“Families have confidence that their children are well understood and supported”
Headteacher Andrew Bridson with pupils at Cardinal Langley RC High School(Image: Cardinal Langley RC High School)
A high school which is bucking the national trend on attendance has been praised for supporting struggling pupils.
Cardinal Langley Roman Catholic High School in Middleton has been recognised for its high standards of behaviour, attendance and pupil wellbeing following a successful Ofsted inspection.
In a report published this month, the school has been rated ‘Strong’ and ‘Expected’ in seven key areas.
Inspectors noted that the approach of school leaders – who it’s said ‘create a calm and caring environment’ – helps pupils to attend more often.
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“Leaders keep a watchful eye on attendance patterns to spot concerns early,” says the report. “Staff regularly remind pupils and families about the importance of regular attendance in assemblies, newsletters and form time. Aided by these factors, pupils’ overall attendance, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, has consistently improved and is significantly above the national average.
“Leaders take time to understand why a pupil might struggle to come to school. They use this information to support them back into attending regularly. For example, leaders provide help such as counselling to reduce anxiety for pupils about their return to school.”
Inspectors praised the Rochdale Road school’s caring culture, ambitious leadership and commitment to helping every pupil reach their full potential.
Cardinal Langley is a comprehensive high school serving the Catholic community of Middleton, Rochdale and north Manchester, with almost 1,200 students aged 11 to 18.
The inspection awarded it the ‘Strong’ standard in both ‘Attendance and Behaviour’ and ‘Personal Development and Wellbeing’, alongside the ‘Expected’ standard in ‘Achievement, Curriculum and Teaching’, ‘Inclusion’, ‘Post-16 Provision’, and ‘Leadership and Governance’.
Headteacher, Mr Andrew Bridson, said: “We’re delighted to see these findings, which reflect the dedication of our students, staff, governors and families in creating a school community where every young person is encouraged to flourish.
“As a school we focus on developing strong relationships with students and families. The impact of this is that students enjoy coming to school and feel that they belong. Our attendance is significantly above national average for all groups and identified by the DfE as the highest for similar schools nationally.
“The comments in the report reflect the values that underpin everything we do, and our commitment to ensuring every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn.”
The inspection team praised the school’s leadership in the report and recognised the positive culture that exists, finding that ‘there is a climate of inclusion and ambition among leaders and staff’, which ‘results in pupils receiving timely, caring support’.
In the report, inspectors recognised the breadth of opportunities available to students at the school, noting that they ‘benefit from a wide range of personal development opportunities’ and highlighting the school’s inclusive ethos, saying ‘families have confidence that their children are well understood and supported’.
The school’s Sixth Form was commended, with inspectors observing that ‘relationships are highly positive between staff and students’ and that ‘students benefit from a wide range of enrichment opportunities’.
Inspectors also praised the behaviour and culture shown by young people throughout the school community. The report said: “Pupils at Cardinal Langley, including sixth-form students, are proud of their school. They build positive relationships with staff and with each other. Pupils enjoy their learning and are well supported to achieve their full potential… At social times, they show kindness and respect in the way they speak and behave towards others.”
Mr Bridson added: “We’re delighted to see this recognition for the impact of our school community, the values that underpin everything we do, and our commitment to ensuring every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn. The report reflects our unwavering belief that every student deserves the highest aspirations and the very best opportunities, regardless of their starting point.
“This endorsement of our work with students and families is especially meaningful, while perhaps the most pleasing comments in the report are those that describe what it is like to be a pupil at Cardinal Langley. These observations capture the essence of our school community and are a testament to the character, compassion and commitment of our students.”
The report follows the most recent inspection by the Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI) in the 2024/25 academic year, which awarded Cardinal Langley Outstanding judgements in five of nine areas, including the Catholic and Lasallian life of the school. Inspectors praised the school’s ‘exceptionally strong Catholic ethos’ and leadership’s ‘inspiring and compelling vision’, concluding: “The school cares deeply for individual students, particularly the most vulnerable.”
Mr Bridson added that the school leadership and staff will continue to strive to further improve the service provided to its community.
Next steps recommended by Ofsted include leaders ensuring that ‘strategies for raising attainment are effective across subjects’ and that ‘adaptive teaching strategies are consistently implemented in all classrooms to meet the needs of all pupils effectively’.
Mr Bridson said: “We are proud of this outcome and are ambitious for the future. The report recognises the many strengths of our school while also providing us with valuable feedback to help us continue improving. We will build on this success with the same determination and high expectations that have brought us to this point.
“I would like to thank our outstanding staff for their professionalism, care and commitment; our governors for their guidance and support; our parents and carers for their trust and encouragement; and, above all, our wonderful students, whose conduct, kindness and enthusiasm impressed the inspectors throughout their visit.
“We are thankful for the ongoing support of everyone in our community as we work together to ensure Cardinal Langley continues to be a place where every young person can thrive and achieve their full potential.”
