Manor Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This school is a community of like-minded staff and pupils committed to the school's 'ERIC' values of enthusiasm, respect, inclusion and challenge.

Pupils gain house points for demonstrating these values. One pupil said, representing the view of many, the 'ERIC' values make the school feel 'peaceful'. The school has a strong emphasis on oracy.

For example, pupils learn to express how they feel through the 'three-step rule', which is understood and followed by all.

Pupils celebrate diversity and show empathy to their peers. Leaders have an unwavering ambition for what all pupils can achieve academically and socially.

All pupils, including those with s...pecial educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are known as individuals and fully included in school life. This sense of security helps them to achieve well.

The school works extremely hard to create the right environment for all pupils to be successful.

This includes an immersive sensory space known as the 'Cubbie', which helps pupils to regulate and to feel safe.

Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school site.

The impact of the school's ERIC values, combined with the consistent application of the school's behaviour policy, means that pupils have exceptional attitudes to learning. Pupils have a strong sense of community and have set up successful charity fundraising events.

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

In most subjects, the curriculum maps out what pupils should learn and the order in which it should be taught.

This typically helps pupils to build on what they already know and be well prepared to learn more complex content. For example, in mathematics, younger pupils explore working with wholes and parts. This foundation knowledge supports older pupils to compare and order fractions.

Across a range of subjects, pupils produce work of high quality and achieve well, including in national assessments. In a small number of foundation subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how well the intended curriculum is implemented. In these instances, some pupils have misconceptions which are not always identified quickly enough.

Sometimes, some tasks in lessons do not help pupils to make links between what they are learning now and what they have learned before.

Pupils follow the agreed phonics programme in a logical order. Teachers make sure that the books pupils read match the sounds they are learning.

Staff provide appropriate additional support for any pupils who find reading difficult. This helps them to catch up with their peers and develop as fluent and confident readers. Leaders have prioritised a love of reading.

Teachers encourage pupils to read a wide range of texts for pleasure. Pupils appreciate the opportunities that they have to choose books from the library and enjoy taking books home.

Teachers identify pupils' needs early.

They adapt their delivery of the curriculum effectively. This ensures that pupils with SEND and those who speak English as an additional language learn well alongside their peers.

Pupils demonstrate mature and positive attitudes consistently.

Incidents of poor behaviour are extremely rare. When they do happen, staff deal with them quickly and effectively by referring to the school's 'ERIC' values, which pupils respond to well.

Pupils' personal development is well considered.

For example, the curriculum provides opportunities for pupils to develop their understanding of important issues, such as respect, inclusivity, social responsibility and diversity. Pupils engage with topical issues, fostering their awareness of democracy and critical thinking. There are a range of leadership opportunities.

These include roles such as head pupils, house captains and eco-monitors. These foster responsibility and confidence.

Leaders, and those responsible for governance, are ambitious and driven to ensure that pupils achieve well.

The impact of their work is demonstrated through the high outcomes pupils achieve at the end of key stage 2. Leaders know the school's strengths and have a realistic understanding of areas they want to improve further. The school is outward looking, forming partnerships with schools both locally and nationally.

This contributes significantly to staff professional development. Governors are knowledgeable and carry out their statutory duties well, holding leaders to account effectively. Staff, including those at the start of their careers, feel incredibly well supported by leaders and each other.

They appreciate leaders' consideration of their workload and 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 a small number of foundation subjects, there are some inconsistencies in how well the intended curriculum is implemented.

This means that, sometimes, some pupils' misconceptions persist. Sometimes, some pupils cannot make links between previous and current learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented consistently well in these subjects.

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