Cedars Manor School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has faced some significant challenges over the last few years.

This has disrupted pupils' learning. There have recently been several new leadership appointments, and the school has drawn up action plans with clear priorities for development. Staff are committed to driving improvements.

The school has high expectations of what pupils can learn to do, but these expectations are not realised. Pupils do not achieve as well as they should across the range of subjects. Some improvements are emerging in mathematics and English and results are rising.

In other subjects, the curriculum is not being delivered effectively. Some pupils do not learn to read qui...ckly enough. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) sometimes have poor experiences in the classroom.

High expectations for pupils' behaviour and conduct are not embedded across the school. The current day-to-day experiences of some pupils are variable. While most pupils work hard during lessons, sometimes pupils do not behave as they should at social times and bullying can occur.

Staff do not routinely use a consistent approach to address poor behaviour and ensure pupils act with respect and empathy.

A range of clubs and workshops are on offer and the school is increasing the enrichment opportunities provided to pupils. Pupils take some leadership responsibilities and have some understanding of British values.

Pupils are safe and enjoy some of the activities on offer.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school provides a broad education. The curriculum has been reviewed to ensure it largely meets the ambition and depth of the national curriculum.

Results at the school in national tests are improving. However, pupils are not consistently receiving the intended curriculum. This is because some teachers do not have the subject expertise they need to deliver the curriculum effectively.

Some misconceptions are missed and pupils do not routinely build their knowledge securely.

In some subjects, pupils are supported to produce high-quality work and demonstrate stronger understanding. For example, in mathematics, teachers provide opportunities for pupils to practise and apply new learning.

Here, teachers frequently check and guide pupils' learning. However, the school has not ensured that pupils consistently benefit from high-quality teaching. Pupils do not build skills across all subjects over time.

For example, their experiences of local history, geography field work and science investigations are variable.

Children in the early years have a better experience. At times, they benefit from strong interactions with caring adults.

In the Nursery and Reception, the curriculum is both well designed and thoughtfully delivered. Children take part in meaningful activities that particularly develop their understanding of number and support their motor skills. Children enjoy their learning.

Some activities are imaginatively structured around books. For example, children in Reception design their own vegetable superheroes when reading books linked to growing and harvesting. While in Nursery, they make foil boats to transport different objects in response to their reading of 'Mr Gumpy's Outing.'



The ambition for what pupils with SEND can achieve is not consistently high. Pupils with SEND are identified and their needs are shared with staff. However, some are not given the tools and adaptations they need to participate in lessons and access the curriculum.

This leads to gaps in their knowledge.

The school is making reading a priority and is increasing the range of high-quality texts studied. The phonics programme is set out and sequenced in a logical way to build knowledge gradually and securely.

Reading results are steadily increasing. However, there are still some inconsistencies in how effectively this programme is delivered. Additional support is provided to weaker readers, although this is variable in quality.

Some pupils, particularly those with SEND, fall behind their peers and take longer to become fluent readers.

Attendance at the school is improving. The school works effectively with parents and carers to ensure pupils attend school promptly.

However, there are a few pupils on part-time timetables that are not reviewed frequently enough to ensure they are effective and in the best interests of the child. As a result, some pupils remain on part-time timetables for a long time. This means they do not have access to a full education and develop significant gaps in their knowledge.

The school has established a new behaviour policy, but it is not currently applied consistently. Pupils are generally respectful and polite. They are kept safe at school and have a member of staff they can go to if they are worried.

However, there are some physically challenging behaviours at social times and there can be unkind comments made to peers.

There is a range of clubs on offer, particularly in sport and music. Pupils take part in swimming lessons and some enrichment opportunities, such as workshops on careers and healthy lifestyles.

However, there are few trips and activities to support the curriculum. Likewise, the school does not effectively develop pupils' resilience and confidence, as values are not embedded. Pupils do understand how to stay safe, including online.

The school delivers a secure personal, social, health and economic education curriculum and has begun to promote citizenship and charity work.

The oversight and governance of the school are inconsistent. Over time, those responsible have not challenged leaders sufficiently or held them to account in the interest of pupils.

The governing body is currently being restructured. In addition, a number of new staffing appointments have been made across the school. The leadership team requires more effective professional development to strategically and meaningfully deliver improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Pupils with SEND are not consistently receiving an ambitious or high-quality education. This means that they do not learn as well as they should be able to, including in their ability to read.

The school should ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are met and that they get the support they require to have full access to the curriculum and do well. ? The professional development provided by the school has been insufficient in ensuring that teachers possess strong subject expertise across the curriculum. This means that teachers do not frequently identify and correct misconceptions.

Therefore, pupils do not build their learning securely. The school should ensure that teachers have the subject knowledge and skills they need to deliver the curriculum confidently and check pupils' understanding effectively. ? Expectations and approaches to behaviour management are not commonly understood or clearly communicated.

This means pupils do not consistently meet expectations and unkind behaviour can occur, particularly at social times. The school should ensure that expectations for pupils' conduct are consistently upheld, and that bullying is not tolerated. They should support pupils in adopting a responsible and respectful attitude to each other, especially those who are more vulnerable.

• The school does not have a consistent system of oversight, review or quality assurance that delivers an ambitious education for its pupils. This means that curriculum development is not as secure as it could be, and the values of the school are not fully enacted. Those new to leadership roles need the professional development required to drive improvement strategically and governors must hold leaders to account effectively.

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