Manea Community Primary School

Manea Community Primary School Station Road, Manea, Nr March, PE15 0HA

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Satisfactory 3 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Not enough pupils make consistently good progress in each year group.  Rates of progress in reading, writing and mathematics vary in and between year groups because teaching is not consistently good.  Teachers’ assessments of pupils’ learning are not always accurate. Consequently in some lessons planned learning tasks do not meet pupils’ needs and progress slows down.  Some teaching lacks challenge. Expectations are not high enough because teachers do not systematically use National Curriculum levels of attainment to guide their planning.  Marking does not always show how work can be improved and pupils have too few opportunities to act on this feedback.  Pupils have too few opportunities for independent reading to consolidate their phonic knowledge (linking letters with the sounds they make)  Pupils do not have enough knowledge of their long-term targets in reading, writing and mathematics to judge how well they are doing.

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The school has the following strengths

 The headteacher is an inspirational leader who has raised the whole school community’s expectations of what pupils can achieve. School self-evaluation is very accurate.  Senior leaders have identified and removed much inadequate and mediocre teaching.  Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage because leadership and provision are good.  Pupils are well-cared for and all adults contribute to a harmonious learning environment.  New staff understand and respond to the high expectations required by the headteacher. Pupils’ progress is accelerating, especially in classes previously hindered by poor teaching.  Pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning are good in spite of some teaching that is not yet good enough. Pupils feel safe in school.  Well qualified and dedicated teaching assistants ensure pupils who are disabled or who have special educational needs make expected progress, taking account of their

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed eight lessons of which two were joint observations with the headteacher and deputy head-teacher. Brief visits were made to four other sessions.  Inspectors looked at a range of evidence including: the school’s improvement and raising attainment plans; self-evaluation information; the school’s data for tracking pupils’ progress; pupils’ work in books; governing body minutes; the headteacher’s reports to the governing body; reports of the local authority adviser, classroom displays; policies and records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance and safeguarding documentation.  The inspectors had meetings with the headteacher, other school leaders, the school council, the chair and four other members of the governing body.  Nine pupils read to the inspectors.  The inspectors took into account the 23 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) in reaching the final judgements on the school. They also considered 12 comments from staff who

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Information about this inspection

responded to Ofsted’s staff questionnaire.

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Inspection team

June Woolhouse, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Elizabeth Buckingham Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.  Most pupils are White British with a very small proportion from minority ethnic heritages. Very few speak English as an additional language.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported through school action is above average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  A below-average proportion of pupils is known to be eligible for the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in local authority care, pupils entitled to free school meals or for other groups.  Children join the Early Years Foundation Stage full-time in the Reception class at the start of the academic year.  The school meets the government’s current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress.  The school is currently organised into six classes. Key Stage 2 has three mixed-age classes.

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Information about this school

