Manor Oak Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The recently appointed headteacher and her senior team have set the right priorities for improvement. This ensures that pupils are making consistently good progress in a wide range of subjects in the current school year.

However, leaders do not use information about outcomes for groups of pupils sharply enough to evaluate some of their plans. Teachers apply the agreed policies effectively so that pupils receive good guidance on how to make progress. Pupils enjoy interesting lessons with activities which closely match their abilities because teachers possess good subject knowledge.

On occasion, the most able pupils are given work to do whi...ch is not sufficiently challenging. Pupils' personal development, behaviour and welfare are good. Leaders ensure that they develop very positive attitudes to learning and overcome any fears of failure.

There is very good provision for the large proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities. These pupils make consistently good progress as a result. Leaders have enhanced communications with and involvement of parents in school life.

This is helping to improve pupils' attendance and strengthen safeguarding arrangements. Arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders and governors have established secure systems for responding to concerns and keeping up to date with safeguarding issues.

Governors are well equipped to provide strong challenge to school leaders and know the strengths and weaknesses of the school in detail. The early years prepares children well for the next stage of their education from often low starting points. The curriculum provides interesting and relevant opportunities for pupils to broaden their knowledge and develop skills in a wide range of subjects.

Pupils behave well and benefit from the strong emphasis on inclusion evident in the school's culture. Provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good. Pupils' attendance has improved.

However, reductions in the absence rates of those with the poorest attendance have occurred relatively recently. Leaders are focused sharply in their work to sustain these improvements.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website.

The school complies with Department for Education guidance on what academies should publish. The school is a stand-alone academy which operates within a larger family of local academies. Children in the Nursery, including the two-year olds who are admitted, attend on a part-time basis.

The current headteacher was appointed in the Spring of 2016 after a short period acting in this role. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is much higher than the national average. The proportion of pupils who are entitled to support funded by the pupil premium funding is also much higher than the national average.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above the national average. Those from minority ethnic backgrounds represent a larger proportion of pupils than that seen nationally. In 2015 the school met the government's floor standards, which are the minimum standards for achievement and progress in English and mathematics by the end of Year 6.