Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At Eden Boys' Leadership Academy, pupils are diligent, respectful and incredibly proud of their school. Pupils appreciate the high expectations that all staff have of their behaviour and their learning. As such, pupils' behaviour at all times is praiseworthy.

Their attitudes to learning are excellent. Pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve well across the curriculum.

Pupils value diversity.

They understand and respect difference in the world and its people. Pupils were resolute in their view that any form of bullying or discrimination is not tolerated. Staff resolve any rare i...ncidents of bullying immediately.

Pupils are happy and safe at school. They support each other well.

Pupils are very strong role models within the local community.

They actively participate in charity work. Pupils promote diversity through their support of local interfaith and multicultural festivals.

Pupils benefit from an exceptional personal development programme.

They engage in a vast array of opportunities designed to develop their character and leadership skills. For example, they relish being anti-bullying ambassadors, reading mentors to each other, and being part of the diversity council. Pupils were effusive about the extensive trips and visits that leaders provide for them.

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

Leaders, governors and trustees are unwavering in their commitment to ensure that every pupil, irrespective of their background, leaves Eden Boys' Leadership Academy equipped with the qualifications that they need for future success. Leaders have high academic aspirations for pupils. They expect all pupils to succeed.

To reflect this, leaders have placed the English Baccalaureate suite of subjects at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils, particularly those at key stage 4, achieve well.

Across the curriculum, leaders have thought carefully about the broad topics and concepts that they intend pupils to learn.

They have considered how these topics will cultivate rich opportunities for pupils to develop their vocabulary and cultural awareness. Teachers ensure that all pupils gain the knowledge that they need to deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Although pupils learn well across the school, in a small number of subjects in key stage 3, leaders do not always consider the content within the topics that they teach in enough detail.

In these subjects, leaders are sometimes unclear about the most important knowledge that pupils must learn and the order in which they should learn it. This means that, on occasions, some pupils do not develop the breadth of knowledge that they could in these subjects.

Pupils benefit from teachers' strong subject knowledge and expertise.

Teachers are highly skilled at selecting appropriate activities to enable pupils, including those with SEND, to learn the curriculum well. In most subjects, teachers use assessment skilfully to address any misconceptions that pupils may have. Pupils respond positively to the feedback that their teachers give them.

Leaders' accurate identification of pupils' needs, coupled with teachers' effective support, mean that pupils with SEND progress through the curriculum as well as their peers.

Leaders, governors and trustees are passionate about the importance of reading. They have systems in place to identify and address pupils' deficits in their reading knowledge.

However, while pupils in key stage 3 are helped to catch-up quickly, a few older pupils in key stage 4 are still behind with their reading knowledge.

Pupils' exemplary conduct, and their voracious appetite for learning, ensure that lessons take place without disruption. Pupils' positive attitudes towards their education are further reflected in their excellent rates of attendance.

Leaders consistently promote the extensive personal development of pupils. They have provided all pupils with rich opportunities to develop their teamwork and leadership skills, as well as supporting pupils' physical and mental well-being. Pupils are well prepared for life in modern society.

Governors and trustees are skilled in holding leaders to account for the quality of education that pupils receive. Teachers said that leaders invest in their ongoing development. Staff appreciate leaders' support with their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders, governors and trustees ensure a strong culture of safeguarding. They are acutely aware of the dangers that pupils may face in the local community.

Leaders' approaches to ensuring that all staff and pupils are aware of these potential risks are rigorous.

Staff receive regular safeguarding training. This enables all staff to be vigilant in identifying and reporting concerns about pupils who may be at risk of harm.

Pupils are taught about these dangers, and how to keep safe, through the high-quality personal development curriculum.

Leaders' effective systems, together with their appropriate engagement with external agencies, mean that pupils and their families get the timely support that they need.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects in key stage 3, leaders have not thought deeply enough about the content and the sequencing of knowledge within topics.

This means that, in these subjects, some pupils do not develop a deep enough body of subject knowledge. Leaders should ensure that all subject leaders' curriculum plans in key stage 3 identify the knowledge that they want pupils to learn and the order in which they should learn it. ? Leaders' systems to identify and address the deficits in pupils' reading knowledge are not being used as effectively as they should across key stage 4.

As a result, a small number of older pupils are behind with their reading. Leaders should ensure that their systems to remedy any shortfalls in pupils' reading knowledge are embedded across key stage 4. This is so that all pupils can read fluently and accurately.

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