Matthew Moss High School Ofsted Report

Full report

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Secure even greater consistency in the quality of teaching and further accelerate pupils’ progress by ensuring that:
  • all teachers, particularly in mathematics, provide a consistently high level of challenge for all pupils, especially for those who are most able.
• Further improve the quality of leadership and management by:
  • evaluating the effectiveness of improvement strategies on pupils’ academic and personal development more precisely so leaders and governors are able to make decisions about what actions are needed to improve the school further that are firmly rooted in evidence
  • continuing to raise pupils’ attendance and reduce rates of persistent absenteeism, particularly in relation to disadvantaged pupils and those who have SEN and/or disabilities.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

• Leaders have taken the necessary actions to address areas for improvement identified at the time of the last inspection. In the last two years, there have been improvements in the quality of teaching, outcomes for pupils, attendance and behaviour.
• Leaders have created a learning culture where the expectations of staff and pupils are high. Teachers have been challenged to improve the quality of teaching. Most have risen to the challenge and have succeeded. Pupils continue to be supported in developing their learning skills. Alongside the good teaching they experience, this has helped to ensure that most pupils make good progress from their different starting points.
• Leaders have ensured that the attendance and behaviour of all pupils has risen, including those who have SEN and/or disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. As a result, overall attendance is now in line with the national average.
• Information about pupils’ attainment and their progress is collected regularly by teachers and leaders. Staff have worked hard to ensure the accuracy of this information, which is well used to target support and intervention for individuals and groups of pupils. Leaders have used this information to identify the current priorities for improvement in the school. This includes the need to continue to improve rates of progress for the most able pupils, particularly in mathematics.
• Leaders regularly make checks to ensure that agreed actions to improve the school are being carried out consistently. This helps them to develop an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, which in turn informs future planning. However, leaders do not carefully and consistently evaluate the impact that their actions have had on pupils’ outcomes. As a result, leaders’ plans to improve the school are not consistently based upon a precise understanding of which strategies have been successful in the past.
• Pastoral leaders are well trained and effective in their roles. They are confident to make the right decisions to ensure that pupils have the help and support that they need. Pupils and parents are overwhelmingly positive about the care and support provided by the school. In discussions, pupils told inspectors that the way they are supported by adults, both pastorally and academically, is one of the best things about the school.
• Leaders’ careful planning ensures that the curriculum supports pupils’ academic and personal development. The curriculum offers an appropriate range of academic subjects and a small number of vocational courses. There is a variety of extra- curricular activities and clubs, including sports clubs, trips and visits, after-school revision sessions and Saturday morning school for anyone who wants to attend.
• The school makes a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils in all years have ‘CHANGE’ (composure, high standards, agency, numeracy/literacy, growth mindset and empathy) lessons to help them to develop effective personal and learning skills. In these lessons, pupils make links between different areas of the curriculum as they focus on project-based topics.
• The curriculum supports pupils’ awareness of other cultures and beliefs in a school that is a multi-cultural environment. Pupils have a strong sense of respect and appreciation for cultures other than their own. Pupils discuss and debate moral issues in different lessons. For example, pupils in Year 8 worked on a humanities project in which they discussed the issues around genocide and considered whether verdicts of ‘guilty’ or ‘not guilty’ should be imposed upon the alleged perpetrators. As a result, the school prepares pupils well for life in modern British society.
• Leaders have made good use of the external support available to them, particularly from the local authority and the Pioneers Trust. They have used this external support to gain independent views of whether their actions are having the positive effect they had planned. Leaders have acted quickly on advice provided to further strengthen work in different areas of the school, for example in the provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language and in the development of the school’s careers advice and guidance for pupils.
• Staff morale is high. Ninety-six per cent of staff said that they are proud to be a member of staff at the school. Teachers and middle leaders said that they are very well supported by the headteacher and other senior leaders. One hundred per cent of staff said that professional development is used to encourage, challenge and support improvements in teaching.
• Leaders’ regular checks on teaching are used to share what works best to help pupils with their learning. Teachers, including newly qualified teachers, are very positive about the training and development provided for them. This is having a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching.
• Subject leaders are clear about the whole-school priorities for improvement and how their actions contribute to achieving these. They make effective use of pupil tracking information to inform their planning and to carry out regular checks on the quality of teaching with senior leaders.
• Leaders use the extra government funding they receive for disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities to provide additional support for these pupils. Their actions have secured notable improvements in outcomes for these pupils. Although the attendance and behaviour of these groups of pupils is improving, leaders acknowledge that there are still a small number whose attendance remains too low.

