The Morley Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attending The Morley Academy benefit from an outstanding quality of education. The school's motto of 'exceptional, every day' is lived and breathed by everyone in the community.

The school's broad, challenging curriculum is taught by expert teachers. Pupils' attitudes towards their learning are excellent. Pupils achieve especially well across all subjects.

Pupils' performance in external tests and assessments is impressive.

Pupils are exceptionally proud to attend school. They attend regularly.

They feel safe throughout school. They behave well. Bullying is rare and dealt with swiftly.

Relationships between staff and pupils are harmon...ious.

Pupils benefit from a rigorous personal development offer. In addition to a rich personal, health, social and economic education (PSHE) curriculum, pupils also have access to a vast array of additional opportunities.

These include rowing, karate and music jam clubs.Such experiences significantly enhance pupils' talents and interests.

The support that pupils receive to develop their awareness of the world around them is first class.

In addition to learning multiple languages, including Mandarin Chinese, pupils access an extensive array of regional, national and international trips. Some pupils were keen to tell inspectors about their recent visits to Prague, Singapore and New York City.

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

Leaders are exceptionally ambitious.

The school's curriculum is rich and challenging. Almost all pupils in key stage 4 study a modern foreign language. The proportion of pupils in key stage 4 studying the English Baccalaureate suite of challenging subjects is well above the national average.

The ambition seen in the curriculum extends to all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Subject leaders have crafted interesting and well-sequenced schemes of learning. This curriculum is then brought alive by highly trained teachers.

Lessons are rich in vocabulary and full of opportunities designed to help pupils recall and retain existing and new learning. Assessment and questioning are carefully used in all lessons to help monitor pupils' learning and address any misconceptions.

The needs of pupils with SEND are well known by staff.

Leaders liaise closely with these pupils, and their families, to ensure that any barriers to learning and engagement are overcome. Staff are regularly trained to deepen their understanding of different types of need.

Reading is high profile throughout school.

In addition to dedicated reading lessons and appropriate intervention sessions for less-confident readers, all subjects dedicate lesson time to showcase the importance of reading. Within lessons, 'purple zone' activities, which are designed to promote independence and resilience, are also used to reinforce effective reading strategies.

Pupils' learning is rich and impressive.

Pupils achieve highly at the school. In lessons, pupils' work is of a consistently high quality across all subjects. Pupils' understanding of what they have been taught is impressive.

At the end of key stage 4, pupils achieve exceptionally well in external tests and assessments. This includes vulnerable pupils such as those who are disadvantaged and those who have additional needs.

Pupils' behaviour is similarly impressive.

A comprehensive pastoral support system is in place for when pupils need support and guidance. Rates of attendance are high. Pupils are provided with a wealth of information and advice to help them make informed decisions about their next steps in education.

The wider PSHE curriculum is worthy of sharing. Dedicated 'Be SMART' days allow pupils to deepen their understanding of the world around them. Important topics such as relationships and sex education, online safety, criminal exploitation and managing healthy lifestyles are covered in depth.

Pupils also develop a comprehensive understanding of some of life's differences and similarities through dedicated 'ethics, philosophy and religion' lessons.

Opportunities to be a pupil leader at the school are vast. An extensive number of speakers come into school to motivate pupils.

For example, chefs from the Royal Navy have given demonstrations in food technology lessons to showcase one type of career in catering. A noteworthy array of clubs and trips are on offer to pupils. The senior choir has recently visited Prague.

Some older pupils studying Mandarin Chinese are planning for a forthcoming trip to China. More locally, visits to places such as the Yorkshire Sculpture Park are a crucial part of subject curriculums. As part of the history curriculum, virtual reality technology allows pupils to 'visit' Auschwitz without leaving their classrooms.

Almost all pupils take up these opportunities. Whole-school performances within school, most recently 'We Will Rock You', and out of school, such as at the 'Gorse Shakespeare Festival', allow pupils to perform in front of others. The number of pupils who take part in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme is remarkably high.

The school's leadership is exemplary. Leaders from the school, and from TGAT, are rightly proud of the school. The board of trustees, supported by a group of local governors, holds leaders to account and has effective oversight of the school.

Staff thoroughly enjoy working at the school. They are proud to be part of such an exemplary institution.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.