Manor Park Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and well cared for at this school.

From the early years to Year 6, pupils benefit from an ambitious, well-taught curriculum. Teachers insist that pupils achieve their best. The vast majority strive to do just that.

They achieve well.

The school values of respect, pride, responsibility, resilience and reflection are embedded throughout the curriculum and underpin the positive relationships between all in the community.

Teachers have high expectations of pupils' behaviour.

Teachers model kind behaviours and, in turn, pupils in all classes are respectful to one another. Pupils enjoy the rewards they receive for behaving well an...d working hard. Pupils work well with one another in group work.

They play happily at social times. Should bullying happen, leaders take swift action to resolve such issues. This helps pupils to feel safe.

Pupils benefit from generous outdoor facilities. The large woodland, school garden, playground and apparatus give pupils a wide range of opportunities to explore, build, experiment and play. Pupils enjoy many visits that support their learning and development, including a residential trip to London in Year 6.

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

Leaders have developed an engaging curriculum that meets the needs of the pupils well. The curriculum is carefully and logically planned from the Nursery class to Year 6. This ensures that children in the early years and pupils in key stages 1 and 2 build on their learning over time, so they are ready for the next steps in their education.

Leaders make sensible links between subjects to deepen pupils' understanding. For example, in history, while learning about Kindertransport, pupils also read a novel in English lessons set during the Holocaust.

Children in early years are prepared well for their move into key stage 1.

Teachers provide warm and nurturing guidance for those children who attend the provision for two-year olds. A focus on communication and language helps children in the early years to access all areas of learning.

Teachers present new learning clearly.

They choose resources and activities carefully that enable all to participate. Teachers' subject knowledge is mostly secure. However, some teachers are unsure how to check that pupils are learning all that they should in some subjects.

This means that they are not alert to gaps and misconceptions. This hinders the progress of some pupils through the curriculum.

Leaders prioritise reading in school.

Children in Reception learn to read right from the start of their time in school. Teachers read to pupils each day. They deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

Teachers help pupils to quickly develop their reading speed and comprehension. Pupils who do not keep up receive effective support to help them to overcome gaps in their phonic knowledge. This enables all pupils to access the curriculum.

Pupils enjoy reading books. The library is purposeful and well used.

Children in Nursery get off to a good start in following clear learning routines.

Two- and three-year-old children learn to share and play happily with one another. Pupils across the rest of the school conduct themselves sensibly and kindly. Pupils rarely disrupt learning.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) benefit from this calm and orderly environment. Most pupils manage their emotions and regulate their behaviour by themselves.

Leaders identify pupils with SEND early.

They ensure that they receive the right support at the right time. As a result, these pupils learn and achieve well. Teachers adapt the delivery of the curriculum appropriately to enable pupils with SEND to keep up with everyone else.

The work to support pupils' personal development is wide-ranging. Pupils know how to keep safe and maintain healthy relationships. Pupils benefit from a range of after-school clubs, visits and activities to develop their interests, deepen their subject understanding and widen their aspirations for the future.

For example, in the recent 'raising aspirations' programme, pupils explored different career pathways. Pupils are highly respectful of the differences between people in society. For instance, the neurodiversity week and the diverse range of texts that pupils read contribute to their mature understanding of others.

The trust, including the local governing body, keeps good oversight of leaders' work. Leaders support staff's well-being and help to reduce their workload. Subject leaders value the protected time they have to carry out their role.

Staff are highly positive about working at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know pupils and their families well.

They understand their vulnerabilities and provide effective and caring support. Leaders enlist external agencies when necessary.

Leaders follow up concerns about pupils' welfare tenaciously.

Low-level concerns are monitored well. Staff and governors receive regular safeguarding training and updates.

Leaders are acutely aware of the risks that pupils may be exposed to in the local area.

They have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that pupils are educated about these risks. Pupils talk confidently about how to keep themselves safe when online and offline.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few foundation subjects, teachers are not sure how they should assess what pupils have learned.

This means that teachers are not fully alert to misconceptions or gaps in pupils' knowledge. This slows pupils' progress through the curriculum. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the knowledge and skills they need to check that pupils have learned all that they should.

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