 A pre-school class for three and four year-old children within the school building is managed by the governing body. This class is subject to a separate inspection.  The headteacher has been in post for two years.  There have been several changes in staffing during the past 18 months.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the quality of teaching so that it is consistently good or better by:  raising teachers’ expectations about what pupils can achieve and increasing the pace of learning in lessons  developing teachers’ skills in assessment so that they make accurate judgements about the progress pupils make towards the National Curriculum levels for each year group  ensuring that learning tasks and activities are matched more precisely to pupils’ capabilities and individual needs especially when there is more than one year group in a class  using the curriculum targets outlined in the National Curriculum to assess what pupils already know, planning the next steps in learning more precisely according to individual needs and referring to them when books are marked so that pupils understand how to improve.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that all pupils make good progress in relation to their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics by:  encouraging all pupils to read more widely, independently and more often in school and at home so that they can consolidate their knowledge of phonics  increasing parental involvement with their children’s reading, writing and mathematical development.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Achievement requires improvement because it remains inconsistent over time and across key stages. The school’s own data show dips in expected progress in writing and mathematics in some Key Stage 2 year groups where progress has been hindered by a legacy of ineffective teaching. Consequently, not enough pupils are consistently making really rapid progress by the time they leave.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 In mathematics, pupils’ subject knowledge is not always secure. In some instances, younger pupils could not explain the conventions for rounding up numbers or why numbers varied in value depending on the position of each numeral.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils learn the sounds letters make in a systematic way starting in the Reception class. This skill enables them to work out words and sentences in their reading books. They achieve above the national expectation in the phonics check at the end of Year 1.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils are not always able to consolidate their knowledge of how letters and sounds are related because they do not engage in independent reading for pleasure for extended periods or read at home with their parents on a regular basis. Younger pupils read books that are sometimes too difficult and this affects their understanding of the text and enjoyment of the process. Sustained, independent reading is less common and younger pupils lack fluency and understanding of what they are reading or the ability to predict what will happen next.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Children start school in the Reception class with skills below those expected for their age. They benefit from good provision and highly skilled teaching which results in good progress through the year. Achievement is above the expected levels by the time they go into Year 1 because pupils are so interested in their learning and keen to do well.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Pupils in Key Stage 1 make steady progress and standards in reading, writing and mathematics are now just above national averages overall for the first time in four years.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 The headteacher’s sustained drive to improve teaching has resulted in a pleasing increase in attainment at the end of Year 6. Pupils reach standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are comparable with those achieved nationally and this trend has been sustained for the past three years. Pupils, including the more able and those with disabilities or special educational needs, generally make at least expected progress from their staring points.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Most pupils supported by the pupil premium achieve as well as their classmates because they receive high-quality, small-group support from teaching assistants. Pupils are assessed each term and in all year groups to identify any gaps in their learning. The school has used this funding very effectively to provide additional literacy and numeracy instruction and this has closed the gap between their attainment and other pupils in the school in both English and mathematics.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching quality overall is variable and pupil progress is inconsistent as a result. More teaching is now good or better than it was at the last inspection as a consequence of rigorous monitoring by the headteacher and some recent high-quality appointments. The impact of these improvements is not yet evident in all year groups.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching does not always engage the interests of all pupils in each class, especially in mixed-age classes. Planning is not based on what pupils already know and this means that work is sometimes either too easy or too hard. Progress is not steady enough and pupils need to catch up later as they move up the school.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 In the small number of less effective lessons teachers do not assess what pupils already know and understand with sufficient accuracy. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough and the planned activities are not sufficiently challenging to ensure that pupils, including the more able, make enough progress. This shows in the quality of pupils’ writing and mathematics written work in some Key Stage 2 year groups.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 The quality of marking and feedback to pupils is variable and not all pupils receive precise guidance on how they can improve their work. Teachers do not always link the planned learning to what pupils record in books by identifying errors or omissions. Pupils do not have enough information about future learning because there are no curricular targets available to help them.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 A small number of lessons that were outstanding or had outstanding features included features that promote effective learning and excellent progress. Lessons took account of what pupils had already learned, moved at a brisk pace with clear explanations of what was expected and how much time was available to complete tasks. Pupils had access to high-quality resources and enough time to practise their skills. Tasks were organised with differing degrees of difficulty so that all groups, including those with special educational needs and the more able made good or better progress. In these lessons, the impact on pupils’ attitudes to learning was marked.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching assistants contribute well to the learning of individuals and small groups. They are well-qualified and trained to manage pupils with special educational needs and these pupils make the expected progress for their age.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Relationships between teachers and pupils are always good and behaviour is managed well in spite of the occasional mediocre and uninspiring lesson. Pupils are keen to learn and when they are actively engaged in their learning, cooperate well and enjoy their learning. These features contribute to their personal development and well-being.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils have good attitudes to learning which are fostered well by the school’s welcoming approaches to all pupils in the school community and the consistent manner in which they are treated by all adults. Pupils say they enjoy school, feel very safe and well-cared for by all adults.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school and on the playground is good. This is borne out by the school’s own records and from those parents who completed the on-line questionnaire, Parents’ View.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils respond enthusiastically to teacher-led learning as well as in activities where they can work independently. They enjoy working together when discussing their work and collaborate effectively. They respond well even when tasks are potentially less stimulating or are not always suited to their individual needs.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other and adults. They treat their school environment and the attractive resources at their disposal with care and consideration. They have very positive relationships with all adults who provide consistent, high-quality role models to enhance these attitudes and behaviour.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school is a very safe place in which to learn, both indoors and outside. Teachers manage behaviour consistently well. Senior leaders and governors are justly proud of the vigilance they maintain in this aspect of the pupils’ school experience. All aspects of safeguarding are fully met.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The school’s programme of personal, social and health education is effective. Pupils understand all forms of bullying and are taught how to manage the potential problems that occur when using the internet. Bullying is very rare and pupils report that the school deals with incidents swiftly. These actions contribute well to pupils’ personal and social education and their overall well-being.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Attendance is above average. The school works well with other agencies to maintain and improve its good levels of attendance.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher, with the very effective support of her deputy, has established a strong leadership team which supports the school’s vision for improvement. They have the full confidence of the staff who share their belief that further improvement is necessary to guarantee good progress for all pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 Senior leaders have identified and resolutely dealt with a legacy of mediocre teaching. They have evaluated teaching very accurately and their rigorous systems for formal observations and appropriate professional development activities have led to higher quality teaching and accelerated progress for many pupils.

