Alvanley and Manley Village School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this small, welcoming village school.

They said that their school feels like a big family and that they enjoy mixing with pupils of different ages. Pupils feel that their school is warm-hearted. They value the way that staff look after them and help to take away their worries.

Pupils know that the school has high expectations of what they can achieve. They are eager to learn new things and they work hard in lessons to achieve well. Typically, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

Pupils' conduct during lessons and social times embodies the school's motto of being ready, respectful and safe. Pupils' positive attitudes to learning be...gin when children start school in the early years. Pupils recognise that the school's golden rules are there for the benefit of everybody.

They feel that it is particularly important to look after each other and to always do their best.

Pupils enjoy the wide range of trips and clubs that the school organises for them. They relish opportunities to compete in sporting events and perform in drama and music productions, for example in the annual 'Festival of the Arts'.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Following its recent amalgamation, the school has designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of pupils. It has identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn in most subjects. This knowledge is broken down into small steps from the early years to Year 6.

However, shortfalls in the previous curriculum mean that there are gaps in some older pupils' knowledge. This means that the impact of the strengthened curriculum is not reflected in the unvalidated 2023 published data about how well pupils achieve in reading and mathematics.

The school has ensured that teachers are suitably trained to deliver the curriculum consistently well.

In the main, they use their strong subject knowledge to explain new concepts clearly to pupils and to select appropriate learning activities, including in the Reception Year.

Mostly, teachers use assessment strategies successfully to identify and address the gaps in pupils' learning. For instance, teachers routinely check that pupils have understood important content.

This helps teachers to correct pupils' misconceptions as they appear. Consequently, pupils' earlier learning is more firmly embedded in their long-term memory. This gives pupils a solid grounding on which to acquire new knowledge.

However, from time to time, some teachers do not use assessment strategies to address the gaps in pupils' knowledge swiftly enough.

The school identifies pupils' additional needs quickly and accurately. Teachers are skilled at adapting the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can learn the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

Children begin learning about the sounds that letters make from the start of the Reception Year. Pupils quickly develop their reading fluency as they progress through key stage 1.

They use the sounds that they know to practise reading from books that carefully match their phonics knowledge. Teachers identify any pupils who are in danger of falling behind their peers and help them to keep up by providing appropriate support. The school's actions have ensured that most pupils develop into fluent, confident readers by the end of Year 2.

The school provides opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility. For example, pupils vote for their classmates to represent them on the 'school development squad'. The squad has been instrumental in improving playground equipment.

Pupils have a strong understanding of the different types of relationships and families. They learn about different religions and cultures through the curriculum and through visits to local places of worship. Pupils respect the differences between people and they believe that everyone should be treated fairly.

Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe online.

Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm so that pupils can learn without interruption.

The school recognises that its small size means that staff have many roles. It takes steps to reduce workload by ensuring that staff receive the support that they need to carry out their roles effectively.

Parents and carers are very supportive of the school and its nurturing, learning environment.

They told inspectors that the school supports their children to develop into well-rounded individuals. Parents appreciate the efforts that the school makes to provide enrichment activities for pupils.

Governors are knowledgeable about the quality of education that pupils receive.

They provide effective support and challenge to the school. This helps to drive further positive changes and developments to the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Previous weaknesses in the school's curriculum have led to some older pupils having gaps in their knowledge in some subjects. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are equipped well to address gaps in pupils' knowledge to enable them to build new learning successfully.