Loreto High School Chorlton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Senior leaders have responded positively to the weaknesses identified at the last inspection. Their actions have secured effective teaching and good leadership at all levels. Leaders have the ambition and demonstrable capacity to further enhance the good quality of education which the school currently provides.

Governance has developed since the last inspection and is now a strength of the school. Pupils' examination results in 2018 were stronger than in the past. Over two-thirds of pupils attained a standard pass in English and mathematics, exceeding the national average.

Current pupils make good progress across a broad range of subjects... in all year groups. The quality of teaching is good. It is especially strong in art, English, modern foreign languages and physical education.

Although teaching is effective in mathematics and science, there are occasions when tasks are not as interesting or challenging as in other subjects. Leaders have developed an effective curriculum since the last inspection. Pupils are provided with opportunities to learn and think about new topics across subjects and key stages.

This supports their good progress. Most pupils have a secure grasp of key literacy skills which enable them to learn effectively. However, there is scope to develop these skills further across a range of subjects, so that pupils attain and confidently use a higher standard of literacy.

Pupils typically present their work with care and precision. Occasionally, pupils' work, usually that of boys, does not meet the high standard routinely seen elsewhere. Most pupils attend school regularly.

Their conduct is typically good around school and in lessons. As a result, the number of pupils excluded from school, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils, has reduced markedly. In a minority of lessons, some pupils lose concentration and engage in low-level disruption, which weakens their progress.

The progress of disadvantaged pupils and those with (SEND) has improved significantly. This is due to the strong leadership of these areas. Senior leaders are not complacent and have put actions into place to improve the progress of these pupils even more.

Pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is pivotal to the school's ethos. They understand and value differences and say that they feel confident and safe to be who they want to be.

Information about this school

This is a Roman Catholic, voluntary-aided school.

The proportion of disadvantaged students is well above the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND and those with an EHC plan is broadly in line with the national average. The school uses alternative provision for a small number of pupils at Broadstones Specialist School, Manchester Hospital School, Manchester Secondary Pupil Referral Unit, Manchester Vocational Learning Academy and St Peter's High School.