Manor Field Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Manor Field Junior School Haydn Road, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG22 4DH

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Outcome

Manor Field Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s motto of ‘We believe we can…!’ is woven though daily life here. Pupils enjoy school and live up to its high expectations of their behaviour and achievement. During lessons, they are motivated, curious learners who appreciate the interesting activities that their teachers prepare. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to be confident in their learning. Pupils achieve well in this safe, nurturing school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school knows that many of its pupils have challenges in life. It seeks to break down barriers for disadvantaged pupils, providing many enrichment and leadership opportunities. Pupils enjoy learning musical instruments, participating in trips and residentials, and attending clubs such as drama and judo. These help to develop their talents well. Older pupils organise and run their own lunchtime clubs for younger pupils. Pupils are proud to make a positive contribution to school life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Through the school’s ‘rights respecting’ ethos, pupils develop a deep understanding of equality and diversity. These values are lived and breathed by the school community. Pupils show high levels of maturity and respect for difference. As one pupil commented, ‘We are all a piece in a jigsaw and we all fit together.’

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

The school, ably supported by governors, has reviewed and improved the curriculum. Across the subjects, there are well-structured, logically sequenced plans that help pupils to learn and remember more over time. For example, in mathematics, pupils incrementally build on previous learning in a very carefully considered way. However, in a small number of subjects, important knowledge has not been identified precisely enough. Here, pupils do not always learn as well as they could because they do not have the building blocks of knowledge firmly in place. 26 and 27 March 2024

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Pupils’ speaking, reading and writing are priorities for the school. Pupils experience a wide range of texts, including poetry, stories and non-fiction. They love the library vending machine (known as the ‘mocktail bar’) which encourages them to read regularly. Pupils who struggle with reading continue to receive extra help with phonics. Through structured discussion and debate, pupils are well supported to build their confidence when addressing an audience. A well-considered writing curriculum means that pupils learn to write in depth, with fluency and flair, on topics such as conservation.

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Teachers have strong subject knowledge. The school provides staff with regular training that helps them to improve their teaching further. Staff explain ideas thoughtfully and plan activities meticulously. In mathematics, for example, pupils use helpful resources that help them to gain a deep understanding of fractions. Teachers regularly check pupils’ learning and address any misconceptions before moving on to more complex ideas. This means that all pupils, particularly those with SEND, quickly become confident, independent learners. In national tests, pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, achieve well, in some cases exceeding national expectations.

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Pupils’ behaviour is very strong. Clear routines and a calm, well-structured environment mean that the school runs like clockwork. Disruption to learning is extremely rare. Newly arrived pupils are welcomed into class by their polite and friendly peers who help them to settle quickly. Very occasionally, a pupil may struggle to behave as the school expects, for example, using inappropriate language. When this happens, the school acts immediately, reinforcing that no forms of discrimination are accepted here. If a pupil with SEND needs gentle encouragement to re-focus, this is done with care and sensitivity.

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The school has developed a broad personal development curriculum. It strives tirelessly to ensure that pupils’ welfare is a top priority and places great importance on teaching pupils how to keep safe, especially when online. If pupils with challenges in life need extra help, the school provides timely and effective pastoral support. Through the school’s curriculum, pupils learn how to look after their mental and physical well-being, about healthy relationships and about growing up. The school prepares them well for the next stage in their lives.

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Staff are proud to work here and appreciate leaders’ consideration of their workload and well-being. Almost all parents are highly supportive of the school. One parent commented, ‘This is a lovely school with great opportunities and endless possibilities.’

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 and 27 March 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, the curriculum is not designed as precisely as in the strongest subjects because the most important knowledge has not been identified clearly. This means that some pupils do not develop strong foundations on which to build new learning. The school should ensure that the curriculum across all subjects is designed as precisely as in the strongest.

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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 school to be good in November 2015.

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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 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). 26 and 27 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 18 September 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since January 2021.  The school currently uses two alternative providers.  The school runs a before-school club and an after-school club.  The school works closely with the neighbouring infant school.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s educational provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with leaders, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher, inclusion leader and other subject leaders.  The inspector met with three members of the governing body, including the chair.  The inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority. 26 and 27 March 2024

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 Deep dives were carried out in these subjects: English, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. She also looked more widely at a range of pupils’ work in different subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 safeguarding culture that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector gathered evidence to explore the impact of pupils’ behaviour and the school’s wider curriculum.  The inspector visited the before-school club.  The inspector talked to pupils and staff throughout the inspection to gain their views about the school. This included the views of staff submitted via Ofsted’s confidential

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surveys.  The inspector considered the 28 views of parents submitted via Ofsted’s parent survey.

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Inspection team

Maria Roberts, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 26 and 27 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 children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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