Manor Park Church of England First School

Manor Park Church of England First School

Address: Mellstock Avenue, Dorchester, Dorset, DT1 2BH Unique reference number (URN): 149484

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, pupils are confident and ready to take on the challenges of the next stage of their education. Pupils learn the important knowledge they need to communicate, read, write and calculate. Pupils achieve well in phonics and read well. This is a direct result of leaders' actions. Pupils produce particularly high-quality work in subjects such as art. They progress well through the wider curriculum. However, on some occasions, the quality of handwriting and pupils’ letter formation do not always meet leaders' expectations.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children in Reception Year are prepared well for the Year 1 curriculum. Most pupils secure the basics of reading, writing and mathematics well. However, some pupils have gaps in their mathematical knowledge and they do not achieve as well as they could in the multiplication check. Leaders are addressing this to close gaps in pupils' knowledge.

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Achievement Expected standard

Published outcomes are now broadly close to average. Leaders ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those who are disadvantaged, typically achieve well.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders prioritise pupils' attendance. Their work is helping pupils to attend school more regularly. Whole school attendance and the attendance of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) is getting better over time. Leaders work closely with families to reduce pupils' absences. The support they provide is bespoke to different situations and parents are grateful for this thoughtful approach. Leaders analyse attendance trends and this supports pupils in directing their efforts to the right families at the right time.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well in school. Positive relationships form the basis of the behaviour strategy. Staff are consistent when addressing behaviour. They use praise and consequences appropriately. Praise is used as a main tool to motivate pupils. Behaviour trends are monitored carefully by leaders. Pupils who have additional needs have adaptations in place to ensure they succeed. Staff have high expectations of behaviour and this is reflected in the typically positive behaviour of pupils around the school. Pupils are respectful, reflecting the school's mission. The school is calm and purposeful, enabling pupils to learn. Pupils are confident in raising any issues of bullying with adults, although this is rare. Staff have high expectations and do not tolerate any form of poor behaviour, including discrimination.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have prioritised early reading and phonics. They provide training and support for all staff to ensure consistent and effective delivery of the phonics programme. In phonics and guided reading, there are clear routines and expectations which pupils know and follow.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have a clear ambition for both the mathematics and writing curriculum. This is in line with national curriculum expectations. The recently introduced writing curriculum is providing a focus on key fundamental writing skills. This builds pupils' knowledge progressively across the curriculum. Teachers' subject knowledge is secure. Leaders have made sure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who are disadvantaged access the whole curriculum successfully.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Subject curriculums are well-sequenced and build on knowledge over time. Leaders consider pupils' starting points. Teaching focuses on reinforcing and revisiting knowledge at age-appropriate levels across the curriculum. There are robust systems to check pupils' understanding and address misconceptions. Staff have begun to use assessment well in the wider curriculum to check pupils' progression.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders are strategically working on improving pupils' knowledge of multiplication tables. Staff are being supported to develop their teaching in mathematics so that it adapts more readily to pupils' needs. Leaders have an accurate understanding of the quality of the curriculum and teaching. They have correctly identified handwriting as an area of the curriculum to develop further.

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Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years learn well and build secure foundations. Staff design learning across the curriculum that is matched well to children's needs. A rich learning environment promotes children's engagement, independence and the development of fine and gross motor skills. The setting is calm and purposeful. Leaders carefully identify children's starting points when they join the school, including identifying any gaps in their knowledge. This supports children to make effective progress through the curriculum.

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Early years Expected standard

Activities reflect all areas of learning, with clear links between children’s interests and their learning. Staff use books, songs and rhymes effectively to build foundational language, mathematical understanding and wider knowledge. Adult interactions with children are based on high-quality vocabulary. Interactions support children's development. Leaders prioritise early reading skills. This is clearly demonstrated through the investment in time and support for developing phonics every day.

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Early years Expected standard

The wellbeing of children is considered throughout the provision and all decisions made are in the best interest of children. Children enjoy being in the early years provision. Outcomes at the end of early years are currently close to average. Leaders work closely with parents and carers to support children's progression through the curriculum. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their education.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have created an inclusive ethos where pupils feel they belong. The school's support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) lies at the heart of the school's work. Strategies such as the daily 'soft start' activities are effective in supporting pupils to transition into school positively. The 'sunflower room' provides pupils with support that meets their specific needs. Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND and those with English as an additional language to achieve highly across the curriculum. However, at times, leaders do not use systems that identify, monitor and review support as confidently and effectively as they could. This means that some pupils do not always get the precise support they need. Leaders ensure that early reading provision is well matched to the needs of pupils with SEND and those with other barriers to their learning. Leaders and staff draw upon

