while staff model language and sing familiar songs. Literacy skills are promoted effectively through stories, songs and regular opportunities to share books. As a result, children develop key skills that support their future learning and prepare them for the next stage in their education. Children enjoy learning and show curiosity as they explore a stimulating and welcoming environment.
Rochdale
Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College
Holy Family Roman Catholic and Church of England College
Pot Hall, Wilton Grove, Heywood
Report published: June 23
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils at this school benefit from an ambitious curriculum that is typically taught well. They are happy, enjoy learning and take pride in their work.
Kids here embrace difference. They are keen to make sure everyone feels that they have a place at Holy Family. Positive relationships exist between all members of the school community.
Pupils benefit from the personal development opportunities available at the school. This includes unusual activities, such as new-age curling. This helps pupils to explore new interests and nurture talents.
Castleton Primary School
Hillcrest Road, Castleton, Rochdale
Report published: June 25
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils know that they belong and are welcome at Castleton. Relationships between pupils, staff, parents and carers are positive. Staff understand the kids’needs, interests and aspirations. Barriers to their learning and wellbeing are carefully reduced. This is especially the case for those who are new to the country and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
Pupils take great pride in their achievements. They are especially delighted when staff celebrate their hard work and contact their parents through the Friday phone call. Youngsters beam with pride when this happens. This motivates them to be the best they can be. Across the curriculum, most pupils achieve well. They are generally well prepared for the next stage of education.
The school’s sharp focus on the rights of each individual helps pupils understand right and wrong. As a result, bullying is rare. Pupils know they have the right to speak up and share their views.
Edgar Wood Academy
Heywood Old Road, Heywood
Report published: July 2
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils are delighted by the improvements that leaders have recently made to the school. In particular, pupils appreciate that staffing has stabilised and many cited their teachers as the best thing about school. Warm and positive interactions between staff and pupils help them feel listened to. They trust that staff will not give up on them. Pupils, including the high proportion who are disadvantaged, feel a clear sense of belonging.
Classrooms are typically calm and orderly places where pupils can get on with the job of learning. Pupils’ positive attitudes are reflected in their increasing rates of attendance.
Salford
St Joseph’s RC Primary School
St Joseph’s Drive, Ordsall, Salford
Report published: June 24
Expected standard:
Early years
Inclusion
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils enjoy attending school. They cherish the opportunities they have to broaden their experience such as visiting museums, theatres and learning to ride a bike. They particularly enjoy the outdoor adventures they take part in during their residential stay in Wales. Youngsters feel safe at school and trust that staff will help them. Instances of discrimination or bullying are dealt with effectively by staff.
The quality of the curriculum delivery is inconsistent, including within the school’s programme for personal development. This leads to pupils’ achievement being variable. That said, pupils who join the school at later points, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, are supported well to address gaps in their learning. Pupils who face emotional challenges in their lives receive a wealth of targeted pastoral support to help them.
At times, pupils struggle to maintain focus and become distracted.
Moorside High School
57 Deans Road, Swinton, Manchester
Report published: July 6
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Staff know pupils very well, and this supports a culture of mutual respect. They encourage pupils to enjoy the wide range of opportunities on offer, for example flag football, lacrosse and visits to local museums.
Lessons are calm and pupils follow a well-designed curriculum. 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.
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.
Stockport
St James’ Catholic High School
St James’ Catholic High School
St James Way, hulme>Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle, Cheshire
Report published: June 22
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Inspector’s Comments:
There is a strong sense of belonging within this Catholic school community. Pupils are happy and benefit from positive relationships with staff. They demonstrate the school’s values of family, faith and excellence.
Pupils benefit from an impressive offer to further their personal development, from trampolining to ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ club. They understand fundamental British values such as democracy and tolerance and how these values are relevant in their own lives.
In lessons and at social times, students are polite and courteous. When issues such as bullying occur, they know that staff will deal with these quickly and effectively. Most pupils attend school regularly. When there are barriers to their attendance, leaders put in place effective support to help pupils overcome these.
Moorfield Primary School
Lyndhurst Avenue, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire
Report published: July 1
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils enjoy warm professional relationships with staff. This includes pupils in the SEN unit, who are welcomed each morning with a happy smile. Youngsters feel safe in school and attend well.
Students, including those in special educational needs (SEN) unit, learn in a way and at a pace that is appropriate for them. Some pupils receive the support and adaptations they need to learn alongside their peers. Others have an individual curriculum designed carefully just for them.
Hazel Grove High School
Jacksons Lane, Hazel Grove, Stockport, Cheshire
Report published: July 6
Strong standard:
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Post 16 Provision
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Inspector’s Comments:
Hazel Grove is a friendly and welcoming school. Pupils rightly say that bullying is rare. Derogatory language is seldom heard, and when it does occur, it is dealt with promptly.
Youngsters describe a school where they feel safe and make lasting friendships. During social times, pupils manage their own behaviour well. They chat comfortably in the dining hall and play sports sensibly outside. Sixth-form students set a highly positive example for younger pupils, demonstrating self-discipline and maturity.
Pupils achieve well overall in national examinations. Those who face barriers to learning benefit from well-designed support to access the curriculum.
Tameside
St George’s CofE Primary School
Stamford Street, Mossley, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire
Report published: June 22
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Inspector’s Comments:
Warm relationships are at the heart of this small school. Pupils are happy in lessons and when playing with their friends in the playground. They try their best to be considerate of each other.
Pupils know that their teachers want them to try hard, and generally they do. Pupils are keen to be awarded certificates and ‘lunchtime stars’ in recognition of their positive attitudes to school life.
Pupils proudly take on leadership roles within the school. They enjoy being reading champions and buddies, playground leaders and members of the recently formed pupil advisory board.