Governance of the school

• The governing body is effective. Over the past four years, governors have worked with senior leaders to create an ethos which is equally focused on securing both the academic and the personal development of pupils. There is a clear vision for the school; governors have worked with senior leaders in implementing this vision.
• Governors work alongside senior leaders to evaluate the work of the school and contribute to planning for improvement.
• Governors make regular visits to the school to check on the work of leaders and managers. As a result, they have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. They ensure that leaders focus on the right priorities for the school.
• Governors ensure that leaders use additional funding appropriately, including the Year 7 catch-up funding and the pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• All relevant checks on the suitability of adults to work with young people are completed.
• Safeguarding is an established part of the culture of the school. Staff have all received relevant training, including in the ‘Prevent’ duty and transgender issues, and they receive regular updates. They are clear about what to do if they have any concerns. The designated safeguarding lead acts upon these swiftly and makes prompt referrals to external agencies when appropriate.
• Pupils learn how to stay safe online and are aware of all forms of bullying. As well as receiving effective support from adults, form groups are structured vertically, so that older pupils are readily available to support younger pupils. The school regularly revisits important topics such as bullying and e-safety. Pupils reported that bullying is rare and that adults deal with any incidents effectively. This agrees with evidence gathered by inspectors and the very large majority of responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Parent View.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

