Mundella Primary School

Inspection of Mundella Primary School Mundella Place, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S8 8SJ

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The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 4 and 5 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The work of the school to recognise the uniqueness of each child is striking. Everyone is valued. Pupils play an active role in the running of their school. They can be sports leaders, members of the school council or environmental wardens. At the time of the inspection, a significant number of pupils had applied to become science ambassadors.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have a deep understanding of tolerance. They understand important ideas around equality and democracy. They have the chance to act these values out through the ‘Mundella Values’ in school. The personal development offer for pupils is extensive. Every pupil has the opportunity to explore new talents. They can build the skills and understanding they need to lead happy and healthy lives. Leadership opportunities are vast.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons. Learning is not disrupted. Most pupils play well together at social times. Pupils say bullying is very rare. When they fall out, pupil mediators help them to resolve problems.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders at this school are highly ambitious for all pupils. They have ensured that every pupil has the opportunity to reach their full potential. As a result, pupils achieve exceptionally well, as shown by the end-of-key-stage-2 statutory assessments. Leaders leave no stone unturned in ensuring the best possible opportunities and outcomes for every pupil.

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

Leaders have taken decisive action since the last inspection to improve the curriculum in every subject. Curriculums are ambitious for all pupils, including those who have special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). These curriculums often go beyond the national curriculum and are rich in knowledge. Learning starts in early years and builds over time to ensure that pupils develop a deep understanding of the school’s ‘big ideas’. For example, in early years, children write stories set a ‘long time ago’. They consider the differences and similarities between the past and current times. Older pupils remember important facts about the plague. They also talk about the reasons for the plague and the impact of it on society today. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding across the curriculum is exceptional.

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

Teaching is highly effective. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and choose effective methods to deliver learning. Every opportunity is taken for pupils to develop independence in their learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils can use visual prompts to check their ideas. In early years, the school has established ‘dinosaur learning’. This helps children understand how to learn, for example by becoming a ‘tryosaurus’ through showing effort. However, children in the early years are not always clear on the expectations that adults have of them. This means they do not always apply their effort on the right tasks in independent learning. 4 and 5 March 2025

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The provision for pupils with SEND is exceptional. Strong processes mean that pupils’ needs are accurately identified. Highly effective adaptations are made for pupils who need it. As a result, everyone can achieve well. Teachers make regular checks on how well pupils are learning. They identify gaps quickly. Pupils use opportunities to correct and improve their work. They learn to do this with growing independence by the time they are in Year 6.

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Reading has been a key priority for the school. Pupils receive access to high-quality phonics teaching with adults who are well trained. The teaching that pupils receive closely matches their understanding. Pupils receive books which match the sounds they are learning. Pupils who need extra support have access to the support they need. This means that everyone gets off to the best possible start to learning to read.

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Personal development is exceptional. As a result, pupils can debate and discuss respectfully; they are tolerant and respectful of others. Leadership opportunities are vast. Pupils take responsibility for each other. For example, environmental wardens help to keep the school environment clean, and sports leaders run sports day for the rest of the school. Pupils’ understanding of tolerance and difference is a significant strength. Those who need extra help and support can access one of the many carefully planned support ‘pathways’, for example support with mental health, social skills and managing difficult emotions.

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Pupils behave well. In lessons, they are respectful and behave in a way which means everyone can learn. Recently, leaders identified that behaviour had dropped below their high expectations. As a result, they introduced a new behaviour system. Most parents, pupils and staff say that this has improved behaviour. However, at the time of the inspection it was still new. As a result, some pupils do not know or understand the rules. This means that some do not consistently uphold the school’s high expectations, especially during social times of the day.

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Staff are overwhelmingly proud to work at Mundella Primary School. Leaders work proactively with all stakeholders and take the right action to secure the highest standards. Governors are very effective. They bring significant expertise and provide robust support and challenge to school leaders. This has ensured that the school has secured an exceptional quality of education for pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has recently introduced a new behaviour policy. This is not yet fully understood by all pupils and staff. As a result, some pupils do not consistently uphold the school’s high expectations, especially during social times of the day and during 4 and 5 March 2025

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independent learning times in the early years. The school should ensure there is consistency and clarity in the expectations and management of behaviour across school.

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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). 4 and 5 March 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 and 15 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 4 and 5 March 2025

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher and other senior leaders. They spoke with representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors met with a group of governors including the chair of governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, physical education; and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors reviewed wider curriculum documentation and spoke with pupils about their learning across a range of subjects.  Inspectors reviewed the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also considered the responses from Ofsted’s surveys for pupils and for staff. Inspectors spoke with a range of staff during the course of the inspection and met parents at the

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gate before and after school.  Inspectors met with pupils throughout the inspection. They spoke with pupils during lessons and at other times of the day such as lunchtimes. Inspectors reviewed a range of school documents, including improvement plans and governor minutes.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: 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 and open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.

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Natasha Greenough, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Helen Haunch Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 March 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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