Progress Schools - Stockport, 211 Chestergate

What it's like to be a pupil at Progress Schools - Stockport

Many pupils have erratic attendance. Some pupils' attendance is infrequent or negligible. This is because their academic needs are not known or met well enough. These pupils do not feel part of the school community as a result. Pupils do not achieve well enough. They are not adequately prepared for their next stages of education, training or employment. This is because leaders do not make sure that all pupils receive their full curriculum entitlement. Furthermore, leaders do not ensure that staff have the knowledge and expertise that they need to meet pupils' differing needs. Pupils enjoy their learning when they have the prior knowledge that they need to make sense of it. Often, this is not the case. Some pupils do not enjoy school, which often affects their attendance. Pupils are not as well equipped as they could be for adulthood. Careers information, advice and guidance are not closely aligned to pupils' strengths and interests. Pupils are not prepared sufficiently well for living in a modern and diverse Britain. They do not develop sufficient understanding and awareness of people's differences. This is particularly true of pupils' knowledge about different faiths and cultures represented in society. Leaders make sure that pupils are safe. Pupils who attend school regularly enjoy aspects of school life. For example, they value the effective pastoral support that staff provide. This usually helps pupils to remain in control of their emotions. Most pupils behave well when at school. They are typically polite and respectful in their interactions with staff and each other. Pupils respond to staff reminders when this is not the case. Pupils try their best to remain focused during lessons despite significant weaknesses in the curriculum. Leaders diligently deal with incidents of name-calling or other derogatory behaviour. Bullying is rare and is addressed thoroughly.

What Ofsted says the school should do next

• The proprietor must strengthen their monitoring procedures to ensure that leaders are carrying out their respective roles as they should.
• The proprietor must ensure that they fulfil their statutory role without delay to ensure that the independent school standards are maintained.
• Leaders must urgently ensure that the curriculum meets the needs of pupils at the school and supports them to achieve as well as they can.
• Leaders must take swift action to make sure that teaching staff have the knowledge and expertise that they need to identify and address any gaps pupils have in their knowledge, including in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Leaders must ensure that all teaching staff are confident in adapting and delivering the curriculum consistently well so that they can successfully meet the differing needs of individual pupils, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
• Leaders should make sure that all pupils benefit from regular, high-quality support to help them prepare for greater independence in adulthood.
• Leaders should ensure that the careers education and advice that pupils receive prepare them more successfully for a suitable career pathway.
• Leaders should make sure that pupils develop the knowledge and attitudes that they need to be better prepared for living in a modern and diverse Britain.

Progress Schools prioritises pupil safety and emotional wellbeing, with staff providing calm and consistent support to help pupils regulate their emotions. The school has strong safeguarding practices and deals effectively with bullying and discrimination. Pupils who attend regularly benefit from positive pastoral support and respectful relationships with staff.

Safeguarding standards are met - leaders have created an open culture where safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified and managed.

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