Manaccan Primary School

Inspection of a good school: Manaccan Primary School Church Town, Manaccan, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6HR

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might not be as high if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The next inspection will therefore be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly and welcoming school. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive. Pupils say that everyone gets along. Pupils, staff and parents talk about the ‘family atmosphere’. This is a caring school, where everyone looks out for everyone else. As a result, pupils feel safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the school values of ‘honesty, kindness and perseverance’. They develop their understanding of tolerance by learning about other cultures, such as Hinduism. For example, pupils take part in an annual Hindu dance experience day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils show positive attitudes to learning in the classroom. Disruption to learning and bullying are rare. When they do occur, adults are quick to resolve issues. Pupils are kind and considerate of each other on the playground. They enjoy designing and playing their own games.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study a broad range of subjects. However, leaders’ expectations of pupils are not high enough. Leaders do not identify some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) quickly enough. As a result, pupils with SEND do not do as well as they could.

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

The school has a well-sequenced curriculum for most subjects. Most teaching is based on secure subject knowledge. Teachers provide appropriate activities that help pupils to acquire new knowledge and build on what they have learned before. Teachers typically check pupils’ understanding well and use this information to address any errors or misconceptions that arise. This means that pupils learn and remember more. However, in the early years, children do not learn as well. Leaders have not fully aligned the early 26 April 2023

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years curriculum with that of the wider school. This means children are not prepared for the next stage of their education. Leaders and the multi-academy trust fully understand the steps they need to take to improve the curriculum further. Some new initiatives have started, but it is too soon to measure their impact.

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In some subjects, pupils can recall the knowledge that they have learned. For example, in history, pupils know how the local area has changed over time. In mathematics, pupils are building on their knowledge securely over time. However, in some subjects, leaders are not clear about how well the curriculum is delivered. This means that leaders are not fully alert to, or acting to address, some of the weaknesses in the curriculum. As a result, pupils are not learning as well as they could in these subjects.

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Leaders have ensured that promoting the love of reading is a priority. Pupils enjoy listening to the daily story read by their teachers. Leaders emphasise the teaching of phonics. They ensure that children begin the phonics programme as soon as they start in the Reception Year, or earlier if they are ready. The books that children read match the sounds they are learning. This helps pupils to practise and apply their phonic knowledge when reading. Pupils that fall behind are well supported to catch up. As a result, these pupils get back on track quickly. However, leaders have not established an effective reading curriculum for older pupils. This means that older pupils then do not develop their reading as well as they should. Despite this, pupils have positive attitudes to reading. They enjoy choosing books from the school library.

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Pupils with SEND are included in all aspects of school life. However, the provision to meet their needs is not always effective. Leaders have not ensured that pupils with SEND are identified swiftly. This means there is a delay in pupils getting the support they need to learn well. The curriculum has not been designed to be ambitious and meet the needs of pupils with SEND. As a result, these pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

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Pupils enjoy visits in the local area, with the beach within walking distance for them. Pupils say that enrichment activities enhance their learning. They particularly enjoy physical activities such as sailing, which they get to do each year, and swimming at the local pool. Leaders organise guest speakers, such as the local lifeguard who helps pupils learn about beach and water safety.

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Staff are positive about the support from the trust to manage their workload and well- being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

The school has clear procedures to ensure the safer recruitment of new staff. Leaders and the trust check the procedures carefully. Leaders ensure that staff have recent and relevant training. Staff can identify risks. They are prompt to report their concerns. Leaders follow up on any concerns in a timely manner. 26 April 2023

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Pupils feel safe. They know who to talk to if they are worried. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including when online. For example, pupils know not to share personal information with others when using the internet.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The initial identification of pupils with SEND is too slow and the tracking of their progress lacks precision As a result, some pupils with SEND do not achieve as highly as they should. Leaders should ensure that pupils with SEND are identified rapidly so they can receive high-quality provision to enable them to learn the full curriculum well.  The key stage 2 reading curriculum does not build on what pupils already know and can do. This means pupils do not develop as well as they could in reading. Leaders need to ensure the key stage 2 reading curriculum builds on pupils’ prior learning and deepens their knowledge.  Subject leadership is underdeveloped. This means that the curriculum is not monitored or evaluated well enough. As a result, in some subjects, pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that subject leaders have the expertise to ensure the curriculum is implemented as intended.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 There are weaknesses in the implementation of the curriculum in the early years. Children do not learn all the necessary knowledge to prepare them for key stage 1. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum and the learning environment are used effectively to enable children to learn the key knowledge they need so they are ready for year 1.

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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 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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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.

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Manaccan Primary School, to be good in October 2013.

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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 26 April 2023

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

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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. 26 April 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Manaccan Primary School joined Aspire Academy Trust in January 2023.  The headteacher also leads two other local schools within the trust.  The school does not use alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school 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.  Inspectors met with the head of school, the trust strategic partner, the chair of the trust board and a member of the local hub council.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 26 April 2023

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 The lead inspector listened to pupils across the school read to an adult.  Inspectors considered how well the school protects pupils and keeps them safe. The lead inspector met with one of the designated safeguarding leads to evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, including safeguarding checks carried out on staff working at the school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online survey for parents, including free-text responses. They also evaluated the responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil surveys.  Inspectors looked at the school’s plans for improvement, leaders’ self-evaluation, minutes of meetings, monitoring documents and reports from the multi-academy trust.

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Inspection team

Gavin Summerfield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Cameron Lancaster Ofsted Inspector 26 April 2023

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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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