Manor Community Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of pupils. The school's curriculum is increasingly ambitious and enables pupils to achieve well. More pupils are going on to study A levels and attend further education than has been the case in the past.

A number of pupils attend the school's enrichment programme at the end of the school day. There is a strong reading culture. Many pupils enjoy reading and use the school library well.

In subjects, pupils are encouraged to read more widely to enhance their wider knowledge. There is effective support for pupils who struggle with their reading.

Most pupils take pride in their work.

They are confident to contribute to class ...discussions. Pupils were very proud to show inspectors their work.

Incidents of poor behaviour have declined significantly.

Many pupils behave well. However, although reducing, there are still too many incidents of poor behaviour leading to pupils being removed from lessons or receiving suspensions.

There are clear arrangements in place for pupils to report any worries to staff.

However, some pupils do not feel confident to talk to staff if they have concerns about bullying or inappropriate language.

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

The school's curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. More pupils now study subjects such as history, geography and modern foreign languages to GCSE level.

The curriculum has been designed to build pupils' knowledge of key concepts. Teachers ensure that what pupils have been taught is revisited regularly. This helps them to remember the most important subject knowledge.

Pupils can make links between things they learn in different subjects. Most teachers regularly check that pupils have understood what they have been taught. In some subjects, such as history and religious education (RE), leaders are less clear about how pupils will use their subject knowledge to think and argue well.

Teachers use a wide range of information to plan the right support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teaching assistants provide effective support to these pupils in lessons.

Leaders place high importance on raising pupils' career aspirations.

Individual pupils are well supported in deciding their next steps, including pupils with SEND. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause. For instance, pupils have access to training providers and visit local employers to see a range of career opportunities.

The school has a comprehensive personal development programme. Pupils are taught a range of topics, including healthy relationships and the concept of 'consent', in 'Life' lessons. Pupils value these lessons and say that they help them to prepare for later life.

There is a wide range of enrichment opportunities. Leaders review and analyse attendance at enrichment clubs so that they can make sure that different groups of pupils are accessing these opportunities. They take feedback from pupils and consider how to improve access and uptake for all pupils.

Leaders have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Incidents of poor behaviour, resulting in pupils being suspended or removed from lessons, have declined significantly in recent years. Many pupils behave well.

Most pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning. However, a small number of pupils are repeatedly suspended from school and have not had the support they need to help them to improve their behaviour. Behaviour in corridors can be boisterous at times.

Some pupils are unsettled by loud arguments between pupils or when staff raise their voices.

Pupils' attendance is improving due to the work of leaders. Despite this, a minority of pupils do not attend well and disadvantaged pupils are more likely to be regularly absent from school.

Leaders are taking robust action to address this.

Leaders have put systems in place so that pupils can report any worries or concerns. Even so, some pupils do not feel confident to tell an adult if they are being bullied or subjected to inappropriate racist or homophobic comments.

Some pupils do not feel that staff deal with bullying well. Pupils know how to report issues of sexual harassment. However, some pupils told inspectors that they would not be confident to report this if it happened.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the training they receive to develop the curriculum and their subject knowledge. Leaders consider staff's well-being and workload. Most staff are proud to work at the school and feel well supported by senior leaders.

Governors understand the school's strengths and weaknesses. They have challenged leaders to improve the curriculum. They continue to challenge leaders to further improve pupils' behaviour.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

The school's designated safeguarding leader works proactively with outside agencies to support pupils when they need help. The school's resource base is used well to support vulnerable pupils.

The curriculum helps pupils understand risks and how to keep themselves safe, both offline and online. Leaders understand local safeguarding risks and adapt the school's 'Life' curriculum in response to these.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, such as history and RE, curriculum plans do not set out clearly the disciplinary knowledge that pupils must learn.

This means that teachers do not have a consistently secure understanding of how this aspect of the subjects should be taught. Leaders should ensure that plans are reviewed in order that pupils are taught the disciplinary knowledge they need to achieve well. ? Too many disadvantaged pupils do not attend school regularly.

They miss out on important learning. Leaders should take their planned action to ensure that all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, attend school regularly. ? Leaders do not consistently identify those pupils who need support with their behaviour.

Some pupils do not get the help that they need to manage their behaviour. These pupils continue to disrupt some lessons. Leaders should ensure that they quickly identify those pupils who need support and help them to improve their behaviour so that the number of pupils being removed from lessons and suspended from school continues to decline.

• Some pupils do not feel confident to talk to an adult if they have any worries or concerns. Some pupils do not report bullying or when they are subjected to inappropriate language. Leaders need to ensure that all pupils feel confident to report bullying so that any incidents can be dealt with swiftly.