Uplands Manor Primary School and Nursery

Overview

This inspection found a school where values of “achievement, belief, creativity, determination and enthusiasm permeate all that happens.” Pupils are “proud of what they do” and share a “strong sense of community,” supported by “highly effective pastoral and inclusion teams.” The report notes that leaders have successfully introduced new specialist provision and that “many more pupils are now working at the standard that they should be.”

Strengths

• Staff provide “excellent support” for pupils’ learning and feelings, with “strong links with a range of agencies” helping pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) to “thrive.”
• Early reading is taught well, with staff giving pupils “the right books for the stage they are at” and providing extra support so “most pupils learn to read with fluency and expression.”
• The early years provision is nurturing, with children enjoying activities like watching chicks hatch and using “careful use of language” in their play.
• Pupils demonstrate maturity and respect, knowing to “think before they speak” and understanding that “it is alright to make mistakes; you learn from this.”

Areas to improve

• Leaders should ensure teachers are supported in understanding “the small steps of learning that build through a unit of work” in English, as some units are not taught in a logical order.
• Leaders should “continue to embed the curriculum and develop further recall strategies” so pupils can consistently remember and apply knowledge across all subjects over time.
• Leaders should enhance the “suitability and organisation of resources” in the early years, as some currently lack quality and restrict learning opportunities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with “safeguarding never stops” acting as the driving mantra and ensuring everyone knows what to do.