Mark First and Pre-School CE Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for its pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, these ambitions are not fully realised.

Pupils have gaps in their learning across a range of phases and subjects. They do not achieve as well as they should. More work remains to ensure that pupils are fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

This is a welcoming and inclusive school. Pupils are happy and safe. They know the school rules of 'ready, respectful and safe'.

Most live up to these and behave well around the school site. The school has high expectations of pupils' attendance and as a result, they attend well. ...Pupils enjoy positive relationships with staff and each other.

They know who to talk to if they are worried about anything.

Pupils contribute to the school community and take on different leadership roles. These responsibilities range from serving as a school councillor to supporting others as play leaders.

The eco-committee improve the school site by planting bulbs and looking after the resident hedgehog 'Holly'.

Most parents and carers are pleased with the school. They appreciate the dedication and care shown by staff.

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

The school has designed a curriculum which is broad and balanced. In some subjects it has considered the important knowledge pupils need to learn and the order in which they need to learn it. For example, in mathematics, children in the pre-school class learn to recognise numbers to 5.

Older pupils use this knowledge to solve problems involving perimeter. However, in other subjects, the school has not clearly identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to study. The curriculum is not broken down to build on what pupils have learned before.

This means that pupils do not build the depth of knowledge they need over time.

In some parts of the early years, the curriculum is not implemented effectively. This is because some staff are still developing their expertise in delivering the early years curriculum.

For example, some adult interactions do not extend children's vocabulary and broader language development. As a result, some children are not prepared as well as they should be for Year 1.

Reading is a priority in the school.

From the moment they start in pre-school, children learn a range of rhymes and listen to stories. Pupils at the early stages of reading learn the sounds that letters make. They read books that are matched to the sounds that they know.

This helps them build fluency and confidence. The school quickly identifies pupils who fall behind in reading. These pupils receive timely help to keep up with their peers.

Older pupils read a range of books, some that promote equality and diversity. For example, pupils spoke with interest about a story they had read about a refugee moving to the United Kingdom.Most staff deliver the curriculum content clearly.

They use questions to consolidate and extend pupils' understanding. The school identifies pupils' needs well. Pupils with SEND are supported well and included in the life of the school.

However, sometimes staff do not check what pupils know and remember. This limits what pupils know and understand as their knowledge gaps and misconceptions are not identified and addressed.Pupils are polite to each other and visitors, like by opening doors and standing aside in corridors to let others pass by.

However, adults do not routinely apply the school's high expectations for pupils' behaviour. At times, a small minority of pupils fall short of meeting these and can disrupt learning.

The school supports pupils' wider development well.

Pupils learn about how their bodies change as they get older. Through their actions, pupils demonstrate many of the fundamental British values. For example, they accept and respect differences between people.

Pupils consolidate their learning about different cultures and faiths by visiting a church and synagogue. Residential visits help develop pupils' independence and confidence. In outdoor learning, pupils learn to persevere and take responsibility.

Pupils learn how to stay physically healthy and attend a variety of clubs like basketball, football and dance.

Staff feel valued and proud to work at the school. They appreciate the support and consideration for their workload and well-being.

Trustees understand their role in maintaining effective oversight of statutory processes, including safeguarding. They are committed to improving the quality of education that pupils receive.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not broken down the key knowledge that pupils should be taught and when. As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not sufficiently prepared for next stage of their education. The trust should ensure that the school finalise its curriculum thinking so that it is clear what pupils should learn and when this knowledge should be taught.

• In some subjects, the school does not use assessment with enough precision to check what pupils know and remember. As a result, some gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified or closed quickly enough. The trust needs to ensure that staff use assessment effectively to check on pupils' understanding and to inform future teaching.

• The school does not ensure that, in the early years, staff consistently engage in high-quality interactions with children. This impacts children's progression through the key areas of learning, particularly in communication and language development. The trust should strengthen staff expertise in supporting learning in the early years to ensure children are better prepared for key stage 1.

• The behaviour policy is not applied routinely by some staff. Therefore, a small minority of pupils do not focus on their learning as well as they should. The trust should ensure that all staff apply the school's behaviour policy consistently.