Progress Schools - Gorton

Overview

Progress Schools - Gorton is an alternative provision setting for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities who have previously struggled in mainstream education. The report describes a "calm and orderly" environment where leaders have established a "nurturing culture" that helps pupils feel "safe, welcome, understood and cherished." Most pupils make steady progress, gain qualifications, and successfully transition back to mainstream schools or into further training.

Strengths

• Leaders create a "sense of belonging" which encourages pupils to attend school more regularly and engage with learning.
• Staff build "positive relationships" with pupils, helping them to feel "valued" and reducing barriers to wellbeing.
• The curriculum is "ambitious," with pupils studying towards GCSEs and gaining qualifications that support their "next steps in education, employment or training."
• Pupils develop confidence through diverse experiences, including trips and activities, and learn to be "respectful of others."
• Staff are "incredibly positive" about their work, appreciating leaders' consideration of their workload and wellbeing.

Areas to improve

• Leaders should refine assessment approaches so that checks on pupils’ knowledge "align closely to what they have been taught" to identify gaps more precisely.
• Leaders should strengthen staff expertise to ensure strategies to reduce barriers to learning are used consistently, so pupils access the curriculum "consistently well."

Safeguarding

The safeguarding standards are met, with an "open culture" where concerns are "actively identified, acted upon and managed," ensuring pupils are "made safer and feel safe."