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The leadership and management are good

 The key issues from the last inspection have been addressed with some success but a high turnover of staff has meant that refining planning and assessment practice amongst all teachers, in particular those new to the school and to the teaching profession, remains a priority.

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The leadership and management are good

 Pupil premium funding is well-targeted to support pupils identified through an analysis of individual progress records each half term. The data show how much progress individual pupils who are eligible for this funding have made and the extent to which it is sufficient. The few who have made less than expected progress receive further, tailor-made intervention programmes in reading, writing or mathematics.

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The leadership and management are good

 The primary school sport funding is being used effectively. Specialist teaching in a range of physical activities is in place and the school has good links with the local secondary school’s resources. The school plans to develop the leadership of physical education in the school as a priority for the coming year to enhance provision further.

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The leadership and management are good

 The management of teachers’ performance is well-established and used effectively to identify teaching that requires improvement. The headteacher uses the outcomes to identify precisely what programmes of professional development must take place to improve teaching practices. Salary progression is not automatic and pupil performance targets are rigorously applied to all staff.  The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is suitably practical and organised into broad themes which are used to interest pupils and stimulate their imaginations and develop their ability to work by themselves. Good use is made of the extensive grounds, wildlife and forest areas and there are developing plans to engage in Forest School activities. Pupils benefit from residential visits and extra-curricular activities all of which contribute well to their spiritual, moral social and cultural development.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school engages with parents and carers on a regular basis and there are good links between home and school. Not all parents take up the opportunities offered. This has a negative impact on how well some pupils work at home, for example helping their children with reading practice.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders effectively monitor how well pupils are learning to ensure there is no discrimination amongst any groups of pupils. Those receiving pupil premium support, those with disabilities and special educational needs, and the more able are supported according to need.

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The leadership and management are good

 School leaders demonstrate a good capacity to improve. Achievement is improving because teaching is increasingly good or outstanding. Pupils leave school at the expected levels of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics. They are well-prepared for the next stage of learning. Other pupils are catching up to the expected levels in Key Stage 2.

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The leadership and management are good

 Safeguarding arrangements comply fully with statutory requirements. All staff know how they should be applied and this results in all pupils feeling very safe in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governance is good and has increased in effectiveness as new, well-informed and qualified governors have assumed their roles. They have a good understanding of how well pupils are performing and ask searching questions of the headteacher on a regular basis. They receive good quality information with sufficient detail to recognise when individuals or groups of pupils perform less well than they should.  Governors monitor pupil premium outcomes regularly, making sure it is used for the right purposes. They plan to do the same for the primary school sports funding. The school budget is well-managed.  Governors are regular visitors to school and give good support to the headteacher as well as holding senior leaders to account for pupil performance. They report back their findings to all governors. They contribute effectively to the school development plan and understand the

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The leadership and management are good

school’s priorities.  Performance management is conducted according to the regulations and governors check that the process is applied to all staff.  They are particularly vigilant about safeguarding procedures and regularly check that pupils are safe. Together these actions show that the school has a good capacity for further improvement.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 110638 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 425197

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 153 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Sarah Eastol Headteacher Nicky Froggatt Date of previous school inspection 17 November 2011 Telephone number 01354 680293 Fax number 01354 688099

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School details

Email address office@manea.cambs.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

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School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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