Alvanley and Manley Village School

Inspection of Alvanley and Manley Village School Manley Road, Alvanley, Frodsham, Cheshire WA6 9DD

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 November 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this small, welcoming village school. They said that their school feels like a big family and that they enjoy mixing with pupils of different ages. Pupils feel that their school is warm-hearted. They value the way that staff look after them and help to take away their worries.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that the school has high expectations of what they can achieve. They are eager to learn new things and they work hard in lessons to achieve well. Typically, pupils achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ conduct during lessons and social times embodies the school’s motto of being ready, respectful and safe. Pupils’ positive attitudes to learning begin when children start school in the early years. Pupils recognise that the school’s golden rules are there for the benefit of everybody. They feel that it is particularly important to look after each other and to always do their best.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy the wide range of trips and clubs that the school organises for them. They relish opportunities to compete in sporting events and perform in drama and music productions, for example in the annual ‘Festival of the Arts’.

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better?

Following its recent amalgamation, the school has designed an ambitious curriculum that meets the needs of pupils. It has identified the key knowledge that pupils should learn in most subjects. This knowledge is broken down into small steps from the early years to Year 6. However, shortfalls in the previous curriculum mean that there are gaps in some older pupils’ knowledge. This means that the impact of the strengthened curriculum is not reflected in the unvalidated 2023 published data about how well pupils achieve in reading and mathematics.

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better?

The school has ensured that teachers are suitably trained to deliver the curriculum consistently well. In the main, they use their strong subject knowledge to explain new concepts clearly to pupils and to select appropriate learning activities, including in the Reception Year.

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better?

Mostly, teachers use assessment strategies successfully to identify and address the gaps in pupils’ learning. For instance, teachers routinely check that pupils have understood important content. This helps teachers to correct pupils’ misconceptions as they appear. Consequently, pupils’ earlier learning is more firmly embedded in their long-term memory. This gives pupils a solid grounding on which to acquire new knowledge. However, from time to time, some teachers do not use assessment strategies to address the gaps in pupils’ knowledge swiftly enough.

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better?

The school identifies pupils’ additional needs quickly and accurately. Teachers are skilled at adapting the delivery of the curriculum so that pupils with special 7 and 8 November 2023

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educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can learn the same curriculum as their peers. Pupils with SEND progress well through the curriculum.

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Children begin learning about the sounds that letters make from the start of the Reception Year. Pupils quickly develop their reading fluency as they progress through key stage 1. They use the sounds that they know to practise reading from books that carefully match their phonics knowledge. Teachers identify any pupils who are in danger of falling behind their peers and help them to keep up by providing appropriate support. The school’s actions have ensured that most pupils develop into fluent, confident readers by the end of Year 2.

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The school provides opportunities for pupils to take on positions of responsibility. For example, pupils vote for their classmates to represent them on the ‘school development squad’. The squad has been instrumental in improving playground equipment. Pupils have a strong understanding of the different types of relationships and families. They learn about different religions and cultures through the curriculum and through visits to local places of worship. Pupils respect the differences between people and they believe that everyone should be treated fairly. Staff teach pupils how to keep themselves safe online.

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Pupils behave well. Classrooms are calm so that pupils can learn without interruption.

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The school recognises that its small size means that staff have many roles. It takes steps to reduce workload by ensuring that staff receive the support that they need to carry out their roles effectively.

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Parents and carers are very supportive of the school and its nurturing, learning environment. They told inspectors that the school supports their children to develop into well-rounded individuals. Parents appreciate the efforts that the school makes to provide enrichment activities for pupils.

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Governors are knowledgeable about the quality of education that pupils receive. They provide effective support and challenge to the school. This helps to drive further positive changes and developments to the curriculum.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Previous weaknesses in the school’s curriculum have led to some older pupils having gaps in their knowledge in some subjects. This means that some pupils do not achieve as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers are 7 and 8 November 2023

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equipped well to address gaps in pupils’ knowledge to enable them to build new learning successfully.

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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.

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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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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, ‘ disadvantaged pupils ’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 7 and 8 November 2023

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School details

Local authority Cheshire West and Chester

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Co-chairs of governing body Louise Gray Nicola Milburn Headteacher Viney Thapar

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School details

Website www.alvanleyandmanleyvillageschool.co. uk Date of previous inspection 3 December 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school amalgamated with another school in September 2021.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with the headteacher and a wide range of other staff.  The inspectors met with members of the local governing body, including the co- chairs of governors. 7 and 8 November 2023

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 The inspectors met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspectors spoke with pupils about their work and wider school life.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour around the school and in lessons.  The inspectors considered the views of parents submitted through Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. They also spoke with parents at the school gate.  The inspectors carried out deep dives into early reading, mathematics and history. They spoke with the staff who lead these subjects, visited lessons and spoke with teachers. They also spoke with pupils about their learning and viewed examples

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of their work.  The inspectors also spoke with subject leaders and pupils about their learning in a range of other subjects.  The inspectors observed pupils in Years 1 and 2 reading to a familiar adult.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online surveys for staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Liz Davidson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Kelly Butler Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 November 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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