Marish Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive at this nurturing and inclusive school. They love coming to school and they feel safe.

Leaders keep the development of the whole child at the centre of their work. There are high levels of care and pastoral support in place for all pupils. Leaders' ambition is for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), to be the best that they can be and to achieve well.

Pupils behave exceptionally well. They are calm and highly focused in lessons. When taking part in discussions, pupils listen and respond to each other very well.

They are polite and well mannered towards each other and towards adults. Pupils are t...aught to show high levels of consideration towards their peers and towards other people. Bullying is not tolerated.

On the very rare occasions that bullying happens, adults deal with it quickly.

Pupils enjoy making a difference to their school and local community. Junior leaders and school council members enjoy being reading buddies to younger pupils.

They raised money to buy gifts for staff at a local hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pupils also designed a sensory garden for a local hospice, and enjoy taking part in local community concerts.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum.

All pupils, including those with SEND, generally achieve well. In some subjects, for example in English and mathematics, pupils' achievement is strong. In these subjects, knowledge builds in a clear sequence from the start of Nursery to Year 6.

This is because more experienced subject leaders have identified the key knowledge and skills that pupils need to remember right from the start of Nursery. Teachers know exactly what to teach and they plan activities to deepen pupils' understanding.

However, some subjects are not as well developed, for example history and geography.

In these subjects, leaders have identified skills that pupils need to develop, but not the key knowledge that pupils need to learn. Also, the sequence of learning does not enable pupils to connect ideas and remember what they have learned as effectively. Subject leadership in these subjects is at an earlier stage of development.

However, senior leaders know what they need to do to improve subject leadership and refine the curriculum so that pupils achieve highly in all subjects.

Leaders prioritise reading. They are ambitious for all pupils to read fluently and with comprehension.

Children are taught phonics from the start of Reception using a rigorous programme. In the early stages of learning to read, pupils read books containing the phonic sounds they know. Regular interventions help pupils to catch up quickly when they fall behind.

Teachers read high-quality texts to pupils to ensure that pupils develop a rich vocabulary and clear understanding of language.

Leaders are ambitious for pupils with SEND to achieve their very best. They have a robust system in place to identify and meet the needs of pupils who need additional help.

Teachers are supported well to plan bespoke activities to support pupils with more complex needs. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

Leaders' work to support pupils' personal development is a strength.

Pupils learn about resilience in 'R' time. They say that this helps them to become confident and to make new friends. Pupils are taught to respect difference.

They show high levels of tolerance towards others and have comprehensive knowledge of a wide range of religions. Pupils enjoy a wide variety of extra-curricular clubs, including those for Makaton, multisport, basketball, steel drums, board games and sensory art. Staff in early years ensure that all children, including the very youngest two-year-olds, receive high-quality support for their social and emotional needs.

Children in Nursery and Reception benefit from a calm, well-resourced and engaging environment.

Leaders and trustees have a clear, shared vision for the school. Leaders want all pupils to 'work to be outstanding' in all that they do.

All staff have access to high-quality training to develop their expertise. Staff feel valued and believed in. They are overwhelmingly positive about the school, saying that care, compassion and understanding are at the heart of leaders' work.

Staff say that leaders are approachable and mindful of their well-being and workload. Leaders ensure that staff have the time to focus on the aspects of their work that have the most impact on pupils' learning. As one member of staff stated, 'I love this school.

We are here for the children. Every day is a joy.'

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of vigilance. There are clear processes to identify pupils who are at risk of harm. Record-keeping is thorough and well organised.

Leaders ensure that concerns are identified promptly. Comprehensive training ensures that staff's safeguarding knowledge is up to date. Leaders are persistent in ensuring that families and children get the help they need quickly, and they challenge other agencies that do not seem to be acting in the best interests of children.

Pupils feel safe. They have an age-appropriate knowledge of how to keep themselves safe when online and when out and about in the community.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, leaders have not identified the key content that teachers need to teach.

The essential knowledge that pupils need to learn is not clear. Series of lessons in these subjects do not enable pupils to make links between concepts securely enough, so that they build knowledge systematically.Leaders need to continue to refine the curriculum, so that pupils can achieve highly across the whole curriculum.

• Subject leadership in some foundation subjects is at an early stage of development. Some subject leaders need to deepen their subject and pedagogical content knowledge, so that they can support staff to implement the curriculum more effectively. Leaders and trustees should ensure that subject leadership across the whole curriculum improves.