Mansfield Green E-ACT Academy

Inspection of an outstanding school: Mansfield Green E-ACT Academy Albert Road, Aston, Birmingham, West Midlands B6 5NH

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of outstanding 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 school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection. The executive headteacher of this school is Maxine Lathbury-Cox. This school is part of E- ACT multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Tom Campbell, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lord Jim Knight. The executive headteacher is responsible for this school and one other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attending Mansfield Green E-Act Academy are proud to be a member of its community. They are regularly seen smiling because they are happy and feel safe when in school. Pupils eagerly celebrate the school’s cultural diversity. It is a truly inclusive school, where differences are accepted, respected and celebrated. Pupils say, ‘It might not be right for me, but we accept it might be right for others.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for all pupils to achieve well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). In most cases, this is well realised. However, some pupils do not have a consistently positive experience of learning, which affects the progress they make.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well at all points of the day. They listen carefully to their teachers in lessons and walk around the school sensibly. They demonstrate beautiful manners and are polite. Many pupils join at different points in the school year. Staff and pupils welcome their new classmates with enthusiasm. This helps them to settle into school life quickly.

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

The school places a high priority on pupils learning to read. A new phonics scheme has recently been introduced. Staff with responsibility for leading the teaching of phonics have 13 and 14 March 2024

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a very good understanding of what makes phonics teaching successful. Staff have received intensive support and ongoing training to help them do this well. This is effective. It is having a positive impact on pupils’ outcomes. Pupils read books that are carefully matched to their ability. This helps them improve their fluency and become confident readers. They relish the opportunity to read a wide range of books for enjoyment.

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Mathematics is also a strength. The curriculum is designed so pupils build their knowledge and understanding in a coherent way. Good support is offered in lessons for pupils who need extra help. Staff have sound subject knowledge. They address misconceptions swiftly and also plan opportunities for the most confident pupils to deepen their learning.

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Children in the early years settle into school life well. The school has high ambitions for them. However, the high ambitions that inform how the curriculum is implemented do not always consider the children’s current stage of learning. Some of the learning activities planned do not address each child’s individual level of development. This means they do not get the opportunity to consistently build on what they know and what they can do. It also affects how well the school accurately assesses what the children already know and what they should learn next.

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The school has introduced changes to many other areas of the curriculum. Not all of these plans are fully embedded yet. This is partly down to the high number of staff absences and ongoing staffing issues. It leads to inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is delivered to pupils in some classes and in some subjects. This leads to pupils having gaps in the knowledge they need to understand subsequent learning. This also affects the learning offer for pupils with SEND. Some of these pupils are supported by staff who do not know their needs well enough to support them as well as they might. The school recognises that all staff are doing their very best, but the progress pupils make is not yet monitored precisely enough. However, the school, ably supported by the trust, is doing everything it can to minimise the disruption to pupils’ learning because of the staffing instability.

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Pupils’ personal development is well considered. There are a range of opportunities to develop talents and interests outside of the classroom. The artist in residence works with pupils to create stunning artwork. Pupils get the opportunity to work with a range of materials and resources to produce pieces of art that are of an exceptional quality. They are displayed with pride in the school’s art gallery. It really is something to celebrate. Pupils have a range of ways to develop leadership skills. Developing active and responsible adults of the future is a priority.

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Pupils understand that ‘doing the right thing’ is important. This is evident in the good behaviour in and around school. The new behaviour policy is helping pupils understand the school’s behaviour expectations and they relish the opportunities to earn ‘coins’ for demonstrating these high standards.

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The trust offers a very good level of support to the school, particularly during this turbulent time. They deploy skilful leaders to work alongside the dedicated and 13 and 14 March 2024

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hardworking staff who are in school each day. This model is bringing about improvements and supporting the school to provide the high-quality education that every pupil deserves.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not always monitor precisely enough how the implementation of the curriculum is meeting the needs of all pupils with SEND. This means they cannot assure themselves that it is having the positive outcomes intended. The school should carefully monitor the effectiveness of the provision for pupils with SEND to assure themselves that the needs of all individuals are met, and that they are making the progress of which they are capable.  There is inconsistency in how well the curriculum is implemented. This leads to disparity in the quality of education offered in some classes and in different subjects. The school should ensure that curriculum plans are consistently delivered to a high quality and adopt the school’s approach.  In the early years, opportunities for children to apply their prior learning to subsequent tasks is not always carefully thought out or appropriate for their age and stage of

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

development. This limits how well the school can assess how well pupils have learned the intended curriculum and can apply it to the different areas of learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum is implemented in such a way that it supports children’s current stage of development and reflects the early years framework.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding in June 2018. 13 and 14 March 2024

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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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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 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). 13 and 14 March 2024

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School details

Website www.mansfieldgreenacademy.e-act.org.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection June 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 This is a larger-than-average primary school.  This school is part of the E-ACT multi-academy trust.  The school runs a breakfast club each morning.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspector discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held meetings with trust leaders, the headteacher, subject leaders and senior leaders.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, 13 and 14 March 2024

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also looked at samples of pupils’ work in a range of subjects, including English, religious education and science.  The inspector spoke with the chair of trustees.  The lead inspector listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons at different times of the day and at breaktimes and lunchtimes. They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector 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.

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 The inspector reviewed a wide range of documents, including the school’s self- evaluation and improvement plans and information on the school’s website.  The inspector talked informally with pupils and staff to gather general information about school life. In addition, they took account of the responses to Ofsted’s surveys of staff’s and parents’ views. No pupil surveys were returned for the inspector to take account of.

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Inspection team

Keri Baylis, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 13 and 14 March 2024

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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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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