• The culture within learning has changed since the last inspection. Teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve have risen. The school’s mission statement is ‘Learning for Life’ and reflects the significance that staff attach to securing pupils’ commitment to learning. Pupils enjoy learning and can talk about the progress they make. They respond well to the increasing difficulty of the work because they are taught well.
• Pupils’ learning is enhanced by the personal development programme ‘CHANGE’. This is aimed at helping pupils to develop an understanding of their own strengths and ambitions, how they learn best and their hopes and aspirations for the future. It also equips them with the skills to face challenges. ‘CHANGE’ permeates every aspect of pupils’ time in school and makes a strong contribution to pupils’ success.
• Strengths in teaching are clearly evident across a range of subjects, including in English, science, languages, humanities and technology. Teachers guide pupils exceptionally well on how to develop their understanding. In science, Year 11 pupils were able to apply their knowledge to answer examination questions successfully. They were well supported by the teacher, who was constantly prompting and challenging them to develop their answers. In a key stage 4 English lesson, pupils studying ‘An Inspector Calls’ showed a detailed understanding of the play, as well as being able to use a high level of vocabulary in their written responses to questions.
• Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to explain difficult concepts well and to ensure that pupils are familiar with the correct technical terminology. Where teachers highlight common misconceptions and guide pupils skilfully through challenging concepts, pupils are able to avoid common pitfalls.
• Teachers’ knowledge of what pupils know and can do means that the work they set is sufficiently challenging. In this way, pupils develop a deeper understanding of the work covered and make good progress from their different starting points.
• The strong relationships that exist between pupils and teachers are a common feature of the school. Teachers expect pupils to behave well and work hard. School policies for behaviour and learning, in addition to staff training, ensure that good behaviour is achieved through respect, courtesy and the appropriate use of humour.
• Teachers use a range of activities and learning styles to capture pupils’ interests. Teachers routinely involve pupils in discussion and group or paired work and pupils are used to working in this way. The variation in activities employed by many teachers helps pupils to maintain their focus and high levels of concentration.
• Many teachers use questioning well. Teachers use questioning to probe pupils’ understanding, elicit more information, keep pupils focused and adapt learning to address any misconceptions. Teachers frequently asked ‘how’, ‘why’ or ‘explain’ to help pupils achieve more, by insisting that they answer questions in more detail.
• The quality of teaching across the full range of subjects, and particularly in science, has improved. Teachers provide pupils with a range of interesting tasks that demand full concentration and deep thought. For example, in science, the increased levels of challenge and teachers’ focused questioning ensure that pupils explain their reasoning and so deepen their understanding.
• Teachers use information about pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities to support them to learn well. Pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities make progress in line with that of other pupils nationally with similar starting points.
• Although teaching is now consistently effective, some pupils do not make the more rapid progress of which they are capable. This is because some teachers do not always pitch activities at a level to stretch and challenge these pupils. This was particularly evident in mathematics for the most able pupils. Leaders are aware of these inconsistencies and have plans in place to ensure that teachers’ planning is more precisely matched to the needs of some most-able pupils.
• Most teachers work effectively to support pupils’ understanding. However, a few teachers do not always address misconceptions swiftly or precisely enough. Where this happens, pupils continue to make the same mistakes, which prevents them from making better progress.
• Staff are very active in their support of individuals. They adapt resources for pupils with personal challenges to help them to make good progress from their starting points.
• Although teaching has improved across most areas, some pupils in the current Year 11 have suffered from some weaker teaching historically. Leaders are doing everything to ensure that there is support for pupils who may be in danger of underachieving. Pupils are advised to attend after-school revision classes where teachers feel it would help them to do so. ‘D6’, a Saturday morning voluntary school, is also available for any pupil who wants to access extra support. Pupils say that they find this provision to be invaluable and are very appreciative of it. School leaders have evidence of the positive impact that ‘D6’ has had on improving the progress made by many pupils who have attended.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is outstanding.
• Staff know their pupils very well. Strong relationships are forged between staff and pupils, built on trust and mutual respect. Staff support pupils extremely well to help them to develop academically and socially. Pupils reported to inspectors that this is one of the things they really appreciate about the school.
• The school is a highly inclusive place to learn. Staff say that there is no apparent hierarchy. All staff and pupils are treated equally. Leaders and staff deal with pupils’ behaviour calmly, effectively and systematically.
• The school caters very effectively for the welfare and personal development of pupils with additional needs. The specialist support, early identification of need and close and productive partnerships with parents all lead to very positive outcomes for these pupils.
• The school has a significant number of vulnerable pupils. Staff work closely and highly effectively with other agencies to ensure that pupils receive the help that they need.
• Staff are tenacious in their follow-up if they feel that referrals to outside agencies are taking too long. Staff have comprehensive support systems in place to ensure that children looked after are safe and supported well.
• Pupils feel safe at school. Ninety-seven per cent of parents who responded to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, said that their children felt safe at school. The school’s work to help pupils stay safe is highly effective.
• Pupils understand that bullying must not be tolerated; as such, it is very rare. On the few occasions it does take place, pupils are confident that staff will help them and resolve the matter quickly and effectively.
• Pupils were very positive about the comprehensive careers programme provided by the school. Careers guidance advisers work with all pupils to ensure that they have firm plans for the future, helping pupils to achieve their goals.
• Pupils’ views are sought routinely by leaders through an online questionnaire. Pupils appreciate the opportunities they are given to express their views.
• Staff work diligently to ensure that the small number of pupils who access alternative provision are safe, well looked after and make good progress academically and pastorally.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good.
• Pupils enjoy coming to school and are proud to be members of the school community. They move about the site in an orderly and purposeful way. This is because staff supervise them well and pupils respect the school’s expectations.
• Displays are neat and tidy. The site is well maintained and virtually free of litter.
• Pupils are very polite and courteous to visitors. They willingly engage in conversation, are friendly and are keen to talk about their school.
• Pupils, parents and staff all told inspectors that behaviour has improved over the past three years. Pupils said that all teachers manage behaviour consistently well and that they appreciate the rewards they receive for good behaviour. As a result of the way in which behaviour is managed, the number of fixed-term exclusions has reduced dramatically over the past three years for all groups of pupils.
• Leaders monitor pupils’ attendance carefully. As a result of actions taken by leaders to improve attendance, the attendance of all groups of pupils has improved. Attendance has risen over the last three years and the current attendance figure for all pupils is now in line with historic national figures. However, leaders have identified that the proportion of disadvantaged pupils, and pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, who are persistently absent is still too high. Leaders are working closely with parents and external agencies to reduce the absence of these pupils further.

