Marshland High School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders, governors and the trust have ensured that, over time, they have raised aspirations for pupils. As a result, almost all pupils have positive attitudes to learning and want to do well.

The quality of teaching, learning and assessment in the school is good. Teachers have strong subject knowledge and routinely use assessment to support their planning and help pupils to improve their work. Most pupils make good progress in a range of subjects, including English and mathematics.

The trust provides effective support for the school. Support and challenge have been effective in securing improvement and in ensuring that leaders focus on th...e right priorities. Disadvantaged pupils make good progress in a range of subjects.

In 2017, disadvantaged pupils made progress that was in line with that made by other pupils nationally. Leaders provide a curriculum that supports pupils' academic and personal development well. It strongly supports pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

Pupils are well prepared for life after school and for life in modern Britain. Behaviour in lessons and around the school is good and improving. Pupils are polite and friendly to one another.

They feel safe and well cared for in the school. Pupils confidently apply their mathematical skills in a range of subjects. A minority of teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities that help pupils to use and develop their writing and communication skills in subjects other than English.

Leaders have an accurate view of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They check that their actions are making a difference. However, leaders' improvement plans do not always link closely to their evaluations of actions taken.

Historically, fixed-term and permanent exclusions have been too high. There has been a significant reduction this year. However, leaders acknowledge that exclusions are still too frequent for a small core of pupils.

Despite continued and focused efforts by leaders, the proportion of pupils who are persistently absent remains above average, including for some disadvantaged pupils and pupils who have special educational needs (SEN) and/or disabilities. A small minority of teachers' expectations of pupils are too low, particularly for those who have SEN and lower-attaining boys. They do not match activities to pupils' abilities.

As a result, the progress of these groups is variable, and pupils can lose focus on their learning.

Information about this school

The West Norfolk Academies Trust has sponsored Marshland High School since November 2015. The chief executive officer of the trust acts as the executive headteacher of the school.

The trust oversees the work of the school and some powers are delegated to a local governing body, which helps to monitor the work of the school, particularly in relation to the standard of education provided. The trust provides support for teaching, learning and assessment and for leadership in the school through the trust executive and collaboration with other schools in the trust. The trust also uses external consultants and links with other academy trusts and schools to support and evaluate the school's improvement.

There have been significant changes in senior leadership over the past 12 months. The current headteacher was appointed at the beginning of May 2018. The trust placed an interim headteacher in the school from September 2017, following the previous headteacher securing a post in another school.

The trust also seconded a deputy headteacher to the school who subsequently took on the role permanently. The school is smaller than the average-sized secondary school. The very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is broadly in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who have SEN support is lower than the national average. However, the proportion who have a statement of SEN or an education, health and care plan is above average.

The school does not currently make use of any alternative provision. The school meets the government's current floor standards. These set the minimum expectations for the progress that pupils make at the end of key stage 4.

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