Manor Farm Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Manor Farm Academy Tiber Road, North Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 9ST

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 January 2025

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Outcome

Manor Farm Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Andrea Collins. This school is part of L.E.A.D. 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), Diana Owen, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew Buck.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at Manor Farm Academy are happy, confident and proud of their school. Their positive attitudes and excellent behaviour help create a calm and welcoming atmosphere. Pupils and staff treat each other with kindness and respect, building strong relationships. Pupils enjoy learning. They are eager to follow the school’s values of ambition, curiosity, respect and individuality. They show these values every day, making the school a safe and inclusive place for everyone.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who benefit from well-targeted support. Pupils rise to these expectations by engaging in lessons. They confidently talk about what they are learning, such as how the Nile supported farming in Ancient Egypt. These expectations help pupils take pride in their work. They build confidence and encourage them to do their best in all subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exceptional. They follow well-established routines, creating a calm and purposeful atmosphere throughout the school. They engage fully in lessons, showing focus and respect for their friends and teachers. Staff know the pupils well and build strong, trusting relationships. This supportive environment ensures that pupils feel valued. 21 and 22 January 2025

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

Manor Farm Academy has created a broad and ambitious curriculum. It aims to help all pupils achieve their best. The school carefully plans what pupils need to learn and when they should learn it. This approach starts in the early years and helps pupils learn and remember more over time. For example, Reception-aged children confidently use phonics to read new words. Older pupils explain their thinking by discussing themes and ideas from books.

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

The school has created a strong reading culture. From their first days in the Reception Year, staff support children in learning to read well. Teachers match books to each child’s reading ability. They ensure that pupils have the confidence to succeed in their reading. Pupils who need extra help receive targeted support so they can catch up quickly. As they progress through the school, pupils develop a love of reading. Older pupils are given the chance to be ‘reading ambassadors’. They help to inspire younger pupils to love books. Pupils see reading as fun and an important part of their learning.

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

Children in the early years know class routines and expectations. These help them settle quickly into school life. Staff focus on developing children’s early reading, communication and mathematical skills. They introduce new vocabulary during activities effectively. They encourage children to use these words in their conversations. For example, children confidently count and compare objects in practical mathematics tasks, such as measuring ingredients in a play kitchen. These activities help build strong foundations for future learning. Staff praise children when they succeed.

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

Pupils with SEND are supported well. Staff identify their needs quickly and accurately. They have received training to know how to adapt pupils’ learning. As a result, pupils with SEND learn the curriculum alongside their peers and succeed.

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

Pupils learn about their local community and the wider world. They understand British values, such as respect and tolerance and their importance. The school teaches pupils how to stay safe. This includes how to protect themselves online. Pupils say they feel confident and secure as they navigate the world around them.

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

Pupils can join many clubs and activities. They enrich their learning and personal development. These include art, sports and eco clubs, offering something for everyone. Pupils’ talents and interests are promoted well through these experiences. Pupils learn to take responsibility by becoming school councillors, eco leaders and sports ambassadors. These chances help pupils build confidence and work in teams. They feel proud of their contributions to the school community. Pupils enjoy coming to school. The school maintains regular contact with families, ensuring that all pupils attend regularly.

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

Governors understand their role well. They carefully check the well-being of staff. Staff say they appreciate the consideration school leaders give to their workload. 21 and 22 January 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, pupils do not always remember the knowledge they have been taught. This is because the curriculum is not sufficiently well sequenced to provide pupils with opportunities to revise and recall prior knowledge. As a result, pupils sometimes struggle to make connections between current and previous learning. The school should ensure that tasks are designed to help pupils retain the knowledge they are intended to learn.

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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 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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.

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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. 21 and 22 January 2025

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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). 21 and 22 January 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any 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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other school leaders.  The lead inspector met with those responsible for governance, including the chair of governors and a trustee of the L.E.A.D. Academy Trust. The lead inspector also held a discussion with the deputy CEO and the director of schools from the trust. 21 and 22 January 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to some pupils read.  The inspector observed behaviour in lessons and at other times around school. The inspector met with those responsible for behaviour, attendance and personal development.  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 reviewed a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan and information about governance. The inspector also considered information about pupils’ attendance and behaviour, as well as the wider curriculum.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online questionnaire, Ofsted Parent

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View. The inspector reviewed the responses to the online survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Martin Fitzwilliam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 21 and 22 January 2025

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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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