Manea Community Primary School

Inspection of Manea Community Primary School Station Road, Manea, Cambridgeshire PE15 0HA

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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 18 and 19 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is proud of its ‘family feel’. This contributes to pupils feeling valued and part of the Manea community. Staff know all the pupils as individuals. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm and respectful. Because of this, pupils feel happy and safe at school. They know staff will help them with any problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school understands pupils’ individual needs well. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Children experience care and nurture from the moment they arrive in the early years. Pupils appreciate the wonderful outdoor environment. Although there is major building work going on, pupils do not let this stop them having fun outside at playtimes. Pupils play well together and are supportive of each other. They show tolerance and appreciate each other’s differences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Right from the early years, everyone follows the well-established school routines. Pupils know what is expected of them. This helps create a calm environment across the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders aspire for every pupil to achieve their best. In lessons, teachers help pupils to focus on important knowledge. Pupils show positive attitudes towards their learning and are keen to answer questions.

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better?

The school is taking effective action to improve pupils’ outcomes, which are below national averages. The school has prioritised reading. Pupils are encouraged to develop a love of reading. There is an abundance of books across the school for pupils to enjoy. Children begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. They have daily phonics sessions. Trained staff deliver these sessions well. Pupils read books that match their ability. Staff regularly check how well pupils are doing. When needed, pupils get effective, extra support.

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better?

For subjects where curriculums are more established, pupils are learning successfully. Curriculums are well planned and sequenced so that pupils build their knowledge and skills. For example, in physical education (PE), pupils explain confidently how they choose the most effective type of throw to help their team get a wicket. Pupils have a strong knowledge base on which to build future learning. Teachers use precise questioning to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge. However, adults who support pupils are not always knowledgeable enough about how to help pupils address the gaps. Leaders are aware of this and have plans in place to provide staff with additional training.

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better?

Pupils with SEND play a full and active part in all aspects of school life. Leaders have in-depth knowledge of their needs. Pupils have precise targets to work towards. When adaptations and support are in place, pupils with SEND flourish. However, sometimes staff do not sufficiently help pupils with SEND to access learning 18 and 19 June 2024

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opportunities in class. For example, pupils are often expected to do the same work as their peers. Tasks are not always adapted carefully to ensure pupils with SEND can succeed.

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Children in the early years enjoy an ambitious and well-planned curriculum. Adults are highly skilled. They seize every opportunity to question children so they think deeply about their learning. Children respond positively, using a wide range of vocabulary. Children recognise different types of emotions and how these make them feel. The environment is stimulating and harmonious. Children are happy and settled. The school regularly checks how well children are learning the curriculum. Staff adapt children’s learning experiences so gaps in their knowledge do not develop. This ensures children are confident and ready to move to Year 1.

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The school plans many aspects of the wider curriculum effectively. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe online. They learn about religions and being respectful to others who may be different to them. Pupils know what healthy relationships are and the importance of staying fit and healthy. Pupils are eager to be more involved in the life of the school. For example, they would like to lead playground games for younger children. Opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles have not yet returned since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Staff consistently use the school’s approach to managing behaviour. Pupils are polite and courteous. They move around the school in a calm and orderly way. There is little disruption in lessons. Pupils are motivated to learn. The school’s positive relationships with families help foster a positive attitude towards pupils attending school frequently.

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Governors and the school work well together. They unite in wanting the best for the school. Staff appreciate the support they get from leaders. Governors know the school’s strengths and areas to develop. They offer a balance of support and challenge to ensure the school continues to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s curriculum has recently been reviewed. Some subjects are at an early stage of development. In these subjects, pupils’ learning experiences do not always sufficiently help them to learn and remember more. The school must continue to provide training so all staff are able to teach these subjects well.  The school’s curriculum is not always adapted to meet the needs of all pupils with SEND. Some pupils do not develop their knowledge and skills as well as they 18 and 19 June 2024

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could. The school must ensure all staff receive training so they know how to adapt the curriculum to enable pupils with SEND to achieve as well as they can.  The curriculum for pupils’ wider development is not yet broad enough. Pupils do not have many opportunities to contribute to the life of the school and develop their character. The school should review its curriculum to ensure there are opportunities for pupils to develop their strength of character and to make a positive contribution to the school.

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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). 18 and 19 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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Date of previous inspection

13 March 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school manages a pre-school for three- and four-year-olds.  The school uses one unregistered 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff, pupils and parents; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first. 18 and 19 June 2024

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 Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and PE. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with teachers and pupils and looked at work in pupils’ books. Inspectors also heard pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They also spoke with subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  Inspectors met with leaders and teachers to talk about the curriculum, workload and the behaviour and personal development of pupils. They also met with groups of pupils to talk about learning and well-being and to hear about their views of the school.  Inspectors held discussions with governors and the school improvement adviser from the local authority.  Inspectors considered a range of documents, including the school’s plans for improvement and minutes of meetings of the governing body. They also looked

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at a range of pupils’ workbooks from each year group.  Inspectors observed the behaviour of pupils during lessons, around the school, in the lunch hall and in the playground. Inspectors looked at behaviour and attendance records and considered leaders’ analyses of these.  Inspectors considered the 37 online responses to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire for parents, including 24 free-text comments. They also spoke to parents during the inspection. Inspectors considered the 41 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for staff and the 95 responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire for pupils.

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Inspection team

Karen Stanton, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Lucy Roberts Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 June 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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