Mapledene Primary School

Mapledene Primary School

Address: Mapledene Road, Mapledene Road, Birmingham, Uk, Birmingham, West Midlands, B26 3XE Unique reference number (URN): 134094

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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

Pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education. They typically learn the curriculum well, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. This is reflected in the school's published results in national tests at the end of Year 6.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils build the phonics knowledge they need to become increasingly successful readers, including those receiving additional help through targeted support. This shows in published outcomes for the phonics screening check, which is in line with the national average. Well- trained staff support effectively pupils who require further help to gain the early reading skills they need.

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Achievement Expected standard

Across the wider curriculum, pupils typically remember what they have been taught. For example, pupils can explain with enthusiasm key knowledge about the Battle of Hastings. Pupils regularly practise handwriting and letter formation as part of their writing lessons. However, there is still some inconsistency in the quality of handwriting.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders’ creative and thoughtful approach to attendance has changed the culture within the school. Pupils are happy to come to school and are ready to learn. A large proportion of pupils attend the morning breakfast club where staff and pupils enjoy activities together. Pupils are proud to be Breakfast Bistro Ambassadors. When concerns arise about absence, leaders take swift and positive actions. Where needed, they draw upon external partners to support improvements in attendance. As a result of leaders’ work, attendance has significantly improved, including persistent absences.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have created a calm, safe environment. They have established a clear approach to behaviour that is understood and implemented consistently by staff. Staff use a relationship- led approach when responding to behaviour. Pupils learn what positive behaviour looks like from the early years onwards and respond well to the school's expectations and routines. Behaviour in lessons is positive and learning is seldom disrupted. Pupils typically want to learn and do well. Movement around the school is orderly. Pupils are polite, well mannered and respectful of each other. They cooperative and collaborative well at social times when sharing the wide range of playground equipment available to them. Leaders have established a school environment where bullying and any other forms of unkind behaviour are rare.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is generally well planned, ensuring that pupils learn a broad range of subjects. Leaders have prioritised the foundational knowledge and skills in reading, writing and mathematics, helping pupils to develop secure foundations for future learning. Leaders have an accurate view of what is working well and where teaching needs further refinement. On the whole, teachers teach well. They have the subject knowledge they need to ensure that pupils understand new ideas. Vocabulary is prioritised and carefully planned. Early phonics is typically taught effectively with staff using regular checks to plan groupings and staffing. Support is given for pupils who need more help in learning to read. Staff generally check pupils’ understanding well, and this informs next steps. However, occasionally, staff do not pick up errors or misconceptions as quickly and carefully as they could.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils who need targeted academic support or an individualised curriculum are provided with this successfully. Staff generally make helpful adaptations to learning tasks and adjustments to the environment to ensure that all pupils can be successful. Staff work well with parents, carers, and external agencies to ensure that children have the right help to progress in their learning.

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Early years Expected standard

The early years provision gives children a positive and effective start to their education. Staff build warm, nurturing relationships, ensuring that the children feel safe and settled. Knowledgeable leaders have established a well-sequenced curriculum that builds secure foundations for children across all areas of learning. Adults take time to get to know the children and families well, and leaders seek out opportunities to learn from professionals beyond the school. They use this knowledge to inform next steps for the children and find ways to enhance the setting further.

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Early years Expected standard

Early reading, communication and language, writing and mathematics are prioritised effectively. Phonics is taught systematically, with staff demonstrating secure knowledge of early reading development. Teachers model sounds well. Staff interact effectively with the children and make regular opportunities to develop vocabulary. Children engage with confidence and enthusiasm in a wide range of purposeful, play-based experiences.

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Early years Expected standard

Staff know children’s starting points and adapt provision appropriately so that all children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, access learning successfully. This ensures that all children make progress across the early years curriculum. Children generally leave Reception with the knowledge and skills needed for Year 1.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school nurtures each pupil individually by providing a safe and inclusive environment. Leaders and staff work with families to quickly identify and understand pupils' needs and decide what support is needed. Leaders are passionate about every pupil being able to access all opportunities available to them.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Reasonable adjustments help pupils access learning successfully, including the use of pictures to support communication. As a result, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities participate fully in classroom learning and wider school life. ‘The Orchard’ helps pupils who need it develop their early foundational skills with additional adult support. Leaders measure the impact of interventions and support in a timely manner.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use additional funding effectively, including for pupils who are known or previously known to social care. They consider individual barriers and put the right support in place to help pupils overcome them. As a result, disadvantaged pupils perform well.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders ensure that staff have the expertise needed to meet pupils' needs effectively. Staff benefit from ongoing professional development, including training in speech and language leadership and support from the hearing impairment team. Staff draw upon this specialist advice and work closely with families to plan next steps.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders know and understand the school and its community. They have a clear and accurate grasp of what is going well and what more needs to be done to continue to improve. Their actions are having a positive impact across school. For example, pupils’ attendance has significantly improved. Decisions are made in the best interest of all pupils, including those who are disadvantaged or have barriers to learning.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Staff are very proud to work in the school. Leaders look after staff's wellbeing and take sensible steps to manage workload. Leaders prioritise the professional learning of staff and ensure that training is well matched to the school’s priorities. Those new to teaching are well supported. Partnerships with external professionals further enhance the school’s work.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders and staff build and maintain very positive relationships with parents and carers. This leads to close collaboration between home and school. Parents are comfortable having open and honest conversations about their children with staff, should the need arise. Parents are very positive about the school. Opportunities for parents to share in their children’s learning help to strengthen the sense of community.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Those responsible for governance understand and fulfil their statutory duties effectively, for example, around safeguarding and curriculum and teaching. Governors provide helpful support and constructive challenge to leaders. They assure themselves about the school’s performance by considering a range of information, such as headteacher’s reports and regular visits to the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

