Manor School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Manor School Chamberlayne Road, Kensal Rise, London NW10 3NT

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Outcome

Manor 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 Steven Thompson. This school is part of The Rise Partnership 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), Jayne Jardine, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Christine Jackson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Manor School enables every pupil to flourish. Pupils enjoy school because they are kept safe and treated with dignity and respect by staff and each other. They meet the ambitious expectations staff have for what they can achieve, both academically and personally. Learning is a real joy for pupils here and a sense of purposeful fun pervades the school from the Reception Year onwards.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are treated as individuals by staff, who think very carefully about what is best for each of them. Pupils are encouraged to communicate their choices and options in a way that suits them best. For example, the ‘magic breakfast’ develops pupils’ social skills by encouraging them to make choices, share, take turns, learn how to say no and acquire a healthy attitude to eating.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are also exposed to a range of enriching experiences so they can discover and develop their talents and interests. This is through the more formal curriculum as well as the extensive range of visits, clubs and workshops on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave exceptionally well because they are helped by staff who take the time to understand the cause of any negative emotions. Over time pupils, make significant progress in how they learn to recognise and manage their feelings. 13 and 14 May 2025

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

The school provides an exceptionally rich curriculum, which is well structured and matches what is expected nationally. The curriculum is underpinned by a focus on developing confidence, independence and communication, including in English and mathematics. For example, pupils use their numeracy and writing skills to plan a shopping trip. They apply their reading skills to plan how to travel to the zoo. The curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils access memorable experiences to help embed their learning. For example, pupils build their knowledge by using virtual reality headsets in computing lessons. Activities such as building habitats for insects reinforce their scientific knowledge.

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

Teachers, support staff and the therapy team, including speech and language, occupational and behavioural specialists, work collaboratively to devise a highly skilled approach to supporting pupils. Together, they ensure that pupils’ needs are fully identified and learning is suitably adapted to help them meet their targets. This enables pupils to achieve exceptionally well.

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

Teachers are highly knowledgeable and present new knowledge clearly. They check pupils’ learning and correct mistakes as they occur. This helps pupils to be extremely well prepared for their next learning steps.

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

The school has prioritised pupils’ reading, communication and language. The school uses an adapted approach effectively. This enables pupils to use their phonics knowledge to break down and decode words. Teachers check how well pupils do this and take suitable steps to help them if they are not progressing as the school expects. As a result, all pupils who can, learn to read with fluency and accuracy. Some pupils are supported to show how they understand by using gestures, images and symbols, both on paper and through communication devices.

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

The school manages attendance exceptionally well. As a result, rates of attendance are very high. The school carefully monitors and tracks absences to detect any patterns or issues that may mean pupils struggle to come to school. Leaders understand what difficulties are being presented and support pupils and families to get the help they need. This includes, when needed, from a range of agencies and support networks. Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are highly engaged for much of the time. When they struggle to focus, staff use a range of effective strategies to help them be calm, more motivated and ready to learn.

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

Provision for pupils’ broader development is exceptional. For example, the school council gives pupils the opportunity to be leaders. Pupils also learn about work through their experience in the school café by taking orders, preparing food and waiting on tables. Pupils are encouraged to explore and discover what it is they enjoy so their lives are enriched beyond the classroom. For example, pupils enjoy performing in the choir, visiting theatres, galleries and museums, and participating in lunchtime clubs and a range of sports. Pupils’ participation in such activities is carefully tracked by leaders to ensure that 13 and 14 May 2025

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all pupils have equal opportunities. For some, this means experiences are brought into the school through workshops and visitors, such as dance, theatre and animal experiences.

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Leaders, including members of the trust, have created a culture of excellence. At all levels, decisions are made in the best interests of pupils. Leadership expertise is highly regarded by the local authority and very much appreciated by parents and carers. Staff are extremely happy and rightly proud to work here. They feel leaders are considerate of their well-being and development by providing very well-considered opportunities to improve their knowledge and reduce their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 outstanding 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, Manor School, to be outstanding for overall effectiveness in June 2016.

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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. 13 and 14 May 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). 13 and 14 May 2025

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School details

School category Academy special converter

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 28 and 29 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school caters for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Most pupils have a diagnosis of autism. The school has a smaller proportion of pupils with moderate and severe learning difficulties.  The number of pupils on roll has expanded since the previous inspection.  In February 2021, the school expanded to two sites. Children in the Reception year are now based at Manor School Early Years Centre, 38 Bridge Road, London NW10 9BX.  Between the September 2022 and July 2024, the school had a temporary key stage 3 provision while a local Free School was being built. As of September 2024, the school reverted to catering for primary-aged pupils only.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision. 13 and 14 May 2025

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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.  The inspectors met with school leaders, including the headteacher, deputy headteacher and assistant headteachers.  Inspectors also met with the CEO and members of the Rise Partnership Trust and local advisory board, including the chair of the board of trustees. They also spoke with representatives from the local authority.  Inspectors visited a sample of lessons, met with pupils and looked at samples of their work. They also observed breaktimes and lunchtimes.  Inspectors considered documentation related to: curriculum and assessment; behaviour and attendance; and pupils’ education, health and care plans.

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Information about this inspection

 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.  The views of pupils, parents and staff were considered through discussions and responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Una Buckley, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ruth Harding Ofsted Inspector 13 and 14 May 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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