Maypole School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 18 June 2024

This is a nurturing school where the high aspirations of staff go hand in hand with an understanding that learning only happens when pupils are ready. Consequently, pupils enjoy their time here (though are sometimes reluctant to say so up front) and become successful learners again. When asked, 'what could be better here?' most struggle to identify anything except for comments about lunch. One clear message from pupils is that they feel understood and safe here. They recognise that their behaviour is not always perfect but are positive about the way staff support them to reflect when things have gone amiss. One stand-out aspect of this new school is the support pupils receive on their journey to become confident and responsible members of society. For many pupils, this is a bigger challenge than academic achievement. Parents who talked to inspectors were particularly positive about how the school is transformational on pupils' lives in this respect. Pupils are particularly positive about time spent 'off site'. Though some see this as a reward for their efforts in classrooms, the contribution this makes to pupils' social and emotional well-being is considerable. Staff know this is important. Their patience and guile in making this work are laudable.

What the school should improve

• In some curriculum subjects, the key knowledge that pupils are expected to know and remember is not as clearly sequenced as it might be. This means that staff are not always certain about the learning they need to cover so that pupils' knowledge, skills and understanding develop as well as they should over time. Work has started to address this. The school now needs to act with more urgency to ensure that staff know precisely what they need to teach, and when, across the whole curriculum.
• On occasion, staff are not as skilled at implementing the school's intended curriculum as they might be. Sometimes activity choices are not designed as well as they could be and opportunities to confirm pupils' understanding and address misconceptions are missed. The school should ensure that staff are better supported to develop this aspect of their practice.

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