School leaders can strengthen their practice further by developing a more detailed and insightful analysis of school performance.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders provide a thoughtful and coherent programme of personal development. It is inclusive and enables all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other difficulties, to benefit fully.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school's curriculum for relationships and health education helps pupils understand healthy lifestyles and how to build safe and trusting relationships. Pupils know that trusted adults help to resolve concerns and support in making positive choices. For example, the youngest pupils understand healthy eating, while older pupils can explain how to stay safe online and in the community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum is enhanced through a broad range of enrichment opportunities, an extensive club offer, educational visits and wider experiences. Leaders have established links with other schools to extend sporting opportunities. They are proud to have achieved The Royal Horticultural Society Award. Music is a notable strength, with dedicated facilities and specialist teaching supporting pupils’ engagement and development. Leaders monitor clubs to improve access where pupil participation is less consistent. Pupils broaden their horizons through residentials and visits. They recognise that these develop their wider knowledge and skills, such as understanding about cultures and religions or learning to be more independent.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils embrace the many leadership opportunities available to them. They are proud to take on responsibilities, such as head pupil or membership of the school council. They recognise how this helps them develop skills, such as communication, patience and leadership. This helps them become active, responsible members of the school community.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils have a basic understanding of British values and how this relates to their community and events in history, such as women gaining the vote. They demonstrate tolerance and respect and understand about democracy and discrimination.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is a strength of the school. Staff know pupils well and respond effectively to their emotional and wellbeing needs. Carefully planned transition arrangements support pupils and their families.

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

Kindness, respect and friendship are valued in this nurturing school. Pupils of all ages have a good relationship with one another, which creates a calm atmosphere and a positive feel to the school. This is supported by staff who know and understand their individual needs.

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

Pupils behave well. They have positive relationships with staff. They listen carefully during lessons, follow instructions and move around the school with a clear understanding of what is expected of them. Pupils generally engage well with their learning and achieve. Sometimes, teachers do not ensure that errors and misconceptions are corrected in pupils' books and have variable expectations for handwriting, which limits pupils' progress.

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

Pupils benefit from an extensive range of extra-curricular activities, trips and leadership opportunities. Leaders respond to pupils’ interests, for example starting a chess club. Pupils understand how their jobs develop their listening skills, communication and collaboration. They are proud to be Breakfast Bistro Ambassadors and Allergy Ambassadors.

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

Social times are really well considered, which means older and younger pupils enjoy a wide variety of activities together. Bullying and unkindness are rare. Pupils know they can tell trusted adults if they have any worries or concerns. They are safe in the knowledge that this will be dealt with sensitively and quickly. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online and to look after their mental and physical health.

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

Over the last year, more pupils have attended school regularly. Pupils want to come to school and arrive with enthusiasm at morning breakfast club. This means they have a highly positive start to their day and are ready to learn. Fewer pupils are persistently absent. Pupils generally achieve well. Pupils’ outcomes in statutory tests are broadly in line with national figures, including for those who are disadvantaged. By the time pupils leave at the end of Year 6, they are very well prepared, both academically and socially, for their move to secondary school.

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Next steps

Leaders should develop a more detailed and insightful analysis of school performance by accurately identifying, monitoring and acting on priorities, so to have consistently strong standards. Leaders should ensure that staff routinely and precisely check work for misconceptions or basic errors and that these are followed up, including providing regular opportunities for pupils to edit their own work. Leaders should ensure that pupils' handwriting and letter formation is consistently developed to a high standard.

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About this inspection

The chair of the local board of governors in this school is Mr Dave Hobday.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our updated inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with school leaders, including the headteacher, assistant headteachers, business manager and other school leaders. They also spoke with representatives of the local governing committee, including the Chair of Governors, and the local authority.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

The school currently uses no alternative provision.

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About this inspection

The school runs a unit for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Lead inspector:

Karen Hambleton, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Tracey Porter, Ofsted Inspector Shelley Reeves-Walters, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 22 September 2026

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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 6 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 needs support 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.

p.8

What does this mean?

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

p.9

Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (final) 63% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 60% 61% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 75% 75% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 78% 74% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 70% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 72% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 66% 71% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 75% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 72% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 47% 47% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (final) 50% 46% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2024/25 (final) 65% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 73% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 57% 60% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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average

2024/25 (final) 53% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 58% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2024/25 (final) 53% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 64% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 50% 59% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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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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Persistent absence

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

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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.

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Urgent improvement

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

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

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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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