Marlborough Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a calm but busy school that enables pupils to learn well.

Staff care for pupils. This starts in the early years. The safe yet inviting environment provides a positive start to children's education.

The well-organised playground ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy. Pupils who take on leadership roles contribute to decision-making, including choosing charities they would like to support through fundraising.

Leaders and staff prioritise pupils' language development.

This is successful, especially in helping pupils who speak English as an additional language (EAL) to develop their speaking and understanding. This helps pupils to... successfully learn leaders' ambitious curriculum in most subject areas.

Pupils are kind and are very tolerant of each other.

They show a good understanding of difference. Relationships between adults and pupils are warm. Adults want the best for every pupil.

Pupils demonstrate core values of 'respect, equality and self-belief' in all they do. They are encouraged to believe that they can achieve great things. Leaders provide pupils with many opportunities to listen to inspirational role models speak about their journey to success.

A huge mural on the school playground reminds pupils of what they can achieve every day.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about what they want pupils to learn. They have designed an exciting and ambitious curriculum, including in the early years, for all pupils.

This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This is particularly true in mathematics, art and design, and science. Leaders have considered the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and when they should learn it.

Where this is done successfully, pupils learn key knowledge well. In the early years, this learning is carefully broken down into small steps. However, in some subjects, leaders have not checked how well the curriculum is being delivered.

They have not identified that there is some inconsistency in how well teachers are delivering the curriculum. In these subjects, this leads to some pupils not remembering the most important knowledge.

Leaders have developed an expert approach to teaching phonics and early reading.

Whether pupils speak EAL or speak English as their first language, this approach works equally well. In Nursery, staff share lots of stories, rhymes and songs that get children used to the patterns of language. Staff make sure that pupils read books that are carefully matched to the sounds they have learned.

Staff check how well pupils read and quickly put extra support in place if they fall behind. This helps pupils, including those with SEND, to catch up.

Staff create a range of opportunities to promote a love of books and reading.

Leaders have deliberately chosen books with characters that pupils can relate to. Pupils talk enthusiastically about these. Parents are invited in every morning to share books with their children.

This helps pupils to further develop a love of books and reading. Workshops are provided for parents that enable them to support their children at home. These are well attended.

There is effective provision in place for pupils with SEND. There are clear systems to identify and meet the needs of these pupils. Leaders work with a range of external agencies and use skilled adults in lessons to ensure that these pupils are very well supported.

Leaders also ensure that these pupils are fully included in the many opportunities on offer. The 'shooting stars', who spend part of their day in 'The Hub', achieve exceptionally well. This is because leaders know the precise small steps the pupils need to learn to help them make progress.

There are still too many pupils who do not come to school regularly. Leaders have developed systems to track pupils' attendance. However, actions to improve the attendance of some pupils are not yet effective.

As a result, these pupils continue to miss too much learning. This hinders their progress.

Pupils try their best in lessons.

They listen carefully to adults and to each other. Pupils do not disrupt the learning of others. They are very respectful of each other and talk confidently about the 'power of kindness'.

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum helps children to learn about the diversity of modern Britain and the world beyond. They know how to be responsible citizens of the future. Pupils understand the importance of looking after the world they live in.

Recent projects, such as 'Earth Shot', help them to learn about sustainability. Pupils also worked in partnership with a local MP to create a community garden.

Leaders do all they can to support staff.

Staff report that they feel well supported by leaders. Governors and trustees are providing suitable challenge as well as support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders maintain the single central record well. They make sure appropriate checks are made on staff before their recruitment. Leaders and governors are trained in safer recruitment.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Leaders and staff have a strong understanding of local safeguarding risks. Other agencies, such as the local police, are invited into school to talk to pupils about how to manage the risks and dangers that they may face in society.

They learn about important issues, such as the danger of knife crime.

Leaders and staff can identify when pupils are at risk of harm or abuse. Safeguarding training and updates are regular and effective.

Staff report and pass on safeguarding concerns in a timely manner. However, systems for recording concerns are not always completed in sufficient detail. Nevertheless, leaders have a detailed understanding of concerns and ensure that they follow these up quickly.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders have not ensured that safeguarding records are sufficiently detailed. This sometimes makes it difficult to access the full history of actions taken by leaders to keep children safe. Leaders should ensure that all staff record safeguarding concerns and actions to follow up the concerns in full detail.

• Some pupils are absent from school too often. These pupils miss out on important learning and the many opportunities available to pupils who attend regularly. Leaders should ensure that they continue to take appropriate action, including working closely with families, to support all pupils to attend school regularly.

• Leaders have not monitored how well the curriculum is being delivered in some subjects. As a result, they have not identified where further support and training are needed. Leaders should ensure that they check how well the curriculum is being delivered in all subjects, to identify where additional training and support are required to ensure that the whole curriculum is delivered to a high standard.