Rayner Stephens High School
Rayner Stephens High School
Yew Tree Lane, Dukinfield, Cheshire
Report published: June 23
Expected standard:
Attendance and behaviour
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Curriculum and teaching
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils also benefit from a well-planned curriculum and suitably structured lessons. They learn important knowledge and most pupils take their learning seriously. Those who face barriers to their learning, such as pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, generally benefit from the support that staff provide. However, some pupils do not get the specific help that they need in lessons. Pupils sometimes do not experience teaching which deepens their understanding of key topics.
Pupils appreciate the wide range of opportunities that are open to them. For example, they speak fondly of visiting the Houses of Parliament and completing the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.
Manor Green Primary Academy
Mancunian Road, Haughton Green, Denton, Manchester
Report published: June 26
Expected standard:
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Inspector’s Comments:
Manor Green Primary Academy is a warm and supportive community. Youngsters are excited to contribute to school life. They enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as being members of the pupil parliament.
Leaders have high ambition for pupils’ achievement and behaviour.Behaviour is typically positive both in lessons and at breaktimes.
Improvements to the curriculum and teaching have ensured that pupils who currently attend the school achieve increasingly well across a range of different subjects. However, it is too soon to see improvements in pupils’ achievement in the results of national tests.
Hurst Knoll St James’ Church of England Primary School
Ladbrooke Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire
Report published: June 29
Expected standard:
Attendance and behaviour
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Curriculum and teaching
Inspector’s Comments:
Staff at this school fully understand pupils’ backgrounds and circumstances. Pupils get the support they need to attend regularly, overcome barriers to learning and join in with school life. Pupils have a real sense of belonging. They feel well cared for and understood.
Youngsters are helped to develop important social skills. Staff encourage pupils to interact positively with each other. Pupils practise and develop these traits daily through high-quality outdoor play and learning opportunities. These activities foster pupils’ good manners and develop their ability to cooperate well with others.
Pupils’ enjoyment of learning is mixed. Pupils across Years 1 to 6 have inconsistent experiences in lessons. This hampers some pupils’ progress.
Trafford
Altrincham College
Green Lane, Timperley, Altrincham
Report published: June 24
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Post-16 Provision
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils enjoy the welcoming environment at Altrincham College. They enjoy taking part in the vast range of experiences on offer that build their interests and broaden their understanding of the world, including performing arts productions.
Post-16 students value access to extensive leadership roles. For example, the sustainability group enjoyed raising money for their community garden and leading recycling initiatives across school. Kids cherish the memories and knowledge that they gain from outings, such as to the Houses of Parliament, football stadiums and to places overseas. These experiences help pupils, including those in the post-16 provision, to build readiness for future learning and for life beyond school.
Pupils benefit from a broad and ambitious curriculum. They are respectful and this helps to foster calm and purposeful classrooms.
Wigan
St Richard’s Roman Catholic Primary School Atherton
Flapper Fold Lane, Atherton, Manchester
Report published: June 22
Expected standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Early years
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils enjoy coming to St Richard’s Catholic Primary School. Some, however, are not as well prepared for their next stage of education as they could be. In some classes, teaching does not consistently help pupils to connect new learning to what they already know.
Some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) do not consistently receive the support they need.
Staff know pupils well and build caring relationships with them. The school’s values of faith, kindness and respect run through daily life. Most pupils enjoy learning and feel a real sense of belonging. They generally behave well and treat each other with care. However, in some lessons, pupils do not consistently meet the school’s expectations and some lose focus.
Shevington High School
Shevington High School
Shevington Lane, Shevington, Wigan
Report published: June 24
Strong standard:
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Achievement
Attendance and behaviour
Curriculum and teaching
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils behave very well. They show maturity and self-motivation in abundance. Pupils use their digital knowledge to skilfully switch between written work and digital media usage. This means that they have effective autonomy over their learning.
Generally, pupils achieve in line with national averages in their national examinations at the end of key stage 4. This is improving over time. They achieve well because teachers typically check what they know. They make useful adaptations to help pupils build on their knowledge. This means that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who may encounter other barriers to their learning regularly learn well.
Pupils benefit from a number of international projects, activities and trips. They have close links with organisations across the world, such as in Sweden and China. These encounters mean that pupils gain a deep understanding of how to be an international citizen.
St John Fisher Catholic High School
Baytree Road, Springfield, Wigan
Report published: July 2
Strong standard:
Personal development and wellbeing
Expected standard:
Attendance and behaviour
Inclusion
Leadership and governance
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Curriculum and teaching
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils and staff refer to the ‘Fisher family’ and this family feel is evident as soon as you enter the school. The pastoral team focus on supporting pupils’ wellbeing and ensure that they receive the help they need to meet their needs. Pupils trust staff to listen and respond when concerns arise.
In lessons, staff set clear expectations and most pupils respond positively. While teaching supports most pupils effectively, there remain inconsistencies in how precisely learning is adapted.
Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. The school’s personal development offer is a strength. Pupils have a secure understanding of topics to support them throughout their school life and beyond.
Shevington Vale Primary School
Runshaw Avenue, Appley Bridge, Wigan
Report published: July 2
Expected standard:
Attendance and behaviour
Early years
Inclusion
Personal development and wellbeing
Needs Attention:
Achievement
Curriculum and teaching
Leadership and governance
Inspector’s Comments:
Pupils are proud to attend Shevington Vale Primary School each day. The school helps them to develop independence, think positively and to care for others. That said, some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. Where expectations are too low, pupils do not make good enough progress from their starting points.
Pupils feel able to speak to staff about any worries they have. They have faith in staff to act quickly if bullying took place. However, pupils consider, and school records confirm, that bullying is rare.