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Inclusion Expected standard

assessment of pupils' individual needs when planning for early reading. Parents are grateful that they are kept informed of statutory processes and staff receive appropriate training to support pupils with SEND effectively. Leaders ensure that the pupil premium funding is used to support disadvantaged pupils to fully participate and achieve across the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has been on a successful journey of improvement. Leaders know and understand the school's strengths and development areas. The decisions they make are always made in the best interests of pupils. Trust leaders have actively supported the school in collaboration with school leaders. Together, they draw on educational research to guide decisions and to support school development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders take action to ensure that staff feel valued. Staff are highly supportive of leaders and know leaders consider their workload. Staff feel empowered to develop their own practice for the benefit of their pupils. They embrace the professional development provided for them and they share the high expectations of the leadership team. High-quality training is provided through the professional learning programme. Middle leadership has developed successfully because of targeted support and training.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school's areas of strength and development are clearly understood by the governors and trust leaders. The governing body supports and challenges the school appropriately. Governors are committed to the school and recognise the local context of the pupils on roll. They use their time productively by monitoring school improvement priorities and safeguarding regularly. Professional relationships support collaboration between leaders, staff, parents, governors and the multi-academy trust.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents speak highly of the school. They say their children are well looked after. Parents value the contribution staff make to their children's education.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders have recently introduced an ambitious new personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum which includes relationships education. The PSHE curriculum is adapted to meet the needs of all pupils. Staff have been supported with training to deliver effectively the PSHE curriculum. Pupils develop a secure understanding and are able to recall their learning. They are clear on how to keep themselves safe both in the wider world and online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Clubs, trips and wider curriculum experiences are carefully designed to ensure that pupils receive a range of cultural experiences. This helps to develop pupils' understanding of diversity. Adaptations are made to support all pupils to access these opportunities. Pupils talk with enthusiasm about the wide range of clubs that the school provides, including the boxing club. The school tracks engagement for clubs and wider opportunities. Pupils are encouraged to develop their own interests and talents. Pupils particularly enjoy events such as the sports festival and the singing schools concert. Pupils are confident in knowing and understanding the fundamental British values. This prepares them well for life in modern Britain. Pupils are confident speaking to adults about any concerns and they use tools such as the worry box to share thoughts and feelings. They know staff will address their concerns.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils enjoy being part of the Manor Park First School community. Pupils are proud to talk about their school.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils typically behave well. This is because they fully understand the school's expectations. One pupil, representing the views of many, described the school as a calm place. Bullying is rare and pupils are confident staff will tackle bullying if it occurs. Typically, pupils feel able to speak to adults about concerns and they know they will be dealt with. Pupils feel safe.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Positive relationships are highly typical across the school. Pupils trust their teachers and accept the support they are given to succeed. Leaders know which pupils attend well and those who need some additional help with their attendance. Leaders use a variety of strategies to support these pupils.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who are disadvantaged are fully included in all aspects of school life. Pupils enjoy learning and many comment on which subjects they enjoy the most. Typically, pupils achieve well across the school curriculum and they build on learning from lesson to lesson. Leaders are continuing to improve how well pupils progress through the curriculum.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

The roles and responsibilities pupils have help them to feel a sense of belonging. Pupils in Year 4 enjoy their role as lunchtime leaders. They support younger children during lunch and this role gives them an enormous sense of pride and helps to develop leadership skills. Pupils understand the British values and in some cases are able to articulate these comprehensively. This supports them in feeling ready for new friendships and challenges. Generally, pupils are prepared for the next stage of their learning.

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Next steps

• Leaders should ensure that the graduated approach to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is applied consistently and its impact evaluated. • Leaders should ensure that any gaps in foundational knowledge in mathematics, particularly in multiplication tables, are addressed before pupils leave the school. • Leaders should continue their work to secure consistently high attendance for pupils, including those who are disadvantaged.

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Team inspectors:

Jonathan Gower, Ofsted Inspector Marcus West, Ofsted Inspector Jayne Keller, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Wessex Multi 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), Mike Foley, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin Baker.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, school and trust leaders, the CEO of the trust and members of the local governing body during the inspection.

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About this inspection

Inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school is a Church of England Academy in the Diocese of Salisbury. It received its last section 48 inspection in May 2019.

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About this inspection

The school also runs a pre-school, which accepts children from the age of 2.

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About this inspection

The school does not use any alternative provision.

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About this inspection

Headteacher: Tamara Sterck Above average

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 5.6% 5.2% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 5.8% 5.5% Close to average

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 16.1% 13.3% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care. services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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