Manor Fields Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Ms Helen Smith Acting Headteacher Manor Fields Primary School Penningtons Bishop’s Stortford Hertfordshire CM23 4LE

p.1

School

Following my visit to your school on 15 June 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the school’s safeguarding arrangements.

p.1

School

This monitoring inspection was conducted under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 and in accordance with Ofsted’s published procedures for inspecting schools with no formal designation. The inspection was carried out because Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector was concerned about the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements for pupils at the school.

p.1

Evidence

I scrutinised the single central record and other documents relating to safeguarding and child protection arrangements. I met with you, the deputy headteacher and two other designated safeguarding teachers, the designated safeguarding governor, the lead governor for health and safety, the chair of the governing body, the designated safeguarding lead and the executive headteacher of the academy sponsor.

p.1

Evidence

I also scrutinised the local authority audit of safeguarding and sampled pupil files where a safeguarding referral has been made.

p.1

Evidence

Having considered the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

p.1

Context

Manor Fields Primary School is larger than the average primary school. Most pupils are of White British heritage and very few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is below average. The proportion of pupils identified as having special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average, as is the proportion of pupils supported by a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan. Since the last inspection, you have taken on the role of acting headteacher.

p.2

Context

You and the governors have taken rapid and effective action to ensure that children are safe. The revised child protection policy sets out precisely what is expected of staff, what action they must take and what will happen as a result of this action. You have put in place recording and monitoring procedures that ensure that children are safe, for example the monthly reviews that teachers complete of how the most vulnerable children in their classes are getting on. One teacher said, ‘It keeps the children in the forefront of your mind. We are very aware and very vigilant.’ You make well-documented referrals when required but do not always follow up these referrals rapidly enough to check their outcome. However, you are tenacious in making sure that children get the best outcome. For example, you refer again if you still have concerns about a child.

p.2

Context

You and the designated safeguarding governor have ensured that all staff receive training that enables them to understand what to do when faced with a safeguarding situation. I spoke to a large sample of the staff, including teachers, teaching assistants, midday supervisors and the site manager. They all told me how comprehensive and clear the training was and that this has given them the confidence to deal with a safeguarding issue when it arises. For example, teachers and teaching assistants find the weekly staff briefings where you discuss possible safeguarding scenarios particularly helpful. They said, ‘They keep safeguarding fresh in our minds.’ Midday supervisors spoke highly of the training from the safeguarding governor.

p.2

Context

You have restructured the leadership of safeguarding. You remain the designated safeguarding lead for the school and have strengthened leadership by designating three other teachers as a ‘designated safeguarding person’ (DSP), to share the leadership role. These teachers are also phase leaders for the early years, key stage 1 and key stage 2. As a result, staff have immediate access to a DSP at all times of the school day for advice and support.

p.2

Context

Overall, you and the governors have transformed staff attitudes towards, and understanding of, safeguarding. Consequently, you have created a strong culture of safety in the school, ensuring that all children are safe.

p.2

External support

You have received and taken on board good support from the local authority and the academy sponsor. The local authority child protection school liaison officer recently carried out a thorough audit of safeguarding systems and reported: ‘It is very clear that the designated safeguarding person and safeguarding governor have worked extremely hard to raise the standard and quality of record-keeping in the school. The recent records (in the last year) show tenacity, multi-agency working and appropriate identification of risk, and referrals to appropriate agencies to meet the needs of children at the school.’

p.3

Priorities for further improvement

 Ensure that you follow up referrals rapidly to check what action the multi-agency safeguarding hub is taking.

p.3

Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Hertfordshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3