Mansel Park Primary & Nursery School - Part of the Learning Federation Partnership of Schools

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' welcoming, smiling faces in the sea of photographs in the entrance area say it all.

They reflect the way they are greeted by staff each morning. This sets the tone for the day ahead because, as pupils explained, 'smiles spread like a virus'. As one parent captured perfectly, 'From the moment you step through the door, you can see the dedication and commitment of the staff and, more importantly, how happy and... respectful the children are.'

Pupils unfailingly live up to the expectation that they are ready (to learn), respectful and safe.

Pupils are nurtured to be 'architects of a better world'. Children get off to a fantastic start in early years, benefiting from an exceptional blend of care and expert knowledge about how young children learn and develop.

The well-designed curriculum ensures that pupils' learning builds systematically as they move up through the school. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6 are very high. Pupils acquire a comprehensive bank of knowledge and skills across other subjects.

They leave with the attitudes, attributes and aspirations they need for future success and a strong sense of social responsibility and justice.

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

Pupils flourish socially and academically because nothing is left to chance. Everything pupils experience in class and beyond is purposefully planned and carefully checked for the difference it makes.

Deliberate teaching of the school values of 'determination, perseverance, positivity and resilience' fosters pupils' consistently enthusiastic attitudes to school and to their learning. Collaborative working within the partnership has paid dividends in enhancing teaching and learning.

The parent who said that Mansel Park does 'its utmost best for all the pupils that attend' was spot on.

The school keeps a particularly watchful eye on provision for vulnerable pupils. Diligent staff swiftly notice and adapt teaching to support pupils who are not keeping up. Additional needs are identified precisely, extra support is put in place and progress is tracked carefully.

The school knows its community extremely well. It goes above and beyond to support families facing challenges and encourages them to get their children to school regularly. Communications about the importance of good attendance are unequivocal.

The number of pupils who miss too much school is falling.

Leaders dare to do things differently, with remarkable results. The partnership's own phonics scheme, developed during the pandemic, underpins the exemplary teaching of early reading.

Well-trained staff are deployed effectively in order to teach pupils in small groups, matched carefully to their knowledge and skills. Additional support to help individuals keep up is timely, so most pupils get off to a great start in reading by the end of Year 1.

The significant and ongoing investment in teachers' professional development pays dividends.

The consistent high-quality of teaching across the school is impressive. Teachers' knowledge of the subjects they teach is secure. They know the curriculum inside out and are well versed in reputable research about how pupils learn best.

As a consequence, teachers' explanations are clear and precise. They skilfully check if pupils understand what they are learning. Teachers explicitly revisit key learning from the past to make sure that pupils have remembered it and can make links with what they are learning now.

Similar attention is given to ensuring that the practice of external specialist teachers is of the same high quality.

Cultivating pupils' social and emotional well-being is at the heart of the school's success. The foundations are laid in Nursery, where sensitive care ensures that children settle quickly and feel secure.

As they get older, pupils develop a mature understanding of the impact of their actions on others and the importance of kindness and respect. They are inspired by people from the past and present who have championed a cause or overcome barriers in life. Class reading books help pupils develop a mature understanding of their place in the world and fire their determination to make it a better place.

The school works relentlessly to provide experiences throughout pupils' time at school that they may not otherwise have and to fuel their aspirations. Pupils are delighted to find that they can borrow books for free when they visit the local library. They enjoy theatre workshops and spending time away from home on residentials.

A project with the local university for key stage 2 pupils broadens their horizons. A graduation ceremony at the start of Year 6 inspires them as they start their final year at Mansel Park and look to the future.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in July 2019.

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