Dixons Manningham Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Dixons Manningham Academy continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders and staff have high expectations for all pupils both academically and socially. Pupils treat one another, staff and visitors with respect. The atmosphere around the school is calm and purposeful.

This is because there are clear and consistent routines. Pupils work hard to demonstrate the school's values of integrity, achievement and unity.

Pupils feel safe at school.

They know and follow the school motto: 'We do the right thing because it's the right thing to do.' Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. As a result, classrooms are calm places where p...upils can learn.

Pupils listen carefully to what their teachers say and follow instructions quickly. Bullying happens very rarely. When it does happen, it is taken seriously and dealt with quickly.

Wider development opportunities focus on developing pupils' understanding of the world around them. Through the heart, mind, soul and health curriculum, pupils develop the language skills to debate and challenge stereotypes. Pupils have a clear understanding of equality and difference.

They recognise the power of difference and how they can use it to learn from each other.

Parents are very positive about the school. One parent said, 'My children feel at home here.'



What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn, from the early years to Year 6. The curriculum is organised well. Lessons are well sequenced.

Teachers deliver the planned curriculum well. Teachers encourage pupils to use precise subject-specific vocabulary in lessons. In most subjects, pupils can recall the important knowledge that leaders have identified.

However, leaders have not yet identified how pupils will learn what it means to be an 'expert' in their subjects. For example, in history, pupils should know how to find out about the past.

The curriculum meets the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Careful use of assessment means that staff quickly identify pupils who are not keeping up. Activities are well adapted, ensuring that all pupils can learn independently. 'Live marking' in lessons and timely adult interactions give pupils instant feedback, and this moves their learning on.

Lessons are productive and, as a result, pupils achieve well in class.

Pupils get off to a good start with reading. There is a consistent approach to teaching phonics, with established routines.

Well-trained staff develop pupils' fluency and comprehension. Books are well matched to pupils' reading ability. As a result, pupils can read fluently, accurately, confidently and with resilience.

Adults who listen to pupils read support them to be successful. Pupils value the selection of books on offer.

A large number of children join the school with low speech and language skills.

In response, leaders have prioritised the development of communication throughout the curriculum. In the early years, staff take every opportunity to develop children's spoken language. This focus on oracy and vocabulary continues to be developed into Year 1 and beyond.

As a result, children are confident to express themselves and to ask questions. The early years environment is organised to encourage children's independence. All children are engaged and focused.

Leaders have embedded a systematic approach to behaviour. Routines are embedded throughout the school. All adults use consistent strategies, including the same, familiar language.

Pupils and staff understand the behaviour system of 'good to be green'. In lessons, there are strong behaviours for learning, which means low-level disruption is rare. Pupils are engaged in their learning and take pride in their work.

A significant number of pupils are persistently absent from school, including pupils with SEND. Although leaders have established routines for addressing persistent absence, they are not sufficiently robust to improve attendance.

All pupils, including those with SEND, take full part in all aspects of school life.

This creates a highly inclusive culture. Pupils develop their interests through the wide range of extra-curricular activities that are on offer. These include cooking, movie club and computer club.

Pupils have opportunities to make the world a better place by taking leading roles in school, for example by being a litter picker or energy saver. Pupils enjoy earning badges for these responsibilities. Trips are deliberately planned to support the curriculum and to develop cultural capital.

For example, the whole-school visit to the seaside was enjoyed by all.

Staff welcome leaders' open-door approach. They feel genuinely cared for.

The professional development offer is strong. Leaders, including trust leaders, take account of workload through careful planning and consideration of pressures throughout the school year.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff and governors enjoy regular safeguarding training. Staff know how to report concerns. They receive regular coaching to ensure that any risks are correctly identified and that any required actions are followed up.

The pastoral team supports pupils and families to remove any barriers. Pupils know that there are trusted adults in school whom they can talk to if anything is worrying them. The recruitment process is well managed, with all pre-employment checks carried out rigorously.

Governors, trustees and trust leaders are committed to safeguarding, and fully understand their responsibilities across the trust and within the academy. Daily monitoring of pupils who are persistently absent ensures that they are safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not thought about how disciplinary knowledge is set out in the curriculum.

This means teachers do not know how and when this should be taught. Leaders should ensure that pupils are taught the disciplinary knowledge they need so that they understand what it means to be a subject expert. ? A significant number of pupils are persistently absent from the school, and this is showing little sign of improvement.

These pupils are missing essential learning. Leaders should take effective action to work with families to reduce persistent absence rates.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2017.