Manor Fields Primary School

Inspection of Manor Fields Primary School Penningtons, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire CM23 4LE

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 15 and 16 March 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Manor Fields Primary School attend a school where staff have the very best intentions for their achievement and well-being. Pupils like the interesting books and topics that teachers select for them to learn. Pupils talk with interest about what they have learned. They appreciate how staff help them to learn.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils like the wide range of activities that staff organise. They can attend debating, hockey and orchestra clubs, to name but a few. Pupils talk excitedly about the opportunities to compete against other schools. They perform very well in these competitions.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils see value in behaving kindly and sensibly. They like the specific praise they receive from staff because it teaches them what they have done well. Pupils enjoy the weekly celebration assembly where the ‘stars of the week’ confidently share their achievements.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand bullying. They know that it can happen at school. Pupils say that staff facilitate discussions between pupils to quickly resolve issues. It is care like this that makes pupils feel happy and safe at their school.

p.2

better?

Leaders place a high priority on ensuring that all pupils learn to read. Staff work hard to plan and resource their reading lessons. Recently, staff audited the books that pupils receive. Pupils are given books that contain sounds they know to help them read words fluently.

p.2

better?

Children in early years get off to a strong start. Kind relationships between staff and children form quickly. Staff work together to carefully assess children. This ensures that children complete challenging activities that ready them for Year 1.

p.2

better?

Leaders have been astute in revising parts of their curriculum. Curriculum plans detail appropriate content, including helpful direction for activities that pupils should complete. Teachers use these plans to good effect.

p.2

better?

Where leaders have made some recent changes to curriculum plans in the foundation subjects, aspects of assessment are at the development stage. Leaders recognise that an assessment system used previously does not identify what knowledge pupils have and have not learned and understood. Some staff are exploring new ways to assess. Currently, there are no shared practices that direct teachers in how to assess what pupils do and do not know, and how this informs teaching.

p.2

better?

Leaders oversee suitable systems for identifying and supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers mostly set targets that are measurable and time-focused. Staff assess the extra support pupils that receive at 15 and 16 March 2022

p.2

3

the start and end of an intervention. This helps leaders determine whether support is working well.

p.3

3

Pupils behave well and attend school regularly. Staff are well versed in the school’s therapeutic approach to managing behaviour. Staff enjoy exemplifying for pupils how they are meeting the ‘golden expectations’ of leaders. When pupils need help, leaders assist staff in analysing a pupil’s behaviour to arrange suitable support.

p.3

3

Most aspects of the school’s personal development programme are well considered. Staff lead daily mindfulness activities that teach pupils how to calm themselves during times of stress or worry. Leaders have devised a thoughtful approach that gives pupils ideas for activities to complete outside school. These activities focus on a theme, such as health. Pupils may, for example, choose to try a new fruit, climb a tree or go for a run. Pupils share their achievements via an online platform. They then receive positive recognition from their teacher and their peers.

p.3

3

Governors work well to assure themselves that leaders are doing the very best for pupils, parents and carers, and staff. Governors question and check school practices carefully. They ensure that these are efficient and working effectively. Leaders have worked hard to build positive relationships with parents and staff. The many parents who completed the survey, Ofsted Parent View, reported that they are happy with the school. Staff were complimentary about the support and direction they receive from leaders. Staff feel proud to work at Manor Fields Primary School.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff who manage the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks ensure that the adults working and visiting the school are safe to be there.

p.3

Safeguarding

Leaders organise regular training for staff to maintain an ethos of ‘it could happen here’. Staff say that activities such as discussing safeguarding scenarios and completing quizzes help them feel confident in identifying and reporting on pupils who are at risk of harm. Leaders demonstrate tenacity in how they manage support for vulnerable pupils and their families. Pupils say that they feel comfortable in telling staff about their worries, including through use of the class ‘worry monster’ or the ‘worry box’.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Leaders have made some recent changes in what is taught in the foundation subjects. They are currently trialling a new assessment system in some year groups and for some of the foundation subjects. However, the majority of teachers have not received guidance on how to check pupils’ knowledge retention using this new system. As a result, teachers cannot be sure what knowledge 15 and 16 March 2022

p.3

4

pupils do and do not know to efficiently inform teaching and curriculum development. Leaders must train teachers in how to assess pupils carefully to ensure that pupils retain the important knowledge set out in the new curriculum plans.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

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 .

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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. 15 and 16 March 2022

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Herts & Essex Multi-Academy Trust.  The school works collaboratively with other schools as part of the Envision Schools Partnership.  The school has before- and after-school provision run by a separately registered and inspected childcare provider.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

This was the first routine inspection the school had received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders, and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors held meetings with leaders, including the executive headteacher, headteacher, deputy headteacher, assistant headteachers, several trustees and 15 and 16 March 2022

p.5

6

governors, as well as a Hertfordshire improvement partner working on behalf of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science, computing and geography.  For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils reading to a familiar adult.  The lead inspector reviewed a range of school documentation and policies, including records of meetings and a report from an external adviser.  To inspect safeguarding, the lead inspector spoke to the designated safeguarding lead and a deputy designated safeguarding lead, and reviewed a selection of records. The lead inspector met with the office manager to scrutinise the single central record of recruitment and vetting checks. Inspectors also spoke with

p.6

6

teachers, support staff and pupils.  Inspectors spent time observing and speaking to pupils, including in lessons and at break- and lunchtime. Inspectors also considered the 120 responses to the pupil questionnaire.  Inspectors gathered parents’ views by speaking to several of them and by reviewing the 139 responses and 95 free-text responses submitted to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors gathered staff members’ views by speaking to several of them. Inspectors took account of the 41 responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Daniel Short, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Hannah Stoten Her Majesty’s Inspector 15 and 16 March 2022

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7