Manor Fields Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Manor Fields Primary School attend a school where staff have the very best intentions for their achievement and well-being. Pupils like the interesting books and topics that teachers select for them to learn. Pupils talk with interest about what they have learned.

They appreciate how staff help them to learn.

Pupils like the wide range of activities that staff organise. They can attend debating, hockey and orchestra clubs, to name but a few.

Pupils talk excitedly about the opportunities to compete against other schools. They perform very well in these competitions.

Pupils see value in behaving kindly and sensibly.

They like the spe...cific praise they receive from staff because it teaches them what they have done well. Pupils enjoy the weekly celebration assembly where the 'stars of the week' confidently share their achievements.

Pupils understand bullying.

They know that it can happen at school. Pupils say that staff facilitate discussions between pupils to quickly resolve issues. It is care like this that makes pupils feel happy and safe at their school.

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

Leaders place a high priority on ensuring that all pupils learn to read. Staff work hard to plan and resource their reading lessons. Recently, staff audited the books that pupils receive.

Pupils are given books that contain sounds they know to help them read words fluently.

Children in early years get off to a strong start. Kind relationships between staff and children form quickly.

Staff work together to carefully assess children. This ensures that children complete challenging activities that ready them for Year 1.

Leaders have been astute in revising parts of their curriculum.

Curriculum plans detail appropriate content, including helpful direction for activities that pupils should complete. Teachers use these plans to good effect.

Where leaders have made some recent changes to curriculum plans in the foundation subjects, aspects of assessment are at the development stage.

Leaders recognise that an assessment system used previously does not identify what knowledge pupils have and have not learned and understood. Some staff are exploring new ways to assess. Currently, there are no shared practices that direct teachers in how to assess what pupils do and do not know, and how this informs teaching.

Leaders oversee suitable systems for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers mostly set targets that are measurable and time-focused. Staff assess the extra support pupils that receive at the start and end of an intervention.

This helps leaders determine whether support is working well.

Pupils behave well and attend school regularly. Staff are well versed in the school's therapeutic approach to managing behaviour.

Staff enjoy exemplifying for pupils how they are meeting the 'golden expectations' of leaders. When pupils need help, leaders assist staff in analysing a pupil's behaviour to arrange suitable support.

Most aspects of the school's personal development programme are well considered.

Staff lead daily mindfulness activities that teach pupils how to calm themselves during times of stress or worry. Leaders have devised a thoughtful approach that gives pupils ideas for activities to complete outside school. These activities focus on a theme, such as health.

Pupils may, for example, choose to try a new fruit, climb a tree or go for a run. Pupils share their achievements via an online platform. They then receive positive recognition from their teacher and their peers.

Governors work well to assure themselves that leaders are doing the very best for pupils, parents and carers, and staff. Governors question and check school practices carefully. They ensure that these are efficient and working effectively.

Leaders have worked hard to build positive relationships with parents and staff. The many parents who completed the survey, Ofsted Parent View, reported that they are happy with the school. Staff were complimentary about the support and direction they receive from leaders.

Staff feel proud to work at Manor Fields Primary School.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff who manage the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks ensure that the adults working and visiting the school are safe to be there.

Leaders organise regular training for staff to maintain an ethos of 'it could happen here'. Staff say that activities such as discussing safeguarding scenarios and completing quizzes help them feel confident in identifying and reporting on pupils who are at risk of harm. Leaders demonstrate tenacity in how they manage support for vulnerable pupils and their families.

Pupils say that they feel comfortable in telling staff about their worries, including through use of the class 'worry monster' or the 'worry box'.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have made some recent changes in what is taught in the foundation subjects. They are currently trialling a new assessment system in some year groups and for some of the foundation subjects.

However, the majority of teachers have not received guidance on how to check pupils' knowledge retention using this new system. As a result, teachers cannot be sure what knowledge pupils do and do not know to efficiently inform teaching and curriculum development. Leaders must train teachers in how to assess pupils carefully to ensure that pupils retain the important knowledge set out in the new curriculum plans.

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