The Manor Church of England Primary School Review 2026: Values-led primary with strong KS2 outcomes

A one-form-entry primary serving Coalpit Heath, with a clear Church of England identity and an emphasis on character alongside attainment. The school’s current leadership model is a partnership arrangement, with Mrs Amanda Flanagan as Executive Headteacher and Mr John Israel as Head of School.

The most recent Ofsted inspection (2 December 2025, published 26 January 2026) reported safeguarding standards met, with Attendance and behaviour judged Strong standard and most other areas judged Expected standard.

Historically, the school roots in the local community run deep, it was established in 1868 to serve a growing coal-mining settlement and later passed into Church of England control in 1927.

The school’s identity is unusually explicit for a state primary. The vision language, Aspire, Believe, Achieve, is paired with the biblical reference Shine like stars in the sky (Philippians 2:15). That framing matters because it feeds directly into how expectations are discussed with pupils, not as abstract “good behaviour”, but as lived values and learning habits.

The values curriculum is structured around six core values, Honesty, Friendship, Courage, Compassion, Thankfulness, and Forgiveness. The school is clear that these are rooted in Christian faith, while also stating that it recognises modern Britain includes many faiths, cultures, and backgrounds, and aims to celebrate that diversity.

A second strand of culture is its “learning behaviours” language. The Learning Gems model gives pupils a shared vocabulary for habits like resilience, collaboration, focus, and oracy, with each “gem power” defining a specific learning stance. This is not just branding. It gives teachers and pupils a concrete way to talk about self-management and learning choices, which can be particularly helpful for children who need clarity around what “trying your best” actually looks like.

Leadership roles for pupils show up as named responsibilities, including a Manor Committee and pupil librarians. In practice, those roles tend to be the difference between a school that says it develops responsibility and one that builds routine opportunities for it.

This is a strong-results primary by England benchmarks, particularly on the combined expected standard measure.

In 2024, 87% of pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics combined, compared with an England average of 62%. At the higher standard, 30% reached the higher benchmark, compared with an England average of 8%.

Reading and mathematics scaled scores are also well above typical national norms, with reading at 109 and maths at 108, alongside a grammar, punctuation and spelling scaled score of 106.

On FindMySchool’s proprietary rankings based on official data, the school is ranked 2,327th in England and 25th in Bristol for primary outcomes. This places performance above the England average, within the top 25% of schools in England.

What this tends to mean for families is consistency rather than a narrow “teaching to tests” feel. A strong combined expected standard score usually reflects reliable literacy and numeracy teaching across the cohort, plus systems that identify gaps early enough to close them before Year 6.

Curriculum intent is framed around a “Shine Like Stars” approach. The school describes its curriculum as designed to provide an engaging and memorable educational experience, with curriculum handbooks published and under review.

Curriculum design is also shaped by three stated drivers, The Arts, Community, and (as referenced in formal reporting) Spirituality. The “Arts” driver is positioned as cultural capital, aiming to expose pupils to experiences that may not be accessed outside school, with Bristol described as a creative hub that pupils do not always reach without school involvement. The “Community” driver explicitly links rural village life in Coalpit Heath with the wider Bristol context, and pairs this with global citizenship ambitions.

For day-to-day learning habits, the Learning Gems provide a practical through-line. For example, Emerald Power explicitly encourages risk-taking in learning and normalises mistakes as part of progress, while Topaz Power highlights oracy and reasoning. The implication for pupils is a classroom language that rewards process and thinking, not only correctness.

Early years transition is treated as a priority, with close links to local pre-schools and an emphasis on communication and language, so children start Year 1 ready to access the wider curriculum.

As a primary school, the key transition point is Year 6 to local secondary schools through South Gloucestershire coordinated admissions. The school’s curriculum emphasis on learning habits, oracy, and structured phonics and reading is designed to support that move, especially for pupils who need confidence with independence and routines.

Families planning ahead should use the local authority’s admissions guides and maps to understand the realistic secondary options from Coalpit Heath, and to see how travel and sibling patterns may affect the decision.

Reception places are coordinated by South Gloucestershire Council rather than allocated directly by the school. The published admission number is 210 overall, with a standard intake of 30 pupils per year group.

Demand, based on the latest available entry-route figures provided here, shows the school is oversubscribed for Reception entry. There were 77 applications for 30 offers, around 2.57 applications per place, with first preferences also exceeding offers (ratio 1.27). The practical implication is that families should treat this as a competitive local option and plan a realistic set of preferences.

For September 2026 Reception entry, the local authority deadline for on-time applications was 15 January 2026, with national offer day on 16 April 2026.

Open events are handled in a pragmatic way, families are invited to contact the school office to arrange a visit rather than relying only on fixed open days.

Parents weighing distance should use the FindMySchool Map Search to check their precise position against realistic admission patterns, particularly in a year where a school is oversubscribed, even small changes in local demand can matter.

Safeguarding is described in recent formal reporting as meeting required standards, with a culture where concerns are identified and acted on, and pupils report feeling safe.

Behaviour is positioned as calm and purposeful, with bullying described as rare and dealt with effectively when it occurs. The values framework helps here because it gives pupils a shared set of expectations and language for relationships, respect, and responsibility.

Inclusion practice is described as embedded in everyday routines, with needs identified and assessed effectively and support adjusted through a step-by-step approach.

A clear signature feature is Forest School, described as a structured curriculum led by a qualified Forest School Leader (Mrs Gray). The aim is to broaden learning beyond the classroom and help pupils build outdoor skills alongside understanding of nature. For many pupils, this kind of regular, planned outdoor learning supports confidence, teamwork, and resilience in a different context to desk-based work.

Clubs and enrichment referenced in formal reporting include football and gardening, alongside whole-school visits such as an annual pantomime and topic-linked trips (for example, museum visits related to Second World War learning).

Music also has a visible profile, with the school noting it has been awarded the Music Mark of Recognition. That kind of award typically signals sustained attention to music provision and participation, rather than music as an occasional add-on.

Wraparound care is clearly defined. Breakfast Club runs from 7.45am, and After-School Club runs Monday to Thursday from 3.15pm to 6.00pm. The core school day starts at 8.50am, ending at 3.15pm for Key Stage 1 and 3.20pm for Key Stage 2, with gates closing at 8.50am.

This is a state primary, there are no tuition fees. Families should still budget for the usual extras associated with primary school life, including uniform and trips, plus optional wraparound provision.

For travel planning, Coalpit Heath is described in curriculum documentation as a rural village community connected to the wider Bristol area. Families should sanity-check journey times at peak drop-off and pick-up periods and consider whether walking routes, parking constraints, or bus options fit daily routines.

• Oversubscription reality. Reception demand exceeds places (77 applications for 30 offers). For families set on this option, it is wise to build a balanced list of preferences alongside it.

• Writing and GPS stretch. While core outcomes are strong, published benchmarks referenced in recent formal reporting highlighted spelling, punctuation and grammar at the higher standard as an area to tighten. If your child is already working at greater depth, ask how stretch is built into writing across the week.

• Faith presence is meaningful. The Church of England identity is integrated into values, worship, and reflection practices. The school is inclusive in tone, but families who want a strictly secular experience may find the framing more explicit than at many community primaries.

A values-led village primary with strong KS2 outcomes and a clear approach to learning habits. The combination of above-average attainment, structured language for learning behaviours, and distinctive curriculum pillars such as Forest School will suit families who want academic security plus character education that is explicitly articulated.

Best suited to families who value a Church of England ethos, want a one-form-entry community feel, and are prepared for competitive Reception entry.