Mountford Manor Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending Mountford Manor Primary School. They say it is a happy and safe place to learn.

Pupils behave well. Leaders make sure pupils understand the rules. Pupils are well supervised at playtimes and adults make sure they play safely.

Adults remind pupils of the expectations when pupils do not follow them. Relationships between pupils and adults are positive. Pupils know there are adults in school who they trust to help them.

Most pupils and parents say bullying is rare. They know if it did happen, leaders would deal with it. Pupils know that discrimination is not acceptable.

They put this into practice by treating everyone as equals....r/>
Pupils enjoy attending breakfast club and it helps them to make a calm and positive start to the school day. They also enjoy taking part in trips, including visits to the local library and the beach.

They like participating in after school football and multi-sports clubs. They also benefit from attending mathematics and reading tutoring after school. Pupils are proud to be school councillors and to have introduced non-uniform Fridays.

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

Leaders have implemented a sequenced curriculum that identifies the knowledge and skills they want pupils to learn as they move through the school. Some parts of this curriculum are new. This means pupils cannot always build on what they have learned before.

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities learn as well as the rest of their class. Where pupils need more focused support, leaders put this in place and that helps them to be successful.Leaders support teachers well to develop their subject knowledge.

This means the curriculum is taught successfully. Teachers check what pupils understand and quickly address any misconceptions. This also helps teachers to identify accurately what to teach next in order to build pupils' knowledge.

Leaders prioritise reading across the school. They expose pupils to a wide range of books. This helps pupils to understand diverse themes and genres.

There is a consistent approach to the teaching of phonics across the school. This starts in the nursery, where leaders have identified the key vocabulary children need to learn. This means when they enter Reception, they make a good start to the phonics curriculum.

Pupils talk with enthusiasm about reading. They enjoy choosing from the wide range of texts that are available to them. They understand the books they are reading and can read them clearly and with expression.

They know how to tackle unfamiliar words. Regular practise helps them to get better at reading.Pupils have a range of opportunities to experience the world outside the school.

This includes taking part in an enterprise project where they learn about making and selling honey. The personal development curriculum supports pupils to be successful citizens. They learn about how their bodies change as they get older, and they know how to keep themselves safe, including when they are online.

Leaders are improving pupils' attendance. The school invests in learning mentors and family workers. Their work ensures pupils are well supported with any emotional needs that they have.

This means pupils want to come to school.Leaders have planned a well-sequenced early years curriculum. It starts in the nursery and details the progression leaders want children to make before they enter Year 1.

In mathematics, for example, children build their number skills. The mathematics plans in the early years prepare children well for the curriculum they will follow from Year 1. This means there is a smooth transition into key stage 1.

Leaders plan a wide range of opportunities for parents to become familiar with the school's curriculum. This means they can support their child's learning at home. Most parents are positive about the support their child receives to improve.

Governors and trustees have a good understanding of the school's strengths and areas to develop. They check the impact of leaders' work on learners. They challenge leaders to ensure the choices they make lead to the best outcomes for learners.

Teachers value the support they receive to manage their workload and well-being. They say leaders introduce new ideas with care and consideration of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure all staff working at the school, including volunteers, receive regular safeguarding updates and training so they know how to report a concern.

Leaders keep detailed child protection records. These include low level concerns and the actions taken.

This means pupils get the support they need. Leaders escalate concerns when they feel external agencies are not acting in an appropriate way. Leaders expect staff to hold them to account and challenge the decisions they make.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the curriculum is not yet fully embedded. This means that pupils cannot always recall past learning. Leaders must ensure the curriculum is embedded in all subjects so that pupils can build on what they already know so that they learn and remember more.