Mablins Lane Community Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Mablins Lane Community Primary is a happy school where pupils feel safe and are nurtured. Pupils value the warm and positive relationships with staff and each other.

There is a strong sense of community and belonging at the school.

Pupils embody the school's vision of 'Learning Together, Learning for Life'. They enjoy their lessons, particularly when they are working in the school's outdoor wooded area classroom.

Pupils are enthusiastic learners. They work hard and take pride in their work. Clear rules and routines ensure that pupils behave sensibly in classes and when moving around the school.

Pupils are welcoming, confident and polite. Where bullyi...ng happens, pupils trust staff to deal with it effectively so that it stops.

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Most pupils across the school achieve well. Pupils enjoy the visits that support their learning, including residential visits where they complete adventurous activities. They also appreciate the visitors to the school.

For example, they enjoyed a visit from the fire brigade, where they learned about fire safety.

Pupils enjoy the responsibilities they hold. This includes ambassadors who support pupils at breaktimes, encouraging participation and building friendships.

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

The school has designed a broad curriculum which motivates pupils. In most subjects, the knowledge that pupils must learn has been clearly identified and organised in a logical sequence. Where this is the case, pupils build their knowledge and skills successfully.

However, in a small number of subjects, curriculum organisation is less developed. The sequence of learning is not always clear and pupils have some gaps in their knowledge which hinder future learning.

The early years curriculum has been carefully designed to meet the specific needs of the children.

Children are well prepared for key stage 1.

The school prioritises reading. Starting in the early years, pupils quickly and securely learn phonics knowledge.

Where pupils need additional support to keep up with their peers, this is carefully planned and skilfully delivered by well-trained staff. The school ensures that pupils experience a broad range of high-quality books. Pupils have a love of reading.

Many choose to use the school's 'Book Swap Shed' at breaktimes and enjoy sitting and reading with their friends.

In response to low outcomes in key stage 2 writing in 2024, the school has prioritised improving pupils' editing skills. This has improved the quality of writing across the school.

Teachers and support staff receive regular training which ensures that knowledge is taught accurately. This includes a comprehensive programme of professional development about how to support pupils with SEND. The needs of these pupils are met consistently well across the school.

The school checks pupils' learning well in most subjects to identify pupils' strengths and gaps in their knowledge. Teachers and curriculum leaders use this information to reshape learning. However, in a few subjects, this is less effective.

This results in some errors and misconceptions being missed, meaning that learning does not always build successfully over time.

The school ensures that the additional needs of pupils with SEND are identified quickly when they join the school. The support provided to pupils with SEND enables them to access the same curriculum as their peers.

The school sets high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Pupils consistently meet these expectations. They move around the school calmly and safely.

Breaktimes are well supervised and pupils have plenty to do.

The school has worked successfully with parents and carers and outside agencies to overcome barriers to good attendance and punctuality. This has led to improved attendance for groups of pupils, including the disadvantaged.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand concepts such as democracy and respect. They enjoy learning about other cultures.

Pupils also enjoy their roles in organising events. This includes pupils with SEND who organise and run a 'pop-up café' for staff.

The school ensures that all groups of pupils enjoy the numerous opportunities to follow their interests and talents, including through the broad range of clubs on offer and opportunities within the curriculum, such as learning musical instruments.

Governors are passionate about the school. They access regular training to help them fulfil their roles effectively. They provide appropriate support and challenge to the school.

Staff are proud to work at the school. They appreciate the support from leaders to help them to manage their workload and to support their well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, there is not enough clarity about what pupils should learn and when. As a result, knowledge does not always build successfully in a logical sequence and pupils do not build on what they already know. The school needs to ensure that the curriculum is organised to enable pupils to successfully build their knowledge and skills over time.

• In some subjects, the school has not checked that the curriculum is being delivered with enough precision. Some gaps in pupils' knowledge and misconceptions are missed. The school should ensure that assessment information is used consistently well to identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge and misconceptions so that they can be remedied.

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