Meade Hill School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school This is a caring school where vulnerable pupils build their self-esteem and re-establish their trust in education. This is because of the care and guidance that they receive.

Leaders have high expectations of staff and pupils alike. They know the school well and use this knowledge to identify appropriate priorities for development. These include enhancing the contribution that subject leaders make to school development planning.

Pupils typically demonstrate good conduct and are polite and welcoming to visitors. Their behaviour reflects the caring and respectful ethos that is at the heart of the school. Pupils benefit from well-managed per...sonalised education.

A range of carefully chosen and closely monitored alternative educational placements equips them well for their future lives. Stringent and effective safeguarding procedures ensure that pupils are safe. Pupils say that they feel safe in school.

They are knowledgeable about how to keep themselves safe in the wider community. Pupils say that they like the school and recognise how it helps them to re-engage in education and learning. Pupils' attendance considerably improves once they join the school.

However, despite the school's appropriate actions, persistent absence is high. The school's curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that it effectively meets the needs of pupils. It offers a wide range of academic and vocational study opportunities and activities that promote pupils' personal development and welfare.

However, the school's website does not contain the required curriculum information. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, particularly in English at key stage 3. They have a deep understanding of pupils' needs and carefully select appropriate and effective strategies to promote pupils' learning well.

On occasions, particularly in subjects other than English and mathematics, the most able pupils sometimes do not receive the challenge that they need to develop their knowledge and understanding at greater depth. Governors have a good understanding of the school's strengths and weaknesses because of the quality of information that they receive and the quality of the questions that they ask. However, on occasion, their evaluations do not specifically focus on the impact of leaders' actions on pupils' learning and progress in this school.

Pupils achieve well in school. They make good progress from their starting points and are well prepared for the next stages of their education, employment or training. Most pupils move on to college courses at the end of Year 11.

Information about this school

The school is one of two special schools that form the Manchester Federation of EBSD Schools. The school is located across two sites. Key stage 2 and key stage 3 pupils are taught at Meade Hill School in High Blackley.

Key stage 4 pupils are taught at the Castlefield Campus. Key stage 4 pupils at the Castlefield Campus are taught alongside pupils from the other school in the federation. The work of the school is overseen by the federation's governing body.

Each site is led by a head of centre. The federation is led by an executive headteacher based at the Castlefield Campus. At the time of the inspection, there was only one key stage 2 pupil and very few girls registered at the school.

The school uses eight alternative providers. These providers are SMS Education, The Sports School, Carrington Riding School, Cera Cycloan, Manchester Settlement, SMS Coaching, Brighter Futures and Bury College. The school does not meet requirements on the publication of information about the curriculum on its website.