Marshwood CofE Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Select Since the last inspection the pace of improvement has been rapid. Pupils' attainment has risen dramatically, and is currently above average in Year 6.

All pupils make good progress from their starting points, and some make outstanding progress. Teaching is always good with some that is outstanding. Pupils are consistently challenged with tasks that meet their different needs.

A strength of the teaching is the dialogue that has been established between teachers and pupils in the marking of pupils' work that ensures pupils always know how to improve. The headteacher's expertise, coupled with her exceptionally strong leadership, show...n since joining the school three years ago, has developed a very strong whole school team. The staff all share a commitment to improving the quality of teaching, and to become an outstanding school.

Governors have become much better informed, and have improved their skills, offering a good level of challenge as well as support. Pupils enjoy school because learning is made exciting. As a result, attendance is high.

Behaviour is excellent and pupils get on extremely well together. Bullying is unheard of and pupils say they feel very safe in school. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The rapid rise in attainment and progress has yet to be sustained over time, and has yet to be supported by more outstanding teaching across the school.

Teachers' knowledge of pupils' understanding during lessons is not always used to rephrase questions or reshape tasks to aid learning. Some pupils do not always have enough understanding of strategies to help them solve their difficulties when working independently.

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school and pupils are taught in three mixed-age classes, Reception with Years 1 and 2, Years 3 and 4 together and Years 5 and 6 together.

There are no disabled pupils in the school at the present time. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs supported through school action and school action plus is average. There are currently no pupils with a statement of special needs.

The proportion of pupils in receipt of pupil premium (extra money given to schools by the government to support, amongst others, pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals) is below average. There are no pupils from minority ethnic groups or for whom English is not their first language. The school exceeds the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in mathematics and English.