Ofsted: Manchester Academy is outstanding
28 April 2009
Only five and a half years after replacing Ducie High School, one of the poorest performing and most notorious schools in the country, Manchester Academy has received an ‘outstanding’ report from Ofsted. Students and staff are celebrating after inspectors gave the academy a Grade 1 – the highest grade possible.
Inspectors commented on the high standard of educational provision and commended students for their excellent attitude to learning. Staff were also praised for their outstanding work and dedication to students. In 17 out of 27 categories Manchester Academy got the highest possible grade. This means it is the highest rated fully open academy in the country.
In the report, the Ofsted inspectors said:
- Teaching: “Students also benefit from an outstanding curriculum, very much tailored to their individual needs and learning styles.”
- Pastoral Care: “The exceptional needs and extreme circumstances faced by some students in their lives outside of education mean the academy has to provide an exceptional level of pastoral care.”
- Sixth Form: “An excellent curriculum has evolved to provide a very flexible set of courses.”
- Leadership: “The leadership and management overall, including the local governance, is outstanding. The principal and the senior leadership team set very high standards and demonstrate these as very effective role models.”
Inspectors also noted:“Overall, students start at the academy with exceptionally low standards. No matter what their background, all groups of students make outstanding progress as they move through the years.”
In 2008, 35% of students gained five or more A* to C grades at GCSE including English and maths. In the year before the academy opened, only 7.7% of students achieved these results.
Ms Kathy August, Executive Director of Manchester Academy, said: “We are thrilled to receive an outstanding report from Ofsted. The report is testament to the hard work of students and staff at the academy and fully recognises how much we have all achieved. It has taken hard work each and every day to create something which will benefit the individual lives of each student and raise aspirations and self-belief in this part of Manchester for generations to come.
“What this report shows more than anything is that the children who attend this academy have outstanding capabilities. What we are doing, as staff, is letting them thrive.”
Sir Ewan Harper, Chief Executive of ULT, said: “This is wonderful news for the academy and I would like to congratulate Kathy August and the senior leadership team as well as students and staff on this exceptional achievement.
“Manchester Academy is an undeniable example of how transformation can be achieved through perseverance, commitment and a relentless drive for improvement.”