Outcomes for pupils Good

• On entry to the school, pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics are significantly below the national figures. In particular, their scores in reading have been particularly low. Despite this, in 2017, at the end of Year 11, pupils’ overall average attainment across 8 subjects was in line with the national average. This reflects the fact that pupils make good progress across most subjects in both key stages.
• Leaders have worked hard to raise pupils’ aspirations and pupils are well prepared for their next steps when they leave at the end of Year 11. Staff provide high-quality careers information, advice and guidance that helps the vast majority of pupils to move on to further education, employment or training.
• Pupils’ progress in a range of subjects, including in English, languages and the humanities, has been above the national average for the past two years. This is because pupils experience teaching in these subjects that is typically good. They have opportunities to apply their writing skills and are encouraged to read widely and from a range of sources. Pupils in both key stages are consistently challenged to do their best and to improve the quality of their work in these subjects.
• In the past, pupils have made below-average progress in science. There have been changes in staffing, to the curriculum and improvements in the quality of teaching. These have all contributed to the improvements that can now be seen in the progress that pupils currently in the school are making. Pupils’ progress in science is therefore now good.
• In 2016 and 2017, in mathematics, the progress of disadvantaged pupils and the most able was below the national average. Leaders experienced difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified teachers. They have worked hard to rectify this. Pupils in all classes are now being taught by suitably experienced teachers. The majority of pupils currently in the school are making good progress in mathematics and are developing the key skills of problem-solving and reasoning. Subject leaders are aware that there is still more to be done to ensure that all pupils, particularly the most able, are suitably challenged. Subject leaders have already implemented plans to secure better progress for this group of pupils.
• Pupils with the lowest prior attainment have made good progress from their starting points over the past two years. The Year 7 catch-up funding is well used to support these pupils to improve weak literacy and numeracy skills. This ensures that they are able to succeed in a range of subjects across the curriculum.
• The progress of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities, including those with an education, health and care plan, has improved over the past three years. Leaders ensure that pupils have access to appropriate support and follow courses that meet their needs and aspirations. Teachers plan activities to ensure that pupils can succeed in lessons. Additional adults provide effective support for individuals. These pupils typically make good progress on the courses that they study.
• Although the progress of non-disadvantaged pupils increased from 2016 to 2017, the progress of disadvantaged pupils appeared not to have improved. This was largely due to the poor performance of a small group of disadvantaged pupils who faced very complex and challenging circumstances. All of the evidence collected during the inspection shows that the majority of disadvantaged pupils make equally strong progress compared to others.
• Pupils for whom the curriculum is not deemed to be suitable are provided with an alternative curriculum. Leaders ensure that the small numbers of pupils accessing alternative provision have the opportunity to complete GCSE or equivalent courses where appropriate. They are successful in progressing to next steps in employment, education or training.
• Over time, some high prior-attaining pupils have not achieved as well as others. The improvements in teaching and learning are showing improved outcomes for these pupils currently in the school across most subjects. However, leaders are aware that this is an area for continued focus.
• The small number of pupils who are taught partly in the hearing impaired resource base and partly in mainstream lessons have a timetable that is specifically tailored to meet their individual needs. There is close liaison between the local authority team leader in the resource base, the special needs coordinator and the teacher of the deaf to ensure that these pupils are supported effectively. They develop the skills they need to be able to live independently and progress to employment, further education or training.

School details

Unique reference number 105839 Local authority Rochdale Inspection number 10045840 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Secondary comprehensive School category Maintained Age range of pupils 11 to 16 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 778 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Birchenough Headteacher Mark Moorhouse Telephone number 01706 632910 Website www.mmhs.co.uk Email address admin@mmhs.co.uk Date of previous inspection 16–17 March 2016

Information about this school

• Matthew Moss High School is an average-sized secondary school located in Rochdale.
• The school has a higher than average proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language. About a third of the pupils are of White British heritage and over half are of Asian or Asian British Pakistani heritage.
• The proportion of pupils who are eligible for support through pupil premium funding, at about 50%, is well above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities is above the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who have an education, health and care plan.
• The school has received support from the local authority, the Pioneers Trust and several external consultants.
• The school uses alternative provision provided by Bury Sea Cadet Unit and Bury and ACE Training, for a very small number of Year 10 and 11 pupils.
• The school has an on-site hearing impaired resource base, funded by the local authority. Currently some of the pupils are taught in the resource base for part of the time when they are at school.
• The school met the government’s floor standards for pupils in Year 11 in 2017.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed teaching and learning across the school. Some of these observations took place with members of the senior leadership team.
• An inspector listened to pupils reading from Year 7 and Year 8, observed an assembly and visited an intervention session for pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities.
• Meetings were held with senior leaders, middle leaders, a group of teachers, five governors, including the chair of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority.
• Inspectors scrutinised a range of school documentation, including the self-evaluation summary, the school’s improvement plan, minutes of meetings of the governing body, safeguarding records, school assessment information, attendance and behaviour records, and school policies and procedures.
• Formal discussions were held with groups of pupils from each key stage to discuss their experiences of school. Inspectors also spoke to pupils in lessons and at breaks and lunchtimes, and took account of the 71 responses from the online pupil questionnaire.
• Inspectors scrutinised pupils’ work across different key stages.
• Inspectors analysed the 29 responses from Ofsted’s online survey of parents, Parent View, including the free-text commentary provided by 63 parents.
• Inspectors also considered the 75 responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey. Formal and informal discussions took place with staff members to gather their views about the work of the school.

Inspection team

Helen Gaunt, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector Philip Wood Ofsted Inspector Nell Banfield Ofsted Inspector Dympna Woods Ofsted Inspector