Sutton school 'flying high' after Ofsted rate it 'outstanding in all areas'
A Sutton primary and nursery school school has been graded Outstanding in all areas by education watchdog Ofsted.
Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School in Henning Lane was awarded top marks in all areas – quality of education, behaviour and attitude, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision – following the inspection which took place on January 28-9 this year.
The report, which was published on March 6, states: “Pupils are happy at this school and describe themselves as proud ‘Mapplewellians’. They are highly motivated, enthusiastic learners who live up to the school’s high expectations. They achieve consistently high academic standards by the end of Year 6. Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve exceptionally well.”
Headteacher Andrew Whittle said: “While the recent Ofsted report is a testament to our school’s achievements, we remain steadfast in our commitment to continuous improvement. Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School is a dynamic school that embraces opportunities for growth and development, and we will continue to build on our strong foundations.”
Pupils’ behaviour, and their commitment to learning, are described as ‘excellent’ in the report.
It states: “They treat one another with kindness and respect. Pupils fulfil the school’s ambition for them to develop as well-rounded, empathetic young people.”
The report details wide-ranging opportunities available for children to take on leadership roles, such as the ‘curriculum crew’, ‘eco leaders’ and ‘diversity leaders’ to help develop pupils’ personal and independence skills. The vast array of enrichment experiences fosters pupils’ broader personal development extremely well.’
Inspectors said the school has developed a rich, ambitious curriculum, designed to enable all pupils to develop secure knowledge and skills from the Nursery to Year 6. The report says, ‘The curriculum is equally strong in all subjects and equally accessible for all pupils.’
Staff are described as maintaining a strong subject knowledge across the curriculum, bringing the curriculum to life to inspire and engage pupils. Children’s work across a wide range of subjects is of a high standard showing, the report says, an ‘…impressive depth of understanding.’
Reading is a priority at the school which is described as having a systematic approach to phonics, supported by high quality books available for children’s use. Children were found to be developing as fluent and confident readers.
Pupils at the school are praised in the report which says, ‘Pupils live up to the school’s high expectations for behaviour. They understand and respect the rules and routines for keeping them safe. Positive, caring relationships are at the heart of the school.”
Safeguarding at the school is effective with governors and The Flying High Partnership, the school’s multi-academy trust, recognised for providing ‘excellent support and challenge for the school.’ In addition, staff at the school reported they ‘…value the high-quality training that they receive, and the care shown for their well-being.’
Mr Whittle added the report reflected positive contributions from the whole school community.
He said, “I would like to send a personal note of thanks to our children and staff for their hard work each and every day, and also to the wider Mapplewells school community for their ongoing support.”