Manston Primary

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 12 October 2022

Pupils happily attend this friendly community school. Each day, they are eager to see their friends and their teachers. Pupils are looked after by caring staff who know them and their families well. Parents welcome the improvements made by new leaders. Staff and parents work together to ensure that every pupil succeeds. From the moment children start in the reception class and throughout their primary years, leaders carefully review pupils' academic progress and well-being. Pupils with additional needs are well supported. No one is lost in the system. As a result, every pupil is ready for their next steps. Most pupils behave well in lessons and when around school. Incident of bullying are vanishingly rare. Pupils are confident that adults would swiftly resolve any concerns they have. Parents agree, and many are highly supportive of the school. They welcome the friendly conversations and prompt communication that they have with staff. Pupils are encouraged to be confident, resilient learners. Those who have leadership positions, such as being on the school council, wear their pin badges with pride. Others take their role of being a 'Blue Cap' seriously and value the training they have received to carry out their duties. They know the importance of helping their peers resolve any disputes.

What the school should improve

• In a minority of subjects, subject leaders have not identified the detailed knowledge that pupils need to be able to understand subject-specific concepts. As a result, teachers lack clarity on precisely what to teach. Pupils have associated gaps in their knowledge about what it means to be a subject expert. Leaders should ensure that the small steps of knowledge are clearly identified so that all teachers have absolute clarity about what to teach.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)