Co-op Academy Manchester

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Building on the legacy of previous senior leaders, the Principal and leaders at all levels provide outstanding leadership. There is an extremely positive culture for learning in which all staff set high expectations for students' behaviour and achievement.

Students show pride in the academy. They commit fully to the academy's core principles of 'fairness, ambition and respect'. Teaching has improved as a result of excellent performance management procedures and good training, coaching and support.

Good teaching has raised students' achievement significantly. Students make good progress. In 2014 attainment at GCSE met the average for all ...schools and was well above the average for sponsored academies.

Students' behaviour is good. Students are considerate and respectful. The work of the academy to improve attendance and keep students safe is outstanding.

Students feel extremely safe and attendance is very high. Sixth-form provision is good. Students achieve success and are well prepared for the next steps in their education or employment.

Students receive excellent information, advice and guidance to help them make the right choice of course and career. Governors know the school extremely well and provide excellent challenge and support to leaders in their drive for further improvement. The academy has been transformed.

It has raised aspiration for the local community and improved the lives of students. There is very strong capacity to continue this improvement. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Middle-ability students do not always make rapid progress in mathematics.

They are not always provided with work that is challenging enough. Questioning is not always used well enough in lessons, in order to probe students' understanding and extend their learning. Students' oral skills are not always developed as well as they could be.

There are times when students are rushed through tasks without having time to complete them to the highest possible standard. Some boys are not always engaged fully in their learning, particularly in mixed-ability classes.

Information about this school

The academy opened in September 2010 with the specialism of finance and business.

It is sponsored by the Co-operative Group and has recently merged into a multi-academy trust with seven other academies. The academy is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. It has a small sixth form.

Two-thirds of the students are known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which is much higher than the national figure. The pupil premium is additional funding provided to this school for students entitled to free school meals and those in the care of the local authority. The proportions of students from minority ethnic backgrounds and speaking English as an additional language are higher than those found nationally.

A significant proportion is at an early stage of learning English. There are 32 different languages spoken. The proportion of disabled students with those who have special educational needs is much higher than the national average.

The academy holds numerous awards including the Food for Life Partnership Award, Green Flag Award, and Information, Advice and Guidance Gold Award. Thirteen students are educated off-site where they study mathematics, English and practical, work-related courses. Alternative providers include the Manchester Pupil Referral Unit, Bethal College and Lighthouse.

The academy works in partnership with a number of schools in the area through the North Manchester Partnership of Schools. It collaborates with the Skills Solution Training Agency to enhance the curriculum and work-experience opportunities for students. The Co-operative Group provides work experience and placements, apprenticeships and employment opportunities for post-16 students.

The academy also provides training for students through Schools Direct. The academy meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for students' attainment and progress. Since the last inspection, a new Principal has been appointed and the senior leadership team has been re-organised; there have been other new appointments to the leadership team and in various subjects across the academy.