Sutton’s Mapplewells Primary & Nursery School has been rated Outstanding in all areas in its latest Ofsted inspection.

Inspectors said: “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.”

Pupils’ behaviour, and their commitment to learning, are described as excellent in the report, which goes on to say: ‘They treat one another with kindness and respect. Pupils fulfil the school’s ambition for them to develop as well-rounded, empathetic young people.”

Headteacher Andrew Whittle added: “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.”

The Ofsted report states that children in the early years ‘make a strong start to their education’ because ‘the caring staff understand their unique needs and interests. They go above and beyond to provide an inspiring curriculum that enables all children to succeed.’

The report details wide-ranging opportunities available for children to take on leadership roles, for example, ‘…roles such as the ‘curriculum crew’, ‘eco leaders’ and ‘diversity leaders’ help to 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. Pastoral support is available for any who struggle to manage their emotions or who may have mental health needs. The school takes a strong stance on promoting pupils’ attendance. As a result, absence is typically very low.’

‘The school’s provision for promoting pupils’ wider personal development is a significant strength’ said inspectors, ‘The bespoke ‘Learning for Life’ curriculum has been designed to promote pupils’ well-being and prepare them to be healthy, independent members of society’ and also that, ‘They develop exceptionally well as thoughtful, well-informed young citizens.’

Andrew said the report reflected positive contributions from the whole school community. He added: “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.”