Manby Lodge Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Manby Lodge Infant School Princes Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 9DA

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Inspection dates: 30 November and 1 December 2021

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Outcome

Manby Lodge Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at this school learn to celebrate their own unique characteristics and strengths, as well as to appreciate and celebrate the ways in which their friends might be different to them. Staff are acutely aware of any pupil who might be finding something tricky. They know that worries that might seem small to an adult can feel big for young children. They provide exactly the right support so that all pupils feel safe and secure.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This in an inclusive school, with high expectations for every child. A new phonics curriculum is helping every child become a fluent reader, as leaders know this is key.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is well managed. Children are taught the school’s learning behaviours from the start of Reception. Pupils who show these behaviours are celebrated in the headteacher’s weekly assembly. Pupils know that staff value them as individuals. This creates a positive atmosphere where pupils learn happily and behave well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents of the school know that staff at Manby Lodge go above and beyond to care for and nurture their children. They appreciate that leaders and staff communicate very well with parents. Parents feel their views are listened to. Staff prioritise working with families to best support children.

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

Leaders have worked to develop the inclusive ethos of the school and to ensure that all teachers and staff are able to meet the needs of pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in class. Staff have had extensive training so that they are able to identify any possible SEND early on, and make sure that, right from the start of Reception, all children get the support they need to succeed in their learning.

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

Leaders have introduced an ambitious new phonics curriculum. Children at the start of Reception begin learning their letter sounds. Leaders have worked to ensure that the books that children read, precisely match the sounds they have learned. This means that 30 November and 1 December 2021

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children can quickly experience success in reading books. This is vital. Pupils across the school are developing very positive attitudes towards their reading. Children’s love of reading is further supported by the termly ‘favourite five’ set of books that leaders have planned for each class to read and get to know well. Any pupils who are at risk of falling behind with their reading are quickly spotted and supported effectively to catch up.

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Leaders have implemented a mathematics curriculum from Reception to Year 2. The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders identified that pupils had fallen further behind in mathematics. They continue to work to ensure that identified gaps in learning are plugged effectively, so that pupils have the mathematical knowledge and understanding they need to access the full mathematics curriculum.

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Leaders implemented a new curriculum for all foundation subjects in September 2020, to ensure that pupils learned a balanced and enriching curriculum in all subjects. Leaders thought carefully about what children in Reception would learn to help prepare them for key stage 1. For example, leaders want children in Reception to learn about their immediate environments, before broadening out to learn about their local area and the United Kingdom in Year 1. Leaders have set this out in broad terms, but know they have more work to do. They need to determine the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn in each subject, and sequence that knowledge precisely and logically. This will ensure that teachers know what to teach and when, and how to build on what pupils have learned before.

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As leaders continue to develop the school’s curriculum, they need to ensure that the professional development programme for staff aligns with the curriculum, so that staff develop their subject-specific knowledge and further expertise in teaching the foundation subjects.

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Leaders, staff and governors have thought very carefully about the school values of kindness, happiness, confidence and independence. These values are an integral part of school life and help guide pupils in how to behave. Behaviour across the school is calm and focused. There are a range of clubs that pupils can attend, including forest school. Leaders have recently introduced yoga club, which is supporting pupils physical and mental health following the pandemic.

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Leaders engage very well with staff, and work to ensure that staff only spend their time on things that have a positive impact on pupils’ learning and wider well-being. Governors have a very good understanding of their role. They are committed to the school and bring a wealth of expertise. Governors are proud of how leaders have steered the school and community through the pandemic, continuing to provide high-quality education throughout.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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Children sit at the heart of all safeguarding arrangements at Manby Lodge. Leaders and staff know children and families very well and understand the key risks for pupils at their school. There is a comprehensive training programme for staff. This enables staff to identify effectively those pupils who are at risk of harm. There is a clear procedure for staff to raise concerns. Staff know that no matter how small a concern is, to raise it with safeguarding leaders. Safeguarding leaders always follow up on concerns raised, taking the action they need to keep children safe. Children learn ways to keep themselves safe. They are taught the correct names for their body parts, about consent, and how to keep safe online.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders implemented a new curriculum for each of the foundation subjects in September 2020. However, the specific knowledge that pupils need to learn is not set out precisely or in enough detail. Nor are the steps of learning broken down and logically sequenced over time. Leaders need to continue their work to develop each curriculum within the foundation subjects so that each curriculum is planned and sequenced towards cumulatively sufficient knowledge for future learning. The transition arrangements have been applied.  Leaders have provided ongoing professional development for staff at all levels. Teachers who have taken on curriculum leadership roles, for example, have had training to help them understand the role of subject leader. Leaders have not, however, developed a professional development programme that supports teachers to develop their subject-specific knowledge of the foundation subjects. Leaders need to develop a

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

professional development programme for teachers and staff that is aligned with the curriculum. This will ensure that, over time, teachers will develop their subject-specific knowledge of each foundation subject, and how to teach and explain the concepts within each subject in the most effective way.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good in October 2011. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 30 November and 1 December 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10200395 Type of school Infant

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 22 November 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up post in September 2018.  The deputy headteacher took up post in September 2019.  The school is not currently using any alternative provision.  There is a breakfast and after-school club on the school’s site. This is led and managed by an external provider.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, who is the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, and other members of the leadership team. The inspector met with representatives of the governing board, including the chair of governors. The inspector spoke with the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at 30 November and 1 December 2021

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curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. For the early reading deep dive, the inspector listened to pupils reading to a familiar adult. The inspector also spoke to leaders about some other subjects.  To inspect safeguarding, the inspector checked the single central record, reviewed safeguarding records and spoke to leaders, staff and pupils.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation, including leaders’ evaluation of the school, school improvement plans, curriculum plans, and a sample of support plans for pupils with SEND, including education, health and care plans.  The inspector talked to pupils about their learning, what behaviour is like at the school and whether they felt safe at school.  The inspector reviewed staff and parent surveys.

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Inspection team

Alice Roberts, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector 30 November and 1 December 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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