Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School

Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School is a highly effective school where pupils are happy, proud and motivated to learn. This was its first routine section 5 inspection, although it had previously been judged outstanding before becoming an academy; it is now part of the Flying High Trust and, under current arrangements, does not receive an overall effectiveness grade. Inspectors found all key areas of provision to be of exceptionally high quality, including early years, behaviour, personal development and leadership. Pupils achieve consistently high standards by the end of Year 6, with disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND achieving exceptionally well. The curriculum is rich, ambitious and equally strong across subjects, and staff use strong subject knowledge to engage pupils and check understanding closely. Reading is central to the school's work, phonics support helps pupils catch up quickly, and pupils' writing develops impressively from the early years. Behaviour is excellent, relationships are caring, attendance is typically very low, and pupils benefit from a strong personal development programme and a wide range of enrichment and leadership opportunities. Governance and trust support are strong, staff value their training and well-being, and safeguarding arrangements are effective. No areas of concern were identified in the report.

Strengths

• Pupils are happy, proud and highly motivated learners.
• The curriculum is rich, ambitious and equally strong across subjects.
• Staff have strong subject knowledge and bring learning to life.
• Teachers check understanding closely and address misunderstandings quickly.
• Pupils produce high-quality work and show impressive depth of understanding.
• Reading is treated as the gateway to the curriculum and taught systematically.
• Pupils who need extra phonics help, including those with SEND, catch up quickly.
• Pupils' writing skills are impressive from the early years onwards.
• Disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND achieve exceptionally well.
• Behaviour and pupils' commitment to learning are excellent.
• Pastoral support is strong and attendance is typically very low.
• Personal development provision is a significant strength.
• Pupils develop well as thoughtful, well-informed young citizens.
• Early years provision gives children a strong start.
• Governance provides excellent support and challenge.
• Staff value high-quality training and care for their well-being.
• Safeguarding arrangements are effective.

Admissions: local authority offers data from the Department for Education. A school is oversubscribed when at least 5% of the families who put it first were not offered a place, and undersubscribed when everyone who put it first got in but 10% or more of its places were unfilled in the Department's school capacity survey (the latest survey is used for entry years it does not cover). Places: Department for Education, School capacity, from local authorities' annual survey as at 1 May. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024–25); the survey was not run in 2020. Places include sixth form places. Forecasts are the local authority's own for the school's planning area, an area it uses to plan places that is not the school's catchment area. The forecast starts from a head count in 2025; the dashed line is the Department's estimate of places in that area, including those the authority has firm plans for. Planned places are cumulative, and only those with firm plans are counted.

In 2024–25 pupils at Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School attended 96.9% of sessions (the national figure for primary schools was 94.8%). 4.0% of pupils were persistently absent, missing at least one session in ten (nationally 13.0%).

Sessions missed

Pupils persistently absent

Source: Department for Education, Pupil absence in schools in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Persistent absence means missing 10% or more of sessions; severe absence means 50% or more. No figures were published for 2019/20.

In 2024–25, 0.3% of pupils at Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School were suspended at least once (nationally 1.1%). No pupils were permanently excluded.

Pupils suspended at least once

Source: Department for Education, Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). A pupil can be suspended more than once, so suspensions per 100 pupils can be higher than the share of pupils suspended. Very small numbers are hidden by the DfE. Exclusion figures dropped in 2020 and 2021 because of school closures.

In 2025–26 Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School had 23.2 pupils for each teacher (the national figure for primary schools was 20.7). Of its teachers in 2024–25, 15.4% were no longer at the school a year later (nationally 15.7%).

Pupils per teacher

Teachers who left the school within a year

Source: Department for Education, School workforce in England. Each year is the one the school year ends in (2025 is 2024/25). Pupils per teacher counts full-time-equivalent pupils and teachers. Turnover is the share of a year's teachers (full-time equivalent) who were not at the school the following year, whether they moved to another school or left state-funded teaching. Turnover and sickness figures run one year behind the ratios. Sick leave is the share of teachers who took at least one day in the year, so it swings widely at small schools, where a few teachers can make it 0% or 100%. The national figures are for all state schools of the same type.

In 2025–26, 10.0% of pupils at Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School were on SEN support (nationally 15.4%) and 1.8% had an education, health and care (EHC) plan (nationally 4.1%).

Pupils by main type of need

Source: Department for Education, Special educational needs in England (the 2025–26 school census). SEN support is extra help in school without an EHC plan. National figures are for all state-funded primary schools. Counts are as published, with small numbers not hidden.

In 2024–25 Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School received £6,152 and spent £6,208 for each of its 339 pupils. It ended the year with reserves of £41,000 (£122 per pupil).

Across all 35 schools of Flying High Trust, income was £7,225 and spending £7,388 per pupil.

Income per pupil

Spending per pupil

Source: Department for Education, Financial Benchmarking and Insights Tool. Each year is the one the financial year ends in (2024 is 2023–24). Academy figures include a share of the trust's central services, shared out by pupil numbers, and are rounded to the nearest £1,000. Premises costs were defined differently from 2024, so compare them across that gap with care.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools

All schools in Sutton-In-Ashfield · Nottinghamshire local authority: places and applications

Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School is part of Flying High Trust, which runs 38 schools. The nearest others:

• Leamington Primary and Nursery Academy Sutton-In-Ashfield
• Greenwood Primary and Nursery School Nottingham
• Forest Glade Primary School Sutton-In-Ashfield
• John King Infant Academy Pinxton
• Kirkstead Junior Academy Pinxton
• The Green Flying High Academy Alfreton
• Longwood Infant Academy Nottingham
• The Flying High Academy Mansfield
• Peafield Lane Academy Mansfield
• Hillside Primary and Nursery School Nottingham

What is Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School's Ofsted rating?

The latest Ofsted rating for Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School is Outstanding, from an inspection in March 2025.

When was Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School last inspected by Ofsted?

Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School was last inspected in March 2025.

How many pupils does Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School have?

Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School has 340 pupils on roll.

What age range does Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School cover?

Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School for pupils aged 3 to 11.

What are Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School's SATs (KS2) results?

In 2025, 89% of Year 6 pupils met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.

Where is Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School?

Mapplewells Primary and Nursery School is at Henning Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 1HU.