Manadon Vale Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Manadon Vale Primary School St Peter's Road, Manadon, Plymouth, Devon PL5 3DL

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 2024

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Outcome

Manadon Vale Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Hayley Gilbride. This school is part of Connect 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 (CEO), Stuart Bellworthy, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Mitchell.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils receive a good quality of education at Manadon Vale. Consequently, they achieve well and are confident in taking their next steps to secondary school. The school is committed to developing the whole child. Staff encourage pupils to demonstrate the school’s values, which include being collaborative and curious. Pupils rise to this challenge. They are enthusiastic in their learning and work well with their peers. Children in the Reception Year are inquisitive. They share and take turns.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers describe the kindness that staff show to their child. Pupils are well cared for. Staff get to know them as individuals. They use positive language when reminding pupils of the school’s expectations. As a result, pupils behave well. They enjoy coming to school, feel safe, and most attend regularly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils representing all year groups are elected to be members of the school parliament. They are enthusiastic about making a difference to school life. For example, they have organised a box of toys and activities to be available to pupils during play times. Many older pupils take on the responsibility of being a sports leader or reading monitor. They enjoy supporting the younger pupils with being active or encouraging their reading.

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

Pupils learn a curriculum that is ambitious and reflects the values of the school and trust. For example, by having an emphasis on sustainability and awareness of the local area. 17 and 18 December 2024

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Pupils have lessons in a broad range of subjects. The school prioritises pupils being physically active every day. Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same curriculum as their peers. Where other arrangements are in place, they are reviewed regularly and in discussion with other professionals. The school ensure that there is a clear process for identifying any additional needs pupils may have. Timely and effective support is then put in place.

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Teachers demonstrate strong subject knowledge. They break down what pupils need to learn into manageable steps. They are skilful in adapting the learning for pupils with SEND. Children in the Reception Year engage in many different activities that support their learning and development. For example, riding balance bikes, acting out role play, building in the construction area, and playing games to practise their knowledge of number. Staff carefully check the children’s progress and provide them with any additional support that is required.

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Teachers use questioning and review pupils’ work in lessons regularly. This allows them to check that pupils’ learning is secure. Teachers then address any misunderstandings or gaps in knowledge immediately. However, in some subjects within the wider curriculum, these checks on learning are not as well embedded. Teachers do not develop as secure an understanding of what pupils know and can do in these curriculum areas.

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The school uses its chosen phonics programme to teach pupils how to read fluently and confidently. When pupils are identified as struggling with aspects of their reading, they are supported to catch up quickly. Pupils at Manadon Vale enjoy reading for pleasure. They love to visit the library and earn rewards for regular reading. Children in the Reception Year are excited to vote for their end of day story.

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Pupils make good use of the outside equipment at play times, such as the pirate ship and adventure trail. They are well supervised by staff, but also encouraged to show independence in the choices they make. Where pupils find socialising more difficult, there are adult led activities set up for them to enjoy. Many then develop the confidence to re- join their peers in the playground. Pupils are polite and welcoming to visitors. Children in the Reception Year are proud to share the work that they have produced.

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Staff provide a broad range of extra-curricular clubs including choir, Disney club, arts and crafts, and many different sports. However, the school does not carefully track pupils’ participation in all these activities over time. Older pupils develop their team building and resilience by attending residential trips. Through the curriculum, pupils learn about different types of relationships, having a healthy mind and body, and how to keep safe online. They learn about their role within an inclusive, multicultural society. Pupils say that the school is welcoming to everyone.

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Staff benefit from a wide range of training which supports their professional development. Subject leaders join with colleagues across the trust to develop the curriculum and learn from each other. Staff feel well supported by leaders. They say the school and trust have taken steps to effectively reduce their workload. 17 and 18 December 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subject areas within the wider curriculum, the assessment of pupils’ knowledge and understanding is less developed than in other areas. This means that teachers do not have as precise an understanding of what pupils know and remember in these subjects. The trust should ensure that an effective approach to assessment is embedded across all areas of the curriculum.  Leaders do not have a detailed enough understanding of the pattern of pupils’ participation across all extra-curricular activities. Therefore, they do not know which pupils are accessing these opportunities on a regular basis. The trust should ensure that the school carefully track pupils’ participation to assure them that there is equal access to such opportunities for all pupils, including those that are disadvantaged.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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, (Manadon Vale Primary School), to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2013. 17 and 18 December 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 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). 17 and 18 December 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection 2 April 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher has been appointed.  The school is part of Connect Academy Trust.  The school does not use any providers of alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, other members of the senior leadership team, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, the chair 17 and 18 December 2024

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and other members of the local governing body, a link trustee, the chair of the trust, the CEO of the trust, and the school improvement lead for the trust.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to curriculum leaders, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Kelly Olive, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 17 and 18 December 2024

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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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